The Living Water

Monday, November 2, 2009

Every once in a while, we need to have a catch-up day. Today was just such a day. We were scheduled to visit the congregation in Masita wa Tembo to the south of Moshi. No specific time was set, but we had to wait for Pastor Jeremiah to arrive from Arusha. So, after breakfast I decided it would be a good time to get to an Internet Café to catch up on e-mails and reports and to get some copies made. Most of the internet service in East Africa is very slow. The best place that I have found while I have been here is in Moshi at PAMM INTERNET. The connection is very fast and reliable, I can use my own laptop (instead of using their computers), and it is very inexpensive. I can even use Skype from there to call back home for very little cost. I told the owner that his internet place was the best place I have found in East Africa, and he was very thankful!

Later in the morning, several men arrived to visit with us about the work in this area of Tanzania. It was so very enjoyable to see their zeal for the preaching of the Gospel! There have been some divisions between these men in the past, but now they are coming together to carry out the LORD’s work. What a joy!

We were supposed to go to Masita wa Temba to see the church there, but some changes had to be made. Last night we had a hard rain and it made travel to the congregation we were supposed to visit very difficult. So we had to cancel our visit. Pastor Martin of Masita wa Temba, was given a loan to help him support his family and ministry. We heard that he had put his loan to good use by drilling a well to provide water for crops. Larry especially was eager to see his project and how the loan money had been used. So, Larry, Martin, Jeremiah and I rode out to see Pastor Martin’s land, crops and progress. We drove south out of Moshi past the Kilimanjaro Brewery (where they brew Kilimangaro Beer), and past a huge sugar cane plantation of 60,000 acres and factory. As we drove through the plantation, it was crop after crop of sugar cane in different stages of growth and harvest. They have a portable irrigation system for watering the crop during the dry season, and about 1,500 workers employed there.

From there we drove into an area of fairly good land which was used for growing corn and beans. It was in this area that Pastor Martin had his small field. He proudly showed us his field with corn, tomatoes and beans, and the well he was able to drill with the loan from the CLC. This area is currently very dry, and without the water from the well, would be unable to be farmed. He has a very good system of flood irrigation, and should have a good harvest with the water he now has. We were told that he has set a great example here and that many are pointing to his field as a model farm for this area! In addition to the farm, Pastor Martin operates a small store in his village. He buys products in bulk a the market in Moshi and takes them back to his village to sell them for a small profit. This seems also to be going well.

We were thankful to see a loan being put to such profitable use, and pray that the LORD would continue to bless his efforts to support his family and church.

In His service,

Nathanael Mayhew

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1).