Who Says We Can't Do It?

Recently, we received a report concerning a week long meeting in an area of Maasaini.  Two speakers from Mbeya Tanzania and two from Kenya led the proceedings.  The final statistics were tabulated.



The average daily attendance was 5000 people.






There were 600
professions of faith recorded for the week.

One cow and 15 goats daily gave their lives to help feed this great number.  All churches in the area participated in this endeavor.  The new believers were encouraged to attend a church near them so that they can be discipled and participate in worship.  It seems like the Maasai in certain areas are most capable of serving the Lord.

Now to the areas that have no work!  Who says they can't do it?

A Case of Mistaken Identity

Mikaeli, Lazaro, and Mika, 3 Maasai pastors, made the journey to the new church at Engaresero.  They used 2 motorcycles as their mode of transport.  Two men rode on one bike, and the other man and supplies were on the 2nd bike.

Their journey took 9 hours.  On the way, they stopped beside the dirt road/path to look at "swala twiga" (deer like animals with long giraffe-type necks), regular twiga (giraffe), and other assorted wildlife.

As they were observing this local wildlife, they noticed that a truck was coming toward them at a fast clip.  As the truck approached their position, it swerved to the left, barely missing them and their bikes by inches.  The truck then continued on its way.  They thanked God that they were not hurt and continued on to Engaresero.  They had a great time of teaching and encouraging the new believers there over the next 2 days.

Later, they discovered that this same truck had traveled to Engaruka on its way to Engaresero and Gelai.  During the trip, 3 men on motorcycles with guns tried to stop them and steal their cargo, money, and cell phones.  The robbery attempt was unsuccessful as the truck sped past the culprits and did not give them the opportunity to steal or harm them.

When this same truck, driver, and companions saw Mikaeli and his fellow travelers by their bikes on the side of the road, the driver and passengers thought these were the same men who tried to rob them earlier.  They sped up with the intent of hitting the men and their bikes, possibly killing them in the process.  One of the passengers saw the men and recognized Lazaro as a Maasai pastor from Kitumbeini.  He yelled at the driver, who maneuvered the truck at the last instant to avoid a collision with the men and bikes.

Mikaeli related that all 3 of them thanked and praised God for protection and deliverance from this potentially lethal situation.

They also thanked Lazaro for his faithfulness in service to God.  If he had not been faithful, the passenger would not have known him and they would have been certainly severely injured if not killed.

Make sure people know who you are and Who you serve.
It could save your life one day.

Nationals Do Make A Difference

After the new church began in the Engaresero area, Maasai co-workers have been going periodically to this area for follow-up teaching, discipleship, leadership training, and encouraging the new believers.  These traveling servants reported that "there was difference among the people" when they went back without me or volunteers.  They said that the true believers who wanted to truly participate and grow in their faith attended the teaching sessions and worship.  Others who were simply "looking for some monetary or personal gain" did not come because the "white faces" were not present.  The "wazungu (white people) are the attraction.  The truth comes from God's Word delivered by God's servants.

 This reminds me of John 6:66 where Jesus began to explain true faith and discipleship.  The ones there for the food, miracles, and personal benefit left because Jesus' words were "hard to abide by" and demanded commitment and faithfulness without a promise of an immediately "reward".  People are people where ever you go -- the same sin nature abides in us all.  The is why the miracle of redemption and reconciliation applies to all people - we are the same in our nature.

So, nationals do make a difference because they can "winnow out" the true believers from the opportunists.

Please pray for these faithful nationals!!

You Can Read - How ?

There are ongoing debates regarding orality and literacy -- whether teaching should be solely oral or should it be coupled with the written word.  It is the assumption is that many Maasai are illiterate but that picture is changing as Maasai go to school and learn to read.  The printed media then becomes very important.  The following account was related to me during a recent trip to Longido by a Maasai friend and co-worker concerning the Maasai and Bibles.

Obedi is the one on the right

Obedi traveled to and stayed in the town of Kitumbeine for several days to participate in a seminar and discussions concerning different issues related to ministry.
I was able to give him some Maasai Bibles to take and distribute to some pastors in that area.
I saw him several days later.
He said that the pastors were overjoyed to receive the Bibles and wanted to know if they could get more.
Obedi then related that many people wanted Bibles so that they could read God's Word for themselves.
I asked him if they could really read with understanding.
He relayed that many Maasai, even women who had no formal education, were able to read and understand the Bible in Kimaasai.
Obedi talked to them personally, listened to their readings, asked questions about what they read, and they responded according and correctly.
He does not know how they were able to do this until he asked them about it.
They said they were not able to go to school.
So they prayed and asked God for understanding and for the ability to read and understand His written Word.
Then they were able to obtain a Maasai language Bible.
They began practicing and were able to read and understand it in just a few days.
No instruction, no formal education, no teacher.
They said that God gave them the ability to do this.
Obedi said it must have been the Holy Spirit Who enabled them to read and understand God's Word.
He could not explain it any other way.
I accept this explanation and view it as a modern day enablement from God for these Maasai to read and understand His Word through the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2 comes to mind after his story was finished.
But it is still continuing in many places in Maasaini where Maasai desire to know God and His Word.
Will miracles ever cease?
No.
Not as long as God is working them.

Maasai Mall

The Black Forest Academy group, working at the Longido primary school, had just finished a long day of teaching, working, and interacting with the students and teachers.  As they headed back to their accommodations via a dirt road, they saw 20 Maasai ladies lining both sides of the road with their wares ready to sell.  The women had been waiting for several hours for the guests to pass by in hopes of selling some of their handiwork.  Some team members stopped and looked, a few bought some of their hand-made items, and the others just kept moving.

This reminds me of Jesus, riding into Jerusalem, with the crowds cheering for him.  How long had that crowd been waiting, anticipating his entrance into that city?  What were they waiting for?  To get a glimpse of Him? To sell Him something? To be healed by Him? To see a miracle or two on the way in? To get a free handout?  Many people with many expectations or just passing curiosity saw Him go by that day.  How many of this same cheering crowd shouting "Hosannah!" on this day cried out "Crucify him!" just a few days later?

Where are you in this crowd of curious onlookers?

Of Nets and Shelves

The recent Black Forest Academy team constructed soccer goals and library shelving for the Longido primary school.

The goals consisted of galvanized pipe, threaded and connected, and sunk into the ground 2 feet and anchored in with concrete.  The assembly, digging, and concrete mixing were all done by hand.  The goals were braced and left alone for two days so that the cement could set well.  Water was poured on the concrete each day so that it would not dry out too fast and crack.  On the 2nd day, the braces were removed and the nets installed on the frame.  Then the first inaugural soccer match was played between the Longido primary school "warriors" and the Black Forest Academy "wafas".  It was a tough match but BFA came out on top 3 -1.

The second project was to construct additional shelves for the school library.  The available tools consisted of 4 handsaws, 4 hammers, and a cordless drill.  The "fun" began when several boards had to be "ripped" in sections.  Make-shift saw horses (school desks) were used for this procedure.  Other boards were also cut to size, holes drilled for wall-mounting, and then the hammering marathon began!

The shelves were eventually completed and all were glad to see the last nail be driven into their "almost perfect and straight" project.  Many claim that the shelves are not slanted or crooked, but that the building and the boards are not straight.  The jury is still "out " on this ruling

The school was most grateful for these two facility additions and the team was glad that the "hand-made" projects were finished.

Several hurt in places they had never experienced pain before.

Ah, the joys of new experiences!

Thanks, BFA, for jobs well done!!

Life Expectancy

I am Mobile Proclaimer Unit 3 ( MP3) or Moe for short.

My creator is MegaVoice (www.megavoice.com).

I am assembled in Israel and shipped to various world-wide destinations.

I am a small, portable voice projecting unit who is programed by my creators.

The only communication limits we have are determined by our creators/programmers, who install the appropriate language modules.

When my language memory module is inserted, I am able to communicate one-way with the designated life forms who understand the programmed language memory module.

My power system consists of a small solar recharging panel and a DC charging portal.

My recharging panel is the most utilized section of my power system charging center.

The central control panel, located on the front console, is multi-functional and simple to operate.

One can navigate to the designated files using this central control panel.

File selections consist of Chronological Bible stories and the entire New Testament.

Other MP3 units in my collective are sent to various parts of the world to communicate with many of the life forms on this planet.

In Tanzania, my life expectancy is approximately 2 years.

MP3s in the Tanzania collective have experienced internal displacement as well as system malfunctions.

One unit was being recharged via the solar panel.

It was placed at the solar recharging station on the top of one of the humanoids' dwellings.

Another humanoid removed it from it's recharging zone.

The humanoid utilized the central control panel and accessed the files.

The files were accessed for 7 hours.

During this process, the power supply was depleted.

The humanoid returned the unit to its original recharging station.

The humanoid interfaced with the recharging station humanoid.

It related that it had never heard anything like that before.

It reported that there was a change/reprogramming in its internal components.

The recharging station humanoid had an emotional reaction.

My data banks referenced it as "joy".

Another unit was left at its recharging station overnight.

During that time, heavy moisture from the atmosphere entered its internal components.

The humanoid followed logical protocol and placed it by a drying unit (designated "fire") to evaporate the moisture in its internal components.

Its external and internal components melded as one.

The unit did not survive.

Various units report that they have traveled to places of human interaction such as "markets", "schools", "large meeting areas", and "under trees".

Some have been transported to various locations via "cars", "buses", and "donkeys".

All units are programmed to function at peak capacity.

Training, proper maintenance, and care are to be utilized to prolong the working life expectancy of the MP3 units.

All humaniods receiving the units are given these specific instructions.

All units are limited in their functions and life expectancy only by the humanoids who utilize them.

Be nice to us.

This transmission is ended.