Lisa Newland

My heart is grieving for a family in my church in Ohio. After over a year of battling cancer, Mrs. Snow went home to be with the Lord. She leaves behind her husband and three children, two in college and one in high school.

What a blessing that though we, as born-again children of God, grieve when loved ones die, there's joy too. We have full assurance of our future after death! Mrs. Snow now sees her Savior face-to-face! She has no more struggles with pain or temptations. I'm so sad that she's gone and praying much for her family, but I'm jealous too. Can't wait to follow her, and to sing praises in the very throne room of the King of kings!

Posted by Lisa Newland at 6:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Remember Aesop's fable about the city mouse and country mouse? Life here is a constant switch from city life to village life... and oh what a switch!

City Life is full of conveniences... electricity, running water, street lights, paved roads with speed bumps, and ATM's.
Village Life, time has stood still... running water means running down to the nearest pond with a bucket, cooking over a fire, mud huts with thatched roofs, and growing your own food in your own fields.

City Life is noisy... car alarms, music blaring from bars late at night, Muslim Mosques singing their prayers five times a day over the loud speakers, and barking dogs.
Village Life... a noisy day would be people talking, cows mooing, and a truck or two rumbling by.

Western culture has reached the city folk through TV and movies and music. Ladies are starting to wear pants, men are much bolder in their cat calls, and pick-pockets and beggars abound.
Village living is still centered around the community. If there is a death in the village the head chief spreads the word that no one should work in their fields that day in honor of the bereaved family. People aren't slaves to time, many don't even own a watch. No one is too hurried to stop for a chat.

My home is in the city, and most of my ministry is in the village. Not saying one is evil and the other bliss... there are pros and cons to both worlds... just saying there's two sub-cultures of my Tanzanian home that I'm working on adapting to.

Posted by Lisa Newland at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The last few weeks we've been spreading His Seed.

Bugando Hospital
Justa, Sophia, Mariamu and I handed out one full box of Romans booklets (350-400) at Bugando Hospital. I picked the ladies up at 4pm Thursday, May 7th and drove across town in time for the hospital's visiting hours (4-6:30pm, I think). We go with the intention of giving special John/Romans booklets to new mothers. We each carried 20-30 Romans booklets to hand out in the hallways on the way there. We ran out of booklets before we reached the stairs to get to the 4th floor maternity ward. So, the pastor's wife, Justa, and I went back to the car and grabbed the whole box of booklets. We gave out almost 400 booklets in less than 15 minutes and still hadn't made it to the stairs! We did finally make it to the maternity ward and gave out 50 or so John/Romans booklets (that have a special "congratulations" on the cover for new mothers).

Igekamaja
Last Wednesday, Mariamu and I drove out to the village of Igekamaja to join the believers in door-to-door witnessing. One of the charter members, Babu Wilson (50yrs old), led us to several homes of friends that he wanted to visit. I attempted to drive my Rav4. The road turned into a bike path, and with fear and trepidation I followed it around fields and over rocks and through herds of cattle. Along the way Wilson started handing Romans booklets out the window. He was as excited as a child! It was such fun to watch him. He'd wave the booklet out the window to get the attention of some woman hoeing in her field or teens herding cattle and then he'd toss it out. My western mind thought it a bit rude, but no one else seemed to. Men and women and kids would get big smiles and run to grab their free booklet. We parked by one hut, visited them and Mariamu went through the gospel. One old man received the Lord. We walked and got rained on and talked to others and walked some more. Three others received the Lord that day and we gave out over 600 booklets!! Praise the Lord!

Nyasaka
Last Thursday, Ray Weekly drove 6 believers from our Ibungilo church (Pastor Delphinus and his wife, Zephania, Yakobo, Mariamu, and Sophia) and me out to a new church plant about 30 minutes away (probably only 10 miles but the road is horrid! So glad I didn't have to drive!) We split up into groups and gave out around 300 Romans booklets and tracts. Each group had the opportunity to sit down and share the gospel with people. Eight people made a decision for Christ. AMEN!

His Word does not return void!!

Posted by Lisa Newland at 8:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mariamu and I got back into our routine this week: working together Thursdays and Fridays and going to the village of Igekamaja on Sundays. This week we sang a duet in the service- How Great Thou Art in Swahili. In children's church, Mariamu taught on Cain and Abel, and I told the second section of a missionary story: "Ti-Fam, the Witchdoctor's Daughter." Although the story takes place in Haiti, the cultures are so similar that the children relate very well. Witchdoctors and charms and missionaries who come with a different message are all apart of daily life here. The kids love it! and I love teaching a story that has such a clear message- there is no need to fear the spirits, God is greater than all!!

Posted by Lisa Newland at 4:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

“Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts.” Psa 145:3-4

Mungu ni Mkuu kuliko wote! (God is greater than all!) I taught children this Sunday about angels and Satan and evil spirits and that God is greater than all... and truly He is!

Children’s ministry has begun.
The Lord provided a new language helper/ministry assistant in March. Mariamu, 22-year old, is from one of our churches out in a village and is becoming a valuable partner. She corrects my Swahili lessons, teaches me the Swahili choruses, and we teach children together each Sunday in various churches.

Easter Sunday
What a celebration! Two churches joined together for a day of worship, baptisms, and a big meal. We split the children into two classes; Mariamu and I each taught about 60 children about the wonders of our Saviour’s death and resurrection. With water scarce, and Lake Victoria too far away, Easter is a big baptism day... 56 people this year! Then everyone ate big plates of beans and rice and beef.

Lake Victoria Baptist College
The spring session of LVBC was the last two weeks of April. I helped with a lot of grading this term. Classes were on basic Bible doctrines, witnessing, love and marriage, the history of Israel, and the books of Daniel, Acts, and Revelation. How exciting to see African believers being grounded in the Word!

How great is our God!! In this land filled with the lies of witchcraft and religions, God’s truth is spreading. It is such a privilige to be a little part of it! Thank you for your partnership.

Please pray that...
*the Holy Spirit would work in the hearts of each of the children we’re teaching. That they would be saved and grow up to love the Lord with all their heart.
*our national pastors would be convinced of the value of children’s ministry, and that God would raise up committed children’s workers.
*the Lord would continue to guide my steps, and that I would follow. Without His power and presence this is all in vain.

For our great God,
Lisa

Posted by Lisa Newland at 5:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yes, it's rained hard and often this month. PTL the crops have needed it!

My schedule has been showered upon heavily also. :-) These past weeks have been incredibly busy!! Easter Sunday celebration; hair braiding saga and good- bye to a dear friend; 2 weeks of Bible college- helping grade homework and tests, and spending time with the Wagoners and other guests in town for the college term. Whew! Nice to stop and breath... and catch up on emailing and blog and prayer letter. :-)

I took one guest hiking one afternoon and managed to lose my camera! (most likely it was stolen but can't figure out how) Oh, what a loss! It was only a year old. I could buy a new one here in Mwanza, but the prices here are about 3 times higher than in the states!

Posted by Lisa Newland at 5:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Lake Victoria Baptist College had it's first graduation ceremony. Four pastors earned an Associates Degree of Biblical Studies: Pastor John Naftary, Pastor Joas Kibaba, Pastor Emmanueli Pelegrino, and Pastor Delphinus Donatus. The college has 2 sessions a year with a LOT of homework (I know, I helped grade), so it took them 7 years to earn 60 credit hours for an associates. All four plan to continue studying toward their bachelors.

This spring term, over 50 students came to the city from several different villages, representing several different tribes. Courses included basic Bible doctrines and Baptist distinctives, evangelism, love and marriage, history of Israel, and the books of Daniel, Acts, and Revelation. Praise the Lord for Africans being grounded in the Word of the Lord!!

Posted by Lisa Newland at 4:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)