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Baptism
One of the three baptisms on the 29th of April It's hard to believe that we have been in Tanzania three weeks. By Tanzanian standards, we have gotten a lot accomplished. Here is a recap of the past week:
On the 29th of April, our Lord's day began in a marvelous way. After Bible class, there were three women who desired to be baptized, and so they were baptized into Christ between Bible class and worship time. During the worship hour, George preached at Moshi for the first time - a lesson on the unfolding of the Kingdom. There is an interesting tradition in Tanzania. After each service time, the congregation lines up outside, and as each person passes, they shake hands till they get to the end of the line, and then join the line. By the time everyone has gone through the line, they have shaken hands with each person. No skipping out the door as soon as the last Amen is said!
After services, the congregation hosted a potluck, as a way to welcome all of the new missionaries. The meal consisted of rice, beans, and a slice of advocado. It was simple, but quite tasty. The rice and beans were cooked over
Shaking Hands
Lining up to shake hands after worship an open fire, which is a time-consuming task, so the work of these fine ladies was greatly appreciated. After our meal, the congregation had a singing. It has been said that the Moshi congregation is known for it's good singing, and we can attest to that fact.
On Monday, the 30th, George, Jacob, Luke, and I went with Brent Richardson, Kelly, and Ryan to Monduli, which is about 1 1/2 hours west of Moshi. This was groundbreaking day for this congregation's church building. After measuring off the perimeter of the building, the digging began. I initially helped with moving a big pile of rocks. After a while, a couple of the ladies came to prepare lunch, and I spent time with them. One of them, named Grace, could speak a limited amount of English, and so we had fun trying to communicate with each other. On the way home, we stopped by a Snake park. It cost more than we wanted to pay, so we passed on seeing the snakes. However, George, Jacob, Luke, and Ryan had some fun with a camel ride.
The memorial service for Moses was held on Tuesday. It ended up that
Potluck Meal
Sunday's potluck meal - rice, beans, and advocado Jacob and Luke went along with Brent, Kelly, Ryan, and Cory. Afterwards, they went back out to Monduli to help some more with the building project. George went along with Charles Creel to a Bible study. Afterwards, Charles gave us the use of his vehicle, and so we moved our belongings to our house, and we slept their for the first time that night.
Wednesday we spent trying to get the house set up the best we can until our container arrives. After Wednesday services, George and Jacob went along with some others to the airport. They saw the Gees off, as they began their trip to the States, and they also welcomed John Hall's parents, David and Judy Hall, who arrived that night also. George was able to drive Cy and Stephanie's vehicle back. They have been gracious to let us use their vehicle while they are in the States. The Gees van is in the shop, and as soon as it is ready, we will start using the Gee's van, and return Cy and Stephanie's vehicle, which also needs some attention. The vehicles really take a beating here, and it is so important to keep them
Breaking Ground
Breaking ground for the church building in Monduli in running condition.
Thursday morning, George taught a Bible study. He was scheduled to have a class with a Seventh Day Adventist preacher, but that didn't come about. However, he did end up having a study with a group of 7 or 8. Thursday evening, the Moshi missionaries got together for a devotional, supper, and some games.
Friday, Christopher Mwakabanji helped us get started in applying for our driver's licenses. One can hardly explain the process! You could ask three different people what is required, and you'll likley get three different answers. First, each person was required to get a tax id number, which is another entirely different process. We started at 10:30, and finally had our licenses in hand by 4:30!
Saturday, I spent a full day doing laundry, ironing, and preparing our meals. Until our container arrives, laundry must be done by hand. This is very time consuming, and we just hope that each time we put something on the line, that it will dry before it rains. I gave George, Jacob, and Luke haircuts Saturday afternoon, and then they headed out to play a little basketball with the other guys.
Digging a Trench
Digging a trench for the foundation Yesterday, Sunday, May 6th, we enjoyed another good day of worship. David Hall preached Sunday morning. After services, a number of us headed to a restaurant to eat a bite of lunch. Just as we arrived at the restaurant, George got a call from Charles Creel, another of the missionaries in Moshi. He had received several phone messages from a young Pentecostal preacher. The messages were in Swahili, so Charles could not immediately return the call and speak with the man. The Pentecostal preacher was wanting someone from the church to come and speak with their congregation. The time was set for 3:00 pm, so Charles, George, and I headed towards Marangu to meet with these people. Our kids spent the afternoon with the Richardsons. Due to a misunderstanding with directions, we were about 30 minutes late, and so the congregation of about 10 people were already gone. However, George did get to have a Bible study with the preacher and another man. George is scheduled to return this Thursday and have another study. Please pray that this will be a door of opportunity to share the gospel with this group of people.
Over the past several
Preparing Lunch
Grace is preparing lunch for the construction crew - rice, chinese greens, and bananas. days, some in our family have had unsettled stomaches - though not enough to keep us home. Luke and Jacob have had sore throats, and Jacob is housebound today, running fever. Several other missionaries have had similar symptoms, and have recovered in a few days, so it seems to be a virus of some kind; nothing serious. Luke went to Monduli today with Brent, Ryan, and Cory, to lend a hand on the building project there.
We now have a P.O. Box in Moshi. Here is our address:
George and Joy Jensen
P.O. Box 1923
Moshi
Tanzania, East Africa
Thank you so much for the comments that several of you have left on our travelblog. They are an encouragement to us, and we are always glad to hear from you all. We are thankful to God for the goodness of our brethren, and for the many ways you show love and concern for our family. May God bless each of us as we strive to do His will.
Wtih love, in Christ,
Joy
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Nicholas and Matthew
non-member comment
Hello from Stockton
Hi! How are things in Tanzania? Looks like the camel ride is pretty fun. I hope some day we will be able to come visit. We love you. Nicholas and Matthew