Lisa Newland

I've been pondering this topic a lot lately; praying, reading, and talking with the Brouwers and my soul-winning partners, Justa and Mariamu.

How does one produce genuine fruit? Yes, God alone produces fruit but He uses human vessels. Are there areas I can grow in so that I may produce more genuine fruit and bring more glory to my Lord?

I don't think John 15:16, "that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain," is referring primarily to leading others to Christ, but I don't think it excludes it either. And bringing others to Christ is the fruit that I'm longing for!

Heading into the new year, I've done some looking back on the old and realized with considerable grief that, of all the people we've led to Christ, I can only count 2 people, a husband and wife, that are faithfully coming to church. Church attendance is by no means a proof of salvation, but it does show some kind of change in the person's life. True conversion means a person has become a "new creature, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new."

I don't want to focus on numbers. I don't want to focus on the fruit. But it is cause for reevaluating.

So far, in the midst of this reevaluating process, the Lord has shown me 4 things:

*I need to spend more time "following-up," visiting again those with questions and those who made a profession to teach and encourage.
*When witnessing, I need to spend focus on being Spirit-led in how to make the message clear and if/when to draw in the net.
*Pray, pray, pray.
*In my prayers and when I witness, my focus should not be fruit, or more power to bear more fruit, rather my focus should simply be knowing Christ! (We Would See Jesus by Hession)

Posted by Lisa Newland at 8:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Ice? May we see ice?"

The morning was my turn to cross into the African culture and learn. The afternoon was their turn. Mariamu and 5 little kids piled into my car after late morning tea. Lumweja (age10), Dorotea (8), __, Kefliana (5), and Richard (3). We were heading to the airport! They had always seen planes way up in the sky and could not imagine how people could be in such "little" things. Several months earlier I had taken Mariamu to the airport to drop someone off, and ever since then she wanted her siblings to see the same thing.

We had to wait awhile, but they weren't disappointed! We stood at the fence and watched as one plane landed, and we even got to count all the people who got out. A bit later we heard and felt the roar of another plane as it took off. They watched until it got so small we could no longer see it. The expressions on their faces was priceless!!!

The next stop on our "city field trip" was Lake Victoria. They had only heard stories of a huge area filled with water. We spent about a half an hour at the "beach." The first few moments- pictures five little kids, gingerly putting their toes in the water, looking around at others along the shore who were bathing or washing clothes. Little girls, lifting up their skirts to get just a bit deeper. By the end of the half hour- most of the fancy dresses had been thrown aside. Peals of laughter, splashing, digging in the sand for shells, running along the water's edge, and splashing some more.

The final stop was my house. I served them sodas and banana bread. Little Richard stared up at the ceiling at the light fixture. No such thing as electricity out in Bukaga. I asked if they had any questions. Lumweja piped up, "Ice? May we see ice?" Mariamu had brought home stories to her younger siblings of what a white person's house was like. The first thing they wanted to see was ice! They each got 2 cubes plopped into their glasses (after feeling it in their hands of course!) Then Lumweja asked to see my computer. I downloaded the pictures I had taken of them that day and they all laughed at themselves. Finally they asked to see my TV. I put in a video about a man and an elephant. We laughed through different sections. The very end there was a massive airplane that carried several elephants in its cargo. A perfect ending to our field trip! :-)

Posted by Lisa Newland at 3:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Please pass the sugar."

A few weeks ago, on a Friday, I headed out for an adventure of crossing cultures. Mariamu had asked if I could bring her younger siblings to the city to see real airplanes at the airport. We decided to make a day of it.

The morning was my chance to learn. I headed out early to her home (takes about 45 min) in the village of Bukaga. Her younger brother, Lumweja, was waiting for me. I parked the car and followed him on little foot paths, about 15 min out to their fields. There was Mariamu and her mother and older brother, hoeing and planting. I came a bit late (8:30- they start at 7 and finish each day before the sun gets too hot), so there was only one row left to hoe. I watched and tried my hand at making the massive piles of dirt. Then we went through, sowing small green bean seeds, and sticking cuttings of cassava and sweet potatoes in the mound. They plant 4 different foods in each of the large mounds. The plants mature at different times. Cassava can take up to 2 years! After planting, they continue to hoe up weeds and wait for rain. It is such a foreign concept to this westerner to be so dependent on God's gift of rain for one's food.

By 9:30 we were back at Mariamu's parents' house. We had tea and chapatis (like greasy tortillas-yum!) Mariamu's mom thanked me in her broken Swahili (she knows only her tribal tongue, Kisukuma) for coming. Mariamu explained, because of the large family (11 children) they can't afford sugar or flour for a tea and chapatis (normally they have only ugali). A special guest means special food! Oh- my heart groaned as I looked around the room at all the kids sitting on the floor gulping down their tea and chapatis! How rich I am. When did my family growing up in America ever not have enough sugar or flour?

Posted by Lisa Newland at 3:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Because of the generosity of so many supporters during deputation and this first term, I've been able to provide for several building projects: A children's church building and baptismal in Igekamaja, and a church building at TX.

This month, we will be finishing up the floor and bathroom (brick outhouse with hole), and bricking in and plastering the gables at TX.

Thank you to all who have given sacrificially! In 2009, your financial gifts were more than my set budget! You are not only keeping me here but blessing churches with building projects!!

Now to see what God will do in 2010!!

Posted by Lisa Newland at 2:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)