Dear praying friends,
It has been a very long time since I last wrote - sorry a bout that. A lot has happened since then, so I'll do my best to highlight the last couple months.
Second semester was a good one. It was full of the usual - preparing for classes, teaching, and all that is involved with doing Jesus Film showings on the weekends. Towards the end of the semester the school received some visitors - 15 students from a Norwegian Bible School. It was such a blessing to have them here for 3 days. The semester ended one week before Easter. During that break, Jesse took three of the Norwegian guys to Zanzibar while I went up to Uganda to be with my brother, Nate, and his family for 2 weeks. It was great to get away and relax for a while. Nate and I even found time to go golfing and teach a seminar to
15 local Ugandan pastors. I was also able to spend my 25th birthday with them, which was a special treat. Much too quickly my time in Uganda was over and I was heading back to Tanzania.
I met Jesse in Arusha and the next day we returned to Waama. Most of the students returned only a couple days later so we were able to start close to on time. This semester Jesse is teaching English, Keyboard, I Timothy, and Music History. I am teaching English, Guitar, Daniel, Computer, and Sight Singing. Teaching continues to be a great blessing for us and we really enjoy connecting with the students and watching them learn. As usual, Jesse and I are continuing with Jesus Film ministry on the weekends. In fact we just got back yesterday from a Jesus Film trip on which we showed our 100th, 101st, and 102nd Jesus Films in East Africa! (This total includes 20 with Pastor Kevin and team in TZ in 2006, 21 with Nate and team in Uganda, and 61 Jesse and I have done in Tanzania over the past year and a half.) We praise God for his faithfulness and protection through all of these showings!
With regards to the future, Jesse and I have decided again to extend our time in Tanzania for another year. This makes our commitment through July 2009. School will not be in session this summer (July-September) so we will take some time off during those months. Jesse will be returning to the States for a brief visit but I am still undecided as to what I will be doing.
Thanks to each one of you for your prayers. God is abundantly faithful even when we are faithless. We look forward to another year of service here in Africa and hope and pray that you will continue to uphold us in prayer during that time.
Would you praise God for:
- Over 100 Jesus Film showings completed! We have only had to cancel one Jesus Film showing through all of that (because of rain). God has kept us safe, kept the equipment running, and over 29,000 people have heard the Gospel through this ministry!
- The start of the third term. We look forward to seeing what God will do through this final semester of the school year.
- God's leading us to stay another year.
Would you pray for:
- Continued protection especially as we carry on with our Jesus Film ministry. We put on a lot of miles over bad roads. Pray too for the seed that has been planted in many hearts - that it would grow and bear fruit in many lives.
- Wisdom for us as we teach and interact with students, teachers, and friends. I'm pretty sure we are being watched more closely than we know.
May God richly bless you,
Ben
