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Pray that I will "keep the main thing the main thing." I've been so focused recently on shopping and packing, and wondering how well I'll learn Swahili and adjust to the Tanzanian culture. I need a reality check. Why am I moving to Tanzania? Pray with me...I desperately NEED a fresh passion to reach the lost!
I missed yesterday, so here's 2 prayer requests. :-)
There are several possibilities of where I'll be living in Tanzania. I could rent a room from another single missionary in town, or live next door to the Brouwers in a small building that could be turned into an apartment. I'll stay with the Brouwers for the first few weeks until we figure it out. Please pray for direction.
... And, pray for my family and I as we say goodbye on Wednesday.
PRAISE THE LORD!!! I just got my 2-year visa in the mail!!
Please pray that I will get plenty of rest this last week. I would hate to arrive on the mission field already worn out. My trunks are almost packed. Errands are almost done. I'm keeping busy though with 1 or 2 or 3 coffee/lunch/or dinner dates every day. :-)
Language study: Praise the Lord for almost 2 years of Swahili study during deputation. I'm excited that very few people speak English in Mwanza, so I'll be able to hear it and practice it everywhere I go. Please pray for confidence, focus, and diligence. I still have a long way to go, pray that I would progress quickly and not get discouraged. Also, I have several options for how I'll study and practice Swahili. Pray for God's clear direction whether I should pursue formal or informal tutoring.
While doing some packing yesterday, I found my 600-page biography of Adoniram Judson, written by his son Edward. I thumbed through it and found a letter in the appendix written in 1812, advice from Judson (missionary for many years in Burma) to some missionary candidates.
Although this paraphrase is rather lengthy and some of Judson's verbage is old-fashioned, his wisdom is still applicable today and worth reading!
Firstly, let it be a missionary life; that is, come out for life, and not for a limited term. Do not fancy that you have a true missionary spirit, while you are intending all along to leave the heathen soon after acquiring their language. Leave them! for what? To spend the rest of your days enjoying the ease and plenty of your native land?Beware of the reaction which will take place soon after reaching your field of labor. There you will perhaps find native Christians, of whose merits or demerits you can not judge correctly without some familiar acquaintance with their language. Some appearances will combine to disappoint and disgust you. Beware of this reaction, lest you become disheartened at commencing your work or take up a prejudice against some persons and places, which will embitter all your future lives.
Then...beware of the greater reaction which will take place after you have acquired the language, and become fatigued and worn out with preaching the gospel to a disobedient and gainsaying people. You will sometimes long for a quiet retreat, where you can find a respite from the tug of toiling at native work. And Satan will sympathize with you in this matter; and he will present some chapel of ease, in which to officiate in your native tongue, some government situation... anything that will help you to slip out of real missionary work.
Beware of pride; not the pride of proud men, but the pride of humble men-that secret pride which is apt to grow out of the consciousness that we are esteemed by the great and good. Confess your faults freely...be glad not only to make reparation, but to improve the opportunity for subduing your pride.
Beware of that indolence which leads to a neglect of bodily exercise. The poor health and premature death of most Europeans in the East must be eminently ascribed to the most wanton neglect of bodily exercise.
Finally...beware of genteel living. Maintain as little connection as possible with the fashionable European society. The mode of living adopted by many missionaries in the East is quite inconsistent with that familiar connection with the natives which is essential to a missionary.
Whew!! There's a convicting level of commitment in his words that challenges my heart!!
One of the first things I'll be doing when I get to Tanzania is attending the BIMI East African Conference. Dr Bragg, our BIMI African director, a guest pastor, and about 7 families will be meeting for 3 days at a hotel near Mwanza (the town I'll be living in). I'm excited about this opportunity to meet all the members of our Tanzanian team! Please pray for this conference, for unity and sweet fellowship, for Spirit-filled preaching and personal growth among our team, for vision/direction from the Lord...that in the coming years we would focus our time and energy on what He would have us do for His glory.
10 days left to "lift off." I'll be posting prayer requests each of these last 10 days till I leave for Tanzania. God clearly answers prayers! I would greatly appreciate your ministry of prayer as I transition into this new life in Africa.
10 days left.
Please pray for wisdom in shopping and packing. That I would spend only what the Lord would have me spend of His money, and that I pack only what I'll need. (I'll be living in a big city and can get most everything there, so I'm just bringing 3 trunks on the plane.)
PRAISE THE LORD!! My visa is on its way! Thank you for praying! God heard and answered! Keep praying that it arrives safely. :-)
Another praise... I'm at 100% support now! :-) Is it possible to jump and shout on a blog? Woo-hoo, yee-haw, yeah!!! PRAISE THE LORD!
God has so clearly directed me to Tanzania, yet there is still one major roadblock. A visa. Missionary Greg Wagoner has been working for the last several months to get for me a 2-yr resident permit. Please pray that the right government officials would sign the right papers in time for me to receive this in the mail before Sept 3rd. All for His glory! Thank you!
For any of you in the area, or just happen to be passing through Colorado Springs in a couple weeks, consider yourself officially invited to an open house! We're planning one last party for friends and family before I go. No gifts or cards please, just come by for one last hug. :-)
Sunday, August 24, 2-4pm
(rather than post the address on this public site, email me and I'll send it to you along with directions: lnewland@bimi.org )
Don't get me wrong though (if you read my last entry)...this month hasn't been all work. We're also squeezing in quite a bit of fun. :-)
Mom and Dad and I went backpacking last week.
Disappointing though- we had a few setbacks, like a "slight" accident with our cook stove. After hiking 5 miles with 32 lbs on you back, it's a horribly sinking feeling to watch your only fuel bottle burst into flames, melting the whole pump assembly. :-( Shortened our trip from 3 nights to 1 night up in the high country.
This summer Tuesday mornings have turned into family "field trips." Last week we rode a free shuttle and played in a fountain and this week we went to a mining museum.
My brother Andrew's family has planned a few "date nights" to spend with them and their 3 boys before I go. A few weeks ago we went swimming at a local pond, had a picnic, then made funnel cakes. Yum! Last night we went to Fargo's, a local pizza place, and then went bowling. The 2 oldest boys are 3 and 2...so, of course, we needed to have the bumpers up. Wasn't much help for my bowling "skills." We had to wear a crazy bowling hat too. Fun times!
This morning Mom, Dad, Uncle Ron, and I went biking. We biked 20-25 miles in 2 1/2 hrs (don't be too impressed, it was mostly down hill). :-) After the first 15 min of biking we had to stop, pile in our truck, and turn on the heat for a few minutes to thaw out! Still dark and cold at 5am!
One more camping trip and a few more family get-togethers planned for these last 3 wks.
Last few weeks I've become more and more thankful that I was counseled to set aside a full month to prepare for leaving for the field! Getting a bunch of last-minute things done only reminds me of tons of more things to do! Got an eye exam and ordered contacts for 2 years, getting 2 wisdom teeth out tomorrow and getting my last immunization shots next week.
I also went through all my luggage, started logging everything I've packed so far and compiling a growing Wal-Mart shopping list. How many toothbrushes would you pack for 2 or 3 yrs? With only the luggage I can fit on the plane (3 lg trunks), I'm trying to continue cutting back. So easy to be attached to things!
Been trying to think of all the things I need to cancel like cell phone, car insurance, and my Proactive subscription. More errands to do include AAA for an international driving license and the DMV for car "stuff"...and still trying to send out invites for an open house in a few weeks. Whew! I wonder what else I'm forgetting!
VBS in June at Victory Baptist Church, Garrettsville, OH
Passing out tracts at the church's booth at the annual "summerfest."
VBS in July at First Baptist Church, North Liberty, IN
