Christmas Gift

A great praise happened today... a child was sponsored! Thank you Lord for putting these two people from the U.S.A. and Ethiopia together. They are now connected with a special bond. This is a wonderful Christmas gift for Chaltu and her sponsor.

Sharing

My family and I are headed to Mt. Drum Lutheran Church in Copper Center, Alaska tomorrow. I am so grateful for the opportunity to share Compassion and my experience in Tanzania with their congregation. I practiced my presentation on the fam tonight. They gave me some good tips, but I know that I'm really going to need the Holy Spirit's help to communicate all that God has asked me to share. I find it hard to put the things that I have seen and learned in Africa into a format that does it all justice. This must be a "God thing" tomorrow. Please pray for me.

"Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world."

5!

Yay! 5 children sponsored this weekend. Bwana Asifiwe! (Praise the Lord!)

Make a Move

If you have been following this blog and feel God tugging at your heart to move, I ask you to respond today. Visit Compassion International’s website and learn more about sponsoring a child, supporting a Child Survival Program, sponsoring a young leader, or donating to one of our important ministries such as the malaria fund. It is important and by sharing your blessings you can have real impact. Don’t wait any longer. Click here. May God bless you!

The Beginning

I made it home to Alaska Thursday, July 29^th, at about 6:00 p.m. The journey was a long one, but God gave me great connections and kept me safe. I am so thankful for the whole journey, the things I saw, the people I met, and for the lessons I learned. It is hard to put a cap on the whole experience to summarize and close this portion of my blog. Where do I begin as I end this trip? Perhaps I must realize that this is actually the beginning… the beginning of my part in the story. What will I do with the things I have seen and heard? I feel the responsibility of the gift that I have been given. My experience must be told and the voices of the poor must be heard.

First, I’ll deliver a message.

The church and ministry partners in Tanzania send warm greetings to America. They wanted me to tell you that they are so thankful for what you are doing to help the children in their country. They pray for you and ask God’s continued blessing on you. Your Tanzania friends want you to know that they appreciate you and love you.

Secondly, I will pray.

I commit to pray for the children that are suffering persecution as they move from the traditions of their Muslim families and turn to Jesus. I ask the Lord that he would continue to provide a sanctuary for the children at Compassion’s child development centers and that these children would to be strengthened and given courage through his word and Holy Spirit.

I pray that the Tanzania Compassion staff will have their financial ministry needs met and that the Lord will also provide for their families and keep them healthy as they serve the poor. I ask God to continue to bless the work of their hands and mouths as they share his word and live out their calling.

I pray for the evangelists and pastors in Tanzania that seek to share the good news. Lord, please open the eyes and ears of the lost and allow them to hear and respond.

I pray for the Advocates that have now returned from this trip. Help them to share what they have seen, and provide open hearts that will respond to their message.

I pray for the Compassion’s sponsors. I ask the Lord to allow them to understand the importance of their ministry, and that he will help them to remember to pray for their children and to encourage them through letter writing.

Finally, I commit to act.

I will speak for those who have no voice.

I commit to actively seek opportunities to share what the Lord has shown me.

I will listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as he prompts me to act and respond to his voice.

I will encourage sponsors to be active in their letter writing.

I will encourage Compassion's Advocates to keep up the good fight and press on toward the goal.

I will begin today.

Lord, thank you for the great gift and responsibility that you have given me. I pray that today you will bring new sponsors to the Compassion table and provide the children who are unsponsored with a loving gift. Thank you for this opportunity and help me to communicate the message that you want me to share as I interact with people today.

In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Country Office

Our last day in Tanzania began with a visit to the Compassion International country office. Most of the 64 staff members were there to greet us as we entered the gated sanctuary. From the outside, I would have never guessed that there would be such a lovely, serene garden and work area inside.

We began our time together by worshiping through songs on the lawn in the courtyard area. It was amazing to hear the harmonies as we lifted our voices to the Lord. A few of the men in the back had drums that beat out the rhythms of the songs and added to my desire to move with the beat. (Our American group just didn't groove like the Africans!) Most of the songs were sung in English, but we did learn one in Swahilli. It was so beautiful to hear the leader add her praises as we echoed her lead. I could imagine our songs being pleasing to God as they lifted like incense up to heaven.

Afterwards, members of our group shared stories of their experiences from the trip to bless the the local workers. My friend, Jane, (pictured above) shared the impact that the visit to her child's home had on her. She learned that the father of her sponsored child had begged the forgiveness of the local church for the sins of his tribe, who had killed two German missionaries 100 years prior. The event united the churches in the area and continues to be a marker of importance to Christians there.

Later, we were given a tour of the different offices and met the leadership of Compassion Tanzania. What amazing people! They feel that they were called to this mission to children, and although their salaries are not as high as the corporate comparison, they are satisfied knowing that they are able to provide for their families and do the will of God. The reminder of their commitment to the ministry can be found on a rock memorial that they build and laid in the middle of the courtyard. It is their "covenant with God" and drives them to continue to serve with excellence.

My favorite part was seeing the letter writing office. The workers are accomplishing their large task of sorting 7,000 child letters letters and 2,000 sponsor letters a week in a building that is unfinished. Each letter was recorded by a little old lady in the corner. As she went through the stack I asked her, "Do you write down the child/sponsor numbers for every letter?" She smiled and said, "Yes. We must keep track of them for our sponsors." The office employs 70 translators. Each week they pick up a stack of letters to take home and translate. Each translator is audited randomly to check for quality translations.

We finished our visit by enjoying lunch together, and then said our good-byes to this group of heros. They asked us to tell the American sponsors how much they are loved, and wanted to convey their thanks for the sacrifice they are making to support the children of Tanzania.

Nets

I had a great nights sleep last night. I had the gift of a mosquito net over my bed. Even though we had mosquitos flying around our room, I didn't have to fear getting bit by a mosquito with malaria during the night.

On my child visit day, I was able to look at Tabia's Compassion records. Part of the record included all of her health history. I noticed that she had been very sick over and over again. I looked through the pages of her records and saw "malaria" and then six months later, "malaria". Her health history was littered with bouts of flu, coughing and malaria. Each time, she had been treated at the hospital, but it continued to haunt her health for years.

Then the health worker pointed out the 2007 record. From that year on, her health was much better and there were no more recorded cases of malaria. I looked at the worker with a questioning look and she replied, "2007 is the year that Compassion handed out malaria bed nets in this area. It has helped our children to stay healthy."

Tabia, my sponsored child, is a real life example that malaria bed nets do help! From her letters I had no idea that this was a part of her reality. I am so thankful that Compassion helped her regain her health so she could go to school and continue to pursue her dreams. I will continue to wholeheartedly support the "Bite Back" campaign to raise funds for bed nets. Kids like Tabia are counting on it.

Safari

We attended an Assembly of God church yesterday. It was the church that was connected with the Child Survival Project that we visited on the first day, so we recognized some of the members. Although we had seen the church from the outside, I was surprised how big it was once we walked inside. People poured in, as the choir sang up front. I wish I could have taken pictures of the dances that they were doing or captured the sound as they sang for you, but we did not want to be distracted or to be a distraction from worshiping the Lord. It was a powerful experience to worship a God who sees every tribe, tongue and nation as we sat side by side with our brothers and sisters here in Africa.

Once everyone was seated, the attendance was about 1,000 people. We were told that 700-800 children attended Sunday School. After a series of songs were sung (words up on the wall in Swahili), the pastor preached a sermon from Matthew about the man who was cured from leprocy and the centurion whose servant was healed. "Trust God's power... trust God's mercy!"

Afterwards, we had lunch and headed up the road about three hours to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It is a beautiful crater that was created by volcanic activity. We drove Toyota Land Cruisers up and over the rim of the crater, and enjoyed a "game drive" inside, which allowed us to see spectacular sites and animals in their natural habitat.

This scripture was pouring through my mind as we drove: And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so... And God saw that it was good."

It WAS good. What an amazingly creative God we have! I'm so thankful that Compassion gave us this opportunity while we were visiting Tanzania. I learned from my sponsored child, that Compassion had taken her on a trip too! Praise God!

Interpreters/Translators

Last night we met with students who had graduated from Compassion's program here in Arusha. They are wonderful young people with goals and ambitions that are being lived out. It was so encouraging! Also, we had CHEESEBURGERS for dinner! Yum!

I have included a picture of my favorite interpreters on this trip. They have been so helpful and patient with us. All three, shown here, are pastors of churches in Tanzania. They are also on the team of 70 people that translate the letters that we all receive from our children in TZ.

Tuesday is letter pick up day from the centers. Each week anywhere from 100-300 letters are collected and sent to the country office for translation. The translators shared what a blessing it is for them to be able to read the letters that are sent back and forth. One of the translators actually recognized one of our Advocates from a picture that he had sent with a letter to his child. "Are you Mike?"

This morning we are off to church. I can't wait to worship with my African brothers and sisters!

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Project TZ103

We enjoyed the children and young adults in the TZ103 Child Development Center today. Saturday is their actual "project day" so all of the children were wearing their purple uniform and attended the Compassion classes as they usually would. As the students arrived they were given a drink and a piece of bread. My wish to be a fly on the wall came true today, as we were able to sit in the classes and watch the Compassion staff share their gifts with the children.

Once all the children received a snack, we began by attending a welcome service in the church. We were greeted by all the children , the Project Director and the Pastor. This center serves 284 kids, and 32 are not sponsored yet. We sang worship songs together, with heartfelt enthusiasm, and listened to a group of girls share a poem that they had written thanking all the sponsors around the world. Then the pastor shared a scripture, 1 Samuel 7:14, with us and delivered a powerful sermon. He thanked us for "doing big work" and explained that for the orphans in this center Compassion sponsors, ARE the child's mother and father. He reminded us that the center serves the poorest of the poor in Arusha, TZ.

Afterwards, we split up into groups and each group was invited to attend a different class. I chose to visit the 6-7 year old class. There were 35 children sitting on benches quietly, as we came in, and two young men and a woman were teaching the class. The class topic today was HIV/AIDS. The students began the class by singing fun worship songs that included clapping and swaying to the music. It was interesting that each of the songs was led by one of the students. Boy, were those kids good!

The female teacher led the teaching once the singing was finished. The main idea of the lesson was that if a person chooses to live a holy life you cannot get AIDS. However, they were reminded to love those with AIDS to show them the love of Jesus when they are sick. She also powerfully taught them that God can use children to speak for him. "He can put words in your mouth." The children were silent and riveted on her every word.

The highlight of the day was being able to see the secondary students (high school) in their life skill classes. There were four classes for them to choose from: cooking, carpentry, electrical, and tailoring. As we rotated from class to class a student spokesperson explained what they had learned in their skills class, and showed us the different projects that they had been working on. My favorite project was the lamp that required the work of the carpentry class for the wooden base and the electrical group for the wiring.

We served the children lunch which consisted of a big bowl of rice, broth, and one piece of meat. There were no utensils. The children ate with their fingers and sat on benches side by side. Most plates were returned clean, and a few asked for seconds, which they were given.

We had time to play and visit with the students and then, once again, it was time to say good-bye. We left a gift of supplies for the Project Director, which she thankfully accepted, and then one of our group members prayed for the center, the children, and the teachers.

It was apparent that good work is being done, in Jesus' name, in center TZ103. I felt sorry for the children peering in through the project gate, watching all of the children that were part of the activities. There is such an obvious difference between those in the center and those who are not.

As we loaded the bus I choked back a tear as I watched my friend give one last hug to her crying sponsored child. Never, never underestimate the power of your sponsorship. It means more to these kids than most of us will ever understand.

Meeting Tabia

Meeting Tabia was an amazing experience. God shared his love with both of us today. There's so much to say about the day, but for now I think I'll digest it all, and just share some pictures with you.

Project TZ108 - Day 2

We beat ourselves up on the bumpy road back to project TZ108 today. The men continued to work with the local church on the roof project, and by the end of the day it was almost completed. It was great seeing unity in the body of Christ today. The roof building is part of Compassion International's Complimentary Intervention program.

I was involved in a tree-planting project ( also CIV). As you can see from the pictures, the red soil is very dry. We dug holes, lay in the new plants and hauled a bucket of water for each one from the well. It took two of us working together to haul the buckets back and forth, while the local women were easily carrying theirs on their heads as they walked by us. We planted about 20 trees that lined the path to the church. I’d love to come back some day to see how beautiful they look when they mature.

I also helped clear brush with a church member named Julius. He whacked the limbs with his machete, and I hauled them away. It felt great getting dirty. Julius assured me that there were no snakes in the brush, but I kept my eyes open just in case.

The highlight of the day was watching Val. Yesterday she decided that she wanted to sponsor a child at this project. She chose a Maasai boy. She was able to meet him today and share a meal with him. His father, who wore the traditional Maasai dress, came with him. It was interesting seeing the blonde beauty from America interact with the traditional herdsman and his son. It was quite a contrast! God planned this sponsorship connection… and it was perfect!

Tomorrow I meet my sponsor child, Tabia. It's a big day for us!

Project TZ108

My luggage came! I was so happy for a change of clothes. I must admit that having less reminded me of how much I have. Besides deodorant, another reason that I was thrilled to have my luggage today is that I was getting anxious about all the gifts that I brought for my child and for other sponsors with TZ children. Praise God all the gifts were handed over to the Project Facilitator today and they will be traveling to the sponsored children all over TZ very soon. Also, the bibs that were made by the Valdez folks were given to the Child Survival Project spokesperson. They will divide the bibs up and distribute them to the mothers in the program. Thank you for giving these great blessings to the children!

Today was a workday. We split into two groups again. One group was the painting team. They went to a child development center and did spackling and painting in classrooms. I chose to go to the tree planting/roof building group in a center two and a half hours away, right on the Tanzania/Kenya border. The center that we went to had been waiting for a roof for their classroom for five years. Five years! As they waited, they used the building without a roof, and doubled up the groups in the church when it rained. My TZ friend, Father Peter, tells me that with God, in time an egg will walk. Yes.

We were also able to see something amazing! The students in the center showed us the vocational skills that they are learning. They were making batik cloth, pottery, and silk-screened prints to sell. The most impressive thing about the whole experience was how these teenagers talked us through the processes that they used to complete their work. I was in awe as they explained how they use the chemicals safely and demonstrated their abilities step by step (as their instructor stood proudly in the background). These kids are empowered and very skilled in this trade. Needless to say, the Advocates bought up their products like hotcakes, which added the students’ smiles today.

Although this center experiences huge challenges, great work is being done here! Glory to God!