Greetings again from East Africa,

It seems that our days all run together and we aren’t really sure what month or day it is.  We leave the house for something or somewhere every day and return exhausted, fall into bed and do it again the next day.

We have now lost track of how many times we have taken the car to Arusha to have the steering worked on.  Monday found us taking it yet again but the bad news was that after having it for 12 hours we had to leave it for two days.  It was not a happy deal to pay $65.00 for a taxi to get home and then that much or more every day to get out to school and back.  Finally on Wed Harry got a ride to Arusha with our engineer and we got it back FIXED.  It cost us $100.00 but we are so grateful to have it back.

On Thursday Kathy did her now famous teaching on The Bread.  It is a teaching on the process of making bread and comparing it to making a leader.  At the end everyone partakes of a bit of bread and then she takes it outside the church into the world.  This time it was to the school children under the tree.  It was a small loaf and each one only got a bite.  It was so hard to give them just a bite when they should have had a couple of slices.  Probably none of them had ever tasted bread before.

Domenic has found a house he feels is suitable for him and his family.  He should move this week after they finish painting it.  He told Momma they are moving.  She is so excited.  They will come after Christmas in Kenya.

We were able to get Bibles for the graduates and new students for about $5.00 each.  We gave the new students theirs on Thursday. You would have thought we had given them a million dollars. Giving them out when we did went along with Kathy’s teaching on Bread.  Jesus the Bread of Life and the now they have the written Word to share with the world.  It is always so amazing when we give them.  It is a gift more precious than gold.  They had borrowed Bibles to bring to school.  After class the four boys were again outside studying all their notes and reading their Bibles.  They have never had Bibles of their own.

Friday Harry noticed that some of the girls that want to read so badly were trying to read their Bibles but they had them upside down.  Every day there are reading and writing classes, in Swahili, after lunch, taught by another student.

On Sat we drove up to ISOM to pick up some books for the graduates and to spend some time with Jacob and Kim Mills.  He had built a barbeque and we had a real western meal.  The fellowship was the greatest.  Sometimes you just get lonesome for someone who thinks the way you do to talk to.

Sunday we drove to the property and saw the new “water fetching station” at the school building.  It is probably 600 feet from the well.  We picked up the girls who knew the way to the church we were visiting.  Stopped at Luka’s on the way and gave him his Shepherd’s Staff.  He came along.  Domenic and the girls walked as they said it wasn’t far.  Well you know what that means.  The church was 35k from our house which is about 15 k from the school.

This church was started by one near O’Brien School which is 7 miles closer to town than our school.  The pastor started working with Barrack when he started school with us and will ordain him and turn the church over to him.  We drove on past the school for quite a way.  It was in the hills.  This Sunday was a day of Thanksgiving for Barrack that he had finished school and received his diploma.  So it was hard to tell how many belonged here and how many were here for the celebration.

There was no building.  They had made a stick framework to hold standing palm leaves to make a three sided enclosure.  A small tarp was over the front.  More palm leaves were on the ground.  The front of the church was the low spot.  The hill side rose up with large boulders which served as places for the congregation to sit.  I wondered if this wasn’t what the garden of Gethsemane might have looked like.  It was so colorful with all the Maasai.  Then for a final touch sheep would wander in an out among the boulders.

Since this was a celebration of Thanksgiving there were at least 8 choirs, maybe even more.  We so enjoy them.  Barracks brothers walked more than 10 miles to come.  One of them is blind and we have met him several times.  He is a wonderful worship leader.  We are the only ones that worry about transportation.  Everyone else had walked to get there.

Barrack was so touched by God and so grateful for what He had done in his life.  After the regular offering was taken there was a Thanksgiving Offering taken that everyone participated in.  We lost it when one of the current students came and put her new Bible in the offering.  Two others also put in Bibles.  Their most precious possession wasn’t too much to give back to God in thanks or what He had done.

After the thank offering, Harry spoke on “El Shaddai”. The anointing was so strong and three girls gave their hearts to the Lord.

Then there was the meal for everyone there.  Kathy got brave and drank a little chai; it tastes so good, loaded with sugar though and ate some rice.  They had bbq goat too and we ate a little.  The price is too high for too long into the week, can’t do that again.

When we got to the school on Monday the students were using the new fetching station and loving it.  While Kathy was teaching Harry saw the kids coming and trying to use it for a drink of water so he went out and helped them all.  They were gulping down the clean water.  I don’t know why no one has been giving them water before now.

Tuesday on the way to school we stopped at the new house and found the painting nearly done.  This is a surprise as usually fundies are very slow.  Domenic was really impressed that they had painted the front gate.

Our shower heater has burned out for the third time and Harry put the repaired one in and it blew.  What to do now.  Mollel says this is the cheap one and you can’t tell the difference between it and the good one.  You have to ask.  Maybe he will pick it up for us when he is in Arusha.  At least we have our dipper.  It’s just one of those American comforts we are slow to give up.

We have been trying to figure out what to do about fencing the 1^st water fetching station.  We have to do it before the donkeys and goats destroy it.  They get on it to get at water that is on it.  There aren’t any steel fence posts like we get at home.  You can have them made but they steal them and sell them for scrap metal.  We will have to do cement posts.  Now Mollel is looking into if it would be cheaper to buy them or make them ourselves at the sight.

Another week is slipping by and another month is gone.  Time goes so fast here.

Sunday 8/15  This was the 1^st day since we arrived on July 19^th to stay home and not leave the house.  We are weary.  Actually we’re all alone since Domenic had gone home to Kenya for a week with his family.  It is great to be alone.  We will spend some time playing catch up on laundry and regular things of life.

Our e-mail brought the bad news that Jannice had fallen and cracked a vertebrae and her left wrist.  They are not coming this week.  We can’t even imagine their disappoint. Ours pales next to theirs.  They have been so ready to leave every since January when they made the decision to come.  We are believing for a miracle and total healing, that they will come before we leave.

Domenic had paid fundies to clean the caulking compound off the windows and we waited all day for them to come and finish but they never showed up. Then Tuesday we waited all day for the beds to come but Harry finally had to go to the shop before they would deliver them.  This is all so frustrating.

There was a 10’x10’ room available on compound that we considered renting but the toilet is outside and shared and we didn’t think we could get our two beds and all our stuff in it.  Now, four teachers have moved into it.  They brought small bunk beds.  They are here from a university to do their student teaching.

We hired the neighbor girl to iron the robes.  Gave her 15,000tsh, it is a relief that I didn’t have to do it.  That is about 45 cents each. This is a fair deal for her.

The update on Jannice is that they have fitted her with a back brace.  On her visit to the surgeon he said no surgery and that the crack in the vertebrae is not related to anything else and should heal by its self.  They return on Sept 17 for additional x-rays to see if it is healing.  If they aren’t satisfied there is a small procedure they would do and she would be released.  They plan to be here before we leave.  Hurray!   A team from Journey had gone and prayed for her and the wrist is fine and the back is feeling better.

Thursday.   Since we spend so much time out of the house it is always a big deal to try and get laundry done.  After lunch we took the new table and the robes for graduation out to the school.  Several students were building an enclosure to put tarps on for shade for the graduation using the poles left over from the scaffolding on the water tank.  They were so excited about the robes.    The staging area for graduation is where the grade school meets. There were sheep in-between the benches in the school area.

Friday was the day for final preparations.  They fastened empty cement and rice bags for the back drop and covered the main part with some curtains.  A sound system was borrowed from a church and the neighboring Lutheran Church let us use their benches.  It turned out amazingly well and with the light back ground was great for pictures.

Graduation Day.  Domenic left early to take three students out to finish preparations for the day.  He was back for us on time and we left at 9:00.  We met Kim and Jacob Mills, the East Africa Director for ISOM, at KIA to show them the way out to the school.  He had tried to find it once before and gave up and went home.  As expected nothing was ready and most of the graduates weren’t there yet.  You have to expect this would all happen on African time.  Two students were too sick to attend.  Two girls are near completing their diploma and will rejoin the class to finish and wanted to wait to receive their certificates then.  In all 25 students completed their certificates and 23 completed their diplomas.  It is an amazing thing.

The first surprise was that most of the graduates were in black suits, both men and women.  Domenic says they cost about 40,000tsh to be made.  For most of them it was the first time to not wear their shukas.  Our favorite was the Lutheran Elder.  What a sight.  Everyone is so excited, the graduates, the new students, the guest and of course us.

Groups of people continued to arrive all during the program.  There had to be over 500 when it was all said and done.  The later it got the more people came. Well into the program that was about two hours late, starting about 12:00 even though 2 graduates hadn’t arrived yet.  Harry and I had robed all the students in the building. The hats were too small for most but they had them on their heads for the ceremony.  Domenic led the procession from the building to the staging area.  Jacob Mills, Harry and I followed.  It was such an exciting walk.

On a sad note YWAM Boma couldn’t come as one of their volunteer’s had drowned in the ocean on Friday.  So sad.  We covet your prayers for their great loss.

So many government officials, pastors, educators, tribal leaders were there.  Domenic really wanted to impress people and had invited them all.  During the introductions, everyone spoke and made reference to God in some way

The student representative had a long but meaningful message.  As a thanks to their teacher all the male babies born to students and in the village this next year will be named Domenic Gitau.  All female babies will be named Esther Gitau.  This should get really confusing. He spoke highly of CCMI and all we had done.  They are so grateful for everything.   They also spoke so much about the ministries name.  That we had connected the American Church with them, and that the denominations had been brought together in this school to exalt Jesus together, without worry of their denominations.  That a barrier between denominations had been broken and now the commission of Jesus to go into all the world could be fulfilled.

We gave the graduates our gifts, and also each one a Bible.  The students had gifts for us.  Kathy was robed in a purple dress and given  two necklaces.  Harry a Maasi belt, a shuka and given another beaded stick.  Domenic a shuka, a blanket and a goat.

They also thanked all of those who had sponsored their tuition during this difficult year.  They are so grateful that you allow them to continue with their studies.  They are praying that your generosity will come back to you

They are petitioning ISOM to translate more classes so they can study for a higher degree.  What they have learned has transformed their lives and they want more!  They did not want to leave school.  Their hearts are so full of gratitude for everything they received this year.  Help during the drought and famine, the clean water well, school for the kids and on and on and on and on.

The main event of the meal was the “goat cake.”  We had heard about it during the wedding preparations but they didn’t have one at Kanael’s wedding.  They take a young goat and skin it and then roast it standing up.  It is presented standing up.  Everyone was so excited about it.  We like goat meat but this was cooked rare in the rarest form, which they all like, they practically crunch the bones.  We ate some from the very outside, at least we were pretty sure it hadn’t been dead for too long so it was pretty safe.  The rice was flavored with various parts of the stomach and other unidentifiable items.  Jacob and Kim grew up in Africa and are much more daring than we are.  I still don’t have a desire for such delicacies, so we were quick to share.

Jacob and Kim loved the whole thing, especially Kim.  She doesn’t get out in this kind of a situation very often.  They so loved having it under the trees.  Jacob loved that we had young boys in class.  Part of the vision of ISOM is to train up the youth, not just pastors.

We got home before dark, so tired but excited about all God has done.

As we drove in the gate, we noticed that we were leaving a trail of power steering fluid.  Harry had noticed it was a little hard steering.  The next morning he and Domenic took it to a fundi here in Boma.  They waited for over 4 hours but they still couldn’t fix it so they took off the power steering belt and on Monday morning we made yet another trip, our 4^th, to the mechanic in Arusha, while Domenic took a taxi to school.  They had it all day and at 6:00 said it was all back together but still leaking, that we would need to leave it for two more days so they can find the problem.  They think there is a crack in something.  This left us is a real mess, not prepared to spend the night and no way to get home.  So we called the taxi we had been using during the day.  He charged us 70,000tsh to bring us home to Boma, such a rip off.  We liked this young man but we won’t be able to use him again.  He is just too expensive.  It is costing us 30,000 to 35,000 each way to get to school.  We need our car back soon.

Last night the fundies started digging in the dark for the new water line from the tank to the school building and broke into the pipe from the well to the tank.  We are hoping it will be a small repair.

We just got call that the car is fixed.  Our engineer is getting parts for our project in Arusha tomorrow so he will take Harry to get it.  Kathy will go to school and teach.

Wishing you all could come and experience all the aspects of this culture with us.

Some things just couldn’t wait and we have moved in faith that our monthly budget will handle the changes we have already made.  We have added a day time guard since there is so much going on during the day now and the water to manage.  The day time guard is Jacob, who dug the 1^st well and tends the garden.  Luka, one of the graduates, is teaching about 90 children a day.  There are 146 signed up for school but they don’t all come at the same time. Luka took the left over building materials and made benches for the children to sit on.  If they all come at the same time there won’t be room for all of them.

So they are not writing in the dirt because of the notebooks that were furnished. We have committed to furnishing notebooks and pencils, which will last about a month.  Luka will store them each night and monitor who needs something new.   We would like to feed the children portage in the morning but that would involve another cook and we aren’t sure of the cost.  The need is great.

If we could build Domenic a dirt brick house we would save a tremendous amount of money a month for rent and transportation.  He also wouldn’t be putting in the hour to hour and a half each way commuting to school every day.

We are rejoicing at what the Lord has done but He has clearly said that He is “Going to do a New Thing”.

When construction began on our 1^st building a pit latrine was temporarily put in.  At that time the Maasai wouldn’t use it.  Now they are all using it.  It was never intended for more than thirty people a day to use.  The floor is dirt and can’t be washed.  There is no sink to wash in after you use it.  There is urgency for this project to be completed to protect the health of all of us.

After much discussion with our engineer we have decided the sewer project with a more permanent structure must be the next thing we do.  The system he has designed will serve all the future buildings we put up.  The underground system has two phases to it.  If you are interested we can send you the drawings.  The dirt brick toilet area will go directly on top of it.  It will have two toilets, one for men and one for women, African style of course.

The cost of the sewer system and toilets $7,000.00.

Sixteen months ago we put up a temporary building for storage and for workers to sleep in while they built our 1^st building.  In January two girls came and said they were not leaving until they could go to school.  The new class didn’t start until June.  Now three women are living in it, sleeping on the ground.  The middle room is storage and the open area is the school kitchen.  The building is not secure.  Robbers have already tried to get into it with spears; it is like opening a tin can.  It is also like an oven in the heat.  There is no place for them to bathe, so they have to wait for dark and bathe outside with no protection.  The conditions these women are staying in are beyond the worst, but they say no sacrifice is too great if they can come to school.

Several of our students come great distances every day and could stay over for four nights and go home on weekends if we had a place for them to stay.

Our engineer has designed a dorm for us made out of dirt bricks.  He said they will last 20 years and can be painted.  This building has two rooms that would each house 12 people. The foundation and floor are cement and permanent.  There is a shower room on the back for each room.  The cost is $11,000.00.  For what it would cost us to build the two big dorms, originally planned, we could build 14 of these cottages, adding them as we needed them.  Separate toilets houses would be built.  The dorm could be finished and ready to use in 6 weeks.

The needs of our students are keeping us on our faces before God asking if we can do this now!!!!

The 1^st water fetching station is located outside our property for easy access by the village people once we get a fence built.  The school is roughly 540 feet away.   Next week work will begin on running two pipes to the school building and building a second water fetching station. Approximate cost $600.00.  We are waiting on a price from our engineer for fencing materials to protect the first water station.

It seems that the fence project keeps getting pushed back because of greater needs but it is still important.  Animals are coming to get water at the water fetching station run off.  We plan to fill in that place with gravel.  We also need the fence to keep the area from contamination because of animal droppings and general damage they can cause.

Every day we go to school.  It pretty much consumes our time and energy. I don’t think we mentioned that we haves six nursing babies in class, it keeps things interesting.  They hold them out and let them wet on the floor.  We have to scrub with soap every day.

Monday turned out to be a really frustrating day. We had stopped half way home from school and the starter quit on the car.  The starter on the car had only been working part time.  Domenic had been paying a fundi to pound on it to make it work but now he knows how to do it himself. Then while trying to fix an e-mail address on our Africa List the whole list got deleted.  With Windows 7 it won’t let you do a bulk mailing. Then the computer we brought to use in the office here seemed to have a virus.  The new shower head hot water heater in our room stopped working and we were without power all night again.  This is just the new normal.  You roll with it or pack up and go home.

Tuesday Kathy started teaching and suddenly Domenic stopped and said Isyak’s wife was ready to deliver and needed to go to the hospital.  Harry took her and prayed the whole way that the rough road wouldn’t induce delivery in the car.  They arrived safely and he had to pay the admission fee.  It seems that if you drive you are responsible to pay.  The hospital later said it was a false alarm and sent her home.

Wed.  Beginning of Ramadan.  This is a very important month to Muslims.  We are praying they will have dreams of Jesus and get saved..

We bought 100 pencils and notebooks for 20,000tsh.  Domenic gave up one of the black boxes to store them in.  Luka was so grateful for the supplies. He kissed our hands.  He is so grateful for us supporting him in this ministry.  It will cost us about $25.00 a month to furnish supplies for 146 children.

After class we had a meeting with 15 of the graduates to finalize plans for graduation.  Our part is to buy the rice.  Since it is so important to celebrations here Domenic is buying the sodas.  The goats and whatever else they need is being furnished by the students.  Thanks to the church in Northport, WA we have lovely choir robes for them to wear.

Thursday 8/12  We have had light rain today.  After it rains smog comes in.  It is the first rain here since May.  We are living in a giant dust bowl.  I hope it has rained in Maasai Land too.

Friday Domenic went home to Kenya for his week off.  We drove them to Arusha to catch the bus instead of Boma. We drove on to Shop Rite.  Everything was closed since it was before 7:00, luckily the bathrooms were open.  We did e-mail until the store opened.  Found green beans, white onions, broccoli, cauliflower and some scraggly zucchini.  Got more things we needed for the house.  Two more black bins.  Hurray; I have a place to keep our food now.  There just isn’t much available for storing things in so we were tickled to get the bins.

We spent the day shopping for things we can’t get in Boma, a battery for our phone, tires for the car, exchanging money and looking for more places to shop. The exchange rate was down today but Harry talked them into 1,500tsh for $100.00 since we had brand new bills.  She wanted us to buy a bad 100.00 for 50.00 but we didn’t have the change.

We went on to a slaughter house that had been recommended to us.  They slaughter and flash freeze the meat.  All the safari groups and hotels use it.    We had a big surprise.  This is where the storks came from that came out to the property and ate the army worms..  What a cheap way to dispose of waste.  We got the meat home ok since it was frozen.  It is recommended to thaw it slowly in the fridge and wash it every day.  Even let it sit for a week since it is frozen so quickly after slaughtering.

Our next stop was Nobby’s garage to find out about the starter.  We had to bring it back on Sat and he rebuilt it for less than $25.00.  We have had really good luck with this mechanic.  We have to bring it back again to get the window fixed that won’t go up.

We have met with our engineer several times lining out what we need to do in the immediate future.  More will follow on that.  The needs are great and pulling us in several directions..

Fuel is 1670 per liter which is $4.09 gallon in Boma, it is more in Arusha..

The next couple of days we will be preparing for Dick and Jannice to come and graduation on Sat.  We covet your prayers for their safe travel and transition into full time life in Africa.  Anticipation is running high for graduation.  We are so excited.  Our 1^st class to graduate.

Advancing the Kingdom in Tanzania,

Harry and Kathy

Thursday when we left school we were to meet the groom at KIA to go on to the wedding party. We waited for two hours.  Then we moved on to Kikati.  All of us thought this was where the party would be.  But we went way up and around the mountain.  The road went from bad to worse to really impassable.  But Harry with his driving skills carefully negotiated the terrible road, deep into the village.

Even Domenic is coming to understand that from tribe to tribe the customs are very different and very important to the people.  Deep in the village this party was for all those who knew the bride that would not be able to attend the wedding because of the great distance.  Both families were there. Kathy got to sit with the old grandfathers.  At this party the bride is given to the groom and they are presented with gifts.  A huge meal was furnished for all.  Tradition here is that if you have guests you serve them soda.  We struggle with this but it is part of their hospitality.  Domenic is personally buying sodas for graduation because it is so important.

Domenic and his wife are the 1st couple and do all the counseling and preparations of the bride and groom.  Once the bride is given away she can not remain in her family home.  She goes home with the 1st couple.  Domenic didn’t know this until a couple of days ago.  We had to put her on the floor.  She never came out of the room.

We made it clear we needed to leave by 6:00 to get off the mountain before dark but the women of the village would not release the bride to us.  It was getting dark as we left.  Emmanuel was in a lorry ahead of us and we both struggled to get down the mountain, but we both safely did it.  Two miles from KIA we ran out of gas.  Not a good thing on the international “highway” after dark.  Luckily Kanael had arrived in KIA ahead of us and not gone home yet.  He brought gas on a piki picki and we safely made it home at 9;00 with the bride.

Saturday we finally left at 10:00 to drive to KIA for the wedding.  This is the new building of one of our first students.  It was the first time it was used.  We celebrated this wedding in a building with no roof.

Domenic had taken /Esther and the bride to the salon very early for preparations.  We drove out to Kanael’s home place to wait for the bride to finish getting ready.  The wedding was to have started at 10:00 and she was 4 ½ hours late.  The people at the church were singing and having choirs.  Our job was to get Domenic, Kanael and the boy attendant to the church once they called to say they were coming from Boma.  Another wait.  Finally she arrived and Domenic and the boy came to the car to escort Kanael to the church.  We followed, entering  the front thru a side door.  They sat in the center front and waited for her to get out of the car.  Then very slowly Domenic escorted Kanael to the back door.  She was waiting with Esther.  They then led the way back to the front while Esther escorted the bride behind them.   Both families then followed in the procession to their seats. This must be a very wealthy family as no expense was spared to make this a very special day.  She had a beautiful gown on Thursday and was beautifully attired in white for her wedding.  They said they rented the gown for 30,000tsh.  Esther had to pay for her own hair, 25,000tsh.  They had plucked out all her eye brows and drawn on new ones.  I didn’t recognize her.

The ceremony was similar to what we do.  A sermon, vows and rings.  Then there are choirs and an offering.  The reception was for the entire village.  Everyone was fed and had a soda.  The couple stood and received everyone who all presented them gifts.  Everything was carried before them, the china hutch, couch, love seat and goats drug by.  It took hours.

Domenic and Esther are the 1st couple and escort the couple thru the whole day and into the night.  After the party they go with them and prepare them for the wedding night, staying in the next room to coach the couple and answer any questions.  We left early and drove home with the kids.

Sunday 8/8   We spoke in Christopher’s’ church where the wedding had been held. He was our top student.   Most of the members were not present because they had been so involved with the wedding.   Then we had to go and let the 1st couple check on the bride and groom.  Esther had a small black suit case she took in.  The bride was crying in the bedroom.  Domenic talked to Kanael outside.  Kanael was glowing.

We then drove on to Christopher’s home and ate.  Such a humble place, So far from town.  He does have a bike.  He said school was so worth the long trip every day.  He gave us an offering for gas.  Not only did they feed us but they gave us the offering.  We sure don’t see this in big churches that have money.  God will honor this faith.

Monday 8/9  Back to school.  We have had 5 flat tires since we have been here.  It is time to think about buying tires.  Have no idea what it will cost us.  How we wish we were living out on the land.  It would sure give our little car a longer life.

We are still struggling with Windows 7 on our computer.  We tried to change an e-mail address and deleted the whole Africa Mail List.  We really can’t figure out this new system.

Well, this is Harry.  I am going to try to get this to go by doing some clever work. (I hope)  Please bare with us in trying to learn this new system.  Not having the internet all the time and sometimes no power makes it hard to work out our problems.

Hope you all receive this.

Serving In Tanzania,

Harry & Kathy

Greetings from a rather cool Tanzania.  It is winter here.  This morning our room is 69 degrees.  We are not complaining but we are using bath towels for a second blanket.  As usual we had one day to rest and unpack and then hit the road running.    We have not had a day to stay home and rest since July 27^th.  When we do get home we are so tired and there is the laundry to do by hand and maybe shopping and getting something to eat.  We are mostly living on eggs.  We have used about 4 dozen so far.  Kathy had three small zucchini’s from Arusha but hasn’t found any more.  There are lots of cucumbers though.

On arrival the only thing the customs officials wanted to look in was our box.  They wanted to know the value on the robes. They felt they were worth at least $500.00, and wanted to charge us duty on them.  We finally talked our way out of it. We said we weren’t giving them to the Maasai, but  they were just going to wear them and then the next class would wear them. We had one bag detained in Amsterdam because we were only allowed 4 bags on the flight.  It arrived in tact on Wed.

The house is brand new. No one has lived in it before.  The master bedroom is the largest room and it is on the left side.  The kitchen and living room are in the corner of an L with two more bedrooms going out to the right.  All the bedrooms are self contained and then there is an additional bathroom off the hall on the right wing.  There are two rows of small apartments on the property.  There is a big security fence.

It hasn’t rained anywhere since May.  Everything is so dry, one big dust bowl.

Because there was rain earlier in the year crops were planted in Boma and part way out to our compound.  It was sure different to drive thru areas with crops.  They don’t harvest the maize until it is dry.  There were sunflowers too but they didn’t look too good, really small.  They grow them for the oil.

When we arrived at the school we found everyone working.  They were watering and taking care of the grounds.  The pictures didn’t do it justice to show everything that had been done.  Everything is growing well around the building and in the garden.  Took a tour and saw everything.  The pump is working well.

The village elders came to greet us.  They are very pleased with everything but are still having problems watering their animals.  They have requested a pipe running from the tank to a watering tank they will build to water the animals from.  We agreed that as long as there was enough water for the people this would be ok.

Isyak, our guard came.  He is still suffering from his accident.  He is looking good though.   Everyone is looking healthier.

The children were in their spot under the trees for school.  Domenic had made some benches for some of them out of left over boards from the construction.  When the kids begin they are in the dust on the ground practicing making their letters there.  As they catch on they move to a bench and use paper and pencils.  It was hard to see them working in the dust that was about 4 “ deep.  Luka is enjoying teaching them.  At this point Domenic is furnishing all their notebooks and pencils. He has found a place where we can get them for 100tsh each if we buy 100, about 10 cents and they need a new one every month.  Right now 146 are registered but they don’t all come at the same time. We really need to feed them breakfast.  These children only get one meal a day when their mothers come home at night with the herds.

We greeted the students.  They are an eager bunch.  Because some had dropped out after a couple of days Domenic is letting some very young people attend.  He said they are smart and learn fast.  Domenic is requesting that we double the size of the “dormitory”.  He said there is a great need because many come very far.

Gave the students tooth brushes, you would have thought we had given them a million dollars.

Today was a test day.  As the students who could read and write completed their test they were given two non readers to help with their test.  An older man who has been a pastor has been designated pastor for the group.  He handles problems that come along.

Everyone was very excited about an intruder in the garden.  They say it is a small animal that looks like a kangaroo and lives in the ground, they call it a bear.  They are out to get him.  We had to bring the flash light home and charge it so they can look for the intruder.

Domenic shared the need for a temporary dorm that could be made out of dirt bricks.  The tin shed is not safe and the girls are sleeping on the ground.  They have to take a bath at night after dark, which isn’t safe either.  If we had something bigger, some of the students that walk so far could stay over during the week.  Philip is 53 and lives at KIA.  He leaves home at 3:00 in the morning to walk to school.  Sometimes he doesn’t get home until 10:00 at night  A couple of ladies come a great distance also.  The pit latrine is terrible.  It has a dirt floor and can’t be cleaned.  We must do something right away.

Sat July 31 we were gone all day.  Our first stop was at ISOM to get the diplomas signed.   Had a really good visit with Jacob Mills.  He will be our main speaker for graduation.  He had suggestions about graduation.  Whatever we do at this one will set the president for here after.

On to Arusha.  Exchanged money and Kathy shopped at Shop Rite while Harry and Domenic got the internet for the new computer 101,500tz or $77.00.  It was after two when they finished.   We were really challenged to get it working right at home..

Our next meeting was with Eli Dahi and pay him for the de-fluoridation system.  The filter is bones he bakes at a very high temperature and then crushes, they call it bone char. He continually monitors our system and thinks we will only need to rejuvenate it once a year. He is very nice and very knowledgeable.  His studies on the effects of too much fluoride are extensive.  He is appalled that they add fluoride in the US.  He said you don’t need it throughout your system, only on your teeth.  We have copies of some of his research at home if anyone is interested.  He is so interested in our project.  He is planning an international conference this year and will be taking the participants to see our project.  The doctor and clinic he works with in USA River work with the deformed and handicapped,  helping them find something they can do for a better life. They bring in teams of German doctors and do much corrective surgery here.  They will come out to our place and meet with our people.  We were hoping for a medical doctor but that might come too.

Our water at the school is more pure that the bottled water you buy here.  They don’t take the fluoride out of it.  We did the bacteria test with a kit from home and the water is pure.

Sunday we spoke at a local church and spent the rest of the day playing catch up.  Domenic’s family arrived in the evening.  They have a 15 year old girl and twin boys that are 9.

Monday morning found us back at school.  Many are sick. It is winter here and cold at night.  They don’t have blankets so many of the old and ill die during these winter months. 10 of our students or their children were sick all week.  There are 7 kids that wait along the “road” for Domenic to come in the morning.  If there is room he gives them a ride.  If not he yells, “homosholey, homosholey,” hurry to school, hurry to school.

We have hired Jacob as a day time guard, to tend the garden and manage the well and Luka as a teacher for the children.

The one meal we feed the students is probably their only meal a day.  Sure wish we could feed the kids breakfast.

We encounter so many traditions.  If you are in the hospital it is expected that your employer will buy you a goat to eat so you will get well.  We finally gave in and gave the guard 30,000tsh to buy a goat with.  He has been a good employee.

An electrician came and installed the shower head water heater in the hall shower.  When he was

finished, we both went to take a shower.  It was cool but sure felt good to have  water falling on

us.  Hel came back a week later and put the one in our bathroom.  Then the power was out so we

still didn’t get a shower.

Tuesday 8/4.  We left school a little after noon and met the professor that did our defluoridation system.  He invited us to go the Rehabilitation Center in USA River.  It is sponsored by the Lutheran church and funded by Germans.   It is an amazing thing to see this quality of a work in a third world country. The focus here is to correct deformities if you can, then train these people so they can support themselves and have a meaningful life.  Many are too old to have their problems corrected but they are still trained and many are on staff here working to help others.  A major focus is orthopedic but it is not the only thing they do.  Teams come from Europe, bringing supplies and equipment to support this ministry.  Club feet and hands are very common here.  They are bringing doctors to our village to assess the needs that are here and see who they can help.  We think many are hidden away.

The first class was where the mentally handicapped were in school learning Swahili.  Some were in wheel chairs. Some sitting on the floor in strange ways as their legs were crippled.  Others had downs syndrome.  In the second class they made beads and beautiful necklaces, bracelets etc.  They had a couple of really great kilns.  There were two sewing classes.  One where they made garments or tailoring as they call it and a second one for other items like pillow tops and bags.  All the machines are donated by the Germans.  Another course is shoe making.  The quality they put out is amazing.  Remember all these workers are handicapped.  They make special shoes for the needs of the people there.  Next we went to the carpentry shop.  They make very fine furniture.  We would like to buy our tables and beds from them but they were pretty expensive.  The fifth training class  is welding.  The instructor’s body is only developed from the chest up.  There was one stick of a leg sticking out from under him.  Here everyone is handicapped.  Everyone helps everyone else in their lack.  No one considers the lack.  The focus is on training  you to what you can do.  Our final stop was in the prosthetics shop.  This shop would qualify in any  place in the US  They received new equipment last year and are able to make very good prosthetics.  When we arrived, there was a young lady walking with only one cane.  They told us she was recovering from surgery and this was the first time she could walk.  She had such a beautiful smile on her face.

Today as several of the children  arrived at school they had fire wood on their heads and were carrying jugs of milk and water.  Their teachers wife had given birth and they were going to go welcome the baby and were bringing gifts.

When we got home Kanael and his bride were at the house.  He dropped the bomb shell on Domenic that after the party on Thursday they were to bring the bride home with them until the wedding.  At the party the father or representative of him gives the bride to the groom.  After she is given away she can no longer stay in her family home

Thursday 8/6 When we stopped in KIA for supplies and we noticed a hot air balloon coming from Boma.  Domenic and Esther were fascinated with it and how it could work.  They wanted to know if you shot a hole in it if it would go down.  Sure wish we could have taken off to chase it.  It is obliviously part of a safari package.

We will tell you about the wedding in the next letter.  Some of their traditions are hilarious.

Serving in Tanzania,

Harry and Kathy

Pure Water for U’Kambeni

Early in 2008 the Lord spoke to us from Isaiah 43:18-20 “…for I am going to do a Brand New Thing.” We had no idea what He was talking about. He went on to say, “ He would create rivers in the desert…yes springs in the desert, so that my people, my chosen ones, can be refreshed.” “A New Thing” was in a remote desert region in Tanzania.

June of 2009 we paid $200.00 for a surface water well to be hand dug. Little did we know that this well, though not potable, would furnish the cleanest water in the region and sustain the people thru the next year of drought and famine.

November 2009 we returned and began work on a deep water well and storage tank. Both were completed by the last week of December. As the tank cured for the next couple of months the finances continued to come in to finance the solar power and pump. When the final bill arrived we had all the money to pay it. Water was now flowing to the people of the village.

The last parts of the project to be finished were the de-fluoridation system and the water fetching point. The entire filtering system was installed inside the base of the water tank saving us the cost of a second building to house it. Pictures arrived this week showing the completion of the project. (see pictures page soon)

For the first time ever, the region of M’Takooja Village has pure, clean water. There will be no more birth defects, no more sickness from contaminated water, no more teeth destroyed from too much fluoride. The people of this region will no longer have to walk 15 miles and pay for clean water. Young girls will no longer have to search for muddy puddles to gather water for their families. God has done “A New Thing” in this place.

“Don’t send them away, you feed them…”

This spring we were at a conference seeking direction from the Lord. We got it. He wrote on the wall using power point. Matthew 14:16 “Don’t send them away, you feed them.” Jesus commanded His disciples to meet the immediate needs of the people they were ministering to. We have been amazed to watch over $10,000.00 pass thru our hands in the last 11 months for maize. Domenic always shares the gospel before food is handed out. Many have given their hearts to the Lord while their physical needs were being met. Usually 200 families come for food, they each receive about 25 kilo of maize. But this time 300 families showed up. God multiplied the food and everyone received 25 kilo for their family. This will last them for about 2 weeks.

The rains came, the desert bloomed, but the rain has gone again. Barren land has reappeared. Since crops were lost last season there was nothing to plant this season. There will be no harvest in the region this year. The affects of the drought remain.

A Surprise!

Domenic had told us he had a surprise for us. We couldn’t even begin to guess what it was. When the water started flowing from the tank he began working with the village people and they planted a garden. You will notice the Maasai fence around it. They have already started harvesting produce for the school and village.

Gen 26:12 “Then Isaac sowed in the land and received in the same year an hundred fold.” The Maasai are standing in faith that God will bless them. This is the verse they sent us along with the pictures

“Go and Make Disciples”

In one short year our students completed a two year course of study. Aug 21st the first 25 students of Calvary Connection School of Ministry will graduate. Over half of them don’t even read and write, but God has made the way for them to be trained up and made ready to serve Him. The Maasai are out doing the work of the gospel in ways we could have never done it. Twenty five new students are now filling their chairs in the classroom. Here are some of their testimonies just the way they wrote them:

I was a church Elder before joining ISOM, I have gone through the curriculum and more life is not the same again, I have discovered that I am an Evangelist and for the few days i have been out of school I have been to many evangelistic crusades preaching the word of God and many has come to the lord, I didn’t believe in miracles before but after going through our materials I came across ateaching that was teaching us how to heal the sick and to do miracles, that changed my mind set I went out praying for the sick and I have seen God healing in my ministry, Thank God for ISOM, and thank God for our teacher Dominic for his patience with us, now am enjoying the ministry and am so blessed to have joined the school. Matayo Kankai

I was nobody in the body of Christ, I was just a church member but after I joined ISOM, I have discovered that I was born with a reason that I have to fulfill before entering into the other life, upon finishing the school God has led me to help my teacher who has been struggling teaching us and teaching our nursery school children (grade school), the class has 100 children who we are teaching and I am sure this is the ministry God has called me to do. am very happy teaching this children who had no future were it not for our teacher after seeing how our children are struggling without a school and started this school. Now my life has a meaning and a purpose and I thank ISOM for the curriculum. Luka Laizer.

I was a pastor for five years before joining ISOM, I didn’t know how to read the bible because I was not privileged to go to any school, the ministry was very hard preaching messages that I heard people preaching, until I was very dry, before quitting ISOM started in our village and I joined the school, through the school I have learned how to read and write now I make my own teachings and I preach from the bible, my church has increased tremendously, I thank Harry and Cathy for starting this school for the Masaais who are marginalized and forgotten, may the lord bless you.

Yohana Mibuko.

My name is Chriss Palagyo, I came to Isom when I was very frustrated and ready to give up in ministry, I was going through a wilderness that had made me feel I can not be able to minister any more, I had a church that was not growing at all, for ten years with not more than eight members, we use to worship in a very small rented room, one day the government told me to move from there and built a church else where, I had no money to buy a church plot or to build a church hall, this added to my frustration and I told my wife this is the right time to quit the ministry and join another church as followers but not ministers any more.

Before the Sunday that we were to make the announcement that the church is no more I meet with a friend who invited me and my wife to a seminar where Harry and Cathy were ministering. We were there for the whole week listening to the wonderful and inspiring teachings from the men of God. But the last day was my day when Cathy taught about how to make the bread. I came to learn that am in the process and if I try to escape I will not become anything in my life, I was so challenged and after eating the bread I decided to go back to the ministry and Join the school that this men of God were starting in this region, from when I joined the school my spiritual life changed completely, my ministry has now changed and with the help of our teacher through counseling God has turned my ministry and now my church has increased we are more than 40 and God has given us a plot to built a church and we are building a 200 setters hall, and before December the building will be complete. I want to thank God who connected me with this school and my dear teacher who through his experience has really built us in the ministry, for now am not ashamed to minister and am back again in the ministry. May all the glory be to God, Amen. Chriss Palagyo

Summer 2010

¨ Water Project is completed & paid for

¨ Trees are growing quickly

¨ Garden is producing for the school and people

¨ The 1st students have completed their studies

¨ A 2nd class of 25 have begun their studies

Harry and Kathy’s Schedule

¨ Leaving for Tanzania July 25th

¨ Teaching in the school for three weeks

¨ Aug 18th Young’s arrive

¨ Aug 21st Graduation.

¨ Orientation for Young’s

¨ Scouting trips to Uganda and Kenya for new schools

¨ Vacation time for McMichael’s in North Africa

¨ Return home Oct 25th

Prayer Needs

¨ Finances for trips to Uganda and Kenya, possible conference in NW Uganda

¨ Smooth transition for Young’s as they prepare to leave and as they arrive

¨ Grant proposals to come back favorably

¨ Funding for a fence

¨ Funding to build the Community Building in the near future

¨ A second vehicle

¨ The home office computer will hold out until we get back

God’s View on the Project

Isaiah 43:18-20 “…it is nothing compared to what I am going to do! ‘For I am going to do a brand new thing.’ See I have already begun! Don’t you see it? I will make a road through the wilderness of the world for my people to go home and create rivers for them in the desert! The wild animals in the field will thank me, and the jackals and ostriches too, for giving them water in the wilderness, yes, springs in the desert, so that my people, my chosen ones, can be refreshed.”

We have come to the time when our monthly support needs to increase. Your one time gifts have completed the important projects necessary to establish the Bible Training College in Tanzania, but we need regular monthly donations to maintain them. We would like to ask you to consider supporting CCMI with a regular monthly gift. Together we are making a difference in Tanzania.

CCMI is a registered Non Profit Organization in East Africa. In the United States, we maintain our tax exempt status under the 501(c)(3) of New Song Community Church, Portland, OR. We manage all of our finances with the oversight from the board of directors of Calvary Connection Ministries International.

It is spring, and with spring comes many changes. There is new life.  What has been dormant for months wakes up.  In many ways, that is how we are viewing this ministry.  Many changes, new life, and giftings that have been dormant for many years are now bursting forth.  God told us three years ago “He was going to do a new thing.”  He keeps amazing us with the continual flow of new things.

Late in February, Dick and Jannice Young heard the call of God on their lives and came to us volunteering to move to Tanzania and take on the role of African Administrators.  We have worked closely with them since the beginning of our ministry and have been close friends for over thirty years.  I think what has happened is that they played on the edge of the pond for so long that they finally fell in.  Everything they are is an enhancement to what we are already doing.  The dreams and visions they have for CCMI are taking us into another level.  Their commitment is for 3-5 years or until the Ukambeni project is completed.

So now, we are going to let them share their hearts with you…

Greetings in the name of Jesus. We can’t begin to express to you the excitement that Jannice and I are experiencing about our upcoming move to Tanzania. As Harry and Kathy have told you, we have been a part of this ministry since its inception. Mostly, though, our part has been to encourage and pray for them, and to help financially support their efforts, as we were able. We must admit we were very comfortable there. During the past two years, God has been gently speaking to our hearts about upping our level of commitment. We began to feel as though we should increase our giving, possibly pray a few minutes longer, work a little harder to make sure Harry and Kathy knew we were behind them 100%. We did all of these things as I know you would, but still it did not seem to be enough. As only God could, He spoke to Jannice and me individually. As close as we are in our marriage of 42 years, we are as different as day and night as to how we approach God and in turn listen to his voice of direction. Yet as different as we are in that respect, we have one thing in common, music. Though we had not spoken aloud to each other what God was showing us, we began to sing in harmony, the same song that He had placed in each of our hearts individually. A song that God himself is singing, a song of love about the Maasai, a people that we don’t even know. That is how we have come to this very important juncture in our lives.

In the Past

This past year our school has been a wonder to anyone who observed it. The Maasai are very intelligent and desiring to learn. There are some who do not read or write, and they were scoring higher on their tests than those who do. About half of the class spent extra time on Christmas break studying reading, writing and math. Their work is amazing. As their academic levels increased, so did their spiritual lives. They have become confident, powerful leaders among their own people. We want to thank you for your generous giving during a time when our students did not have money for food. On behalf of the students, Thank You!

There is a short exercise I would like you to do with me. First, I would like you to imagine being hot, tired and thirsty from working in the garden. You go into the house, open the cupboard and get your favorite water glass (you know you have one). Then, turn on the tap and wait for the water to get cold, and fill your glass. The water is clean and fresh. Now, lift the glass to your lips and savor the cool refreshment. It tastes good doesn’t it? Clean Water. We take it for granted. A necessity of life.

Now imagine you are a twelve-year-old Maasai girl and your job everyday is to get water for your family. You take your five gallon bucket and leave the village hoping that you won’t have to go far to find water. Any water. What you find is tepid and dirty, but it is water. A necessity of life.

For the first time ever, the Maasai of Ukambeni village has fresh water. They don’t have to rely on dirty water from contaminated surface wells. Nor the stagnant water from mosquito infested pools. Not even the puddles of brown filthy water left from a passing rainstorm. The death rate, among infants especially, and the number of deformities caused by water borne disease is astronomical. The well we drilled, water storage tank, solar panels and pump cost $37,000.00. Is there any value you can put on one human life? Again, we thank you!

During the past two years, the region that the Maasai live in has been in drought. The grass for the cattle disappeared; their herds were moved as far as thirty miles away just to survive. Even at that, most of the cattle and some of the goats, despite the Maasai’s best efforts, were lost to the drought. To the Maasai these animals are their livelihood. Simply stated: no livestock, no income.

At best, these people live in dire poverty. In the past year, you have given over $8,000.00 dollars to buy maize in our famine relief program. Our last distribution helped feed 300 families. Domenic is currently interviewing prospective students who will begin their studies in July. He would like to increase the size of the class to 35 students. He has accepted sixteen

students already, and has a list of prospective students that will fill the class.

We are still working on the bid for the de-fluoridation unit for the well. This has been an on-going negotiation since the well was drilled. We are now working with our engineer and the de-fluoridation contractor to decide who will do what and at what cost. We have the money to cover these costs as soon as a decision is made.

Harry and Kathy have been invited to host a pastor’s conference in Uganda in June. This conference will bring an estimated 700 people, 200 of which are pastors, together for a week. A week filled with prayer for each other, hearing the Word of God ministered, and together sharing their faith. These pastors will come from all around the region. Some are refugees from Sudan and others from the Democratic Republic of Congo. And, as these meetings usually go, more will come than what is expected. Pastor Peter Bienga is putting all of this together. They met him five years ago when they held the first ever conference in this remote region. As these conferences go, as the host you cost share the meeting. They have negotiated the cost of the conference with Pastor Peter, but even at that, there are added transportation costs involved. I think this conference is necessary. It is a rare thing for these pastors to be able to come together and hear the Word preached by pastors from the western world. Moreover, this request comes from one man, who over five years ago, was touched by God as Harry and Kathy ministered to him in a small bush conference.

Tentatively, Harry and Kathy would leave the states on June 8 and fly to Tanzania. Then, on to Entebbe and finally to Nebbi for the conference. After finishing in Uganda, they would return to Tanzania to open the second year of school in Ukambeni. The first couple of weeks are focused on foundational teachings to prepare the students to begin their studies with the ISOM materials. Last year’s students felt this time of training was crucial to see them through the year. This will bring them to our arrival on August 19, when they will help us get established in the CCMI house, there in Tanzania. On August 21, the four of us will hold graduation for the first year students. The cost of this entire trip, including the conference in Uganda is estimated at $10,000.00. Overseas tickets have finally dropped in price to $2,209.00 each. However, Harry and Kathy will not buy tickets until they have the money to pay for them. Their integrity in financial matters has greatly ministered to Jannice and me. They will not borrow designated money to charge tickets, hoping to pay it back later. If the money is not there, they just won’t go.

In the Future

Believe me, Jannice and I look at each other sometimes and we can tell we both have that question of, “What in the world have we gotten ourselves into”. It doesn’t last very long though. Do we know exactly what we will be doing once we are there? No. Will we make mistakes? Yes. Our job is to build a relationship with the Maasai. A relationship of love and trust. We, all of us who are like-minded, want to see them succeed and watch them take over this Bible Training Center complex and have it become self-sustaining. Jannice and I are willing to stay and see it through and we know you are too.

A quote from A Field of Dreams…..”if we build it they will come”. I often think of that when considering the Bible Training Center. We have not built it, yet they still come. Two women are sleeping on the ground in a tin shed doing odd jobs for food waiting for the next class to start. They are not willing to go home because it is too far and they will not be denied. They know, somewhere deep within them, they will be changed. They have seen it in others.

The Bible Training Center will be built! There will be dormitories that are clean and safe! The Maasai will have a rural health clinic! Their children will have schools and be educated! The widows and orphans will be taken care of! There will be no lack! God has a plan for the people of East Africa! He is calling to them. “Come, all you who are weary and heaven laden, and I will give you rest”. A rest from poverty, a rest from starvation, a rest from HIV/AIDS and the list goes on. They will come! They hear the song!

Harry and Kathy need your help! We are asking you to help them help the Maasai and the pastors of Uganda. To be able to go and hold the conference in Uganda and to work in Tanzania, they need to raise $10,000.00 by May 8th. We know you have given generously in the past. We are asking you to prayerfully seek God about giving into this ministry. We trust in God’s provision.

God Did Amazing Things in 2009!

¨ Construction of our first building began in April and was completed by the 1st of June. Originally it was intended to be an office, store room and guard room. Now the one big room is our multi purpose building, used for classes and all other activities.

¨ Before we arrived in April they had already started hand digging our first well. It is 35’ deep and is sustaining our village thru the drought. The water in this well is clear but not potable. The government water officials are very pleased with it. Soon this well will only be used for irrigation.

¨ May 5th CCMI launched the School of Ministry. By the first of November 25 students had completed the first three trimesters with ISOM (International School of Ministries) curriculum. Now they are qualified to receive their certificates. The twelve students that don’t read and write were so excited about learning that they requested reading, writing and math classes during the ISOM break for the holidays.

¨ In April our 10 years of prayer finally manifested in our first car. No more busses or taxies to drain our pocket book. It is only a two wheel drive sedan but we have it convinced it is an SUV, it will go anywhere. Domenic drives 1 1/2 hours, each way, to the property every day and usually brings someone back with him to go to the hospital.

¨ By summer, the ongoing drought now moved into a full scale famine. Thru generous gifts, we were able to send money for maize three times. The village elders decided to give the food to the most needy, the widows, orphans and handicapped. Word has now reached us that the famine is worse now than it was last summer.

¨ By the end of Dec the well had been drilled and the water storage tank was completed. A cement “water fetching station” will be just outside our fence for the villagers to use. A solar pump with solar panels will be used as the power source.

Twenty one months ago we had an empty piece of land with nothing on it. We still don’t have plants or trees but God is growing up a people group that have already made an impact in their villages and everywhere they go. As we traveled thru their villages we heard the good reports from everyone we talked to. Kathy and I stand firm in our belief that “If you put spiritual things first, then everything else will follow.” Twenty five students have already completed their certificates and when they finish later this year they will receive diplomas. They are already key players in what God has planned to do in Maasi Land.

Domenic has taught in other Bible Schools and we talked about why the ISOM curriculum has impacted the students like it has. His reply was that it has changed their hearts. Other programs put out a lot of head knowledge but it doesn’t really change their lives. This is what Jesus did as He made disciples. He didn’t fill them with a lot of theology but as they walked with Him their lives were changed. Then twelve men turned the world upside down. We declare that we have 25 Maasi that are going to turn the world upside down.

We found the Maasi to be very intelligent and given the opportunity to learn, they want more. Soon one ISOM class a day wasn’t enough and they moved to two. They were able to finish their course of study in six months instead of a year. The students that didn’t read and write actually scored higher on tests than those who do. When the first three trimesters were completed twelve students, that couldn’t read or write, requested reading, writing and math classes until ISOM began again in January. They all are anxious to learn English.

When we started the Bible School in May we were in a borrowed building. When the students met in small study groups outside they were sitting on rocks. Now we are in our own building and have chairs for everyone. Because we have no desks half of the chairs are used for tables. Now we need school desks. Our black board is a piece of masonite painted black. It is so much fun to sit in class with them. They all have black board time, with the other students coaching them to the finish. They are so grateful for this opportunity to learn.

The interest in school continues to grow. Domenic finds people sneaking into class so they can see what is going on. He gets phone calls every day from those who want to register over the phone. We won’t start a new class until July. The size of the class will be restricted because our building is small and we do not have dormitories.

When we divide the class, our cooking area becomes the second classroom. We have already outgrown our first classroom. Two of our students are anxious to teach the children. We only need a place to do it. When they graduate we could hold classes simultaneously.

When we met with the village elders they were so pleased with the progress that has been made thus far. They understand this is a big project and that it will take time. They voiced their hopes and desires. Between the three of them they couldn’t agree on whether building a primary school or clinic was the most important. Finally we suggested that if we build the multipurpose building next we would hold the Bible School in the morning, grade school in the afternoon. Then we could put the clinic in the small building we are now using for school. They really liked that idea. The multipurpose building will also have an apartment for Domenic to live in. He now drives 1 1/2 hours, each way, to school every day.

Everyone is so eager to learn and students are stepping up to teach others. We found that two students had even started teaching some of the local children. There are 200 children waiting to go to school. We have plans drawn, with price estimates for the grade school but as it is with all the other plans we have, we must wait for funding.

The village elders also have the welfare of the people as their priority. When we sent money for famine relief, they decided that the widows, orphans and handicapped receive the food. Then in turn those receiving the food shared it with others they knew that were worse off than they were. In our travels, we met so many that had received the food. They are so grateful to those of you that met their need during such a difficult time. The rain came, but the effects of the famine linger. It will take time for crops to grow again. In April they were bringing the cows back from the mountains and we wondered what they had been eating there. Can they survive?

Today, Jan 14th we received word that it had only rained twice since we left 4 weeks ago. The famine is worse now than it was last summer! There are reports of many dying and people are begging for food along the road. They have taken their remaining cattle away again. There is no food. The students are determined to finish school; again they have declared they would rather die in class than at home.

This people group only knows how to grow herds on the open range. When that fails they die. There is modern technology available that can help them but they don’t know about it. Many answers to problems that we consider obvious, must be shown to them and they are quick learners. As we minister the Gospel of Jesus to them, we also must teach them how to survive. God’s desire is that they be whole in body, soul and spirit.

Working with an African time table is often very frustrating, but the well drilling rig finally arrived 6 days before we left for home. It was fascinating to see this ancient piece of equipment moved in. Harry said his dad used one just like it 60 years ago. Domenic called at 2:00 AM the night we got home to tell us they had finished drilling.

The flow test report on the well is: After they had pumped steady for three hours, the water level only dropped 11”. When they stopped pumping, it only took 3 minutes for the water level to come back up. The well will yield 14.4 cubic meters or 3,805 gallons of water per hour. The pump will be set in at 30 meters.

Although the report on the water flow was very good they found the fluoride level to be over the acceptable limits. The level in our well is 6.7. Acceptable levels are from 1.5 to 4. All other readings were excellent. We will need to filter the water that will be used for human consumption.

Work on the water tower started as soon as we arrived With the enclosed base we can house all the workings of the solar system in it and not have to build an additional pump house. It was an amazing process to watch the entire cement structure being built. The cement was all mixed by hand, on the ground, and then handed up the ladder, person to person, in buckets. The tank will hold 3,253 gallons.

The cement “Water Fetching Station.” will be just out side our fence line. This will make the water easily accessible to the village people. The village elders will build a fence around it, to keep the cows away.

We will use 18 solar panels to begin with. As our need for more water increases we can add more panels. Since we are using a solar pump it will be wired directly to the panels. There won’t be any storage batteries. The only maintenance this system requires is to occasionally clean the solar panels.

At the time of this writing we have just enough money for the deposit on the solar system. Once we pay the deposit, then they can order the equipment. We will need to raise an additional $5,000.00 to finish paying for it. We still don’t have a price quote on the fluoride filter. That will be an additional cost.

The final step to complete the well project is the security fence. Right now we have a traditional thorn fence over the well. Our property is located in open range land. Grazing herds of cows and goats have free roam on all this area. We need to protect our buildings from them and also from vandalism or theft. Our security guard does a great job with his bow and poison tip arrow, but we still need a fence.

So many of you have been faithful to pray for rain. The rain did come although it isn’t consistent throughout the region.. Some areas get heavy rain while others would get only a sprinkle. The deluge we experienced on our way out to the base one day was tremendous, but not so heavy at our place. The soil is very sandy and by the next afternoon the dust was blowing again. Where the road had flooded the day before, we only found one large puddle with girls filling their water cans to carry home. They tell us that when we get trees planted on our land that they will attract the rain.

Our base is located about 7 miles farther down the road from O’Brien School. We have the same growing conditions as they do. The highlight of our visit with them was when they showed us their garden. In 1 1/2 acres they grow enough vegetables to feed 274 children and the local village every day, and they have enough left to sell. They water every day. We need a fence and a farmer. If our entire 12 acres was fenced we could grow a garden and a crop of grass or hay. What grows there now is like a crab grass. The Maasi have seen how to dig a well, now we can teach them how to use it to their benefit.

So what is still needed for Maasi Land?

¨ Funds for the solar power system to operate the well and a fluoride filter

¨ The famine takes priority as starving people don’t have ears to hear the Gospel

¨ A security fence around our 12 acre project to protect the solar panels, well and buildings

¨ Funds to build the Multipurpose building for housing schools with a place for our principal to live

¨ Toilets and a sewer system

¨ Funds to build Primary School, Clinic and Hospital

¨ Funding for a Women’s rescue center and an Orphanage

The order of these things keeps changing but we do continue to move forward. God has placed all these things on our hearts, we are so anxious to see a better way of life for these people we love so much.

It Has Been An Amazing Year!

So much has been accomplished by the faithful monthly support we receive. Now we are asking if there are others who would consider supporting us on a monthly basis. Believe it or not, most of this ministry is financed by small regular gifts. Together we are making a difference in the lives of the people of Africa.

We are a registered Non Profit Organization in East Africa. In the US we are under the covering of Journey Church. We manage all of our own finances. Tax deductable donations may be sent to:

Calvary Connection International

647 Pleasant St

Walla Walla WA 99362

509 529-2295