Lots of EXCITEMENT!

We have had lots of EXCITEMENT over the past few weeks and we have lots to catch you up on from out here in Kigoma, Tanzania! It is amazing what all can happen in just a few short weeks. Africa can be a challenging place at times, but where God is at work, things can get EXCITING :)

This picture above beautifully depicts Jennifer and her love for babies and children which is so infectious and obvious :) She is loving her shifts in the labor & delivery department at the local hospital here. She has participated in over 18 births in the last few weeks! She even assisted in a baby who was breach, meaning he was delivered feet first! That can sound exciting to some, but not so much to others (like me!). Below is the first baby Jennifer delivered, along with the mother - Exciting!

We are so happy for her and continue to pray for her as she fulfills this calling from the Lord. She will continue to work 2-3 days a week in the hospital as she is able. Please pray for her and for all of the mamas and babies she will be working with :)

Last week Sam and I were scheduled to pick up Isaac from RVA for his midterm break. We had a nice "Boys" weekend together in Nairobi, and even got to eat at Dominos Pizza and Burger King (for me)! After returning Isaac to RVA, Sam and I returned to Dar to await our flight to Kigoma the next morning. I woke up that night in excruciating pain on my right side. We rushed to the hospital and eventually they discovered I had a small kidney stone stuck that would not pass on its own (Pain!). I went into surgery the next afternoon to have it removed - EXCITING! (Not really).

It was exciting to see God's hand in everything, but no doubt the most intense pain I have ever experienced. If I had been in Kigoma when this happened, we don't know what we would have done. There are a few small hospitals here, but none have the capability to deal with, nor even diagnose something like this. The LORD knew, and had me in Dar near the help I would need. Even Jennifer was able to get on the flight that same day to come and help with Sam and I.

How Exciting!

The maktaba continues to be a bright light in a dark place! Gerald keeps things going when I'm not there, and works Mon. - Fri. Each week. This past week, a young man came in to talk. He said he was walking by and saw the Maktaba and felt drawn to come in and talk to someone about his spiritual situation. He feels drawn toward Jesus, and wants to be saved, but sees the price he will pay if he turns to the Lord, (Most likely losing his family who are Muslim). Gerald is excellent at giving wise counsel and pointing him to the Lord Jesus. He told him not to fear, but to believe! We can't be afraid of what might happen, we need to respond to what we know is true. Pray for this young man, Ali, to trust the Lord Jesus, as his Savior!

Reading glasses continue to draw many Muslims into the Maktaba, who would never come otherwise. Almost every day there are new faces and new opportunities as every pair of reading glasses goes out with a New Testament, or at least some Gospel tracts to read.

Emmaus courses are continuing to be a real blessing as many are continuing in these studies! Above are three pictures of more students who completed specific sections of courses and received their certificates. As I have said before, here in Tanzania evangelism is easy, but discipleship is extremely difficult! Every certificate that I give out is not only a testimony, but a victory as we overcome this challenge :)

At the schools in Ujiji Gerald taught on prayer after I gave a testimony on how God has answered prayer in my life and specifically with my recent medical episode in Dar! (See below)

Teaching at Karuta Primary School this week

Teaching at Mbano Primary School this week

I was just recently given 25 of these solar radios. On each radio is the entire Bible in Swahili, Joy Radio (a Christian radio station in town led by a fellow missionary), and even a few audio Bible studies in Swahili! This was an incredible gift because many of the ladies that we work with are illiterate. For example, at our church in Kizenga there are several ladies who come regularly who cannot read or write. That means they have never read a Bible, and the only spiritual food they get is what they hear at church on Sunday, unless someone at the home is reading to them (very unlikely). What an absolute blessing it was to give these ladies this audio Bible which charges really well in the bright African sun! Here are 2 of our ladies below wearing their new radios! How EXCITING!!!

The work in Kizenga is going well and we are thankful for the many children and the opportunity to pour God's love into their lives! Pagi, in the picture below, has been a TREMENDOUS help in teaching the kids and helping in many ways! He has such a heart for the Lord, and is a joy to work with!

The building is all closed in now and we are all amazed at how good God has been to us. We are having new benches made, and will install curtains and solar lights soon as well. The last 2 big things are cementing the floor inside, and plastering the walls in and out, all in His time :)

As we were finishing up closing in the gables, we were short on bricks. After checking around, we were able to buy a small amount from a neighbor nearby, and the children were so eager to help us! They are so precious!

Camp Nuru is in the works! Right now I have several guys who are eager to serve the Lord and help in any way with the building of this camp. They have been gathering sand in preparation for making the cement blocks. Here in Kigoma, because we are close to Lake Tanganyika, sand is in abundance and therefore easy to find. During big rains it washes down into the roads, and is free for anyone who is willing to shovel it into piles and haul it away.

These guys are using 1 motorcycle to get to and from this area to shovel sand all day!

Two of these guys will meet me in Dar es Salaam to get a cement block form, and a small pick up for the camp. We have already prayed over this for some time now, but please join us in prayer as we make these purchases that the Lord would clearly guide us and protect us.

Once again, we thank you all so much for your support in many ways! We are so thankful for each of you! We covet your prayers for these various ministries, opportunities, and people! We also ask for prayer for our children as they grow and mature in life, in the Lord, and out here on the mission field.

Lots of EXCITEMENT out here!

~ the Kinlaws