Richardson Short Report 5/18/08

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TANZANIA MISSION REPORT
Brent & Julie Richardson

PO Box 1727 Arusha, Tanzania East Africa
email: Brent - [e-mail] TZ phone:[phone]
email: Julie - [e-mail] TZphone:011 255 783 379 955
Sponsoring Congregation: Northport Church of Christ, PO Box 333 Northport, AL 35473

It's Been Another Great Week in Tanzania

We hope and pray that this report finds each of you safe and in good health, and actively serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have had a rewarding few weeks here. Many activities to keep our hands busy, and a few familiar faces to warm our hearts and our days. We were blessed to have Cotton Box, Dupree Galloway, and Glen Milligan, here with us. They returned home this last week, primarily so that Cotton could see his grand daughter Rachel Box graduate. Congratulations Rachel. We still have Ernie Kimbrell and Charles Lollar here with us, and got to share dinner with them a few times while they were here. Wednesday evening Charles preached a great lesson for Bible Class here in Moshi, and afterwards he and Ernie came by the house for dinner with the family. They will be leaving on Tuesday. Thank you to all those that made it possible for them to be here with us. We know you have sacrificed to allow them to be here, and what a blessing it has been for us.

We have continued to work with the orphans at Kili Kids and are happy to report that the garden is almost growing. We were waiting on some much needed rains, to prove or test, our new run off system, and the Lord has provided that over the last few days. We will begin to plant this next week, and hopefully with in 90 days they will be eating of the fruits of their labor. After one long day of digging in the clay dirt, which happened to be more like concrete than dirt, we decided to reward our fellow little laborers with some ice cream. It never dawned on my that many of them had never eaten anything cold before. Some laughed, some cried, and one little girl who had gotten a cup of half chocolate and half vanilla, decided that the white side was edible, but as for the dark stuff, that could stay in the cup. It is funny the things that we take for granted and over look. All in all I think I have sold most of them, on the idea that ice cream is good. Julie continued her 2nd study with the 4 teenage girls who live and work there on Tuesday, and it is going well with lots of good questions being asked. We are excited too that beginning next month, Dr. Smeltzer and his lovely wife Nancy, are going to hold a medical clinic there, right before the campaigns begin and they are also holding a seperate clinic at the Boma Ngombe Church Building on the 31st. We are so thankful for all of their talents, and what they have sacrificed to be here serving in Tanzania.

We also traveled back up to Marangu Mwika. We have continued our studies there each week, and are reaching the climax of what I believe will be a truly great harvest. We are currently looking for a building to meet in. But I believe that we will have a congregation that will do many things for the Lord in this area.

Last Sunday we traveled to Usa River to worship with the Christians there. It is always nice to return back to these congregations to see how they are progressing. Usa was a relatively large congregation at one time with over 50 meeting there. They have since planted two other congregations, which has reduced there number some, but we were encouraged to see almost 50 present for worship last Sunday. Fariji, the local preach, has a daughter named Mary, who has just obeyed the gospel herself. It is so wonderful to see parents bringing up their children in the right ways.

Today we attended worship in Kingori. This congregation is as much of a bush congregation as any we have in the Northern area here. Right in the middle of mostly Masaai. They have had some trouble in the past, with a bad leader, but always continue to plod the course faithfully. They are a small congregation of only about 12. But what they lack in attendance numbers, the make up in steadfastness. Continue to pray for Joeseph and the others that are working there. As well as for our second year students from ACSOP that are assisting them, Kennedy & Verron.

I want to wish a belated happy mothers day to each of you as mothers. And I want to make mention of another special day, at least to me. 13 years ago, tomorrow, Monday the 19th of May. I was blessed to have Julie enter into my life. Save my salvation, she has been the second most important blessing that I have received. I am so thankful for her, and to her for allowing us to serve here in Tanzania. It takes a special woman to follow her husband and raise her children in a third world country. I could not be here without her support. In fact, I don’t know that I would even be alive today if it was not for her love for me. To celebrate, I am going to get a way for a few days with her. Since we have been married and had children, I can count on one hand the number of nights that we have spent together, apart from the kids. She is long over due for a few days of rest. So please bear with us the next few days, as we are unsure of the access that we will have to internet. We will return later in the week, and begin, continuing to plan for our upcoming visitors and campaigns.

Thanks again for all of you, who make it possible, for us to be here co laboring with you. Much good has been done, and will continue to be done, with your faithful support. Pray for the Bakers, as well as the many others that will be traveling our way over the next few weeks, and for those that they will leave behind while serving here.

With Love From Africa,
Brent

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Photos

Worship at Kingore
Sunday Morning

Garrett playing with the Boys
at the orphanage, so he's sweet and patient with them all

Saying our farewells...
Outside our front door

Brent delivers Ice Cream
to the children at Kili Kids

Emily feeding the babies
little Parsley isnt so sure about the cold sweet stuff!

Visitors from Alabama come to Moshi
Charles & Ernie with the Moshi Missionaries

Ernie, Charles, & Brent
Outside the Moshi building

Enjoying our time to visit
friends who are more like family

The Kingore Congregation
May 18th 2008

New Addition to the church
since we had been there last.... She's so cute! "Anita"

At the Boma Ngombe Building
Brent talking with Asher

This was the road to the Kingore Church building
More like a cow path....

He was wondering what we were doing....
Why would anyone drive a vehicle out this far???

Comments

[Mildred]

Just have to keep saying Thank you so much for sharing your lives via pictures and such interesting reports. You are the best Miss Julie! I know it was good to have folks from our area there to help you and I'm sure they were felt rewarded from having been there too. Keep up the good work. We love you guys!! Mildred