Greetings Fellow Servants,
We thank you for your prayers and support of God’s mission work here in Tanzania. God is working powerfully through His faithful men and women in His Church in East Africa.
Let me illustrate... On November 29th the Andrew Connally School of Preaching will graduate eight more faithful evangelist. These men represent three countries here in East Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. These men spent the last two years studying God’s Word from cover to cover. They also learned to apply their knowledge, working with local congregations and actively engaging in personal evangelism. Including this class, we have sent 137 men into this world to proclaim the message of the Gospel. I cannot think of a better stewardship process than 2 Timothy 2:2, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” We ask that you remember each of these men of God and their families as they serve God in His Kingdom’s work.
During the week of December 15th through the 21st, the Andrew Connally School of Preaching will host the yearly Future Preacher’s Training Camp. Each year about this time we bring in 35-45 young men, ages 13-23, to learn how to lead in worship, develop and preach Biblical lessons, and what it means to “Lead!” Many of these young men have proven themselves to be really good Bible class teachers, preachers, and, yes, amazing evangelists. They helped with our Christian camp, teaching many of their friends and peers the Truth of God’s Word. We thank our brother Roger Shepherd for introducing this idea to the Lord’s work here in Tanzania many years ago. This has proven to be a power tool in the “disciplining process.”
During the week of January 5th through 10th, the Andrew Connally School of Preaching will host the yearly Tanzania Christian Camp. Young boys and girls, ages 13 to 23, from the Lord’s church are invited to come and learn more about God’s Word, as they fellowship and meet new friends. They are encouraged to bring a friend who might not be a Christian that they might learn of the saving message of the Gospel. We thank Ben Thompson (who will not make it this year because he and his wife just had a baby), John Rice and Burt Fuller for bringing this idea to Tanzania. They are also going to conduct a second camp this year in Dar es Salaam. Each year several obey the Gospel during this camp, all to His glory!
I have highlighted the above to say this - our good brothers and sisters in Christ here in Tanzania are maturing and doing the work with joyful hearts. The scriptural growth we are witnessing is truly amazing and can only be attributed to God, for “what God controls, grows.”
On behalf of the entire Tanzania mission team, we say thank you from the very depth of our souls. We know you have sacrificed much, making this work what it is. May our God bring joy and peace into your lives in a very special way. We thank you, we love you and we will continue praying for you.
In Him,
Cy, Stephanie, Granny, Mama Happy, Bryson and Benson.
(Mama Happy, or better known to some of you as Paulina, gave birth to a healthy boy, Bryson, last week. Her good friend and nurse, Stephanie, is taking care of them in our home for a few days before they return home).
P.S. Early this week we received a surprise from the government owned and operated power company. Instead of 240 volts, we received 300 volts of power. So, we are in the process of repairing and replacing; 23 light bulbs, a micro-wave, washer, printer, two power supplies for our lap-tops, etc. We have covered the cost of our personal items, but, if you would like to help with the Kensington House (missionary house), we (the mission team) would be very grateful. As of this writing we have spent $910.32, still waiting to see if our coffee pot and printer can be repaired. Thank you in advance for your concern and generosity.