Tomatoes

Nan sorts & washes
Mama Edena peals and quarters

The finished product

Nan took time this week to do some canning. Although there are tomatoes all the time in the market, here in Kondoa, they are usually the Roma type and not quite as good for canning. Because we have had good rains we have nice round tomatoes. It was fun in the market buying all the tomatoes, lots of good opportunities to talk with the women and men about what Nan was doing. Many people now in the market will say, "I know you, you live at Kilimani" or "Mr. Williams teaches at Ibra". Again, this is just getting our name out and getting that good reputation and one day they will ask about why we have come to Kondoa and then we have the opportunity to tell them about J.

Cake Decorating

We recently did a cake decorating class

at our class on the corner. We took all the

supplies, including the cakes, and let

everyone decorate. There were three

cakes and about eight people to "practice".

Everyone enjoyed the practice and then got to eat cake.

A room to worship in

Terry spent time cleaning up the weeds and grass, Mama Edena swept the floor and Nan dusted the shelves, we were ready for Sunday and our

first worship in the room. Sunday arrived bright and beautiful after a 9/10 of an inch rain on Saturday night. We had nine (9) children (two behind the door on the right), Mama Edena, Terry & Nan. We hope to outgrow this room quickly and move on to a bigger place of worship. The rent is paid strictly by the giving of those who attend the worship, we have been saving for a year now. The rent is 5,000/= shillings a month or about $3.36 USD. Pray with us that God will bless those who come and will grow His Kingdom.

Hot Bread on the Corner

Here Nan has been making bread over a charcoal cooker. This week she made the bread from beginning to finish on the street corner in town. The mixing, then waiting to rise, then kneading, then waiting to rise again and then cooking takes quite a bit of time. Our P is that one day while we are "waiting" we can do a Bible study. The bread turned out very good and they were so impressed. Next week we make donuts again! Hot work!

A room to worship in

This is the structure that has been rented for our house of worship. As you can see it is grown up in weeds. It is actually a store/shop that is very small, but it is a beginning. We have been meeting in our front yard for the past year and when it rains we meet on our back porch. We pray this is just the beginning of growth for the church here. Tanzanians feel you must have a building, they haven't learned that a church is the people. When some have invited other to worship with us in our front yard, they respond, "that isn't a church". We are going to be cleaning up the yard and having a signed painted, Kanisa la Kibatisti-Kondoa (Church of Baptist-Kondoa) Pray that this will be a light house for others to come and worship the True and Living God.

Teaching on a street corner

For many months now Terry has been going every Monday afternoon to a street corner to teach about good livestock production. This is truly in the "heart" of the Rangi. This came about as Terry was walking one day, they ask, "what are you doing? where are you going?" Terry told them he taught about good livestock production and they said, "come here and teach". He never knows how many will come or where it will lead, but he is open to where God is leading. Many times people will come home with him to see the bio gas generator or he will have opportunities to go to their homes to meet the family and look at their animals. Sometimes they want him to go to their village, but that hasn't happened yet, he is waiting for them to make arrangements.

The rains has been good this months, we have received over 7 inches now and most if not all have planted. We pray for good crops so there will be enough food for all.

Form 6 Girls Receive New Bibles

These are some of the Form 6 graduates who have been in Nan's weekly Bible study for the past year. They had their formal graduation ceremony on the 20th of January and last Wednesday Nan was able to give each of the 78 girls new Kiswahili Bibles. From their emotions you could tell that many of these girls had never owned a Bible of their own. It was such a joy to be able to share with them how God has blessed us and we, in turn, are able to bless them. These students are actually taking their final National exams this week, February 7-11. Please pray for these young women and for their future. These are some of the brightest young women in the Country of Tanzania, just by being invited to attend this government school shows they are the future of Tanzania. It has been such a joy to be with them teaching the Bible study of David.