Green, David Tanzania
April 2007 Prayer Letter (click here for Acrobat pdf version)
Dear Friends,
It is barely 2 months since I last wrote. So this is a quick update.
My Car. I took possession of the (to me) new Toyota RAV4 on 8th March. Over the next 2 days it had its Tanzanian baptism of dust, stones, mammoth potholes, floods across the road, but it brought Peter Lameck (diocesan driver) and me safely and with no problems back to Tabora. The next day driving 2 – 3 miles to the Bible School it had 2 punctures! I thank the Lord that did not happen on a rough and lonely stretch of road between Dar es Salaam and Tabora. It is a joy to drive and very comfortable even on Tanzanian roads – but not without expense: it has needed new shock absorbers and coil springs for the rear suspension, which are hard to come by and not cheap.
Easter was a time of joy and refreshment – first at the Crosslinks Conference, held at Watamu on the Kenya Coast – a time to renew friendship with other mission partners, have prayer and enjoy rich biblical ministry given by David Williams of Carlile College, Nairobi. (Sadly, this was the Williams family’s last occasion with us, as David has been appointed Principal of CMS Australia’s Training College in Melbourne. The Kenya Church’s loss is Australia’s gain.)
Since then I have greatly enjoyed a week with Sheron in Nairobi, seeing a bit more of her work with Trinity Fellowship. It was not a holiday for her, but we had some good time together.
The Rains have moderated. Thank you for your prayers. We are still getting some rain – a good inch last night; but no devastating effects. The maize harvest was moderately good – some rain was too heavy for it. A lot of rice is coming up to harvest, and it looks excellent. It’s the first time I have seen harvest-able rice around here. Kenya too has had rain, but Tanzania looks decidedly greener – most unusual.
Now I have just 4 weeks in Tabora before flying back to England for 3 months. I am not teaching English, but I’m glad of the chance to re-assess, and hopefully improve, my lessons and teaching material. I have been asked also to give some lessons in Swahili to the current evangelists’ course, on speaking and reading the Bible in public (intelligently and clearly), and Biblical (and parabolic) story-telling – quite a challenge. Some preaching, and work on the diocesan overseas accounts, will no doubt take care of any spare time I might dream of.
Then 16th May I will touch down at Gatwick. I will have 3 full months in England and will love to see as many of you as possible. I will gladly talk about Crosslinks and Tabora; so if any of you wish that, please get in touch with me, either by email or … Andrew and Jayne and family have generously said that I may again use their home as my base in England – 30 Mapperley Hall Drive, Nottingham NG3 5EY. Tel. 01159-620804. (But avoid 28th May to 10th June, when I don’t expect to be there.) Tell me when will suit you: my diary is clear at present, but it isn’t likely to stay that way.
September I return first to Kenya. I will join a party from CMS-UK (Church Mission Society) on a sponsored “Climb Mount Kenya” Safari, 5th to 15th Sept. The purpose of the sponsorship is to raise funds for training Christian leaders for the Church in Africa. The official blurb says “All across Africa, Christianity is growing by leaps and bounds. But such rapid growth presents a huge challenge – who will disciple and lead these thousands of new believers?” So it is not only the Church in Kenya, but in Sudan, in Tanzania and other countries that will benefit. Care to sponsor me? Please pray about it and ask more when we meet. (Think of joining us?! Email Peter Ashcroft –
peter.ashcroft[at]cms-uk.org )
After that, back to Tabora. There will be time for at least 2 more English Classes before my resident’s visa for Tanzania expires in March ’08. Then what? Please continue to pray, that I – and Bishop Sadock and others– may know if I should seek to renew the visa and work on here; or settle in England (and if so, where?); or what? My general health is good, but hearing is poorer. Spiritual health – plenty of room for growth and improvement.
God bless you,
David Green
P.S. Two nights ago some of us were woken by gunfire. Apparently 2 thieves were trying to break in to the house immediately next door to the diocesan Guest House where I stay. One of the watchmen at the house was hit on the head with a panga (large, heavy, usually blunt machete) – I have no idea what condition he is in. The other watchman was armed, he shot and killed one of the thieves; the other ran and escaped. We are advised never to walk out alone at night; and the diocese keeps a watchman on this compound. But by day I still feel as safe walking around Tabora, or any other town in Tanzania, as I did walking around Cheltenham.
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