Wagner Family Tidbits
Greetings from Tanzania! Jambo! We pray that all of you are fine back in the states. We are all fine here in Tanzania. As you can imagine, life is busy here at the Chimala Mission every day. From working each day keeping all the work on track, cleaning up various areas, or getting to know everyone involved with the mission, we find that there is plenty each day to keep us busy!
We have received word that our shipping container has been approved FINALLY in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. However, the we are negotiating with the port authorities on payment amounts, etc. We are hoping to start moving our container out this week.
Rena and Laura have started cleaning out the old missionary school room. It has a lot of class material, books, construction paper, Sunday School material, etc. and all of it was covered in YEARS of dust and dirt! They have been busy pulling out old boxes, trashing some and cleaning up others. Our plan right now is for Rena to homeschool the kids in that room. We have our home school material on the way through the mail and by airplane (Thanks Garry!) and we hope to start in September.
We went with the LST team on Saturday to visit God's Bridge and Ndulilo Falls. The drive was quite nice and falls were even better!
We make a food run each Thursday to Mbeya - a city about an hour away - where we buy most of our groceries. Since we have been here for some time now, Rena has been tracking the family's spending. We are spending quite a bit on food each week! We spend 400,000 to 500,000 TShillings each week on food. That works out to be about $290/week. I recently bought some Kellogg's Frosties (Frosted Flakes) at the store. I paid 10,000/= for it. That is $6 for one box of cereal! Needless to say, we are learning how we can trim our budget just a bit! Cereal just might become a luxury item!
Let's Start Talking
The Let's Start Talking team (LST) is here from Texas. They are Ron and Jan Haker and their granddaughter Lauren, Eddie Stinson, and Debbie Dow. The LST group teach conversational English using the Bible. They have so far had a huge success! They have been busy every day at the Herring Christian Secondary School doing lessons and developing relationships with the people of the area. Anna is with them and she is really enjoying being a part of their team.
One of the techniques they use in LST is having a game night. They invite their readers to come on a Thursday night for games and social interaction. The purpose of all of this is to build relationships with non-Christian people and also to encourage the Christians. They had a game night this last Thursday night. Their goal for the night was 60 people. I counted 86 - not counting workers!
Evangelism Report from CBI
We received a report from the CBI faculty of their latest evangelism efforts on the mission.
- Lai Mkwama: on July 18 – 22 he has been having a series of bible classes with the Chosi “A” Church of Christ, in his studies they have also been going to preach door to door. Results: 5 Restorations and One baptism.
- Xavier Joseph and Peter Kamatula: On 13 July they went to Luduga Secondary school they had a seminar with 180 students from that school. They taught several lessons about the church of Christ and they answered many questions from those students. Results: Students who are already Christians their were very encouraged. The next day 14 July Xavier had to go to Igawa church of Christ where he visited with the church and they went house to house preaching. Results: 2 Restorations.
- Frank Mwashikumbulu: On 13 – 14 July he went to Kapunga with one member, they had a seminar with the Church. And after the seminar they went door to door preaching. Results: The church was very encouraged.
- Boaz Kasiba: On July 13-14 he went to Matamba Nungu, he had some bible classes with the Christians and some non – Christians. Results: The church was encouraged and he had some promises of baptism.
- Remmy Joseph: On July 15, he went to Chang’ombe with the following people: His (Remmy) wife, Don, Suz and Luka Lubange. They had a wonderful worship the church was very encouraged. And brother Remmy went in the evening, he had a bible class with two people and One was baptized.
- Joshua Mwakyasima: On July 13-15, he went to Ihanda Mbozi, he had a seminar with the church there. Results: The church was encouraged.
- Peter Kamatula: On 15 July he went to the Airport Church of Christ, he visited with the Church and they had a group bible study. Results: The church was encouraged.
- Lusekelo Lubange: On July 13 he went to Ntapisi and he visited with the church he had a seminar with that church and 29 members attended. Results: The church was very encouraged.
- Peter Kamatula: On July 20-22 he went to Mbeya. He had been studying with a certain family he also visited two fallen Christians. And they repented for that. Results: 2 Restorations.
- Ezekiel and Joseph Haonga: 14 July, they went to Vwawa visiting with the Church and talking about the WBS Campaigns and they concluded that the campaigns should be done at Wasa Mbozi, this is because the preacher in Vwawa will be leaving soon.
GOSPEL CHARIOT UPDATE:
As you may know, the Gospel Chariot was scheduled to come to the Chimala Mission and work in various areas during this week. However, due to a mechanical issue, the truck is still in Dar es Salaam and must wait on replacement parts. Our campaigns have been rescheduled to begin at the end of August.
HOW WE GOT THE BIBLE
I have started teaching a class at CBI called "How we got the Bible." I think that the class is going fairly well. We are discussing the origin, writing, and collection of the Bible as we have it today.
Concluding Remarks
We are settling into the work here. Each day is a challenge. So many things to do we realize that not all of them will get done. We are simply putting out hand to the plow to do the Lord's work here in Tanzania.
Chad Wagner and family
To see Chad’s complete report with pictures, please click here.
You can also read Bill Stinson's latest report by clicking here.