The days spent in Daytona Beach for our Refreshing Waters missionary reunion were exactly what the name said it would be, “refreshing.” The first night I was awed by the  ballroom packed with missionaries from all over the globe. I can easily say that I didn’t know 90% of them but we all have a couple of things in common. We love God and are committed to seeing every tribe, tongue and people reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are also all part of the same missionary family. We are Go To Nations (GTN) missionaries.

Me and my former team mates from Tanzania, Charlie and Sharon

Me and some of the other missionary gals... they each work in different parts of the world (Guatemala, Philippines,in Jacksonville at our World Head Quarters

With Kate and Tyler... friends that I know from Burkina Faso

Monday night we gathered together for the Awards Banquet for GTN. The ballroom was full of people. Half of our group had served with GTN for under 10 years and the other half from 10 to  20+ years. I was overwhelmed by the men, women and families that have continued to give their lives overseas. The room cheered as each missionary went up to receive their award. As it passed into the 10 year and above mark my heart began to feel heavy as the weight of my elders and their faithful service stood before me. I thought of Psalm 145:4 where it talks of one generation proclaiming God’s works to another. I felt that these moments, as missionary after missionary came up to receive recognition of their commitment to the task of seeing Christ exalted in their region, were a walking out of Psalm 145. These men and women are a living testimony, an encouragement, an example that I deeply respect and that I desire to emulate. Theirs is the heritage that we are to follow and is a heritage that I am proud to be connected to.  My eyes filled with tears as I thought about the honor that it is to be on this team, in this time, running this race to the finish.

I am refreshed and my passion for the work I am doing in Tanzania is continually increasing. There is much work to be done and we all have a part to play. Let us each be faithful to do our part. Amen!

I used 5 songs from Felis Mwambalo, from his two albums and mixed it with interviews. Using the medium of music and strategic questions, I created a program that clearly presents the hope that I have in Jesus Christ. It will be airing on one of the main radio stations here in Arusha, Triple A Fm.  I am pretty sure I will meet the “5 people of a different culture” requirement. I wonder if I can get extra credit for doing it all in Swahili.

You can listen to the radio program right here >>>

I will be working on writing up a synopsis in English for those of you who don’t speak Swahili. The Swahili text is posted on the wordpress site that I created for feedback for the program – www.maoninamawazo.wordpress.com

Nadine directing a scene in Nipe Jibu

In early Spring of 2008 I began praying for a project that my friend Nadine was involved in. We had met the year before and she told me she was writing a movie.

I thought, thats pretty cool, but never imagined that I would be involved with the project in any way. I found myself burdened for the project and began to pray for the making of this movie regularly. I would ask God for specific words to give to the Pamoja team and every time I shared with Nadine what I felt He was saying it confirmed the things that He was already speaking to them. I had the opportunity to go to Tengeru and help out during their cast auditions. It was exciting to see the team that God had put together: multiple cultures, east and west, working side by side. I kept praying and began taking the 2 hour bus ride from Moshi to Tengeru every couple of weekends to provide an extra hand during filming.

putting make-up on Bibi (grandmother)

In that time I met the Sowers Group. Every week for 12 weeks they came to Pamoja with a new song for the movie. I saw God’s hand very distinctly in this project. Even with everything that went wrong (equipment failure, choreographer changes,  switching the main lead a week after shooting began, sickness, weather, props disappearing, etc.) they kept moving forward, we kept praying and God brought the filming through to completion. Through out those months of helping out at Pamoja Ministries I became passionate about their work in Christian media. Nipe Jibu (Answer Me), is a movie whose context, story line, music and choreography come from Africa and speaks to Africa.

watching the "roughcut" of Nipe Jibu after finishing filming

When I completed my first, three year commitment in Tanzania just a month after filming ended I knew I wanted to be a part of seeing this product reach its goal. After nearly two years of post-production we have a finished product! Nipe Jibu is ready to be put on dvd. We have entered the film in the Zanzibar International Film Festival for it’s world premier.

The work with Nipe Jibu is just beginning. My job will be kicking into full gear as we work  to pave the way for this film to reach Africa in its entirety and beyond. Please pray that God will give us wisdom as we plan the marketing and distribution strategy for this product and the many more that are to come. We have a message that is reaching straight to the hearts of people through the medium of media.

Have I mentioned lately that I love my job? I love my job.

After the extreme heat of being in Zanzibar in the height of the hot season our high altitude rainy Tengeru is a very welcome relief. I have a lot of respect for people who live in the areas where the temperature maintains 90+ on a regular basis.

Jacob, Nadine and I arrived in Zanzibar three days before the Sowers Group were to arrive to perform at Sauti za Busara music festival. We spent those three days making contacts with potential venues for the Sowers to perform at during the Zanzibar International Film Festival in July. Lots of good connections were made. We also went to the major tourist shops in the area and found great favor in having them purchase multiple copies of the En-kata Maasai photo book, Sauti ya Wamaasia music CD and the Sower’s CHEZA! (dance) CD. The day of the Sowers performance was full of the normal excitement that accompanies most of our journeys here. The flight they were supposed to take was over booked so only part of the Sowers and part of their equipment were able to make it on the first flight. The other part of the team and instruments were shuttled over to another airport to catch a flight that would get them into Zanzibar 30 minutes before they were to go on stage to perform. It was a bit stressful to say the least.

The rest of the team arrived and they gave an amazing performance, openly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ through their music to the island of Zanzibar. We thank God that His words do not return void and as the Sowers sang and proclaimed the hope found in Jesus Christ, this truth is going to accomplish its purpose in that land. The next day we took the Sowers to Prison Island to see the 100 year old giant turtles. It was a great time of fun and we were able to get a lot of good pictures and video for promotion and marketing.

In May we will be working on producing some more music videos from the Sowers music to be put on television. The TV stations are calling asking for more videos. Please agree with us in prayer for continued favor in getting music and video on air in Tanzania and surrounding countries.

“Picture this: You’re standing in one of the most remote corners of Tanzania, East Africa, in a place called O’lerumo. Around you are a few bomas (collections of huts). You’re in a Maasai village comprising maybe 200 people, living more or less in a dozen family groupings. There are no cars here. There are no wells here. There is no electricity here. There is no one here with more than a high school education, and even those who have finished elementary school are in the slim minority. You’re standing in a circle of a dozen people under a thorn tree, praying, and you’re feeling like for the first time you really understand just how nearby God is. Then a cellphone rings and a dozen Maasai reach into their shukas and pull out their phones—some of them have three—and someone apologizes and takes the call. It’s in that moment you’re reminded that the difference between “here” and “there” is not as big as it used to be….”

To finish reading this article please follow this link to the Collide website:
http://www.collidemagazine.com/article/265/opening-africas-creative-space

My most recent trip to Uganda involved a 18 hour bus ride overnight, two border crossings, and a traveling salesman. I had never been to Uganda till a few weeks ago and I enjoyed every bit of the adventure into unknown territory. The 18 hour trip was tiresome but the lovely green Ugandan country side and random herbalist salesman added much enjoyment to the trip.

Uganda is a beautiful country, similar to what I am used to in Tanzania, but significantly greener. English is a major language at least in Kampala, the city I stayed in, so communication was very easy. Except when I would, out of habit, start speaking to someone in Swahili, forgetting that they don’t speak Swahili there.

I enjoyed many things about Kampala. One, was the great relationship that was formed with a lovely couple, Nick and Vanessa. My leader, Sig, had been corresponding with Nick since our tour in Nairobi and we are seeing God knit our hearts together with them in regards to some of the pastoral literature and training that we distribute through Pamoja. There is a large Congolese community in Kampala and many of them don’t have good training materials or pastoral resources in a language they understand well. So it has been really good to connect with Nick and through him connect the Shepherds Staff, in French, with these church leaders. The reports that we have gotten back have been amazing. One woman cried when she received the book and told Vanessa’s mom that she had been praying for this book for 9 years and that God had brought it to her door. Praise God! The Shepherds Staff is provided for free by World MAP to anyone who teaches/preaches to more than 20 people weekly. Nick and Vanessa were very kind to have me to their home for a meal and fellowship. We had a great time sharing about the things God is laying on our hearts and getting excited about the things that we can see God doing through this new relationship between us. Vanessa is Congolese and gave me a fun language lesson on some of the differences between Congolese Swahili and the Swahili in Tanzania. Since half of the Sowers Group are Congolese I was able to come back home and randomly insert some Congolese Swahili into our conversation. They definitely were shocked that I knew some of their Swahili. Very fun!

Another thing that I enjoyed were these fabulous little motorbike taxis, called bodaboda’s. They were a very cheap and fun way to get around town. Because of the large number of these little taxis the traffic is very aware of their presence, making it a fairly safe mode of transportation. This is definitely not something that I would consider in Arusha where there is absolutely no concern for motorbikes from the rest of the road traffic.  In Kampala, I would leave my guest house in the morning, walk to the road, grab a passing bodaboda, tell him where I was going (usually someplace in town), haggle about the price and go. It cost roughly $1 to get from where I was staying just outside of the city into downtown. Not bad! The day I was leaving to catch my bus back to Tanzania, I strapped my one suitcase to the back of the bike and held my duffle on my lap and rode to town that way. Love it!

More to come!