Sunday - November 10, 2013
"Let me tell you of a story ‘bout a man named – Ed."
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.
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.
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
"Let me tell you of a story ‘bout a man named – Ed."
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).
2 comments:
Loved the story and pictures of Ed. It's amazing how the Lord uses different people to encourage us in our daily walk with Him. Oh - and I told Katie what song the first line is from. (Not Billy Joel!)
Edward is an amazing man, with a huge heart. He usually keeps his hair up in a hat, but he took it off for me so I could see it. His wife was a little embarrassed, I believe! In a way Ed reminded me a little of Jed Clampett too, as he refused to bend to fit society. He is who he is. So I thought that intro was fitting.... Thanks for reading and for commenting. See you soon!
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