You can’t judge a book by its cover

Wednesday - November 13, 2013

Over the last two days I have been in Makanya where the CLCT General Pastoral Conference has been held.  Prior to this pastors from both Kenya and Tanzania have met together (with men from Zambia, Uganda, and the Congo also joining).  This year, because of the division of the work in East Africa (Mike Gurath is serving Uganda and Kenya and I am working in Tanzania), we had to reorganize our Pastoral Conference and re-elect leaders to serve our conference in the coming years.  Our studies focused again on the Augsburg Confession and Articles 3 (The person and work of Christ) and 4 (Justification).  It was a very rewarding conference and many of the men again expressed their joy and appreciation for the CLC hosting and leading the Conference.

The men of the CLCT General Pastoral Conference

An interesting comment was made last night as we all gathered around the “goat feast” for the evening meal last night.  One pastor said: “We like it when you come alone.  We feel closer to you when you are here alone.”  I had never really thought about that before.  Have I, when I have come with others, given the impression that I don’t want to be around my African brethren, or that I would rather spend time with my American comrade(s)?  This year was different, and I did become closer to several of the men that I spent extra time with.

The "goat feast" on Wednesday night.  Before (left) and after (right).  Sidiki roasts the goat (below).

I didn’t want to believe that it was true, but in reality there probably was some truth there.  I’ve noticed when I’m on the bus or walking down the street that I feel that I have a connection with someone who has light skin like me.  I’m at times more inclined to start a conversation with a person who looks like me, than someone who has dark skin.  But do you know what is so ironic?  Just because a person has lighter skin doesn’t make them any more like me than someone with dark skin!  Sometimes I can’t even communicate with them, because they speak a different language (Italian, French, Dutch are among the ones I have met).  Even if you can communicate with them you usually find out that your ideologies are completely different.  This may also be true of many Africans, but the point is that it is not the color of our skin that makes us similar or different.  I have come to realize (again) that I have much more in common with my African brethren than I do with the average “mzungu” (Swahili for “white person”), both here and back in the United States.

 It just goes to show: “You can’t judge a book by it’s cover!”

We all need that reminder from time to time.  No matter what the color of our skin, we all look at the outside for commonalities first.  But this is really the least important of all.  What valuable relationships have you missed out on because you too judged the book by it’s cover?

I have a lot in common with these men even if our skin color is different.  And I have enjoyed getting to know them better this year.

The pastors of the conference visit during the morning break on Thursday.  

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:27-29). 

The things we take for granted

Tuesday - November 12, 2013

In all the other years that I’ve been traveling to Africa, I’ve always had some company.  Russ Schmitt has traveled with me every year since the first year I came in 2007.  I’ve also traveled with Missionary David Koenig, Larry and Loren Hansen, my brother Stephen, as well as two different Mission Board Chairmans (Bruce Naumann and Todd Ohlmann).  I’ve always had someone there to assist with the work, from preaching and teaching to running basic errands.  This year is different.  Very different.  I knew before I came that this year was going to be more difficult being here alone.  I always pack my schedule as full as I possibly can, because I have so little time here.  There is very little downtime.  This year I have been exhausted.  In past years I’ve taken for granted the assistance that others have provided.  Now I appreciate it because it isn’t there.

It’s simply amazing the things we take for granted, isn’t it?  And it is a shame that we don’t come to appreciate it until it is no longer there or is taken away.  One more evidence of our old sinful nature....

There are many benefits to spending several weeks in Africa.  One of those benefits is that you begin to see all the things you have been taking for granted.  I’d like to share some of those with you today.  Maybe you have come to take these blessings for granted too.  And hopefully, because of this post you won’t have to travel to Africa to appreciate the things, both large and small, that we in the United States have been blessed with.  Here is a brief list of examples:  

1.  Bug repellent

This was a 6" centipede that found it's way into my room in Makanya.  I thought it was a snake when I first saw it! 

2.  Silverware

This was my meal one night at a restaurant in Moshi.  It was roasted meat and "chips."  It was good but I had to eat it with my fingers.

3.  Public road system  

This was a dirt road we traveled by motorcycle over 18 miles to visit one of the congregations in the Makanya area.  The local pastor makes this trip several times a week. 

4.  A washer and dryer

Yes, I do my own laundry... in a bucket... and then hang it out to dry wherever I can find room.

5.  Air conditioning

It has been hot and humid in Tanzania this year, which is somewhat unusual for this time of year.  But this is the only solution for the heat here....

 6.  Drinking water

I grew up in Nebraska which has some of the best tap water in the world (Eau Claire, Wisconsin isn't bad either), but you don't want to drink water out of the tap here unless you want to get very sick.  

7.  Public Transportation

Think your city's public transportation is bad?  Try Africa!  It works, but it sure isn't comfortable.  It is not unusual to get on a bus that has been overbooked.  There are people sitting in the aisles, doubling up on seats and even standing for miles upon miles!

8.  Toilets

Ah... who could take toilets for granted?  Try a squat pot for a while and you'll have a new appreciation for the throne!

9.  Your family

As hard as it is to believe, we even take our families for granted.  When was the last time you gave your son or daughter a hug and told them that you love them?  Don't wait any longer - do it today! 

10.  Your spouse

It is a very sad thing, but probably the one thing we take for granted the most is one of the greatest gifts God has given us in our spouse.  A helper, companion, and friend, there is no greater earthly blessing than your spouse.  Don't take him or her for granted!  

*  Receiving Honarable mention, but without any pictures were:

Garbage Collection - garbage here is collected at the end of the day be property owner, swept into a pile in the street and then set on fire in the evening.

Consistent power - The power here continues to be a problem.  Business owners who want to keep customers own generators for when the power goes out.  In fact, as I write this post the power is out in Moshi and I am working under lights powered by a generator!

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!  For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness” (Psalm 107:8-9).

Sin at the Bus stop

Monday - November 11, 2013

Today I journeyed south from the picturesque slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro to the flat, arid and hot land of Makanya.  It was quite a change.  Since our General Pastoral Conference starts in Makanya tomorrow, Pastors Malyi and Leoli were traveling with me.  We made the one and a half hour drive from Marangu to Moshi by taxi, where we caught a bus for the four and a half hour remainder of the journey to Makanya.

There was a major change in temperature and scenery between Marangu (above) and Makanya (below)!

We did get rain one day in Makanya (and even a rainbow) but it was still miserable hot!

From time to time I could catch a glimpse of Mt. Kilimanjaro in the distance behind us, but it soon fell out of view as we journeyed south. Traveling by bus in Africa is quite an experience.  At every stop, sellers from local shops stream to the bus, holding up their wares to weary travelers in the bus windows hoping to make a sale.  Cold water and soda, peanuts and biscuits, oranges and bananas are all offered for sale by the vendors below.  Even flashlights, reading glasses and sunglasses, watches and handkerchiefs can be found.  But it is the tenacity of these vendors that continues to strike me.  Generally all the sellers are polite and fair.  They rush to the bus and usually complete an easy and pleasant transaction.

A lone vendor with commodities perched on his head, looking for a sale beside a stopped bus in Moshi.

But there is at least one bad apple in every bunch.  One vendor cheats an unsuspecting customer.  A customer grabs something from a proffered box by the window as the bus is leaving the station...   The examples go on and on.

This isn’t the way it is supposed to be.  This isn't the way God created us.  We should be able to trust our neighbor, but many times we find that we can’t.  They lie, cheat, steal, vandalize and harm others.  We don’t like it when people take advantage of us, speak badly about us, steal from us, or hurt us in any way.  You should see some of the arguments that I have witnessed.  I don’t understand everything that is being said, but I can tell when someone feels they have been cheated in a transaction, no matter what language they speak!

The sad thing is that you and I aren’t any different.  We often do the same thing.  We take advantage of our employer and even steal from the company we work for.  Have you ever played some game on the computer at work when you should have been finishing up some project that the boss was waiting for?  We may do this often and think nothing of it. “It’s not like I’m embezzling money or something” we think.  But that is only an excuse for our thievery.  It is thievery of our time which our employer is paying us for.  

Many people don’t like the laws of God, but they are good and they are wise.  God gave them to protect us from one another, because we are sinful.  As fallen human beings we do what we shouldn’t do (all of us!), and we need God’s reminder of what is good and what is not.  Can you even imagine what this world would be like if God hadn’t given His laws to protect us?

And thanks be to Jesus that He has carried our guilt and our sin to the cross where He took the punishment we deserved upon Himself to set us free from our debt of sin and to reconcile us with God!                 

“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; 

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; 

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; 

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;  

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; 

The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.  

More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; 

Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.  

Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.  

Who can understand his errors? 

Cleanse me from secret faults.” 

~  Psalm 19:7-12 (NKJV) ~ 

In His service,

Nathanael

A man named Ed

Sunday - November 10, 2013

"Let me tell you of a story ‘bout a man named – Ed."

Edward

He is a very interesting character.  To look at him, you would have thought he came from Jamaica.  He speaks very good English, without a hint of a Carribean accent.  In fact he speaks several languages as well as a number of dialects.  He was born in Tanzania, but lived in Kenya for many years, and even spent time teaching art and carving in Canada for some time.  He easy going and has a good sense of humor.  He has a dog (somewhat unusual in Africa) and named his dog “Simba” (“lion” in Swahili).  He has the longest hair I have ever seen.  He has a love and concern for children, especially those who have no parents.  He is a member of Pastor Malyi’s church in Marangu.  But all of this fails to truly describe my new rafiki (Swahili for “friend”), Edward.
  

Me and my friend Edward

Most important of all, Edward has a love for His Savior Jesus Christ.  It was this love that motivated Edward years ago to donate part of his land to the Lord’s work.  He wanted a church to be built, it little by little, it was.  But Edward has bigger plans.  The church only takes up a part of the land he has given.  He also wants his land to host a school - not just any school, but a school for orphans!

“This isn’t my land,” he said.  “It’s God’s.  He has just loaned it to me while I’m here.”  The least Edward can do is give part of it back to the Lord for the work of His kingdom.  And so he has.

The church in Marangu currently teaches preschool classes in the existing church, but the building is a temporary wooden structure and is in poor shape.  They have been working to gather materials to replace the existing structure with a new brick building that would serve as a start to the new church and school complex.  They have been gathering materials for over a year now, but they are still far short of what is necessary to begin construction.  The cost of the remaining materials is only about $3,000, but that is almost 5,000,000 in Tazania Shillings.  There is no way that the congregation will be able to gather the money and supplies needed to complete the construction and have the school ready by the beginning of school in January.  Most likely it will have to wait until January 2015.

The congregation at Marangu in front of their existing church building.

Their hope was to start with a Kindergarten, and then add a new classroom each year as those students progressed, adding a new group of Kindergartners from the orphans in the community.  In nine years the buildings would be completed, but the value what would be inestimable!

Edward is a wonderful man who has let the light of His Savior shine though his own love for those who are without parents.  May the light of our Savior shine as brightly in us!

In Christ,

Nathanael

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27).

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). 

What is Truth?

Saturday - November 9, 2013

It’s Saturday.  Our seminar finished yesterday and I visited a congregation in the area in the afternoon. Today Pastor Malyi scheduled me to meet with his congregation and lead an “Bible Study” for his congregation.  This wasn’t just for adults.  It wasn’t just for children.  It was for the whole congregation!  The church wasn’t full, but I was excited to see how many of the members had come to church on a Saturday afternoon.  Especially on a market day!

I decided to teach a lesson on angels.  I like to ask a lot of questions when I am here.  When we read a passage, I ask, “What do we learn from this passage?”  I can tell them what the passage means, but I want them to study it for themselves.  I want them to look into the depth of God’s Word and find the riches which are to be found there.  Sometimes we make this same mistake in our witnessing to others.  When we have the opportunity to witness to others, we can tell them what the Bible teaches, or we can help lead them to find the answer they are seeking on their own.  Don’t you think that the second is the better approach in most cases?

 Pastor Jackson Leoli and his congregation in Marangu which I visited Friday afternoon.

Teaching isn’t so much about reciting or referencing a list of facts as it is about giving others the tools to discover the truth on their own.  This is one of the greatest problems in education today, both secular and religious.  This is part of the reason there is so much debate about what “truth” really is.  Everyone has their own version because we aren’t being taught HOW to find the truth; we are just told this is what “truth” is (even if it isn’t truth at all).

The same also applies in our witnessing to others.  Witnessing shouldn’t be about reciting or referencing a list of passages that prove a certain Biblical Truth.  It should be about giving people the tools they need to read and understand God’s Word.  We need to consider our approach with those around us.  Paul says that God desires “all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).  This is the work of God through His Word, not our work.  The Holy Spirit leads us to a knowledge of truth though the study of His Word.

Beautiful Mt. Kilimanjaro rising above the clouds in the distance.

In our study of angels, it was amazing to me (once again!) how much we could learn about God, His character, His work, and much more -- just from one small verse!  Yet, isn’t that the way God is?  He reveals Himself to us slowly, a little bit at a time, just as the details of the promised Savior were revealed little by little throughout the history of the Old Testament, from Adam and Eve forward.  Maybe He does this to keep us from being overwhelmed.  No matter the reason, we see that there is much to be learned and comprehended in the treasure trove which is God’s precious Word.  Even the smallest of gems should not be taken for granted.  Even they are of greater value than we can comprehend!

Thanks be to God!    

Jesus said: “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.   Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.  As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world” (John 17:14-18).

The most powerful tool

Friday - November 8, 2013

Marangu is a beautiful place.  It sits on the southeastern foothills of majestic Mt. Kilimajaro, and is blessed with fertile ground and much rain.  The days here have been very nice.  It has rained consistently at night, and is cool in the morning, but the days have been very comfortable.  I have needed a coat in the morning, but by mid-day it is too warm for it and I am ready for short sleeves.  The air is damp, and there is no ventilation in my room, so everything in my room has a damp feel to it.  A good dehumidifier could take care of that no problem, but, alas, none is available....

Yesterday morning we began a two-day seminar in Marangu for the Moshi District.  The men who came from a distance stayed here at the Banana Jungle last night, and I noticed that none of them chose the hut-like rooms that I had chosen....  They all opted to stay in the little houses, instead of the huts.  No appreciation for a little originality I guess!

One of the little houses that all the other pastors chose to stay in.

It was a good conference.  I covered the same two articles that I had discussed in Arusha with these men. There were excellent questions and edifying discussions.  At the end of the conference today, several of the men expressed their thankfulness for the material presented and the time taken to organize the seminar.  This is the first time that such a seminar has been hosted in Marangu, and it was requested that this be done every year while I am here.

 The pastors who met at the Banana Jungle Lodge for our seminar.

I had to move from my hut today.  It had a few problems.  The glass was missing in one of the windows in the bathroom.  The water heater had a slow leak.  The cold water handle on the shower wouldn’t budge.  I biggest problem was the shower.  I couldn’t take a shower without getting scalded without fixing the cold water handle.  I didn’t want to bother anyone, and I have some experience fixing things, so I set to work on the handle.  The problem was that I didn’t have any tools.  Not one.  I wrestled with it, but it was no use.  If only I had my tool box from home, I thought.  I could fix this.  Finally I had to give up and call in reinforcements.  No problem they said.  They would take care of it.  One person came to fix it, then another.  Finally, they were picking up my things and moving me to a different hut.  It couldn’t be fixed - not with the tools that were our disposal, anyway.

The same is true with the spiritual problem of sin.  We try to fix our problem with all kinds of remedies.  We try to cover it up, excuse it, or compare actions with the actions of others, instead of with God’s perfect will.  We try to make up for these failures with more “good works” or seek atonement for them by making things right with those we have wronged.  But none of these “solutions” fix the problem.  There is only one solution to the problem of sin – Christ.  And Christ is revealed to us in His Word.

My new "home" because of the problem that couldn't be fixed...

I don’t fix people.  I don’t solve their problems.  I simply bring them the Word, the most powerful tool of all, and the only tool for the job.  The Holy Spirit does the rest.

Work in Africa has many challenges: language, culture, distance, and time available all pose major hurdles to the work here.  It is all the more rewarding then when I have the privilege to work with people who hunger for the Word.  They are eager to grow and learn more about the God who has created them and redeemed them from their sin through the cross.  They long to possess the most powerful tool of all, the only One that can fix their problem of sin.  

As a teacher of the Bible, I have confidence that my teaching is not in vain, because I am using the most powerful tool in the world - the very Word of God.  The Word that God used to call this world into existence in the beginning is the same Word that God uses still today to create new hearts in those who are dead in trespasses and sins and without hope in this world.  This second creation is no less of a miracle than the first!  But we often doubt its power because we don’t always see a visible change from spiritual death to spiritual life.  We don’t always see the spiritual growth in those around us as we would a full blooming flower burst forth from a simple bud.  And yet it does.  The Word of God is at work creating and sustaining faith on the inside through the hearing of the Word!

Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.  For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:6-11). 

Thank God for that same miracle in us!

In His service,

Nathanael

Inside the Banana Jungle Hut

You responded and we have heard your requests.

So by special request, we gladly take you inside the Banana Jungle Hut....

There were two rooms inside the hut.  The main sleeping room and the bathroom.

Because it was so small, it was difficult to get a picture of the room to show its size, shape and construction.

The inside walls were plastered and it had electricity.  There were three windows in the main room and two in the bathroom.

Here is a picture of the main room.  You can see the light on in the upper right corner of the picture.  

It is hard to see how the walls slant it at the top like an igloo, but they do.  The ceiling in the center was about 8ft high, and had a diameter of about 8ft as well.  The diameter of the house at the floor was probably 20ft.
  

This is a picture of the door to my hut.  This shows the electrical switch and the curvature of the walls.

I lost the pictures I had of the bathroom - sorry about that!  The shower didn't look like much but it was one of the best ones in all of Africa.  It actually had its own water heater (rather than hot water on demand like most are here in Africa - if they have hot water at all...).

This place has an interesting story.  The woman who owns it has a daughter who married an Australian. They lived in Australia and had children there.  When they returned to Tanzania when the children were 6 or so, the grandson asked where the grass huts were that he heard they lived in.  So they built the grass huts. People began to come and see them, so they added a little bit at a time, until they had the Banana Jungle Lodge as it is today!  A way of remembering the past and sharing it with the next generation!

If you are ever in Tanzania, be sure to stop in and stay for a night or two in Marangu at the Banana Jungle Lodge!

Enjoy!

Into the Banana Jungle

Wednesday - November 6, 2013 (Part 2)

It’s not what you think.

The Banana Jungle

It’s a traveling day as I close up shop here in Arusha and make my way to the next stop on the itinerary.  From here it’s off to Moshi where I will meet up with Pastor Malyi.  It is an hour and a half trip by shuttle from Arusha to Moshi, and I was hoping to see my first glimpse of the grand peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro.  It was unlikely though because it was dark and cloudy, with more than just a hint of rain in the air.  It was a good sign when they took my bags and put them in the back seat instead of loading them on the roof of the bus.  That means there will be room to stretch!  November is a low season for tourists and the shuttle was practically empty.  In fact, it was so empty, I thought they might tell me the trip was cancelled.  But with just three paid customers, they started the bus and we were on our way.  

One of the other passengers was a young man from California (now going to school in South Africa) who was here on break.  He and a friend were planning to climb Kilimanjaro - the tallest peak in all Africa.  The only other passenger was another young man who was also on break from school and was traveling to Moshi to visit his grandfather.

When the shuttle arrived in Moshi, Pastor Malyi was there to meet me.  After a brief stop in a secratarial store for materials for our seminar tomorrow, we were on our way to Marangu. Marangu is one of the entrances into Mt. Kilimanjaro National Park - one of the premiere tourist sites in the world.  It is on the south east slope of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and is lush and green.  Banana trees, coffee and maze cover the beautiful landscape.  While I have been to Marangu several times, I have never stayed there, so I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect.
 

My kids say maps are good, so I'm including a map which shows Arusha (left), Moshi (center) and Marangu (just southeast of Mt. Kilimanjaro).

Usually when I am here we host our seminar for this area in Moshi.  This year it was decided to move our seminar to Marangu to give other pastors an opportunity to attend.  Pastor Malyi had arranged for our conference to be held in the Banana Jungle.  To be honest, it sounded beautiful, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to sleep there!  It was another one and a half hour trip from Moshi to Marangu, and on the way it started to rain - hard.  We came passed through Marangu and after a while pulled off the tarmac road.  We passed a barely visible sign for “Banana Jungle Lodge” and bounced our way up the washed-out, rocky trail that led to the Lodge.  I knew it wasn’t going to be a four star hotel, but I was starting to wonder if it would have any star at all....

A picture of the Lodge sign AFTER it stopped raining.

When we pulled into the “parking lot” the rain had let up a bit, but it was still coming down.  Our bags were unloaded and we scattered for cover.  The matron of the Lodge, an elderly lady was very kind and welcomed us into her home.  Introductions were made and we talked about our families and discussed plans for the week.

When the rain subsided we were shown to the back area of the complex were the main facilities were found.  Before us were a variety of buildings, surrounded by a beautifully and meticulously kept garden.  There were several small huts, as well as a few small houses, and several larger buildings as well. Each small building was a room.  The large buildings served as the kitchen/dining room and a hall.  It was beautiful, and very well kept.  I opted for a hut for my room.  It wasn’t the Ritz Hotel, but it got 5 stars for originality  It had a bed, a closet for my clothes and even a hot water heater in the bathroom, so I was one happy camper!

My hut at the Banana Jungle Lodge

I was worried about what my accommodations were going to be like.  But all my worries were futile.  In the end, what awaited me was better than I expected.  In much the same way, we may also “worry” about what our “accommodations” may be like in heaven.  We may not want to go, preferring to stay here in the familiarity of this life (even with the pain that goes along with it).. We all struggle with that in one way or another.  But the Lord has readied a place for us and opened the door to heaven through His death on Calvary.  There He promises us something better than anything we could ever imagine!

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21). 

It may not be heaven, but the Banana Jungle Lodge will do just fine for the next few days!

In His service,

Nathanael

Pretending to be something I’m not

Wednesday - November 6, 2013

This is my seventh trip to Africa.  It’s not my first trip around the block.  I am familiar with the culture, I know the people, I’ve even learned a little bit of the language...  So, as you might expect, I’ve become more confident in my interaction with people.

On the way up and down the hill from Jeremiah’s over the past few days, I’ve gotten more than a few odd looks.  There aren’t many white boys seen around these parts.  So, I decided I’d try to blend in a bit.  No, I didn’t take shoe polish to my hands, arms, and face (although in retrospect that may have worked better...).  I decided to greet everyone who would look at me with a casual “Habari!” (“How are you!” in Swahili).  It worked well.  “Mzuri!” (“Fine!”) was the common response.  Just so that people would know that I didn’t have a one word Swahili vocabulary I even began alternate greetings from time to time, switching from “Habari” to “Jambo” (simply “Hello”).  Look at me and my Swahili-speaking-self now, I thought!  Not bad, I’m blending in...

Then, on my way back to my room yesterday, I came up next to an older man who was also headed down the hill. “Habari!” I said.  He looked over at me, and responded, “Mzuri.”  Then he asked, “Habari?”  Now it was my turn to respond:  “Mzuri.”  The only problem was that he wasn’t finished, and I had about exhausted my non-theological Swahili vocabulary.  “Tutounana” (“See you later.”) seemed like it might be a little rude since we were walking together down the hill.  He rattled off something in Swahili which my brain raced to try and decipher.  But it was no use.  The best I could do was frown like he wasn’t speaking clearly.  So he tried again.  Again, I was lost.  The game is up, I thought.  This old man has seen right through my (not so clever) disguise.  “Kidogo (“a little”) Swahili” I admitted at last pointing to myself.  Kidogo wasn’t really that accurate.  “Kidogo sana” (very little) would be more like it.  He was very gracious about it, smiling kindly.  I was thinking that I was going to have to leave this guy in the dust or deal with uncomfortable silence the rest of the way down the hill, when he continued the conversation, this time in English!  We had a nice visit the rest of the way down, and I didn’t have to pretend to be something I wasn’t.

Another lesson learned.  Sometimes we are going to feel and maybe even be “out of place” in our lives.  But trying to be something that we aren’t won’t make anything better.  In fact it will often get you into big trouble.  Deception whether big or small has consequences.  It’s better to be up front and honest with people about who we are and what we are capable of.

As fallen human beings we are sinful and imperfect.  Sin is inherent within us.  As much as we don’t want to hear it or admit it, deep down inside we know it’s true.  John declares: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).  But how often don’t we act like we are not.  We put on a show of goodness, and try to hide what we really are inside.  Deception is not the solution.  We can’t hide our sin from God.  Rather, the solution is to be honest about our sin, and to come before God in humility confessing our sins: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  

Just as that old man knew I was not what I was trying to be, so God knows what we are.  He knows that no matter how we may try to hide our sin, we cannot be holy as He is.  In His grace, He came to us, in Jesus.  Jesus paid the debt of our sins, and now He invites us to walk in the light with Him and with one another as His redeemed children:  “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).  

Praise be to our Almighty God!

Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness

My beauty are, my glorious dress;

Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,

With joy shall I lift up my head.

Jesus, be endless praise to Thee,

Whose boundless mercy hath for me,

For me, and all Thy hands have made,

An everlasting ransom paid.

(TLH 371:1,7)

A sense of community

Tuesday - November 5, 2013

It’s day two of our seminar in Arusha.  The men who traveled to the seminar yesterday stayed overnight in the area so we agreed to get an early start today.  It was suggested that we start at 10:00am and I countered with 8:00am.  We settled on a 9:00am start time.  All that time spent with my father-in-law in the Menard’s bargain area and on the 400-mile yard sale has come in handy and prepared me well for day to day life in Africa!

It was going to be a shorter day as it was, because we had to stop around at 2:00pm so that the men could catch buses back to their homes.  Even with an early dismissal we still would be able to squeeze in a four hour class day (taking out time for such things as morning tea and lunch).  Our attendance was a little better today than yesterday, although one man was excused to leave yesterday to return home for a funeral, and another had to leave early today.

A few of the men who attended the Pastor's seminar in Arusha.

This year I have chosen to begin working through the Articles of the Augsburg Confession in my studies with the pastors here.  Yesterday we studied Article 1 (Of God), and today we took up a study of Article 2 (Of Sin).  I have found that these Articles do an excellent job of covering the information found in the Catechism, but in a different and more detailed way.  Thus far it has been a good review.  Today we discussed the doctrine of Original Sin and it’s Biblical foundation, and the resulting effect of sin in this world and in our lives.

Our classroom - Jeremiah's church outside of Arusha.  My only teaching tools:  My Bible a chalkboard and chalk.

I have to give these guys credit.  They sit there and listen intently, taking notes, and asking questions.  Apart from tea break, lunch and the occasional phone call, they remain attentive for the whole day.  It might seem like four hours is a long time to cover one subject like that, but when you consider that everything is being translated, that really cuts the teaching time in half, and would be roughly equivalent to the time I would take to cover it in two or three Bible Class sessions at home.

At the end of the day, I made my way back down the hill to my “hotel” room.  On the way down there are always a variety of people working, walking, or just making conversation.  It’s hard to explain what it would be like back home.  Home are interspersed wit

h stores, and people are outside and busy in conversation with others.  It might be like walking through an outdoor supermarket in a small town where everyone knows everyone.  What a contrast to back home.  It seems that (in the big city at least) we hardly ever make conversation with others, even to say hello!  We are often self-absorbed and focused only on our lives, our work, our problems.  There is very little sense of community anymore.  How much we are missing out on!  It is a joy to involved in the lives of others, to share their pain, joy, and anything else that comes along.  Africa has many problems, but here, on this day, the people of this area have again taught this city boy from American another valuable lesson.  Being involved in the lives of others and being active in your community is a very good thing.

In His service,

Nathanael

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

Is God the cause of evil?

Monday - November 4, 2013

Today was the start of our two day seminar in the Arusha area.  We were scheduled to begin at 10:30am to allow time for those who were coming from a distance.  After finishing up breakfast and finishing up a few things in my room, I pack my backpack and started on my 1 mile hike up the hill to Jeremiah's church.  I left early because I wasn't sure how long the walk would be or how long it would take me to walk it.  It only took 20 minutes (even with a two stops to try and purchase some AA batteries for my camera), so I arrived early as well.  By 10:30 only one other person was there.  This always gets under my skin a bit.  If we say we are going to start at a certain time, we should begin at that time, right?  And yet, the wait causes me to reflect a bit.  Ask any of the members back home in Atlanta, and they will probably tell you that we seldom start church on time.  My flesh would like me to believe that it's someone else's fault, but in truth, I am to blame. All of a sudden, "If we say we are going to start at a certain time, we should begin at that time." takes on a different application for me....

After a longer wait, we find out that the men coming from Arusha were caught up in traffic.  A truck had turned over on the highway over a bridge blocking traffic going both directions.  They didn't know how long it would take them to get through the traffic.  Another man was sick and not feeling well.  We decided to begin with those who were there, instead of waiting for everyone to arrive.  So we settled down for study.

We began with prayer and a hymn in Swahili, and then I was invited to teach.  I decided to take up a study of God, based on Article 1 of the Augsburg Confession.  I presented the difference between the natural knowledge of God and the revealed knowledge of God, and we discussed the various religions of the world and their views of God and their similarities, based on the incomplete knowledge we have of God from nature.  Then we talked about the doctrine of the Trinity and the three persons of the Godhead.

During our class, one of the men asked a good question related to God:  "Is God the cause of evil?"  Is it correct to say when I have an accident, that God wanted it to happen for some reason I cannot understand?" We had several good examples to consider this morning.  Did God desire or even cause the accident that stopped traffic?  Did he cause the pastor to be sick?  I've heard many Christians in the US talk this way.  "It was God's will that I contracted cancer" or something along those lines.  They are not trying to blame God intentionally, but in essence that is exactly what they are saying: "God caused this bad thing to happen."

This kind of thinking is the result of Calvinist thinking that says that God is sovereign over everything.  He is ultimately responsible for both good and bad.  Calvinism even goes so far as to say that God chose some to go to hell (double predestination).  But this is not what the Bible teaches us about God.  God is good, he is not the author or cause of evil of any kind.  God is also just and does demand punishment for sin, but that does not make him the author or cause of evil.  He cannot be good AND the cause of evil!  Discipline is good, and the result of evil not the cause of evil.  We need to take care not to confuse these two.

Is God the cause of evil?  Certainly not!  The Psalmist proclaims:  "The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalm 145:8-9).  Sin and the Devil are the cause of evil in this fallen world.  So give credit where credit is due, but let's not blame God for what is not from Him!

What joy and comfort are ours knowing that God is not evil and bent on causing us pain.  The Triune God is just and good and has accomplished our salvation.

Praise God for that!

An unexpected sermon...

Sunday - November 3, 2013

It was a little different from my typical Sunday morning.  There was no catechism before church and no Sunday School and Bible Class to prepare for (something I am still working to get put in place here in Africa...).  I wasn't even going to be doing the liturgy for the service.  All I had to do was preach ... I thought.  Instead it was Jeremiah who was doing the preaching, and it was a sermon in action.

Church was set for 10:30am.  Jeremiah picked me up and we were the first ones there at about 10:15am. We sat in the sacristy or office (a small wooden addition to the side of the church) and prepared for the service.  A trickle of people began to arrive and take their places, singing a hymn before the service started. There were only a handful of people in church but they could sure sing.  Several children also made their presence known with a cry or a squeal from time to time.  "The wonderful sound of a growing church" one of my professors used to say.  May the Lord bless this small congregation with more voices to sing His praises both from within its walls and without!

The current church still used for worship and in which our seminar will be held the next two days.

After church I visited with some of the members, and then was invited to Pastor Jeremiah's house for a "snack."  Pastor Jeremiah, his son Elisha and I sat out in the yard under a tree visiting about the sad state of the world here in Tanzania, in the US, and throughout the world.  While we talked Elisha's wife brought out our "snack" which consisted of a Coke, rice, beef stew, and spinich on the side.  Yes, a snack.  You should see what supper consists of!  During this time we heard a bit of thunder in the background, and then we heard the rain.  At first it was distant, but it moved in quickly, sending us picking up newspapers and phone and dashing for the house before we were drenched.  It didn't last long and not much came down, but the city of Arusha itself and the areas to the west received a lot.  An answer to the prayers offered to our God for the Masaai congregations!

The "new" church is still under construction, with prayers to have it in use by this time next year.

This picture is from the inside looking back to the entry door of the church.

After the rain passed we made our way to the hospital to visit Pastor Jeremiah's mother in law.  She has diabetes and has been hospitalized several time for complications resulting from the diabetes.  She has several sores on her feet and legs.  She is improving, and Lord willing, will be able to return home again soon.  When we arrived at the hospital, Jeremiah's sister met us, who had also come to visit.  His daughter was already in the room keeping her grandmother company.  We visited for a while with her and her family and I was asked to offer a word of prayer.  On our way out Pastor Jeremiah took the time to visit with several other sick people who were there.  People he didn't even know.  What a witness.  

It was an opportunity I get at home but don't get very often overseas.  As a pastor, it's easy to fall into the mindset that sick calls are part of "the job."  As lay people we may think that it isn't part of my job at all. Many people feel very uncomfortable around hospitals or even visiting the sick at home.  But visiting the sick is not a burden and it's not a job.  It is a precious joy and privilege given to Christians as part of our calling (both as pastor and lay member).  This is especially true of those within our fellowship and church.  May we all be ready and willing to bring a word of comfort to those who are sick or in need!  

Thank you Jeremiah for the a timely sermon on this Sunday, through a wonderful Christian example. 

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'  Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'"  Matthew 25:34-40

A Masaai Congregation

Saturday - November 2, 2013

Today was an open day on my schedule for working in the Arusha district.  Pastor Jeremiah made plans for me to visit one of the Masaai congregations west of Arusha toward the national parks.  Jeremiah said he would pick me up at 9:00am to do some errands before leaving town and I thought that was an acceptable time as it would give me some time to sleep in a bit.  As it turned out, he could have picked me up at 6:00am and I would have had plenty of time for everything I needed since I woke up at 3:00am and couldn't get back to sleep!  Jetlag, or just preparing for daylight savings time in Africa?

We accomplished our errands, and were on the road by 10:00am.  It took us a while just to get out of Arusha, even though Jeremiah kept telling me that traffic wasn't bad today because it was Saturday.  If it wasn't bad today, I sure don't want to go back through Arusha on a weekday!  If the motorbikes didn't outnumber the cars 2 to 1 and people drove on the right side of the road, I'd almost think I was back home again fighting through rush hour traffic on 316!

Once we got out of Arusha we had another problem.  The road is currently under construction.  This is the main highway which carries tourists to Tanzania from the Kilimangaro airport and Arusha airport to the national parks of Tanzania.  It is a very busy road, especially during the high tourist season (probably why they are working on it now...).  We had to take several diversions to get around the sections of road that were under construction.  It took us about an hour to drive from Arusha to Kerikeri. We met up with one of the Masaai leaders on the main road and he directed us off several miles off the main road to a deserted and barren land inhabited only by Masaai people.  Here in this wasteland was a small wooden church.

The congregation at Kerikeri, in front of their humble church building.

This is a dry land to begin with, but this year it is particularly dry.  This is the rainy season, but the rains have not yet come.  The Masaai people are herding people, raising cattle and goats.  The men herd the animals great distances to find water and food enough to sustain their herds.  Other than the pastor and one church leader (neither were from this area) there were no men who met us at the church.  Only women and small children were in attendance.

The barrenness and heat of this area is beyond comprehension - even to one from the Sandhills of Nebraska!

The location of this church reminded me of what it must have been like for the children of Israel when they journeyed through the Sinai wilderness.  Even with the Lord's blessing of a pillar of cloud by day and fire my night, food in Manna and Quail, and water from rocks, it must have been a very harsh existence during those years.  And like the children of Israel, how little we too appreciate the many blessings the Lord has given to us!

Cattle in the area take shelter from the blazing sun under the shade of an Acacia tree.

We greeted the congregation and encouraged them, and prayed that the Lord would soon bring rain to their land.  They are in great need of rain for food for themselves and their flocks.  Please keep this congregation in your prayers, that the Lord would provide rain according to their need, and would cause them to grow in their knowledge and trust in the One True God.

It was late afternoon when we returned to my room.  Tomorrow is Sunday and I will be preaching at Pastor Jeremiah's church nearby.  Then on Monday and Tuesday I will conduct a seminar for the pastors of this area.  Please pray for the Lord's blessing on the pastors and congregations in the Arusha district!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

A safe arrival

November 1, 2013

It was a very long day.  It took over 24 hours to get from home to Arusha through Atlanta, Washington DC, Addis Ababa, and finally Kilimanjaro.

Debra and I were up before 3:00am yesterday in order to get to the Atlanta airport for my 5:30am flight.  It was a good thing we sailed smoothly through Atlanta and left early, because we ran into a problem early.  Atlanta now has two terminals, one for domestic flights and one for international flights.  Since I was headed to Africa, we went to the international terminal which was like a graveyard.  The only people there were the cleaners!  To make things worse, there was no counter for United, which was who I was flying with.  We finally found a counter clerk in the far corner of the terminal who told us we were in the wrong terminal.  We had to load back up and drive to the other terminal!  All of this because the first leg of my flight was to Washington DC which is a domestic flight.

Things went smoothly after arriving at the domestic terminal.  I checked my boxes full of VBS materials and books, and made my way through security in plenty of time for my flight.  On the first flight I met a family who was headed to Uganda to adopt two boys.  They were from Chatanooga and would be on the next flight to Addis Ababa with me as well.  They will be in Uganda for four weeks working out all the details before they can return home with the new additions to their family.

A view of the New Jersey coastline as we headed out to sea at 30,000 feet.

The flight from Washington to Addis Ababa was almost empty.  In the part of the plane where I was seated near the back, many people had an entire row to themselves and turned their three seats into a makeshift bed for sleeping.  I had a row to myself as well, but one of the armrests wouldn't go up, so I was stuck making due with two seats.

A map showing our flight path - as you can see it was the middle of the night and I'm awake...

Most of the flight across the Atlantic, Spain, and northern Africa were during the night, so there wasn't much to see, until we neared Addis.

Sunrise over north-east Africa as we near Addis Ababa.

The flight was also shorter than expected.  We made good time and arrived over an hour and a half ahead of schedule.  Which meant that I now had a four hour layover in Ethiopia instead of a two and a half hour layover!

November is typically the rainy season in this part of Africa, so I was surprised at how hot it was when I arrived, even at 8:00 in the morning.  The terminal began to fill up during my four hour wait and kept getting hotter and hotter.  The air must not have been on, because it didn't cool off until they opened the door of the gate we were waiting at which let to the tarmac.  It was a blessing to feel the nice cool breeze which made its way to us.

From there it was another two and a half hours to Kilimanjaro airport in Tanzania.  While I did sleep a little on the long flight, I was wiped out by this time and had a hard time keeping my eyes open.  We arrived in Tanzania half an hour ahead of schedule and since it was a smaller plane I was able to get my visa and pass through customs very quickly.  My boxes were there right away, and I was off in good time.  Pastor Jeremiah was there waiting for me, and said he had only been waiting a short time.  It was about 1:00pm local time, which is 6:00am back home - over 24 hours since I left Atlanta.

And now begins the work in earnest...

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise Him all creatures here below,

Praise Him above ye heavenly host, 

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!  Amen.