The Schochs are Here in the USA Right Now!

Doug, Tamara and Joshua Schoch

A message from Tamara on February 24th, 2022:

Hello mission partners, friends and family,

We are in Fordyce, Arkansas as I type this.  We were able to see Joshua yesterday and the day before.  It was WONDERFUL to spend some time with him during his break times at Fire Academy.  The Academy is IMPRESSIVE.  We were able to sit in the parking lot, with binoculars and watch through a chain link fence at some of his drills on Tuesday.  That was very interesting and fun.  The jet lag is getting better.  I’m looking forward to my body be on schedule for the local time zone (not that we are helping it too much this week.  I have some time in Central, Mountain, Eastern, then back to Central. 
Doug and I are scheduled for flights TODAY out of Little Rock, AR.  Winter weather has moved into many areas, and we are praying that our flights will safely happen.  If we miss a flight, it will really complicate things.  God is able.

 

Note: Doug & Tamara were at Joshua's graduation ceremony on Friday, March 4th:

 

Tamara, Joshua and Doug Schoch

Here is their presentation schedule while in the US:

The first few dates are already past:

Carbon Valley SDA Church, Colorado  Feb. 26^th  (Doug will be in Michigan)
Ava SDA Church, Missouri for early program March 5^th
West Plains SDA Church, Missouri, 11:30 AM program same day March 5^th

Summersville SDA Church, Missouri at 6 pm on Wednesday March 9^th 

Decatur SDA Church, Arkansas at 9:30-10 am on March 12^th - Mission Report

Rogers SDA Church Arkansas, fellowship hall 6 pm for a meal and Mission Report (dinner and a show!) March 12^th 

Here's what happens next:  

March 13th - Family Reunion Neosho

Lebanon SDA Church, Missouri morning March 19^th

Waynesville SDA Church, Missouri 3:30 pm March 19^th

    March 19^th  at 12:30 pm Central Time - Zoom presentation for the Brighton, Colorado SDA church, please contact me directly for the Zoom link (I don’t have it yet.)

Bethel Bible Church, Elk Creek Missouri, morning March 20^th  

Lamar SDA Church, Missouri at 9:30 am on March 26^th

Nevada SDA Church, Missouri March 26th

March 29th - Flying back to Africa! 

We welcome time with mission partners, friends and family outside of presentation times also! 

Here is my email address - tamara.kibidula@gmail.com.  US phone number 501-888-9285 for calls and texts.  If you don’t get me, please leave a message.  Sometimes we are in places with no reception (like Joshua’s academy.)

The LORD is blessing.  We have enjoyed very much spending time with mission partners, friends and family, already. 

PLEASE I need to update mailing addresses.  If you are willing, please send me your updated regular mailing address. 

If you want to send me any other updated info (phone, a different email address), or just a note to say HI!  WELCOME!

(Honestly, it encourages us to hear from you!)

Thankfully,

Tamara

 

 

The Schoch Family Will be Visiting the United States Very Soon

 

Here is their presentation schedule while in the US:

• Saturday September 5th:
• Springdale, Arkansas Seventh-day Adventist Church 11 AM
• Evening – Rogers Seventh-day Adventist Church
• September 12th – Ava, Missouri Seventh-day Adventist Church
• September 13th – Elk Creek, Missouri, Bethel Bible Church
• September 26th – possible Zoom internet presentation
• October 24th – Nevada, Missouri Seventh-day Adventist Church
• October 31st – Pioneer Adventist Church, West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma

This is the current tentative schedule if meetings are allowed. We look forward to seeing our friends and family, but also will respect the wishes of those who are practicing shelter at home, etc. Thank you for all the prayers! God has answered so many of them!

Well Done

“No, it is most unfortunate.  He won’t be able to move those large luggages and continue.”

It was day 11 of 15 for this trip to Uganda.  It had already been a long day with some travel, working with the new accountant that is helping us to get caught up with many things and regulations, additionally, there were meetings with the graphics design artist and other meetings.  We finally wrapped up what we were doing and were seeking to try to drive back to Iganga before dark. 

We probably could have returned before the light of the day was completely gone, but as we sped down the main highway flowing with and meeting lots of traffic, we saw him.  There with just his wheels pointed towards the highway was a local man, his motorcycle and two HUGE bags of maize.  He was on the opposite of the road, facing the direction that we had just come from.  At first glance, I thought he had probably parked for some reason and the motorcycle had fallen over.  He was in a predicament for sure. 

The driver of the vehicle and I started talking about his case.  I asked if he thought he was going to be okay?  The reply, “No, it is most unfortunate.  He won’t be able to move those large luggages and continue.”  (Luggages is often a term used instead of cargo, etc.)  I asked if we should go back and help.  The driver looked hopeful, and said, “Can, we?”  I gave a most definite yes.  We started looking for a place to turn around.  It was a distance before we could.  I said if it had been him, I hope someone would stop to help him. 

There is a concern when coming up on an “accident” like this one  It could be a hoax, trying to get drivers to stop, then you get robbed and even lose your vehicle.  As we approached it seemed very legitimate.  This guy was in trouble.  As we approached he was removing the ropes that held the two huge bags of maize to the motorcycle.  We approached and said we were so sorry for his situation.  His first words to me, as he looked up yet continued to work were, “Well done.”

We helped him get the motorcycle back to the upright position, and he showed us the loose spoke on his rear tire.  It had come loose and gone into the chain of the motorcycle and brought him to a quick halt.  It could have been the end of his life.  He and my driver worked to get it out of the chain and out of the way.  Then he tried to start the motorcycle.  It would not start.  My driver asked him many questions.  He then asked me if we could try to get him to a village that could help him with fixing the motorcycle.  I agreed.  We decided we would try to load up the motorcycle and the two bags of maize, and drive to the village.  We loaded the two bags first.  It was almost more than the three of us could do.  Later my drive said they probably weighed 200 KG each.  (440 lbs. each bag).  We barely got them into the middle seat of the van.  After moving seats out of the way, we finally got the motorcycle into the back also, which is rather miraculous.  We couldn’t get the door closed, but tied it the best we could.  In moving the motorcycle to the van, the spoke came loose again!  OH WHAT A MIRACLE that motorcycle didn’t start.  This many would have wrecked again had we gotten him on his way, and this time in the dark, possibly losing his life completely!

I noticed he was starting to limp more and more.  It seems the adrenaline was wearing off, and he was starting to feel the physical pain from injuries.  I saw a place on his foot that was damaged and bleeding slightly.  The fact that he didn’t more injured is another miracle.  Motorcycle, and 880 lbs. of cargo landing on his leg could have really messed him up.  As we started to pull back onto the busy highway, my driver said that the man was feeling a lot of pain now, and asked if we could go all the way back to Jinja and deliver the maize to the place he was supposed to take it.  I agreed.

We had to pass through a police checkpoint, but they didn’t stop us, for which we are thankful.  We had no place for a third person to sit, and the man wanted to ride with his motorcycle to make sure it didn’t fall out the back or the door open. 

We made it to the place where the man indicated.  He limped off and came back with three young men who unloaded the big bags (with many challenges) and then also the motorcycle.  The man again thanked us very much.  We turned around and headed back to Iganga.

My driver told me thank you.  I told HIM thank you.  He said that the man had run out of options and if we had not stopped he would have had to stay the whole night there on the side of the road.  It was a distance from either village.  He told me that it was a place where many robbers are and it would not have been good.  We arrived back in Iganga quite late. 

The first words he said to me, rang in my ears: Well done.

That is the things I most want to hear from Jesus when He returns.  I want to hear the words as they are written in Matthew 25:21.  “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.  Thou has been faithful over a few things….. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”

Matthew 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

I’m thankful that the Holy Spirit impressed us to stop and help him.  Before we pulled away, I told him that God had impressed us to help him.  I hope that he knows just how much God loves him and that he will walk closer and closer with him each day.  God really does care about each one of us. 

What a privilege it is when we get to be the hands of feet of Jesus.

It was an encouragement to me to here “well done”, and it just makes my heart long for the day when I hear Jesus say this.  I know that anything good that comes out of my life is from Him.  I am thankful that He used us this night.

The Nile: Source of life?

Nile Headwaters

The great Nile river starts in Jinja, Uganda coming from Lake Victoria.  Lake Victoria is one of the largest lakes in the world and the largest in Africa.  The Nile is the longest river in the world.  It is amazing to me as I looked out over the headwaters of the great Nile river, I thought about how this source of water brings life to so many along its path.  And certainly, water is very important to life, but there is another source of life that is so important and so many are perishing for lack of knowledge about Him.  On our way to the refugee camps, we cross another bridge over the Nile.  At this place in the Nile, the waters are raging with huge rapids.  The day we started our trip up north toward the refugee camps, we came upon an accident scene.  It was rather fresh, as there were not many vehicles or people there.  As we came up, we saw people running to investigate. 

We could see that there was a body in the middle of the road, laying lifelessly.  Someone in the vehicle asked how fast would a car be going to kill a person instantly like that.  Another in the vehicle said speed isn’t needed for such a tragedy.  Simply falling incorrectly and hitting one’s head badly can cause death. 

Soon several people lifted the lifeless form and placed him in the back of a truck, and they drove the man away.  I thought about how just that morning, this person had no idea that this was the last time he would be at home.  I wondered how would be waiting for him, and he never returning.  I wondered what he and others would have done differently had they known this was his last day. 

Graves in Uganda

 Life is so fragile.  I realized this more and more each day.

I want to live my life without regrets.  I want to make each and every day count to better the life of someone.  Thank you to everyone of you that are mission partners that make this possible. 

As we see so much poverty and malnutrition in various places, my heart aches that I personally cannot do more to help each and every person.  I have to keep reminding myself, that we are not here to give “a man a fish, but to teach him to fish”.  I wouldn’t have enough “fish” to make a dent anyhow.  We don’t want to add to the downward spiral of creating a system of dependency and lack of ability.  We want to empower people with knowledge and skills so they can reach healthy standards in many areas of their lives.  Sanitation, nutrition, industry (enterprise), attitude, farming, and all the rest of the FARM STEW principles are key ingredients to help people to have abundant life. 

I am thankful for the positive impact that FARM STEW is having in so many places and with so many people here in Uganda and also in South Sudan.  As people learn these principles and apply them to their daily lives, lives are improving.  People have hope.  They have hope to give their children good nutrition, and to make some money so they can help them with their basic needs.  They have hope that they are not helpless victims of circumstances, but people who have dignity and can do something to improve themselves and their lives.  People need dignity.  People need hope.  And as people are given hope, we hope this will open the doors that many will realize the greatest Source of Hope that gives us abundant life now and for eternity.  The Nile is amazing and considered a source of life.  But real life is found in Jesus, and we hope to touch many lives that they will find true life in Jesus.

FARM STEW trainers,  volunteers and trainees. 

Who am I here to serve?

Here’s a story that I just received from Tamara while in Dar es Salaam.

… , but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD.

(Leviticus 19:18)

Each day I ask God to direct my day for His service and glory.  Although I am a missionary in Tanzania, mission service isn’t restricted to Tanzanians only.  Today was a clear reminder to me of that.  God still speaks to us, and He cares about everyone. He loves everyone.

I’m still in Dar es Salaam for a few more days.  I needed to take the new books to the National Library to register the ISBN’s for the publishing department.  I also had some shopping for other missionaries and other departments. 

Driving back, as I went through on particular intersection, something caught my attention.  There were two young white men who looked like tourists talking to two Africans.  They were sort of on a median between the crosswalks on a busy street to the right of the highway, where I was.  I watched them, and as the traffic started moving, I continued driving. 

I felt an impression that these two needed some help.  I thought to myself, they are adults, they can take care of themselves.  They should be fine.  Then the impression continued.  I prayed and asked God to not let me hear my own thoughts or that of the enemy.  I felt the impression that I should help these two guys.  Well, at this point, there was no place to turn around.  I continued to the first place where I could turn back that direction and that was quite a distance and traffic was slow.  I prayed and told God that if He wanted me to help these guys, He would have to help me find them.  They were heading down a side road that I don’t really know. Many minutes had passed.   I made the first right turn off the highway that was possible.  Since the roads don’t all run nicely but in all directions, I was just depending on God.  After driving a distance, the first road to my right seemed like the correct one, so I turned down it.  Many minutes had passed since I had seen them.  I just told God that if He was directing me, He knew it would take me this long, and to help me find them and help them be ok.  I knew that it would be a miracle if I found them.  Sure enough, that was the exact correct road.  At this point, there were several motorcycles and Africans around them.  I didn’t count, but I would say 5-7 maybe.  As I rolled down my passenger window, and I heard one of the white guys saying something about them being bad.  I honked and called out to them.  I asked if they needed some help, and where they were going.  They were getting a bit tense over the Africans.  I told them to just get in my car and I would drive them where they need to go.  They were so happy for the offer.  One of them said, “Oh, that would be great!” 

They got in and started to tell me that they were having some troubles with those guys.  I then noticed that in addition to their tourist clothes, one had an expensive camera around his neck.  I mentioned that it was probably drawing the wrong attention to them.  I asked where they needed to go, and we started that way.  I then asked, are you Christians.  There was a pause, then one said he was brought up Christian, then another pause.  I told them that I am a Christian, and then I explained what had happened.  I told them I had seen them, and what I just mentioned above.  I told them that God had sent me to help them.  One of them said, I have never had an experience with God like that.  I said I have them often.   They were in shock and so appreciative for the ride.  They had a pretty good distance to go, and their data package for some reason wasn’t working so they could not get a Taxify or Uber.  They were on holiday for several weeks in Tanzania.  They had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, been to Zanzibar, and I don’t know what else.  But today they wanted to go to the Botanical Gardens.  (I didn’t know there were any!)  They then asked how long I had been in Tanzania (since January 2012) and what I do.  I told him I was a missionary and my life is about serving Him and serving others.

They were super appreciative.  As they were getting out, they offered to pay me what they would have a taxi.  I refused payment but told them they could take something.  I gave them a newsletter, a business card and an English message book.  One said, I don’t think I will ever forget this day.  We not only didn’t pay for a taxi, we got gifts!

God loves those young men.  Maybe God used me to answer the prayer of one of those Christian parents.  I hope God will keep those young men safe, and that this experience will really draw their hearts out to Him.  Thank you for making it possible for us to minister to so many different people in so many different ways. 

PS: (Lots of other pamphlets (GLOW TRACTS) and other sharing books also got given out today!)

Taxi Driver

His name is Juma, and he was late.  REALLY late.

We contacted him through Taxify (like Uber).  He called to verify where we were.  He was only a minute away according to the app.  It was a LOT longer than a minute before he got there.  Many taxi’s tried to get us to take their car instead as we waited and waited.  We kept denying them and waited.  Finally he arrived.  He was appologetic.  We were forgiving. 

Traffic quickly became one jam after another.  The from the airport to the house was a long one.  Since we were stopped so much, and there were vendors making their way around the stopped cars trying to sell their wares, it was time to give out tracts.  I moved my bag and fanny pack away from the window to avoid any “grabs”.  Down went my window, and out went my hand with a tract.  Soon I was giving away many tracts to the passersby.  Soon the guest who had just arrived from the US asked for some tracts to give out on his side of the car.  Then our taxi driver asked for a tract to read.  Tracts were going out. 

At one time an old man approached the new guest’s window.  He took the tract and asked what it was.  Our new arrival didn’t have any Swahili to speak, so the taxi driver quickly intervened.  He told the old man to take it and read it.  He said it was good.  The old man said he couldn’t read.  From the cloudness of his eyes, I believed him.  The taxi driver didn’t skip a beat.  He said, “Find someone to read it to you!”

Then a bit later and a little ways down the road, some of the other drivers on the road were curious about what was going out our windows.  The passenger’s side window came down on the car next to us.  The person started asking our taxi driver questions.  Then the taxi driver took a tract from our guest and reached way out and handed it to the passenger in that vehicle. 

Then a fruit salesperson was walking by.  The driver asked for four bananas.  (She also got a tract.) He took one off for himself and then offered the other three to us three in the car!  WOW.  I have never had a taxi driver buy food for me.  We graciously declined, but were very appreciative.  When we arrived at our destination, I asked if he would like some more tracts to give out.  He excitedly said “Yes!”.  

Some days are just full of surprises!

Come with me

One morning after consulting my map to where I had been and where I had not been to offer literature, I set off with my backpack full of books and tracts.

Several blocks from the house I met several people eating breakfast just beside the street.  This is very common, as people set up “shop” at various locations if there is traffic there.  I offered them tracts.  After I finished, they told me to enter the gate just behind them, because there were many people inside that would want them.  One person showed me inside, and sure enough, there were a make-shift breakfast places here and there inside these walls and gate.  I gave my little speech about how these tracts were free, and they could choose which they wanted.  I like to carry a variety at times to allow people to choose.  It also helps them to see that other studies (tracts) are available, and if they want to learn more, they can.


Just as I was finishing up giving tracts to the last people inside these walls, and heading back out the gate, and the young man caught up to me and said he had some friends that I should give literature to.  "Come with me," and he started off.  We walked a ways, and he never looked back to see if I was following. I then asked in Swahili, “I’m to follow you, correct?”  He confirmed.  Ok.  Follow I did.  We walked up to a construction site and he called the guard to open up the gate to us.  We went in and there were many people there working, guarding, or just visiting.  He told me to give them literature also.  I did.  Then he led me into the multi-story building (under construction) and started calling out names of people to come get literature.  The various people had fun asking me all kinds of questions and getting literature.  Soon, I asked if I could go, and the young man said that I could.  I exited the construction site, happy that God had opened yet another door!


A few streets down, people were having their breakfast at more permanent food establishments.  I offered literature to the customers and workers.  As I left the first cafe, I saw that there was something similar across the street.  Upon entering, I realized it was more of a pub.  I offered literature and everyone took something.  Then one man who had obviously been drinking liquor (even though it was before 10 AM) started talking to me about someone (maybe his wife) that he wanted me to come and meet.    He said she was at home and I should come to her.  He even used some terminology that I would expect from a Seventh-day Adventist.  I was puzzled and trying to fully comprehend what he was trying to communicate.  Then suddenly from across the room, another man yelled at me, “NO!” He said it in English, even though all of us had only been speaking Swahili.  I looked at him and he repeated himself with just as much seriousness.  “NO!”

That was pretty clear.  I took a few tracts and stuffed them in the drunk man’s shirt pocket, and told him to give them to the lady for me.  The man across the room seemed content at this, and I made my way out and down the street.

One "come with me" was safe and a good experience.  One "come with me" could have possibly ended my life or something else unpleasant.  God knows how to keep me out of trouble when I keep my eyes and mind on Him.

I really believe that God protected me from something sinister that morning.

Thank you for all your prayers, encouragement and support that make this work possible and keep us safe from many known and unknown dangers.  Many hundreds of people were given literature this day.  Please pray that God will use it to be a blessing to them and those with whom they will share it with.

Future Posts - Blog saved

Dear friends,
Thank you so much for all your prayers.  It seems that we can comply with the new laws regarding "blogging", as this blog is no long controlled or authored in Tanzania.  This blog is now owned in the United States, and all future posts will be posted by the new owner. 
The new owner has agreed to report future updates on the work that takes place in the mission work of the Schoch family.

"I want a book."

While pet/house sitting in Dar es Salaam, I would walk the dogs twice each day on the same route.  Each time I was out, I tried to make special effort to greet people, be friendly, and pray as I walked.  Since I was there for more than three weeks, the regular people in the neighborhood soon recognized who I was.

Week three I felt it was time to hand out literature on my dog-walking route.  I cannot give out literature while walking the dogs as most people are afraid of them.  After walking the dogs, I loaded up my bags, and headed out.  I started my pet route, but decided to not only offer free books/tracts to the people on the street, but also to knock at each gate.  People were very curious about what I was doing, and I don't remember anyone refusing the literature.  Many people wanted more than one piece.

A few days later, I was in a different part of Dar es Salaam, about a 20 minute drive, at least, from the dog route.  As it was getting dark, a young man came up to me and told me that he recognized me from where I was walking the dogs and giving out literature.  He said that he hadn't gotten a book the day I was out there, but really wanted one.  I tried to understand where it was that he was seeing me each day.  It is difficult because many of the streets don't have names.  I thought I had a pretty good idea of where he was referring to (the walk is about a mile or more long.)  I told him I would carry his book with me each time I walked the dogs, and he was to stop me and remind me when he saw me.  He thought it was a good idea. 
The next day, I didn't see him on my morning walk with the dogs.  I decided I would go and give out more literature after my walk, and I did just that.  I walked by where I thought I would find him, but still I did not meet him.  I went down streets I felt God was leading me on.  I had a great time of giving out tracts.  After running out of literature, I returned back to the house. I was concerned, because I would be leaving Dar soon.  If we didn't find each other soon, he would not get his promised book. I continued to carry his book each time I walked the dogs.
One evening, I walked my route, and still no young man.  As I came to an intersection where I am supposed to walk straight, I felt I should go down the street to the right, so I did.  I was about a block down this street when the young man came up to me and reminded me who he was and asked if I had his book.  I started to explain to him that I had been looking for him each day, but had not seen him.  He was on this street just now going to work, I didn't quite catch the reason.  I told him that God had directed me down this street so I could give this book to him.  He was very excited and grateful.  I wonder if Satan was trying to keep this young man and I from meeting again, but God overruled the normal to make sure this young man got his book.
Eternity will tell.

Thank you to everyone that makes this work possible through your prayers, encouragement and support.

mwangaza.online

We've been getting contacted by someone who is designing special studies for non-Christians (Mus1*ms).  While trying to help him with his request, somehow it also became evident that we needed a different website that didn't have the Swahili word for Bible in it so it would be more appealing to people of all faiths.  Thus, a new website was created.  God blessed, and we had the new website up in record time.  Now we can print this new website on all new publications, and we can stamp in on current books and tracts. 

mwangaza.online

The new website is www.mwangaza.online.

If you know anyone that reads Swahili, please feel free to share this great new resource.  It has short studies about health of body, health of mind, health of spirit, and also Bible studies.  We will soon have some bookmarks ready to give away.  We will have ones with the new website and ones with the Bible study website.  I tried to design them in a way that even if a person just saw them while in someone's hand or book, they could easily see the site name and remember it.

The new website's bookmark.

The Bible Study website bookmark.

 
Thank you for all the support and encouragement. 

Another set of studies online, books and tracts to many.

God is wonderful.  Now the website www.kujifunzabiblia.com has two full sets of Swahili Bible studies and the 27 translated tracts.

Daily there is traffic to the site.  I am praying that God will help many people to come to know Him better through these tools!
The next phase will probably be some tracts that were designed specifically for those who are in 1s1amic.  We want everyone to have the opportunity to know how much God loves them!

There are still some minor adjustments yet to be made to the site now that the platform and the theme updated, but it is functional! We also hope to start advertising the site in books, tracts and on bookmarks.

On another note, the latest book seems to be in high demand. 

Doug told me that book sales were up in the office.  He wasn't joking.  There were about 127 receipts for book sales turned in for November!  I have never seen that many in one month!
People are purchasing them for themselves, and also to share.  It is so exciting!
The literature evangelism program seems to like this one also.  They bought almost 3,000 just a couple of weeks ago, and they requested 10,000 more today.  (I started this blog several weeks ago and somehow didn't publish it!)
I have purchased many and given them out and will do the same for my upcoming trip to Dar es Salaam.  I really enjoy giving out books to people.  I think I want to take more than I can carry this trip, so we will be looking into the option of shipping literature by bus after I arrive there.

I'm not looking forward to being apart from my guys, but I am looking forward to some quite time to get some concentrated computer work done (websites, book layout, and much more!)

----------------------------------
So I started this post a while back.  I am in Dar es Salaam and have been since the 13th.  I was only able to bring some tracts, so Doug shipped me a full case of tracts and book.  Then he and Joshua came to Dar for a few days to visit over the holiday and he brought me more! 

I had a self-inking stamp made with the website address.  I have been stamping every book and tract (that is a lot!)  I finished giving out the last of the tracts today.  It was probably just a little over 1,000 tracts and 15 books so far today.  Some people get very excited about the tracts.  That is always encouraging.
I never know what I will learn on such trips.  Today, after giving some out to a group of men the one guy said something to the effect, "This foreigner is giving out something to help us, not like a lot of our own people who are giving out flyers about witch doctors."
I hadn't thought about that, but I have seen those flyers also. 
Several days ago, a couple of young men were walking by.  I was almost to my gate, so I had put the tracts away.  The one man recognized me, and said something to the effect, "You have been giving out literature.  Are you Jehov. Witness?"
I told him I was not.  He then asked if he could have some of my literature.  He was happy to see what I was giving out.
As I was giving out tracts, people would see the books in my bag.  Several of them would ask about those also.  
Something I noticed today is that some of the Mus1im ladies when they are walking alone, are often very interested in taking a tract.  They take it discretely.  If they are in a group or with a man, not so much, but when they are alone, they seem "hungry" for something better.
I'm not pushing anything on anyone, but I am offering hope to everyone.  Please continue to pray for people.  Please pray that we get literature into the hands of all those whom God wants to receive the literature.  Please pray that those who should will visit the website.  Please pray for the Holy Spirit to work on hearts that they may know the Truth in Jesus.  People need Hope.  They need to know God - Who He really is!  He is wonderful and loves each one of them.  I hope they will get to know Him, and love Him back.

Thank you to everyone of you who pray for us and this work.  Thank you to each and every mission partner that make it possible for us to be a tool in God's hands to help people.  Through your prayers, support, and encouragement, this work continues!  THANK YOU.  Please keep praying for this literature/website work.

Swahli Glow Tracts are ONLINE! Mwangaza

I am very excited how God is helping to get the website up and functional!  Not only do we have the first set of Bible studies online, but now we have 27 of the translated-into-Swahili GLOW tracts (Mwangaza) online! 

www.kujifunzabiblia.com/mwanzo/kozi-zinazopatikana/mwangaza/

As soon as I shared this with team members and on Facebook , the number of people visiting the sight went WAY UP!  I started tracking traffic to the website on the 27th of October.  The tracker I am using shows 491 visitors since then, and 397 have been just this week.  One of the teachers here at Kibidula shared the site with 30 WhatsApp groups.  It is very exciting that people can get answers to their questions on a variety of topics, including health of body, mind and spirit!

I am now working on getting the Discover Bible Studies in Swahili on the website.  
Thank you to all our faithful mission partners that make this possible.  Your prayers, support and encouragement make the difference!

Webiste! This gospel ... in all the world ... and then shall the end come.

During our mission presentations while we were on furlough early 2017, this was our key verse.  Matthew 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.  I long for heaven, do you?  There are many things going on at Kibidula and other mission stations, seeking to share the love of Jesus with others and to share the truth about His wonderful character.

After helping to distribute over 1 million Swahili tracts in July and more afterwards, a rather steady stream of requests for more information, and especially ONLINE Swahili Bible studies, have been coming in.  If God brought us this far, He will surely take us all the way.

As to be expected, we've had several challenges along the way.  The phone which has the number which is on the tracts and books was stolen.  It was several weeks before we got the number up and working again.  After that, there was yet another challenge and again calls and messages were not getting answered.  We hope that we are very close to resolving this challenge.  The phone will be going to another staff member next week.  He is excited about the work.  Please pray for him to have the energy and wisdom to deal with all the calls, emails and messages.

God sent me the right help (thanks Alan and Craig) to help me get a Swahili Bible Study website up and running.  Just last weekend I did the finishing touches to this first phase of the website. The first series of 15 studies is online and ready for people to read through including links to an online Bible for each scripture reference. 

In designing the website we started out with a rather fancy theme with a learning management system plugin for the lessons.  The challenge of getting everything translated to Swahili was a huge.  We made a lot of headway (days and days), but the more I worked on the site and tested it, the more I realized that it was going to be too complicated for many end users.
Some people will want to be able to read the studies, but not to be identified.  With the system that we had, they would have to give us an email address and sign in.  So we scrapped that system and started all over again with the goal of making it SUPER user friendly, and mobile-phone super friendly. (We expect that the majority of users will be looking at the studies on their mobile phones.  Smart phones and phones with internet access are becoming the common thing here in Tanzania.)
So the revised site is easy to use, but not fancy.  It is ALL in Swahili!  YEAH!  PRAISE TO BE GOD - we have a Swahili online Bible study website up and functional!  Some of the staff have already looked it over.  They are pleased, and they are sharing the site with others. 

There will be more courses added soon along with tracts.

Tuesday I sent the new website link to the people who have contacted us asking for more information.  We have received more than 30 emails on our new email address, and (since September 10th) 130 phone calls and text messages.  I still have about 240 more numbers to contact from calls and message prior to September 10th.

Immediately after sending out the website to those who had contacted us previously we started getting responses such as the following:

Ahsante nashukuru Mungu akubariki (Thank you, I appreciate you.  May God bless you!)

Kuna ujumbe mlinitumia ndipo nikajibu kwa kushukuru.  Bwana awabariki kwa kuanzisha tovuti ya kujifunza Biblia.  Nitawajulisha watu wengine wajifunze habari njema za Mbinguni. (There was a message that you sent to me.  Indeed I answer with gratitude.  May God bless you for starting a website for learning the Bible.  I will let others know so that they may learn the good news of Heaven.)

I'm excited and hope you are excited also!  People want to know the truth!

We are putting the website address on future books and tracts to make it easier for people to find it.If you would like to look at it (Yes it is in Swahili) it is at www.kujifunzabiblia.com.  Kujifunza means "to learn" and Biblia is "Bible".  So our site is called "To learn the Bible".  If you go to look at it, please don't just go to the first page, click and go inside a little ways.  Joshua said that helps with search engine results later.  I think you can figure out where to click.  (On the second page you should choose the top option as the two bottom ones are "course to come in the future".
We hope that many people will come to see the loveliness of Jesus through this new tool.  We hope that this website will help in spreading THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM INTO ALL THE WORLD that Jesus may come!  Please pray that God will use it for His glory.  Thank  you to all of our mission partners.  Your love, prayers, encouragement and support make this and many other things possible!