Thanksgiving from Tanzania

This is going to be a short one but wanted to at least touch base briefly and take advantage of this last opportunity to say HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you all! It is hard to believe it is that time of year already. Life on Thursday around here will probably be pretty normal unless we decide to do something on our own. We thought we might buy a chicken from the neighbor to celebrate (we would eat it, too, of course…) but we will have to see.

Ben and I are just coming to the end of a weekend here in Arusha. It has been a good change in pace just to get out of Waama for a while. We spent most of our time here picking up supplies that are not available in Mbulu. One of the most exciting purchases we made was a new sound system for showing the Jesus film. Stay tuned to our blog for pictures of it in use (we are scheduled to be in a village with it already this coming weekend!). With this new system we should be equipped to do outdoor showings to crowds of 700+.

Time really is going by fast and to be perfectly honest, it is hard to imagine coming home already in April (when my return ticket is scheduled). At this point, it is in God’s hands (I guess that is pretty much the way it always is!). I am not sure how visas will work out, how my medicine supply for diabetes will be doing, or if God will have given any new direction at that point but Ben and I are both open to just about anything at this point whether it be staying here, returning to the States or taking a call to some other mission field…like Australia or even the Cook Islands.

We continue to plow ahead with lessons. Things are going well and it is exciting to see the students learning! Computer classes are going well. English is fun. Philippians is an incredible book and we have been blessed even in our preparation times. We also had some more classes added to our load recently. Ben is now teaching some Guitar classes and I am helping with Piano. These new classes were just kind of dumped on us all of a sudden because the teacher in charge of the Music course was very overloaded. Pray that we be effective and a blessing even in these opportunities. It is definitely a load but it is always good to be busy.

Well, I am going to sign off there for now. Sorry it is so brief but wanted to be in touch while I had a chance. Tomorrow morning we head back to Mbulu and have computer class and piano lessons in the evening. Keep the prayers coming and we will do our best to do the same. We do think of, pray for, and thank God for you all often. May the upcoming holiday seasons be full of all God’s best for each one of you.

Thanking God for your investment in my life,

Jesse Long