Our events as of late

We've had an eventful few weeks recently. All is well with us, Joe Joe is continuing to change, the baby kicks a lot, and God has blessed us both with pretty good health. Last week we had a wonderful opportunity to lead a training for students going up into the mountains to share Christ with Luguru farmers and people of the Mgeta community. The time of training was challenging, as we really pushed the students to take their call seriously and commit to return trips and discipleship. But we also had a lot of fun sharing stories, acting out dramas, singing, teaching, and thinking. Thank you for your prayers over this time! Some good relationships grew from it as well, now we're anxiously awaiting reports from the trip!

With students on break and away for a week, we were able to visit a church in town and enjoyed a more traditional African worship service. We happily embraced a welcome treat of observing a baptism during the service. We were encouraged to listen as the pastor explained from the water that the baptism carries no power of salvation in itself, but is a symbol of our re-birth. This act of obedience symbolizes faith in a buried and risen Saviour, and the rebirth of death to sin and resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. Said Jesus, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again" (John 3:3). Solid teaching such as this is important for the Church Body here in Africa, and we were excited to hear it.

We've also had the joy to welcome in a new batch of students at Mzumbe who are moving in as first-year freshmen, coming from all over the country. It's been fun to meet them and show some around, as we (the weird foreigners) actually know more about the university and the city than they do, having lived here for a year. In this picture with Joe Joe is not one of the new freshman.

Swahili word for the day is mpya, which means new.