Tanzania Monday Night

Today was a constant reminder of Proverbs 19: 21:

We humans keep brainstorming options and plans,

but God's purpose prevails.

Since yesterday God has been rearranging our carefully laid plans and redirecting them for His purposes.

This morning we traveled to Kisongo to pay our condolences to Ezekiel’s widow and 7 children (if you missed the earlier posting, Ezekiel was killed Sunday afternoon when a wall at the Kisongo church collapsed during a storm).  It was a difficult visit.  The deep grief of Ezekiel’s family (he left behind 7 children) and neighbors in the village was palatable.  The sounds and images of our time there will remain with me – praying with the family, women singing “Tis So Sweet To Trust in Jesus” in Kiswahili, and the site of the collapsed church (which we visited later in the morning).  It’s not enough to say that it was a heavy morning.

We offered what support we could to the family – helping to cover the cost of the burial and to provide food for the immediate future.  And we offered encouragement to the Kisongo pastor, Pastor Rogers, who lost a church member and the church building in the storm.  His burden is heavy and he will remain in our prayers.

Sunday morning in an amazing worship service we lived out part of Romans 12: 15 "rejoicing (enthusiastically rejoicing) with those who rejoice."  Today we experienced the remainder of the verse as we "mourned with those who mourn."  

Our plan had been to provide a health clinic, children’s programs and a revival for Kisongo this week but out of respect for the loss that has occurred and to respect a time of mourning, our plans are changing (at times it seems by the minute).

It’s hard to let go of our plans but we are confident that God’s purposes will prevail – both for Kisongo and for us.

Our new plan is to provide a medical clinic at the church of Pastor Vomo – who has been my translator this week and quickly becoming a dear brother.  He typically takes on the assignment of troubled churches and my hope is that a clinic at his church, Suyethe AG Church, will provide both physical and spiritual healing.

We visited the church this afternoon to layout the clinic and began to introduce ourselves to kids in the neighborhood.  It’s going to be a great Tuesday and as one of our team members said this evening its time to Let God Rock!

I am convinced that is exactly what is going to happen tomorrow!

I will let you know with tomorrow’s posting!

Along our travels today we also managed to get the bus stuck in mud – twice.  The first time we were able to push and pull it out – the second required a tow truck.  I was riding in the Bishop’s car (a more luxurious ride) but I did get out to help push!