We started our new school year yesterday (January 16) here at Chimala, Tanzania. We have 33 students – 22 returning second year Swahili students, 5 first year English students in the Bear Valley program, and 6 first year Swahili students. Three of the returning second year students are women.
Today in chapel we were excited to hear about what some of the second year students have done during the break. We heard from about a third of the men and they already reported over 40 baptisms, a number of restorations, and 3 new congregations started. By the end of the week we should have a full report and I will try to include it in our next update.
One of the things we are doing this year is starting two farming projects to both provide food for the students and also to teach them how they can support themselves and their families once they graduate. The two projects are raising meat chickens and a garden.
Our hearts will be saddened as Chad Wagner and his family are leaving this weekend to move back to the States to begin a new work in Tennessee.
Your brother,
Richard Rogers