We pray that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are now enjoying the Christmas season. Celebrating Christmas in 95-degree heat is always fun. Listening to Christmas music about snow and fires when you’re sweating is different, but we are so grateful that God has allowed us to minister here.
Over these past months, we have been busy. As you remember in our last prayer letter, we had some projects going on around the church, and we praise God that those are done. We will finish up our village church, Lord willing, at the end of this month. Ryan Stricklin, a visitor from college, came to visit us for two weeks. He had wanted to see Tanzania for a while, and we were honored to host him.
We had an all-day teen activity with preaching, games, food, etc. We haven’t been able to have Teen Camp in a few years due to COVID, so we wanted to do something fun for them. They went on a one-day trip to the ocean as well.
Our annual Family Picture Day was the first week of December. We challenged our members to bring their family and friends who wouldn’t normally come. Everyone received their family picture, and it was a great opportunity to present the Gospel to folks.
God is so good to us! I am always excited when God is in the “BIG” things, but I am equally excited when God is interested in the “small” things. Some of my staff men and I were traveling to our village church in Giaro to see how their new church building was coming along. As I was passing a few semitrucks, the brand-new tire I had just bought the night before blew up just as I finished passing the last truck. I thank God that we didn’t flip. I was able to regain control and change the tire. Then we went on our way once again. God is in control of everything.
Our English Sunday school is also going well. We average 12 kids. We sing songs, play games, and do crafts. I am grateful that my kids can still learn and grow in the Lord while they are learning Swahili.
We will end the year with Christmas Day and New Year’s Day services. It is always a special time to come together as one. We are looking forward to next year and seeing what God will do through us. We thank you all for the emails, cards, packages, etc. We are so grateful to team up with you all. Thank you for investing in us as we reach this generation and the next generation. So far in our church this year, we have had many new babies: Yohana, Kevin, Joshua, Baraka, and Steven; and we have three more ladies who will deliver next year. We do thank God for life, for He is the ultimate giver of life. We are looking ahead at how God will use these young ones for His glory. Who knows what the future will hold for these guys? We pray that God will use them greatly.
Again, we want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
For His glory,
Mshama, Martha, Esther, Benjamin, Rachel, & Sarah Kinyonga