Lisa Newland

Made several trips to the local clinic last week to visit Justa (pastor's wife of our city church and close friend). She had gotten malaria and kept getting worse- fever, weakness, joint pain. She was admitted for 2 nights to get a series of quinine treatments by IV.

If you were an African with a sick loved one in the hospital...

You are responsible for all food and water for your relative. There is no such thing as a hospital cafeteria here in Mwanza. (Ok, there is one restaurant at the main hospital, Bugando, but the average patient can't afford it.) Three times a day, you'll join herds of family members entering the hospital, each with your own basket of food and water for your loved one.

Private hospital rooms are a luxury for the very wealthy. Most rooms are large with 10-12 beds in them, and sometimes 2 children will share a bed. This means there's plenty activity to watch as your loved one eats! It also means there's plenty of people watching you while you visit with your loved one. (Especially if you're the only white foreigner in the room!)

Communication between doctor and patient is next to nil. The doctor will make his rounds. Ask your sick loved one how he's doing, write something on their chart and move to the next bed. A few hours later a nurse may come in with a packet of pills for him to take. He has no idea why, but he takes them diligently. (I'm still trying to figure out why the lack of communication. Doctor too busy? Patient feels rude asking for information? We westerners want to understand, we want to search and know. ~You give me pills I want to know what I have, common cold or brain tumor! (excuse the hyperbole.) Africans are expected to simply believe and obey, and they are usually content with this!)

Financially, life here is usually lived day-to-day. The same with medical treatment. If your patient or you as their loved one can't pay for the next bag of IV fluids, treatment is stopped until you pull the money together!

So, who's ready to come visit when I'm sick in the hospital? :-)

Posted by Lisa Newland at 9:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"If I believe what you're saying, then what will I do with my Ohoro?"

Mariamu, Justa, and I had joined the Igekamaja believers out witnessing in their village. The first hut we came to, we all sat down, and Justa started witnessing to a middle-aged lady who was also visiting the home. It's rare in our experience to find someone who will candidly question what we're saying, and this lady was just such a person... a breath of fresh air for my American, open-and-up-front cultural mindset.

First, she didn't understand sin. "No, I'm not a sinner. I've never killed anyone or committed adultery. I'm a pretty good person." (the enemy's lies are the same world-wide!) She listened as Justa read the 10 commandments from Ex 20. "Oh, all that is sin?"

She got really quiet when Justa went on to explain that hell is a real place, a lake of fire for all eternity. "I've never heard about that."

As Justa was going through the gospel message, the lady every once in awhile would refer to her Ohoro. "But what will I do with my Ohoro? If I kill him it's a sin because it's wrong to kill."

The first time she mentioned it, Justa (who lives in the city and is from a different tribe) got a puzzled look. Even she had never heard of an "Ohoro." The lady explained that it was her dog who had some special marking on his head. She was convinced that if she didn't take care of him well her crops wouldn't prosper, even wouldn't be able to have children! Somehow she was convinced her dog was a good luck charm.

I talked to Mariamu afterward. (Who is Sukuma.) She wasn't sure if the lady was really telling the whole truth. She said often the Sukuma people will say something as if it's them, but really it's someone else. Maybe some neighbor or relative had an Ohoro and not her. Either way it breaks my heart how the enemy's lies bind people in darkness and fear!

The lady did end up accepting the Lord and claimed that she would get rid of her Ohoro. Only the Lord knows what really happened in her heart. Hopefully the Igekemaja believers will be able to go back to her house for some follow-up.

Posted by Lisa Newland at 9:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This morning I had the fright of my life!!! Yes, wolf spiders in my basement room in Ohio helped prepare me for Africa... but not enough! Guess what crawled out of my bathtub drain WHILE I was taking a shower... a TARANTULA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIKES!!!!!!!!!! Talk about the willies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't have my contacts in, so I was half blind. All I saw was a big black blob moving toward my feet! What does one do with such a beast sitting in one's tub? I decided to be mad enough to get rid of it. This was my shower, and he was not going to prevent me from washing the shampoo out of my hair!

If he hadn't been quite so big, I would have squashed him with a shoe, but i couldn't bring myself to face the feel and sound of the squishing and the mess to clean up afterward. Instead I caught him in a pitcher. He was still too waterlogged to move too fast...whew! How in the world did he crawl up a pipe with all that water and soap suds flowing down?!? Macho spider!

His size saved his life. He's still alive in my pitcher on my porch, and he'll be moving today to live in a terrarium of some missionary kids! :-) ;-)

So, I don't really know... is this a tarantula or some other horrid spider?

Posted by Lisa Newland at 9:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm rereading Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret and just love what he says:

"John 7:37-39...'If any man thirst, let him come unto ME and drink.' What? can Jesus meet my need? Yes, and more than meet it. No matter how intricate my path, how difficult my service; no matter how sad my bereavement, how far away my loved ones; no matter how helpless I am, how deep are my soul-yearning- Jesus can meet all, all, and more than meet. He not only promises me rest- ah, how welcome that would be, were it all, and what an all that one word embraces! He not only promises me drink to alleviate my thirst. No better than that! "He who trusts Me in this matter out of him shall flow..."

Can it be? Can the dry and thirsty one not only be refreshed- the parched soil moistened, and arid places cooled- but the land be so saturated that springs well up and streams flow down from it! Even so! And not mere mountain-torrents, full while the rain lasts, then dry again... but "from within him shall flow rivers"- rivers like the mighty Yangtze, ever deep, ever full. In times of drought brooks may fail, often do, canals may be pumped dry, often are, but the Yangtze never. Always a mighty stream, always flowing deep and irresistible!

"Come unto me and drink," Not come and take a hasty draught; not, come and slightly alleviate, or for a short time remove one's thirst. No! "Drink," or "be drinking," constantly, habitually. The cause of thirst may be irremediable. One coming, one drinking may refresh and comfort; but we are to be ever coming, ever drinking. No fear of emptying the fountain or exhausting the river!"

Posted by Lisa Newland at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Please pray for 2 of my very dear Tanzanian friends, Mariamu and Justa.  I'm so thankful for them, they have been a huge blessing to me, praying for me and encouraging me the past couple months.  They are both believers, were saved 5 or 6 years ago.  Justa is a pastor's wife and Mariamu is my language helper/ministry partner.  Pray for their growth in the Lord, that they would know the extent of God's love that passes understanding, that they would be filled with the knowledge of His will, and grounded and settled in His word.  Mariamu isn't married yet, pray for just the right man who loves the Lord.  Justa has been married 6 years and they haven't been able to get pregnant.  This has become a huge heartache to her the last few months.  Pray for God's peace and the strength to trust Him no matter what!  Pray that God would use me in their lives somehow and that I would be the right kind of friend to/for them. 

Posted by Lisa Newland at 7:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ahhh... the words just bring calm and peace to the soul, Lukuba Island. Had a wonderful 4 nights at this little hotel on this little island, 45 min boat ride out into Lake Victoria. Praise the Lord for times of REST!!!!

Beth Roark (director at Tumaini Orphanage) and I had a glorious get-away... enjoying the sun, taking naps, talking, reading, eating, watching movies, and making sure monkeys and monitor lizards didn't get too close! There were also tons of birds, fish eagles, cormorants, thicknees, and shrikes to discover. God is such an amazing creator!

I'm working through a book written just for me, I think!... Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World. My wheels had gotten stuck in motion... serving, working, giving, teaching, planning for more serving; so much that they forgot how to use the brakes! I forgot how to stop at my Master's feet and worship.

We each have our various "besetting sins" we succumb to. Without a doubt, one of mine is believing the lie that my value comes from what I do for God not who I am in Him. I'm so grateful for His mercy and long-suffering, and that He met me there at a Lukuba and helped me stop and truly worship once again.

View from the lake.

View from the porch of our bungalow.

Ahhh... glorious Lukuba! Now, if I can just continue using those brakes once in a while at home. Stop!!! Cast all your cares on Him!! Worship!! Celebrate out of a heart overflowing with joy and love!

Posted by Lisa Newland at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Lisa Newland at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I forgot my house keys twice last week. Once in a friends' car when they dropped me off at home, and the other time in my car when I dropped it off at the shop.

Last week I also drove from the market back home on a flat tire, without knowing it! Yes, I heard the strange "thump, thump," but didn't deem it important enough to stop and check if there was a problem!

Just a few examples of how absent-minded, or blonde, or oblivious... whatever you'd like to call it... I can be.

I'm still pondering why God made me this way and then sent me to Africa, single! :-)

Only by God's grace go I... in the big things of salvation and sanctification, and in the small things of keeping track of my keys!!!

Posted by Lisa Newland at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I took my car in last week to get an oil change, rotate the tires, and repair a few dents (from recent fender-benders). Oil change-check. Dent repair-check. Rotate what? The owner of the shop, Moraf, had to go and personally explain what I wanted.

"She wants you to move the tires around. This one over there and that one over there... It's just something Americans do." :-)

Posted by Lisa Newland at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

“…that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” I Cor. 2:5

What am I placing my faith in these days? My effort, my skills, and my creativity, or in the power and presence of my Lord? A couple months ago I would have been quick to reply… in the power of God, of course! More recently I’ve been re-enrolled in God’s divine class, Faith 101. Through the stress of being too busy and carrying extra loads, He brought me to the end of myself (again!). Then He used a biography of J.O. Fraser missionary to China (Behind the Ranges by Geraldine Taylor) to remind me that without prayer nothing I attempt will produce “fruit that remains” Jn 15:16, absolutely nothing!

One of my greatest fears in serving the Lord is being like a stationery bike, spinning my wheels but not going anywhere, working really hard for the Lord without His presence or power. Sure there’s lots of energy, but what have I done? How does a believer make sure he’s producing true fruit for the Lord anyway? The only way I know is through Christ! …through spending time with Him in His Word and prayer. How can I confidently declare that I’m putting my faith in the power of God, while I go through life too busy to enjoy a “sweet hour of prayer?”

Well, no longer! This past month I’ve had some extra time to relax, recuperate, and reevaluate. I will continue to work with Mariamu, preparing lessons, practicing Swahili, teaching children each Sunday, but my focus has taken an upward gaze. His work is done in the prayer closet before any thing else! Won’t you join me there?

Prayer Requests:
*Bill Brouwer- he’s doing much better, but please continue to pray for complete healing.
*The next session of Lake Victoria Baptist College is coming up, Nov 30-Dec 11. Pray for teachers who are preparing and translating. Pray for students as they finish homework and study for tests- that it wouldn't be just "busy work"in their eyes, but that God would use His Word to transform lives.
*Clear direction for future ministry ideas and opportunities and for the power and presence of God!
*Progress in Swahili. Pray that I would make time (goal -1hr per day) to get back to study and vocab memorization!

Praises:
*I had a wonderful few weeks of rest and re-evaluation this month!
*My parents came to visit for 2 ½ weeks! Precious memories of my dad jumping with the Massai in the Serengeti and of the look of horror on my mom’s face in the market when she realized we were buying live chickens to butcher!

My parents, John & Debbie Newland, and I, Baba and Mama Ngoro and family, along with a special gift!

Posted by Lisa Newland at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)