Tanzania Updates

 

Grace and Peace to you friends.  I hope this report finds you doing well.  This message is a little picture-heavy so I hope it isn't too big for your inbox, but there was a lot that I wanted to show you.  Things have been very busy here over the past month!  One of my top agenda items on this trip was to visit some congregations that I haven't been able to see in person before.  This gives me the chance to see their circumstances and needs, offer some encouragement, and do some recruiting of new preacher training students. Such visits are important in understanding the scope of the work here and in maintaining relationships.  So far these travels have taken me to the southern border of Tanzania and back up into the other side of Kenya!  Let me tell you a little about it. Endamarariek The church at Endamarariek has been meeting in a school room where one of our students from ACSOP travels back on weekends to minister to them.  The congregation is thriving and bursting at the seams.  We enjoyed the chance to teach and preach to them and rejoice that there were two baptisms during the visit.  Thanks to our friends at Burns Flatt, the church at Endamarariek will soon have their own new building (pictured above) to continue worshipping and growing in!   Chamwino Ikulu  On our travels we were able to stop in and meet Elias Mayaji, the preacher at the Chamwino Ikulu church.  This congregation in Dodoma is located just across the street from the Tanzanian White House.  Lukando Leaving paved roads several hours behind, we spent a day with the Lukando congregation in central Tanzania. They asked us to do a seminar for them, and rewarded us with warm hospitality including farm-fresh local cuisine. We enjoyed visiting the work of Boniface, a second year ACSOP student, and recruiting some more future preachers. Kyela At the southern border of Tanzania, near Lake Nyasa, we met with the Kyela church.  This church is the home of a couple of our students, and it was great to see the brethren that produced them. Cy was last able to visit Kyela in 2015, so it was encouraging to see their continued faithfulness since that time.  Makunga The northern extent of our travels took us back across the equator to Matunda, Kenya, which is home of the Makunga church.  There we preached to the congregation and met with several former ACSOP students who are evangelizing the area.  You can tell that these guys are working hard and the church is thriving.   Lerai For the past week, we've been back home in the Arusha area.  Our friend, Brad Whinery, from Elk City, OK came and joined us for a mini Safari for Souls campaign for the scenic mountain congregation of Lerai.  The campaign was well attended as evangelists from the east side congregations, along with many of their members, came together to help reach the community.  We did bible studies each morning, seminars each afternoon, and children's classes as well.  By the end of the week, 7 precious souls had put on Christ in baptism!   (Your new brothers and sisters in Christ!) Let me tell you, your support of Tanzania Missions and the Andrew Connally School of Preaching is having an impact on the Lord's kingdom over a very large area!  Thank you for being a part of this through your prayers, encouragement, and financial support.  May God bless our efforts together.  Till all have heard, Daniel Gaines Mission Coordinator Tanzania Missions

Short Report 5/26

 

Grace and Peace to you friends.  I hope this note finds you doing well.  I wanted to touch base with you on how things are going with the work.  First of all, despite all of the COVID era travel restrictions our family has arrived safe and sound in Tanzania.  I am delighted to be here and want to thank you for your prayers for safe and smooth travel.   One of the first orders of business was to meet with the school of preaching faculty to share some exciting plans that Bear Valley Bible Institute International is developing.  Namely, they are standardizing the academic experience  across all of their extensions.  This is starting with a standard set of syllabi that I was able to share with our local faculty.   I was also able to share a generous resource donate to the Andrew Connally School of Preaching by our friends at World Video Bible School.  They gave us three large hard drives full of their complete catalogue of very well-done videos, along with a portable projector to be used in showing those videos.  We're already making plans for viewing and sharing these resources at the school and at area congregations.  Speaking of generous gifts, some other friends of the work have provided funds to renovate and update our school library!  I will be excited to share update with you about this project as it moves along.  Our friend, Sid Aultman, is sending a container later this year and has kindly offered us space for library materials.  That means this is a perfect opportunity to get A LOT of books over to upgrade the library.   I've prepared an Amazon wishlist of textbooks and recommended readings that we'd like to include.  You can find that list here: (Book List) If you would like to purchase some books on that list, then you can have the sent to: 194 Narrows Drive, Suite 1 Birmingham, AL 35242 There are also some books we want that are not available on Amazon.  I would be happy to send you that list too upon request.  Thank you in advance for your help with this project.  I'll close here because I try to keep these little updates short so it doesn't take too much of your time. However, personal bible studies and congregation visits are going great!  The work here is so nourishing to the soul.  Here are a few other recent pictures for you to enjoy! Our English Class of Preaching Students Our Swahili Class of Preaching Students Worship at Ilkiurei Kanisa la Kristo Baptism yesterday at Manyire Till all have heard, Daniel Gaines Director Tanzania Missions

Donations Can Be Made Out To: "Hoover Church of Christ" - be sure to mention TANZANIA MISSIONS in the Memo line and  Send To: 3248 LORNA RD. HOOVER, AL 35216

Short Report 3/27

 

Grace and Peace to you friends.       I hope this note finds you well.  I want to thank those of you who responded well to our appeal last week regarding stimulus funds.   For example, one church pledged to cover the expenses for the proposed Arusha church campaign.  There are plenty of needs remaining though! Today, I'd like to share with you a message from Michael Lesotwa, our Dean of Academics at the Andrew Connally School of Preaching      "Hello everyone,  It’s my hope that things are going well with each one of us, and that we are all working hard in the kingdom of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. Also, I hope that the gospel is being preached and taught by the faithful servants in all parts of the world despite the fact the COVID19 pandemic is a big challenge in the whole world nowadays. This is only possible because of the ability that our God supplies through His faithful sons, that is you and I. Just be informed that our nation (Tanzania) is in great mourning because of the death of our former president, Dr. John P. Magufuli. According to our government reports, he died on March 17, 2021, because of heart malfunctions, and was buried at Chato district which is in the Geita region of Tanzania, on March 26, 2021.      "On the other hand, here in ACSOP we can see things going well. We have just finished out first quarter of the year with two short courses.  David and John Hall were able to visit from the U.S. to teach courses in 1 Corinthians, and in Denominational Doctrines.  God willing, next week we will start our second quarter for this year.      "We, teachers, are working hard to mold and strengthen these fellows by imparting to them the skills of the word of God. The 16 second-year students are in the first quarter of their last year of being in ACSOP for studies. They are expecting to graduate on November 20 of this year. We really appreciate this great effort because of your prayers, and your great financial support that you gave to make these things happen. May our God of our Lord Jesus Christ supply all your needs as you do to us. Amen." Let me join Michael in expressing gratitude for your interest, encouragement, prayers, and support.   Till all have heard, Daniel Gaines Mission Coordinator Tanzania Missions

Stimulating Missions

 

Grace and Peace to you friends.  In the coming days, many of you will be receiving non-taxable stimulus payments from the government in the amount of $1,400 per person.  If you are in a stable enough fiscal situation that this could be expendable income for you, then let me plant a seed of thought.  I know that you already have a heart for missions, and a love for the Lord's kingdom.  This just might be an opportunity to give more generously to a cause you love than you are ordinarily able to do!  Here are just a few ways that a one-time donation might be a blessing to the Lord's work in Tanzania:   Sponsor a Campaign - Due to travel restrictions, our foreign campaigns have all been put on hold.  However, the local brethren are still desiring to conduct their own campaigns, but could use help with the expenses of such.  For example, the Arusha church has asked for $1,000 to cover food and travel expenses for area evangelists to gather and conduct a campaign in their area.   Construction Projects - There are several congregations that have presented us with requests for help with their facilities.  One-time donations can go a long way in helping these congregations to have secure, permanent places to worship. Student Support - For $3,600, you could cover the expenses of training a preaching student at the Andrew Connally School of Preaching for a whole year. Gaines family work fund - My family will be heading to Tanzania in May, and won't return until August.  One-time contributions could help offset the expenses that we'll incur in the course of this work.  Noel Stafford family - Noel and his family are raising support to work in Moshi.  They could use help with the initial costs of getting moved over and set up in the work.  Cy Stafford School of Leadership - is in the final phases of construction.  We still need funds to renovate, furnish, and supply the library that will be shared between the School of Leadership and ACSOP.  One of our committee members will be sending a container later this year, and has promised us room for books and desks, if we can get them purchased in time.   You can always just donate to the Tanzania general fund, giving us the flexibility to direct the funds to the area we view as having the greatest strategic need at the time.    There are two main ways to give now: The online donation option at the Hoover website ( https://hooverchurchofchrist.org/member-resources/ ) at that link, you can SCROLL DOWN to the GREEN button that says " Give to Tanzania."              OR You can make your checks payable to "Hoover Church of Christ" and make sure to clearly label the memo line "Tanzania Missions").  Then mail it to:           TANZANIA MISSIONS           C/O HOOVER CHURCH OF CHRIST           3248 LORNA RD           HOOVER, AL 35216   Either way, make sure to clearly specify any special instructions or intentions for the funds.  The online option is the fastest and safest, but the service does charge a processing fee. Thank you for your consideration, and your love for the work.  We appreciate your partnership in these efforts. May God's blessings be upon you! Till all have heard, Daniel Gaines Mission Coordinator Tanzania Missions