Back to School!

     We are looking forward to this being an incredibly busy, but wonderful week. The first quarter of the year begins this week at the Andrew Connally School of Preaching.  That means we will be welcoming in a new class of Swahili speaking students, and advancing our existing class of English speakers to second year status.  I can't wait to get to know the new students.  I'll spend twelve hours in the classroom this week teaching "How We Got the Bible" and "The Intertestamental Period".  Both are fascinating and challenging studies.

     The new church plant in Njiro Chini had their very first worship service today.  It is exciting to see a church being born!  We will continue to help there as opportunity permits throughout the month.

     A couple of weeks ago, Tiffany started her own blog entitled "Choosing Gladness".  Tiffany is a talented writer and I always enjoy her perspective on things.  Her post last week has been particularly popular and a number of people have expressed that it was encouraging to them. You can read it here.

     This month is our turn to host in our home the weekly devotionals for missionaries.  With Valentine's Day right around the corner we have chosen to focus on love for the entire month.  We began our study looking at 1 Corinthians 13 and reminding ourselves from verse 3 that any sacrifice we might make or work we might do is useless without love as our motivation.  We also observed that love is an "eternal" virtue.  When we get to heaven we won't need hope because our hope will have been realized.  We won't need faith because faith is the evidence of things unseen, and then we will see God face to face.  Yet love will still remain - love for the Lord and for one another.

     Team leader, Cy Stafford, shares the following story that is worth repeating:

 Last week a fellow came up to the Arusha Bible School introducing himself as; “Reverend Nicolaus Shayo”. He inquired as to what the school was doing and how might “his congregation” be involved. After it was explained that anyone could come, tuition free, and study the Bible four days a week for two years at no cost to them, he said: “I want my whole congregation to join.” He took applications for each member and some have already joined the new intake.

It is so rewarding to see the ways that God is constantly at work here!  Thank you so much for partnering in this work with your prayers, encouragment, and support!