Home At Last!

We are home at last. Janet, of course went home a week before I did. My flight on the following Tuesday was canceled Tuesday Morning because of a snow storm hitting London, England (which was where I was to fly into from Dar Es Salaam). Janet called at 4:00 am Dar time to let me know. My ride to Kibidula was leaving in 5:00 am and British Air's office did not open until 8:00 am. What should I do. The only thing I could do was to pray and wait. I could have gone back to Kibidula, but then I couldn't have gone to British Air (BA) to reschedule. What a perdicument. Anyway, I prayed and let the Lord open and close doors as He saw fit. I went to BA and she said it didn't look good and to come back at 2:00. Well, I was bored at 10:00 am and decided to go back to BA. She had found something - when she got off the phone she said she found a flight leaving on the 24th and arriving on the 25th. She said she was trying to find something sooner and did find something going into Zurich, Switzerland but couldn't find a flight from there. Anyway, to make a long story short, she finally got me a flight leaving on the 23rd going into Zurich, a flight from Zurich going into Frankfurt, Germany and then the last leg leaving Frankfurt coming into Denver on the 24th. This was just 1 day difference from the original flight.

While staying in Dar the two days waiting for my flight, the power went off on the first day for about 12-13 hours and it was hot. We didn't have air but we did have a ceiling fan to move the air. Well that stopped working - this with the high temperature and the high humidity made life miserable. But, God is good. It rained also, and that cooled things down some.

Upon arriving home, my friends here at EVI had "cleaned" my house and made a welcome home sign and also left me some fresh fruit. They had also left me some left overs from their Christmas dinner they had on the 23rd.

I do miss my "home" in Africa but I am glad to be home in Colorado; even if we are getting snow at this time.

So long from Colorado...

Deniece

Going Home

Well this will be my last blog from Africa this year. I am sitting in my room in the house I am staying in at Kibidula. Janet left this morning from the airport and is now on her way to London. I will be doing the same next week at this time.

All went well in Mago. We put up 7 structures above ground and 4 below: 2 staff houses, 2 dormitories with bathhouses and a separate bathroom facility near the school. The three bathhouses and one of the staff house had a septic tank built (with bricks and plaster) underground to hold "stuff". These structures kept us busy all year. Starting in January we will be housing some of our students in the dormitories and we have water to all the bathrooms. We have families living in both staff houses built and have water to their places. Now the water is only a tap outside to the house. One of the families, the Baumans, almost has water inside. Fred is still working on it. The other place, and of course Janet's house, has water outside but not inside. Next year we hope to complete it.

Janet has said that the building will slow down next year. I think this is so she can get her house completed and also concentrate on the academic structure of the school. I don't know how many we will have when school starts in January, but we have room for at least 20 in each dorm. We have a cook lined up already and some teachers. Beverly, lady from Canada, is on tour now viewing Tanzania but will be back in Mago first part of January to teach some more English. Baraza (our translator) will continue with her class when she leaves the last part of January.

I am finishing the financial books while here at Kibidula. I am praising the Lord for He is so good. I do not have to take a 13 hour bus from Kibidula to Dar Salaam. There is a family going Dar at the same time to pick up family members the evening before my flight. So they have offered to take me down. It is so much more comfortable in an individual vehicle than in a public vehicle, if you know what I mean.

About the last month at Mago we lost internet service. I think it came back, but you had to walk up the hill and I wasn't up to it. With all the work, rain and stress to get things done I have come down with a "cold". I did not get a diagnosis, but a nurse called a doctor friend in Dar and she said to give me an antibiotic which is good for bronchitis and pneumonia. Even I felt that I may have one of these; but was too busy to do any major treatments that it has hung such a long time. Anita, the nurse here at Kibidula, gave me fever bath last night. Before the bath she had boiled some water and put some eucalyptus oil in it and had me inhale it for about 15 minutes. After the bath she brought me home, plastered me with vicks and gave me ginger and licorice root tea, cut up two onions as a "room freshener" and gave me the antibiotic and said get some sleep. She had prayer with me and then left. I slept better than I have for days; hardly any coughing. This morning is a different story, but I am feeling better. I don't know exactly which of the items did it, but to me now, it doesn't matter.

Anyway, all is well; I am almost done with the books. Irma, who is helping me, had something important to do immediately so she has told me to take a day or two to get better and then we will finalize on the books. This sounded good to me when she told me yesterday, that I took a nap. I will be leaving on Sunday with the family to Dar and so until then I am not doing much of anything. I am able to do some reading. The following is a quote on Dan. 1:17 found in 4BC 1167 - 17. God's Blessing No Substitute for Effort.--When the four Hebrew youth were receiving an education for the king's court in Babylon, they did not feel that the blessing of the Lord was a substitute for the taxing effort required of them. They were diligent in study; for they discerned that through the grace of God their destiny depended upon their own will and action. They were to bring all their ability to the work; and by close, severe taxation of their powers, they were to make the most of their opportunities for study and labor. While these youth were working out their own salvation, God was working in them to will and to do of His good pleasure. Here are revealed the conditions of success. To make God's grace our own, we must act our part. The Lord does not propose to perform for us either the willing or the doing. His grace is given to work in us to will and to do, but never as a substitute for our effort. Our souls are to be aroused to cooperate. The Holy Spirit works in us, that we may work out our own salvation. This is the practical lesson the Holy Spirit is striving to teach us (YI Aug. 20, 1903). {4BC 1167.6} May we all learn from the Holy Spirit what is necessary for success.

Signing off now from Mago (Kibidula)…..

Deniece

PS – Will write more when I get back to the states. Maybe even have some pictures I can post.

 

 

 

 

 

Human Interest Stories

Well, Frank was not able to get Janet seat on my plane but did get her a ticket booked for December 14. We contacted Butler Travel and I could have changed my ticket from 21^st to 14^th but it would have cost me $430.00 to change it for one week. I could not justify spending that much money for just one week so my ticket stays. The Lord is so good, though, we had talked about me traveling with her to Dar and staying there for a week by myself and then fly out. She had left to go pick up Beverly, a lady from Canada who is here for 3 months teaching English and being girl's dean, and the more I thought about it, I really didn't want to spend a couple of hundred of dollars for my stay in Dar. I also did not want to deal with the heat, mosquitoes, traffic, people who don't speak English, etc. by myself in Dar – and besides, what can I do for 7 days, it would be so boring. Anyway, when Janet got back I told her that I really did not want to spend my week in Dar by myself and told her I would stay at Kibidula and see if Bill could take me to Dar. She told me that Jon Luke would be going on the 19^th and he said I could ride with him. The Lord had it all worked out before I did. Also, there is another girl from Kibidula going at the same time to Dar with Jon Luke so there will be three of us. Jon Luke is picking up his kids from the airport who is coming home from school for Christmas break. I will stay in Dar for one day and two nights. Marianna's flight is also on the 21^st but later in the afternoon; mine is at 8:40 am. God does look after His own. I am not worthy of His loving care accept for Jesus making me worthy.

We have been so busy with work here that that is all I have talked about. This blog is going to be more of a "human interest" blog. We have done four clothes distribution to the orphans so far this year and are planning for 3 more before leaving this year. Work is slowing down and so that is freeing us to do them. When the children come they sing songs to us. We can't understand the words but we do hear Jesus' name every once in a while so we know they are singing about Him. These kids can really sing well. I can just sit a listen to them all day. They have one person who leads out by herself and then the rest will repeat. I am going to try and get a video of it to share. You will really enjoy it. The kids are so grateful to get the clothes we give them. We also give them all a toothbrush and some toothpaste. We share with them a flyer with a bible verse on it in Swahili. Some of the schools are a couple of hours walk away from us and the kids still walk here. Some of them come on a day after the distribution day and still wanting clothes. Some come, even ones that are not orphans, to get clothes. We get a list from the schools that lets us know which ones are orphans and which ones are not. Those that are absent on the day the others come arrive on another day and we check their name against the list and we share clothes with them also. It is hard because by that time we have put everything away; but we find something to give them that they can wear and they are happy. Some of the kids that are not orphans come for clothes and we have to send them away. It is sad, but we know that if we share with them, then we will have the whole village here for clothes and we just can't do it. We have to draw the line. I noticed she gave some young kids some toys that had been given to us and she passed them out to several of the "non-orphans". I was working in the church where we do the distribution a few days later and there were 5 real little kids, not even in school and a couple just barely walking They were sitting outside the church watching me for the longest time. I came out and smiled at them and said "Habadi" which is hello, how are you in Swahili. Almost all of them said "Nzoodi" which is good in Swahili. (I am not sure if my Swahili spelling is correct, I am just spelling it like it sounds.) I think they came for something and I didn't have anything to give. Janet was down at the school and so I went to Miriam to have her check and see if they need anything. When I went back, they had left. I just wished I could provide for these little ones all that they needed.

Here is another story, some of you may know (and some may not) but Janet is an extractor of teeth. She doesn't claim to be a dentist because she is not, but she can and does pull teeth. She averages 5-6 patients each week and they come from all the local villages around the area. She gives the lanacain for deadening the gums and then she pulls the tooth/teeth. Well recently we have been having an influx of even more people. It seems that her "fame" has gotten around that people are walking 2-3 hours to her place to get their teeth pulled if for no other reason than that she doesn't charge anything for the service. We had two come one day from Makete (3/4 hour drive) and then about 2 days later we got a couple more and then another the same week. Pardon the pun, but word of mouth gets around and more people are coming. We give them toothbrush, toothpaste and a religious tract before they leave. She takes care of wounds and even takes people to the hospital; some have come and ask for a ride to hospital or she sees them on the side of the road and sees their need and offers to help. Sometimes she may be up by the clinic in Lupalilo and the people at the clinic ask her to take one of their patients to the hospital. Some of the people that she tends to in one way or another are so thankful that they come back and give something for their gratitude such as dried beans, potatoes or maize for the service. Janet in turns gives the "gift" to her students which are in need of food. It is such a blessing to be able to help on both parties.

I find that sometimes I don't feel like doing something but I have to do it anyway. When I read what Christ went through for me it is easier for me to live by principle and not by feelings. Christ did not feel like going through what He did for us in the garden as is written in these words: "Stronger Than Human Desire.--The human nature of Christ was like unto ours, and suffering was more keenly felt by Him; for His spiritual nature was free from every taint of sin. Therefore His desire for the removal of suffering was stronger than human beings can experience. How intense was the desire of the humanity of Christ to escape the displeasure of an offended God, how His soul longed for relief, is revealed in the words, "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done." {5BC 1103.8} Yet Christ had not been forced to take this step. He had contemplated this struggle. To His disciples He had said, "I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!" "Now is your hour, and the power of darkness." He had volunteered to lay down His life to save the world (ST Dec. 9, 1897). When it seemed like His weakness was too much Mrs. White writes that an angel came to strengthen Him in Gethsemane. When it seems that our weakness is too much we have the same promise in Heb. 13:5 – "[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Let us claim this promise and watch unto prayer until He comes to take us home.

Signing out from Mago, TZ Africa

Deniece

Almost Complete

Well it is Saturday evening and we are showing the Jesus video again. Three of our sewing girls came and requested it, so we are showing it for the second time this year. We also have been having quite a few of the village young people coming to our video night so this is a good video to show. We have been showing videos every Saturday night; we have been showing Planet Earth to them and they enjoy looking at the various different animal species and the habits.

We have now only 5 fundis to finish the work. We were told on Friday that two of them will be leaving which will leave us with 3 to finish the jobs. The five are trying to finish the boy's bath house/toilet building and the septic tank that goes with it. After that is done all that is left to do is a 2 stall bathroom with septic and a septic that goes to a staff house. When these jobs are completed then all the fundis will leave. We have a plumber coming on Monday to connect to the 2" pipe line which we installed last year. The pipe we are tying in with will go to the dorm and the Bauman's house. We will then install the hot water tank that we will have at the dorm. We will have a fire built under it to heat the water. We will also install the drainage pipe at the girl's dorm to go to the septic. When this is done we will move the girls up to the dorm. Hopefully this will take place within the next week or two. We still need to paint the boy's dorm and the girl's dorm is half way painted. Time is running down and we still have lots to do. I am completed through September with the finances. I told Janet I need to work on October because of the time left to work here. In November she is planning on taking the staff to Kibidula to a series of meetings by James Raferty of Light Bearers ministry. I am hoping while there to get the help of the girl who helped me last year with the books; so that I won't have to go later in December. My flight leaves on December 22. Janet still hasn't gotten her flight yet. Frank said he was going to try and get her on my flight but she doesn't want to wait that long. I said if she gets a flight earlier in December I would like to change my flight also to come home a little earlier. She said she would email Butler travel and have her check. I am not sure what will happen but I want to get the books completed to a point so that it won't take a lot to finish.

Here is a quote from Desire of Ages which has me thinking alot lately and I pray that you will see the importance of it also: "He who would confess Christ must have Christ abiding in him. He cannot communicate that which he has not received. The disciples might speak fluently on doctrines, they might repeat the words of Christ Himself; but unless they possessed Christlike meekness and love, they were not confessing Him. A spirit contrary to the spirit of Christ would deny Him, whatever the profession. Men may deny Christ by evilspeaking, by foolish talking, by words that are untruthful or unkind. They may deny Him by shunning life's burdens, by the pursuit of sinful pleasure. They may deny Him by conforming to the world, by uncourteous behavior, by the love of their own opinions, by justifying self, by cherishing doubt, borrowing trouble, and dwelling in darkness. In all these ways they declare that Christ is not in them. And "whosoever shall deny Me before men," He says, "him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven." {DA 357.2}

I also pray that you will contemplate on these things and examine yourselves.

Signing off from Mago, Tanzania…

Deniece

Listen to the Lord

It has been a while since I have written. I have no excuse except that I have been busy, not enough battery time on my computer and I have been real busy. And another reason is that we have been real busy. We have completed two staff houses enough to where the families have moved in. The girl's dorm needs paint in the rooms and water to the bathroom and we can move into it. The boy's dorm will get glass this week and then it will need painting. The bathroom for the boys is getting the floor poured tomorrow and then the fundis will start the brick work. We have two bathrooms to complete and three septic tanks and our building projects will be completed for this year. I am getting pictures and will put them in a power point presentation upon arriving back into the states in December. At the beginning of the building projects we had nine fundis working. Three more came a couple of weeks later and so for about five months we have had 12 fundis. Now we have five fundis working here. The others have gone back to Kibidula to work on projects there. We need to tie up loose ends before leaving in December so that is what we will be doing in November and December. In fact, we have already started to tie up a few loose ends already.

Some of the things I have been doing is: painting window frames, doorways and doors, walls and varnishing the bunk beds. I am working on tables for our cafeteria. We have 6 table tops that have been purchased and we have had our carpentry class make 6 tables that the tops will go on. Hopefully they will be completed in a week or two. I have taken off 14 doors and have helped to paint them and have installed them again. I work on any plumbing problems that come up with the water line going to the fundis. I have helped with laying out of some of the buildings early on and even with the bathrooms that need to be done now. Again, one of my jobs is teaching English Monday through Thursday for about an hour to an hour and a half; and also being girl's dean; I do the finances, also. Other things I do are too many to list and fills in a lot of my time and they are the things that Janet needs me to do to help her with projects she is working on and also at times retrieving items from the container, church, her room, ect. These jobs are small in and off themselves, but if you can imagine keeps me busy along with all the other things I have been given to do.

If I repeat myself from previous blogs, please forgive me. It has been a long time since the last blog that I don't remember what I wrote. I have been staying down at the girl's dorm with the girls and it has been a good experience. The girls and I have got a good relationship going; I am also their English teacher. We have a good time together. But it is hard to communicate with them when there is not translator to help out. It would be easier on everyone if they could speak English or I speak Swahili.

I have been reading "Empowered Living" by Jim Hohnberger and have been trying to listen and obey the still small voice of the Lord directing me all through the day. This is a lesson we all need to do and Jesus is there just waiting on us. One day last month I went down to the school; Carolyn was with me. When we finished the task at hand I was going to come back up the hill a certain way. A "thought" came into my head to check in my room at the make shift dorm and go home a different way. I obeyed, and it was a good thing. One of our workers 2 ½ year old son was getting water from our spring at the school and had fallen head first into the water and couldn't get out. I ran over, grabbed his shirt and jerked him out of the water. I had lost my balance in the mean time, but Carolyn was there to hit his back and he started spitting and coughing and everything turned out. If I had gone home the original way that I was going, we would not have heard or seen Ema and he would most likely have drowned. There has been other times when I didn't listen and it came back to "bite" me if you will. I am learning, though, and it is exciting to see how the Lord is willing to direct if we are willing to follow.

Signing off from Mago, Tanzania

Deniece

Bauman’s Are Here

The Bauman's arrived and are adjusting quite well with only about 4-5 days down time with illness. Eating the food here and drinking the water takes a little adjustment for our bodies to get used to. I went through it last year. Carolyn is busy home schooling and doing their laundry. Two of their carry ons had to be checked in and so they got lost in the traveling to Dar and arrived later than they did. A lot of their everyday clothes were in the back packs and so laundry is needed to be done more often than once or twice a week. Janet has been gone since Friday. She has gone to Dar with Jason to do some business and to pick up Bauman's luggage. She should arrive either tomorrow or Thursday. Fred has been busy working on windows and doors that have been installed in the new buildings and also in Janet's house; he has been straightening up the new ones and repairing the old ones in Janet's house. He has also been looking and studying about the hydro-electric gizmo that we have for electricity and seeing what is needed there. He also has been getting the solar from the empty house where Waggonner's lived and trying to fix it up for their house.

Speaking of their house, the cement work will be done today and so cleaning up, installing the plumbing, installing glass in the window frames and also installing the doors and then they can move in. They are looking forward to moving out of the one room "apartment" as they call it, into their new home. Four people, 12 containers and 4 bicycles along with beds and chairs are just a little tight in about a 12x18 room. The girls dorm has some plastering done but after Jason came and put on Bauman's roof the fundis moved from girl's dorm to their house to see if they can get it finished. Anyway, finishing the plastering, painting, installing glass in windows and installing the doors and the girls can move into their new abode. We are working on the hole for the septic tanks for both Bauman's house and girl's dorm right now.

About a week ago, Carolyn and I were down at the school and had just finished some business there and were on our way up when we passed by the spring at the school. There was a 2 ½ year old boy at the springs trying to fill up a water bottle. He was standing on some boards crossing the small stream and fell in head first into the water. He started screaming about the time we arrived and then he stopped. We looked over and then started running over to him. I grabbed his sweater and pulled him out and then Carolyn grabbed him and held him in a bent over position and hit his back and he started spitting up water and coughing. His mother was over by the school doing her laundry. I called for her and when she came running I tried to explain to her that her son almost drowned. I don't think she understood me, she yelled at him for getting into the water. As Carolyn and I started to walk away and praising the Lord that we happened by when we did, we heard him yelling again; the mother had put him back in the water and proceeded to yell at him again for playing in the water. I was going to have our translator explain to her, but she had decided to go home for a week. They are back now and I still think about it every time I see either of them.

I have been sleeping down with the girls now from Sunday night through Thursday night. Also, I have been teaching English Monday through Thursday after sewing class. Today (Tuesday, 9-14) is a quiz. We'll see who has studied and who has not. I am also teaching English at night to the fundis from about 7:30 to 8:30; they requested it when they found out I was teaching the girls. Who would have ever believed it? While going to high school and also college English was my worst subject. Maybe, I need it too. J Anyway, I need to leave now and prepare the quiz.

God is gracious to allow us to serve Him, as sinful as we are. The closer we get to Jesus the more miserable and retched we appear. May He continue to pour His blessings on us and may we be willing to make changes in our lives that will glorify Him and bring us closer to Him. Remember: "The Father's presence encircled Christ, and nothing befell Him but that which infinite love permitted for the blessing of the world. Here was His source of comfort, and it is for us. He who is imbued with the Spirit of Christ abides in Christ. The blow that is aimed at him falls upon the Saviour, who surrounds him with His presence. Whatever comes to him comes from Christ. He has no need to resist evil, for Christ is his defense. Nothing can touch him except by our Lord's permission, and "all things" that are permitted "work together for good to them that love God." Romans 8:28.:" {MB 71.2}

That is all for now…

Signing off from Mago, TZ Africa

Deniece

Sewing Class Bursting at the Seams

Sorry for the play on words, but if you were here you would have to agree. We have 22 girls in both our sewing classes on campus. We need to put the girls into a new location where they can consolidate their space and food. We need the house some of the girls are staying in and the room the other girls are staying in. So, we are going to use two of our classrooms to house the girls. They will be right next to each other and will be able to utilize same areas in kitchen, bath area, toilet area, etc. Their food will be combined and will be documented how much they have put in and taken out and then we will assign a couple of the girls to cook each of the meals. Right now they are all responsible for their own food and fixing it. But it is getting to be too big a project to have 11 fires going at one time or having the girls stand in line to wait to fix their food. We have a cafeteria and kitchen area that they can use at the school so we are going to implement it this week.

We have been so busy here; getting bricks, sand, gravel for our buildings. We have the walls up on 3 buildings and the walls will be started this week on our fourth building. Once the walls are done on the fourth one, the fundis will be assembling our metal trusses for the rafters and then our metal roofs will go up. I think we will be putting up T & G (tongue and groove for those who don't know what T & G is) wood slats for our ceilings in these four buildings for they will be housing people and we need a ceiling to keep the temperature warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

We have the Bowmans coming in about two weeks and we are really looking forward to them coming. Time is really flying quickly, and it really does when you are having fun or when you are busy. I guess you can say we have some of both – fun and busy times. Anyway, the Bowmans will be living in a room off of our house until their house is ready.

Janet has just left to go to Mafinga to pick up 13 bunk beds for our girls. When we told the girls, there were a lot of smiles and hi-fives being done. Some of these girls are sleeping on mats or the floor. So this is really exciting for them. The Lord has really been working on campus and is blessing the work we are doing here. We are not without troubles. Satan likes to do his work too, but greater is He that is with us then he that is in the world. One of our springs, the one that houses our drinking water has either dried up or there is an issue with it where it is producing hardly any water, and what is coming has a foul taste. So we have to boil water to drink until we can dig up the tank and see what the problem is.

The Lord has never promised us life without problems, but He has promised that He has provided a way to get through it. So it is in each of our individual lives, we may have problems, but the only safe way to get through is God's way. Trusting in Him and doing things His way we will survive. Life may seem full a problems or just one big problem, but God has the answer for each and every one. Look to Him, talk to Him and He will direct your path.

Gotta get back to work.

Signing off from Mago, TZ, Africa…

Deniece

Good-bye to Barry

We have had a young man here for the last 2 months from South Africa that has been helping out here. He has driven Janet's big truck to fetch bricks, gravel, and sand from either on campus to job site or from off campus to our job site. He has also helped construct ceiling trusses for our houses using the one-day-church parts. He has been a great help with the labor force but spiritually also. For the last month he has preached 4 sermons at church, which means they were in English and I was able to go to church for this past month. Baraza translated for him into Swahili so we were all truly blessed. It was good to go to church and listen to a sermon instead of watching a DVD on computer.

He will be going back home and letting the Lord lead him as to where he will go next. He has left the work force a couple of years ago and really feeling the Lord leading him into the mission field. He is a relatively new Adventist being baptized 4 years ago. He is open to the Lord's leading and is trusting in His direction. He says he has been humbled by working here and prays the Lord never to let him forget his experience here.

We have started bricks on our girl's dorm. We put in the plumbing under the floor for a legitimate bathhouse. We have 3 shower drains installed for 3 actual "running water" showers, 3 squat toilets and one sink all feeding into a septic that is being dug. It is exciting to see progress in this area. Now to see it in our own house, we have yet to see. Janet says it would be a shame for them to get one before us. We have contacted a plumber who says he will come and install ours. Janet has his number – we'll see, it does seem to be closer now than what it has been…. The footer has been poured for our fourth building this year which is another staff house besides the girl's dorm. So, this year, we have a boy's dorm and staff house down at the school campus and up the hill next to the church and across the walking path on our newly purchased property is the girl's dorm with another staff house. None of the buildings are quite done, but we hope to have them done by December. Down by the waterfalls Janet wants to build another staff house. I don't know if that will be this year or not; depends on money and time.

Last night (Saturday night, 8/7) we, Barry, Janet and I went over a schedule that we would like to incorporate here when the dorms gets occupied. We do not want a lot of idle time on the kid's hands. We are planning classes two nights a week, vespers Friday and Sabbath evenings, prayer meeting, game night, and campfire night. We would like to incorporate the young people in the sermons and prayer meeting nights and in some of the other meetings so that they can witness to other young people and also gain experience at leading out at church. It is getting close to the time that this will be put into action. Praise the Lord!

Our Advanced Sewing class starts tomorrow in one of our new classrooms; and Janet would like to move the carpentry class on campus by September/October. There will be a lot of activity going on here soon and we hope that the Lord will be seen on campus. Please continue to pray for us and the work that is being done here. Also pray that the people will see Jesus in us.

As I have been reading the Bible and also Jere Franklin's book about survival in the time of trouble, the quote that says something along the line of: "We have nothing to fear accept when we forget how He has led us in our past…" keeps coming to my mind when I look at my life in the last 10-15 years and can see how our Heavenly Father is leading in my life. That quote that I quoted last blog from Mount of Blessings also keeps coming to my mind and I can say without a doubt that even though at times I did my own thing and even at times strayed from the Lord, He has been faithful to not give up on me and to continue to work in my life. I praise the Lord for His ever loving patience with me, His guidance, and as I continue to grow I praise the Lord as He works with me day by day. I also pray for you and that you will gain an experience that will draw you even closer to the Lord. May His will be done in each of our lives.

That is all for now…

Signing off in Mago, Tanzania

Deniece

Doors and Glass Being Installed

Well, today is July 22 and work is going well. We were up again at 4:00 am Wednesday morning to burn grass and brush that was slashed earlier. That makes 4 times we have burnt this year. We will probably burn every Sunday morning and Wednesday morning until all brush is gone, which I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel. We have a lot of grass slashed and some more to slash. Janet bought two small pieces of property that connects to our property that we have to make fire breaks around. We had slashed around the first piece (about 10 acres) when she bought the other piece connected to the first piece (which is between 3-5 acres). So, needless to say, we slashed part of the first boundary when it wasn't necessary at this time. Oh well, work goes on. The rest of the fundis have arrived so we have, I think, 12 fundis here working. The boy's dorm is completed up to the ceiling and roof which still needs to be installed; the first house is near finished to same point. In fact, it should be done today to that point. The girl's dorm, being built up by the church on the new piece of property has footers completed and will be ready for pouring the floor tomorrow after we fill in area with dirt from the gravel pit.

The fundi which makes our windows and doors is here and has installed our doors, (on finished buildings) and shutters so that we can open windows. Janet has bought the glass and the fundi is installing the glass in the classroom building now. Things are really looking good. As soon as we get the glass in our new sewing room, our bulging sewing class will move to the new classroom. We have 11-12 girls staying on campus. The overflow is staying in the church. We need the dorm already, but of course it is not ready. We will be using one of the classrooms as a girl's dorm until we get the dorm finished. Another problem we have developed is that some of our sewing students are mamas and they have their baby with them; I think we have 3 or 4 babies crying, playing and jabbering through the day in class. Janet and I have been working and setting up a day care in one of the rooms at the church (in fact it was Janet's "bedroom") so that the babies can stay there during the day. We have rearranged the storage room at the church so that we can accommodate Janet's bed, the other girls beds, who is also staying in the church right now are in the sanctuary. I don't know where they will go by Sabbath. We'll see……

Oh, I did want to let you know that the posting of the blogs are easier now. It works going through Word and choosing "blog post". It posts directly to our sight after a little set up. It is fantastic. I just have to take the time and get the blogs typed up.

I just finished a book in which a quote from Thoughts From the Mount of Blessings was reinforced over and over again and I wanted to share it with you. "The Father's presence encircled Christ, and nothing befell Him but that which infinite love permitted for the blessing of the world. Here was His source of comfort, and it is for us. He who is imbued with the Spirit of Christ abides in Christ. The blow that is aimed at him falls upon the Saviour, who surrounds him with His presence. Whatever comes to him comes from Christ. He has no need to resist evil, for Christ is his defense. Nothing can touch him except by our Lord's permission, and "all things" that are permitted "work together for good to them that love God." Romans 8:28. {MB 71.2} Imagine, everything that comes our way comes through Christ first and He allows only what we can bear. When I contemplate on this thought, I realize that we have nothing; NOTHING to complain about for all things comes from Christ. His will is being done in our lives to develop our characters for heaven. If we are trusting in Him and want to do His will, we should rejoice in all things. Not saying we have to enjoy all things, but we should rejoice and be glad for Christ is working in us His will. Sure our choices changes what comes, but Christ is still in control of all things.

My prayer is that you will think on these things and rejoice in the Lord.

That is all for now, signing off in Mago….

Deniece

Busy, Busy, Busy and Did I Say I Have Been Busy?

That describes what it has been like for the last 2-3 weeks. Janet arrived with some fundis and also with her daughter in law, Antonette with her three daughters. Jason was away building one day churches for a couple weeks so Antonette decided to come and help where she can. She was a great help. Guess what she helped with? Janet brought some window shutters so that we can open some of our windows and they had to be painted with the brown oil base paint I have been painting with for the last few weeks. So we worked on that and as I said she was a great help. She did most of the painting for I was off at times doing other things that needed to be done. I think we had 40 something shutters to paint and we got them done. She also taught health classes to the sewing students.

Our sewing students graduated – we had 11 that graduated on Friday, June 25. The next day, Sabbath, we had eight people get baptized; four from sewing and I think we had a couple from Lupalilo and also a couple of boys from our carpentry class. It was great to see the commitment that was made from these young people. Janet handed out bibles and also bible studies for them to share the gospel with someone and then challenged the congregation with the bible studies also to see who will work also in sharing the gospel. She handed out over 40 bible studies just to the congregation besides the eight that went to those that were baptized.

We have nine fundis working here now and today (Sunday, July 04, 2010) we poured our second flooring in the second of our two buildings we are working on. We have brought gravel, bricks and had sand delivered to the sight so that they can work continually. We also piped down water from our spring water tap that was by the house. We have had a problem with the water. We had a diversion before our dam that collapsed and almost dried up our water before the dam. The pipe was exposed and so we built a wood barrier and put dirt behind it to block off where the water was going so that our dam pipe would fill up our settling tank. This worked for a while and then we ran into more problems. We ran out of problems again and Janet walked out to the spring and dam. We ended up with mud above our 2" pipe in the settling tank. Janet worked with it and got the dirt out, but it was slow going there for a while. But prayer and a little work got us the water we needed to finish the job.

Talking about prayer; I was thinking about that today before we finished the job. The Lord is waiting to answer our request. I was thanking the Lord for His blessings helping me with the first onslaught of water problems and then we had it again. We get tested time and again and we need to show patience and perseverance when things go wrong. I prayed for strength, He gave it to me, both physical and spiritual. I prayed for wisdom, He gave it to me and I was able to fix the problem. I prayed for patience and He gave it to me and as I was contemplating on the many blessings, of course we received more problems. But God is faithful and answer our requests if we just put our trust in Him. He is there for you also. Sometimes it seems He is not answering or listening but that is where trust comes in and waiting on the Lord. My prayer is that we realize that He is there and we just need to trust and obey.

That is it for today and I am signing off here in Mago….

Deniece

Good Bye to Theresa and her Boys

Well, I am giving something new a try. I found this on Word as a Blog post. I don't know how it works, but if it does work it will save me on cutting and pasting plus I hope going out and posting. We'll see.

Anyway, guess what I did today? Yes, I painted some more. We are just starting to put on the second coat of oil base paint on the window and door frames in the class rooms; next will come the café and then the mechanic/carpenter shops. Sounds exciting, huh? The second coat of primer is about complete with our last building and all the buildings really look nice. I think Janet is getting some white semi-gloss (washable) for the café and also for the classrooms. I think she may just leave the primer on the carpenter/mechanic shop, I am not sure. Word is that Jason suggested leaving it white wash because it is going to get dirty anyway; we'll see on that one also.

It is Thursday (6-3) and Theresa and her boys are going to be leaving Sunday so tomorrow they will probably get things all together for their trip back home. It has been good to have them here, especially since Janet has had to be gone these few weeks. Not sure when she will be back to stay longer than a couple days; hopefully this next week. Anyway, I have plenty of work to do, yes, painting.

When we came we were told that the rainy season was over. Wrooonnnggggg! We have had rain some part of the day on about 75-80 percent of the days since we have gotten here. It has been cold and miserable today. I am already tired of the rain.

Today is Monday and Theresa and her sons left yesterday. Janet came to pick them up. While she was here she received a phone call with some bad news. A young girl we knew at EVI drowned a couple days ago in the canal by EVI after going in to rescue her puppy that jumped in. Britney was only 22 years old. Her mother, Cindy, also works at EVI. Please pray for the family for the lost of a loved one. Britney worked on our farm and was a great help. She will be missed in a lot of ways. Cindy, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Janet has 8 more nights of meetings left in the evangelistic seminars that is going on at Kibidula and surrounding areas. She says she is hoping for about 25 baptisms out of one of the five churches involved in this series. There has been a great turnout of Non-Adventists showing up and hopefully more interests for baptism will result from the entire series. Anyway, the seed is planted and now the Holy Spirit can water. She is hoping to be home here in Mago come either Sunday or a couple of days after that and she is hoping to be bringing the fundis with her to start the construction we have to do here. We will see what develops.

I wanted to share something again that I read in the Great Controversy: "Those who would share the benefits of the Saviour's mediation should permit nothing to interfere with their duty to perfect holiness in the fear of God. The precious hours, instead of being given to pleasure, to display, or to gain seeking, should be devoted to an earnest, prayerful study of the word of truth. The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwise it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time or to occupy the position which God designs them to fill. Every individual has a soul to save or to lose. Each has a case pending at the bar of God. Each must meet the great Judge face to face. How important, then, that every mind contemplate often the solemn scene when the judgment shall sit and the books shall be opened, when, with Daniel, every individual must stand in his lot, at the end of the days." {GC 488.2} Boy, did this talk to me. May we all examine ourselves to see if we are lacking in anything that we can do better. Awesome thought

That is all for now from Mago….

Deniece

Still Painting

Well we have been here for almost a month and I haven’t done much of anything but paint window and door frames. The buildings that we had built last year needing painting inside before classes can start down there. Janet has windows and doors ordered but in the mean time she needed the inside of the buildings painted. She has been busy coordinating evangelistic meetings for the conference near Kibidula, but before leaving she left primer for the walls and oil paint for the window and door frames making sure she left enough work for us since she was going to be gone for almost 3 weeks.

Theresa and I have been painting the window and door frames and her boys have been putting two coats of primer on the walls. We should finish by Thursday or Friday. This is a good thing for they will be leaving on Sunday to come back to America. Sure was good to have them here. Theresa taught health class to the girls in our sewing class and also touched on Basic English. There was a lot of questions and interest in both.

Nothing much else happening, just keeping busy and staying away from splinters.  Oh, Theresa and I also have painted Janet’s kitchen and Living room/dining room for her while she has been gone. She was here briefly and saw the kitchen but has yet to see the living room/dining room. The paint she got was a little different than what she wanted but it actually doesn’t look that bad. We’ll see when she comes on Sunday.

We still do not have indoor plumbing yet, but having the water right next to the house is a far cry better than hauling water from a distance away. Maybe when Janet comes to stay we might look into it.

I am reading the Great Controversy again and am on the chapters covering the midnight cry. This book always amazes me as to how accurate it is, but then again it shouldn’t for it came from the Lord who is all knowing. Something I had read earlier this week on p. 397 - "The spirit of error will lead us from the truth; and the Spirit of God will lead us into truth. But, say you, a man may be in an error, and think he has the truth. What then? We answer, The Spirit and word agree. If a man judges himself by the word of God, and finds a perfect harmony through the whole word, then he must believe he has the truth; but if he finds the spirit by which he is led does not harmonize with the whole tenor of God's law or Book, then let him walk carefully, lest he be caught in the snare of the devil."--The Advent Herald and Signs of the Times Reporter, vol. 8, No. 23 (Jan. 15, 1845). {GC 396.2} It is so important for us to seek guidance from the Holy Spirit and pray that we won’t believe a lie and also for us to be studying God’s Word ourselves so we will not be deceived into believing that we are right when we are wrong. This is my prayer for each one of us.

That is all for now from Mago, TZ Africa

Deniece

Ring Those Bells
We have been here in Mago for about a week now and Janet has had us painting, of course this was after a day of settling in. She (Janet) is anxious to get the sewing class down in their classroom for the class is more than twice the size as it was last year and is bursting at the seams (pardon the pun). We have eight of these girls staying here on campus and their little house is also quite crowded, so Janet is turning one of our classrooms into a dorm room until the girl’s dorm is completed. She is asking me to be the dean which is going to be a new experience – not necessarily deaning, but deaning to non English speaking girls. We will see how it works out.
A friend of ours, Sally Smith, who works at EVI in Colorado purchased and donated some (13 colored bells) for a kids bell choir here in Africa. Would you believe the first Sabbath in Mago we had special music with 4 of the village people playing them. It was so good to see. Samuel, one of the boys from TX plays bells at church back home and he was a great help in directing us, he also played with the village people that first Sabbath. We are going to let the Africans take it from here with some direction and I think they will do well. They seem to be enthusiastic about it. Theresa has been also teaching some English, health, and will be teaching cross stitch and embroidery to the girls while she is here.
The fundis which we had here last year is busy at Kibidula building an addition to a primary school and also they will be building a church; so they won’t be here until they finish with their work there. This is fine for we really do have plenty of work to do with the painting that needs to be done. Janet has the window glass and doors for the school on order and cushions for the sofas at her house on order. Things are shaping up.
Along with the painting of the school Theresa and I painted Janet’s kitchen. It is a peach color on two walls and a lighter peach color on the other two walls. The cook is back to cooking over an open fire until we are done. Janet wants the cupboards to be built before going back to cooking on the cook stove, so hopefully that will happen soon also, but she has said that the painting is priority.
The rainy season appears to be over, but we have had more clouds than sun since being here. We have had a few sprinkles but nothing more than a few minutes here and there. The days are warm when the sun is out – probably in the 70’s but when there are clouds maybe upper 50’s to low 60’s.
I am typing this on the 23th and hope to get it posted later today or tomorrow. Not sure how often I will be able to blog, but will be typing ahead of time so that I can copy and paste it into the blog so that I don’t take too much of the internet time.
Hope this finds everyone well and praising the Lord. There has been a song that keeps coming into my mind every day and I wish the promises it has in it for each one of you. I sing it daily, sometimes too often I think, but it is a promise from the Bible – Isaiah 41:10. I am sure we all know it and it promises of strength, help and the presents of God in our lives. This is my prayer for each one of you. Thank you for your prayers, God is good in sustaining us and teaching us to be content where He has us working.

Correction from last blog. Theresa’s two sons is Jarus and Samuel not Jarod and Samuel. Sorry!

That is it for now from Mago, Tanzania
Deniece

Ring Those Bells
We have been here in Mago for about a week now and Janet has had us painting, of course this was after a day of settling in. She (Janet) is anxious to get the sewing class down in their classroom for the class is more than twice the size as it was last year and is bursting at the seams (pardon the pun). We have eight of these girls staying here on campus and their little house is also quite crowded, so Janet is turning one of our classrooms into a dorm room until the girl’s dorm is completed. She is asking me to be the dean which is going to be a new experience – not necessarily deaning, but deaning to non English speaking girls. We will see how it works out.
A friend of ours, Sally Smith, who works at EVI in Colorado purchased and donated some (13 colored bells) for a kids bell choir here in Africa. Would you believe the first Sabbath in Mago we had special music with 4 of the village people playing them. It was so good to see. Samuel, one of the boys from TX plays bells at church back home and he was a great help in directing us, he also played with the village people that first Sabbath. We are going to let the Africans take it from here with some direction and I think they will do well. They seem to be enthusiastic about it. Theresa has been also teaching some English, health, and will be teaching cross stitch and embroidery to the girls while she is here.
The fundis which we had here last year is busy at Kibidula building an addition to a primary school and also they will be building a church; so they won’t be here until they finish with their work there. This is fine for we really do have plenty of work to do with the painting that needs to be done. Janet has the window glass and doors for the school on order and cushions for the sofas at her house on order. Things are shaping up.
Along with the painting of the school Theresa and I painted Janet’s kitchen. It is a peach color on two walls and a lighter peach color on the other two walls. The cook is back to cooking over an open fire until we are done. Janet wants the cupboards to be built before going back to cooking on the cook stove, so hopefully that will happen soon also, but she has said that the painting is priority.
The rainy season appears to be over, but we have had more clouds than sun since being here. We have had a few sprinkles but nothing more than a few minutes here and there. The days are warm when the sun is out – probably in the 70’s but when there are clouds maybe upper 50’s to low 60’s.
I am typing this on the 23th and hope to get it posted later today or tomorrow. Not sure how often I will be able to blog, but will be typing ahead of time so that I can copy and paste it into the blog so that I don’t take too much of the internet time.
Hope this finds everyone well and praising the Lord. There has been a song that keeps coming into my mind every day and I wish the promises it has in it for each one of you. I sing it daily, sometimes too often I think, but it is a promise from the Bible – Isaiah 41:10. I am sure we all know it and it promises of strength, help and the presents of God in our lives. This is my prayer for each one of you. Thank you for your prayers, God is good in sustaining us and teaching us to be content where He has us working.

Correction from last blog. Theresa’s two sons is Jarus and Samuel not Jarod and Samuel. Sorry!

That is it for now from Mago, Tanzania
Deniece

Africa At Last!

We (Theresa and her two sons, Jerod and Samuel) arrived this Friday morning at 7:00 in Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania, Africa. God was merciful for safety on our travels. Janet was waiting for us. She arrived here yesterday and had to do some business on Friday after our pickup so we are staying through Saturday night at the YMCA in Dar. Right now we are in an internet cafe in Dar right next to the "Y" and I thought I might as well write a short blog being that I am here and I don't know when I will be able to get one posted once I get to Mago.

It is hot and humid in Dar today but should cool down some by evening. There was some flooding yet here in Dar so the rainy season has not ended yet.

Sunday morning we will catch the bus for Kibidula at 5:30 am. In Kibidula we will get Janet's truck and leave to go home shortly after that.

Again, I praise the Lord for His watch care and His love that He shines along our path to reasure us of His direction and guidance. May He show you too, the same for you as you look to Him daily.

Signing off for now in Dar,

Deniece

Africa At Last!

Time Is Approaching

Well,t I have 10 days left before I leave for Africa. It seems like it took forever and yet it also seems it is here with no time to spare. I have finished the project of church pew ends that Janet had given me to do prior to her leaving in March for Africa. The container is here with some things loaded, but Frank is to take the "bull" by the horns and finish the job as complete as he can prior to return in July. (She is coming back for ASI and also to ship the container.) I am to meet up with a woman and her two sons in London and we will be traveling together to Dar Es Salaam. They are leaving Texas about the same time that I will be leaving Denver. Her and her sons will be working with us for about a month. We also have a couple and their two sons coming to stay at Mago with us in September when Janet comes back to Africa. I talked with him and he is familiar with the type of hydroelectric plant that we have to install - things are starting to look promising for us to get electricity this year, of course Lord willing, that is; and I can't figure out any reason why the Lord not to will it for us. It has been a long time coming.

Janet said she was going to start working on a staff house for them and hopefully it will be done or at least close to being done by the time they get there. I am sure there will be plenty for me to do to assist the completiong of the project.

I am looking forward to being used by the Lord while there. I have in the workings to teach English to the people over there (do I really know what I am doing? No! but thru Christ I can do all things!!); I am still going to be doing her finances and anything to everything else she needs me to do.

I hope this year will fair better than last as far as me being comfortable and at ease over there. Please keep us (Janet and I) in your prayers. Everyone needs to know that prayers are going up for them and I know that that is happening for us. The Lord has trials for each of us to chip away the much needed worldliness on our character and I think I am ready for this to happen in the way He deems best. I have the promise that He will not bring on me nothing that I can't handle with Jesus by my side. That was my strength last year and He will be my strength this year. I know He sent me to Africa last year and is leading me there this year. What else can I do but follow.

Back to packing at this end and work here at EVI. I am hoping to take off the last week of my stay here from EVI work schedule so that I can get all ready and not have to run around the last minute for things.

Seven and a half months seems like a long time but before I know it I will be rushing around there to get ready to come home in December.

That is all for now, not sure if I will have another one before leaving.

God bless all of you and may we be ready for what is coming upon us like a storm.

Signing off from EVI,

Deniece

Back to Africa

Well, I have l month before I leave for Africa. Janet and Frank is there now and I think Frank is due back on April 8 and Janet may stay in Africa. She ordered a container before she left and it should arrive this week. She also purchased a new John Deer tractor with 4 implements to put in the container for us to use over there. The tractor will surely cut our work short, for sure. The EVI church had donated some of their church pews for us over there and they will be going into the container also, with a "few" other items that will be put in for us over there. I am making ends for the pews for we will be cutting them in half for our small church and so the ends will be used to cap off the cut end of the pew; and I am almost done with what I need to do with them here. I am going to meet up with a family at the London airport who Janet had made arrangments with before she left that will be coming with me to Africa and will stay and help for about a month. I think there will be the mother and two of her sons. I am thankful because I have not traveled overseas by myself before and sometimes, I fear, that it can be intimidating to go through customs and all. Anyway, I am looking forward to arriving and getting to work over there.

In my last blog someone made a comment that they wanted me to post pictures of Baraza and Mariam's baby "Isaiah". I can attach them now, but when I get over there I cannot for it takes up so much time and memory on dial up internet. So below are some pictures of Isaiah.








I will try and post at least one more blog before leaving, possibly two, depending on how busy I get between now and then.

Signing off from EVI, CO
Deniece

Sooner Than You Think

Well, I have been thinking of writing a new blog since we have been back from Africa, but for some reason kept putting it off. Sorry about that and so I will not postpone it any longer. May is coming around sooner than you think. Janet and Frank will be leaving in March for a tour of theInstitutes over there (Riverside, Kibidula and EVIFCM) with an ASI representative who is going to do articles on them. Janet is about convinced that she will be staying because she will only be here for 3 weeks before going back. She is thinking also of getting a container this year. We have quite a bit of large items that needs to go.

I will still be leaving in May, probably around the 5th and anticipate getting back to work quickly. Today, in fact in about 1/2 hour I will be having surgery again on my hand. If you remember last year I had gotten a splinter in my hand and Janet had operated also the Doctors at the hospital but neither could find the splinter. I still am getting infection in the area and there is something hard about an inch long that still brings pain upon rubbing up against it. I do not want to go to Africa without having it removed. So today is the day. The Doctor's here at EVI are going to do it. May the Lord guide their eyes and hands.

Anyway, now that I have started the blogs up again, hopefully I will continue at least every week or two. Thanks for hanging in there with us and my the Lord continue to bless you and EVIFCM.

Signing off here at EVI in CO
Deniece