Elijah and Elisha - oops not Elisha but -- William

Two familiar Biblical names and one somewhat common name.
We will concentrate on the first familiar name and then the common name.

Their stories:

Elijah is a Maasai evangelist who was discovered by our recent Calvary Baptist Church team in the Simanjiro District of Tanzania.  As the team commented, "God just led us to him in another of our 'divine appointments'".

He started a church 3 years ago in an area were no churches existed.  He and his wife, Lea, built the first building out of the available materials - branches, grass, mud, and manure.  They have continued to this day and are now building a new building because they have outgrown their first structure.  The team left him a Chronological Bible Storying Cloth, an MP3 player with the stories and the NT in Kimaasai, and a Kimaasai Bible.  The team also gave Elijah some training in storying and follow-up.  We will be visiting him in the near future to see how he is progressing in his ministry.

William is an evangelist who showed up at one of our discipleship sessions.  He said that the spiritual leader of that area tried to contact him via phone and text message about our team leading this training but he never received the information.  Yet, he was there when we arrived for our second day of training at the area leader's boma.  The area leader was not there due to a situation he needed to take care of in the near-by local town.  When asked how he knew to show up at this boma, William simply replied, "God told me to come here on this day at this time and He would show me the rest".  He stayed through the entire training and then invited us to his boma.  We followed him in our vehicle as he piloted his motorcycle down the road to his small local kiosk. We then walked the rest of the way to his boma.  He informed us during our trek that his mother was a Baptist and that he received much teaching from her and her mother - his grandmother (sounds like a Timothy in the Bible).  Now he continues preaching, teaching, and discipling others.  We will invest time, training and materials in this young man who is faithfully serving God in the place He has put him.  Another "divine appointment".

God has placed leaders in different areas in Maasaini.
He is allowing us to meet them in many different ways so that we may get to know them, hear their stories, train them, and then partner with them in ministry.

Old and New Bibles

The discipleship teaching sessions had gone well.  Nairokoki (Nigh Row Ko Key) was proving to be an able and knowledgeable student of the Word.  As we were getting ready to leave, I noticed her Bible.  It had that "used" look that books acquire in the bush -- dirty on the outside, cover missing, re-bound several times with available materials (cardboard in this case) and pages missing.  As I went to the vehicle, Holy Spirit prompted me to action.  I asked Nairokoki if she would trade me her Bible for a new Bible and I would include a zip-up cover with it.  She thought for 2 seconds then gladly agreed.  So, she acquired a new Bible with cover (and all the pages intact), and I acquired a piece of Maasai spiritual history from this faithful disciple.

I am privileged and blessed to have this piece of nostalgia and also to have resources to buy Bibles to use in the Maasai areas of Tanzania.

Youth on Mission Part 2

 When many people hear of others going on a mission trip, many thoughts can run through their minds. However, after actually getting to go on a mission trip across the world only one word runs through my mind: undescribeable. (Im not sure that is a word, but still) 
After returning back to the states to my family, friends, and even classmates, everyone wants to hear about it and often ask, "tell me a story?". Many times I do not even know where to begin because there are SO many stories! I have one for from the time I arrived at the first airport that morning

to stories that make me yearn for the people I met. Usually, I just say okay and tell as many stories as I can untill I notice that they aren't listening anymore. I try to add so much passion that went into making the stories when telling them, yet sometimes it just doesn't sink in. I do know though that I absolutly want to go back, maybe for a little longer and get to know more about the profession of being a missionary and to experiance the people and life changing events again. I loved it there and I can honestly say, not a day goes by that I don't think about and connect my life here to what I learned there; no matter what I'm doing, or how busy I am, or what I want to do in the future, this trip will forever be in my mind. Savannah Reaves

Youth on Mission

This trip was beyond amazing! God works in many ways! Right before I found out about the trip to Tanzania I felt like God was calling me to youth ministry. I knew this would be a great opportunity for God to show me more of what He has planned, I just didn't know how great it really was going to be. I still do not have words to describe this trip. What stuck out the most was how eager the Maasai people were to learn and praise God! They are on fire for the Lord! All I could wonder about is why we, back in America, weren't as on fire as them? On Sundays we worship God, but the rest of the week what are we really doing? I am just thankful that as a 17 year old I had this opportunity and experience! Ethan Stalker

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!!