Dear Supporters, Family and Friends:
“This is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice in be glad in it.” (Psa.118:24) Today there is an extra special reason to be joyful because our oldest son, Todd, and his girlfriend, Lauren Michelle Kelly, arrived safely last Friday. Coming from the airport with our visitors in tow, Jimmy began driving up our long, winding driveway before we had finished tying all the yellow ribbons to the trees. INSTEAD of slowing down (to give us time to run UP THE HILL in the dark, grab the posters and get in line with the children) he continued at full speed (Todd said it was similar to the time Jimmy chased a herd of giraffes in the National Park...unfortunately Trina wasn’t running as gracefully as those majestic animals). This was Lauren’s first time to meet Trina...thank you, Jimmy; it did make for an interesting memory! Lauren, (daughter of Chris and Brenda Kelly) is from Fairhope, AL. Lauren’s mom (formerly Brenda Gill) and Trina were friends at Faulkner University in the mid eighties.
Lauren and Todd will work with Tanzanian Christian Camp (TCC) to be held at the ACSOP. We are thankful that the rest of the TCC group (John Rice, Burt Fuller, Ben Thompson, Josh Smith, Hope Walker, Kathryn Clark and Taylor Staggs ...all from the great state of ALABAMA) also arrived safely. At Kisongo, Jimmy taught the men’s Bible class, Trina taught the ladies, Hope and Lauren taught the children, Ben did a great job of preaching, Josh conducted the Lord’s Supper and Todd led several English songs.
The 3rd Annual Future Preacher Training Camp (FPTC) is now history. Twenty-seven young men attended and heard many great lessons and learned / practiced the basics of sermon preparation, song leading, prayer and public speaking. One very interesting fact is that the camper (Jackson Makundi) who received the highest award was taught the Gospel by another young man (Patrick Innocent) who first attended this camp when he was eight years old! Patrick was taught by his father (Innocent Mafayo , ACSOP graduate, preacher at Monduli and office manager at Tanzania Christian Clinic).
Innocent was taught many years ago by our directors’ wife, Stephanie Stafford (sowing the seed, Mark 4: 26, 27). It’s amazing the good that comes from ONE Bible study...ripples in the pond. Camps such as this one and TCC change lives, change family trees and change the future for good... because the Word is taught!
Concerning the trip to Dar es Salaam, representatives of four congregations met with Jimmy, John Rice, Burt Fuller and Elly Martin to discuss the possibility of beginning a Christian camp there. Pray these congregations will want to begin a good work such as this. John Rice is the founder of Backwoods Christian Camp (Lineville, AL) and Burt Fuller is the administrator of Indian Creek Youth Camp (Jasper, AL). Due to her translator (an employee of ACSOP) working with the Future Preachers’ Camp, Lindsey did not study with Theresia or Jackie this week. However, both girls are planning to attend TCC (begins Monday) and will receive a “whole heap” of Bible teaching EVERY DAY. Grace (with whom Abigail has studied) is also planning to attend. Theresia attended worship services both last Sunday and today! Consequently, the Pentecostal preacher where she formerly attended, announced to his congregation, “I have heard there are people coming to your houses wanting to study the Bible. Tell them YOUR PASTOR teaches you the Bible.” He must think that Lindsey is a real threat because he personally paid a visit to Theresia, telling her that “we” were “free masons” (maybe there is another group here of that persuasion).
A special thanks to JW and Jackie Gee and Hope Walker (Searcy, Arkansas) for the goodies and to Dale Baker for his assistance / advice concerning our report. To Trina’s OLDER sister, Denita Smith, we wish a belated “Happy Birthday” (she turned 50 but looks 35!) .We can announce her age because we live 10,000 miles away! Ha/ha Thanks to all of you, for your continued support and prayers so that this work will continue to be successful and so that God will be glorified!
Nakutakia heri (I wish you all good things),
Jimmy, Trina, Lindsey, Abigail, Heather, Candace, Stuart, David, Naomi, Elijah, Matthew and, temporarily....Todd and Lauren!
To view the report with pictures, please visit this link.