Hathaway, Bridget - Tanzania
Prayer Letter March 2008
Dear Friends,
Being British, I should surely begin with talking about the weather!! I continue to notice the unreliability of the seasons, but thankfully we seem to have begun the ‘long rains’. Usually a time of contrast between hot sun & heavy rain; pray this pattern continues, so that the labour of digging is rewarded by a good harvest.
SEMI-RETIREMENT BEGINS IN MAY!
No, not me, but the Land Rover! We are hoping the new Land Cruiser will be ready by mid-April, allowing for certain use in May. I am overwhelmed by the incredible response from my friends & supporters who have given so generously to enable this dream to come true. I admit to a lack of faith; I was trying to locate a 2nd hand Land Cruiser but with no success. God had other plans! I still cannot believe we will have such a luxurious vehicle (well, luxury after the Land Rover!) We all say “Asanteni sana mno”! “Thank you very much indeed.”
I am hoping to bring the vehicle back from Dar with a Driver from the Diocese.
- Do pray for a safe journey, it will probably take 3 days; it is very far! The faithful Land Rover will remain for my personal use.
- Give thanks I have independent transport at last.
JOY AND TEARS
When things go well, we feel a swell of joy & thanks for God’s blessing, but how do we react in difficulties? It is so important to show the compassion, patience & understanding of Christ at all times. Over the past 2 months we have ‘lost’ 5 of our clients; for some a release from a difficult life, but young lives lost are always hard to accept. In 1 particularly difficult case, our presence at the funeral ensured a Christian input & brought comfort to the remaining twin, also disabled by Muscular Dystrophy.
This picture of Betson shows the wonder of God working through specialist doctors. Betson had a very severe cleft lip & palate; being the firstborn of a young mother, it was devastating for her & her husband, who are extremely poor. Praise God that after surgery in Uganda, Betson is doing well. He faces 1 more operation.
- Pray for all our clients who travel long distances for treatment. Many have never left Karagwe before, so it is a big step of faith for them & us!
- Cost of surgery & travel is constantly rising, pray we have the resources to continue the intervention. We work on a ‘cost-sharing’ basis, but in many cases contributions only cover a fraction of the true costs.
DAILY CONVERSATION? WEDDING PLANS OF COURSE!
Yes, the date is set for Henerico & Lewitha’s great day: 7th June! Still much to plan, but it’s a church community effort, so we share the jobs! Being from 2 different tribes, there are still a few traditions that have yet to be sorted out, but God is at the centre & we trust him for peaceful agreement. As for special wedding clothes…this is a big issue here! The tradition is to have 2 small children dressed like miniature bride & groom following behind, accompanied by many ‘best girls’ (bridesmaids). The Bride’s parents are not permitted to attend the wedding celebration, only the ‘send-off’ the day before. ‘Leaving’ the parents is taken seriously.
- Thank God that they are both trying to keep God at the centre. Pray for good health for them both in their busy schedules.
WILDLIFE UPDATE
Not so exciting this time! Mainly monkeys & baboon, but they can be so entertaining when trundling past in the bus! Sometimes these little cameos stay in my mind & I am so thankful for the joy it gives me. Once again the unwelcome visitation of snakes, this time 2 of them in my garden, & killed by my guard.
PLANNING FOR 3 YEARS
Natwiya is doing so well! Praise God!
We are coming to the end of our 3 year funding from ORAF Australia. They have been extremely generous in their funding, & we are very grateful for their support. We are busy producing a new proposal for an extension of the funding, but we do need to broaden the base of funding.
- Pray we can prioritise time to tackle this important issue over & above the daily ‘important’ client issues.
We hope to expand into 2 new villages; also we plan to create an income generation activity for our Programme, allowing for some sustainability & independence. - All great ideas on paper, pray for personnel resources to put words into action!
ST. PETER’S CHURCH
It is still a joy to have our beautiful building, & a small keen choir, but commitment to anything outside Sunday worship is an ongoing struggle. The Elders of the church (of which I am one) are discussing & planning various projects to bring some income into the Parish. This is a very positive step, & a ‘pineapple garden’ is already underway. We discussed a rainwater-harvesting project, as we have a large roof area from which to collect water. This would benefit the community too.
- Pray for me too, that I find the time to rest enough, & find Spiritual refreshment.
- Thank you for your prayers, letters & support. If I don’t reply, it’s due to tiredness!
- I am grateful to Irish Aid for their support. Working with marginalized people is demanding inasmuch as we largely rely on external support. Thank you!
- Pray for our new Archbishop-elect, that he will oversee the Church with Godliness & truth.
“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by your truth; your word is truth.”
- John 17:15-17
With my love to you all,
Bridget Hathaway
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