Sorry...no blog this time

There have been MANY Lion Sightings--seeing God at work--since we've been here. BUT, both time and internet are limited; we haven't been able to write a proper blog. Please check the Prayer Zone for some updates. 

God’s Generous Children

We both have been “blown away” by the generosity of so many over the past couple of months. Christmas cards, emails, and phone calls have carried news of gifts given toward all of the current projects, including our return visit. Thank you to each one and to God for His encouragement through His children...and to Him be all the glory!

Tanzania Highlighted

God certainly has been keeping Tanzania foremost in our thoughts these days; we don’t know what He has planned but we are certain He has “something up His sleeve.” When I (Ruth) shared with my home church that the Swahili translation (for use in Tanzania) of three of the VOICE modules on all three age levels was complete, the church broke out in spontaneous applause to God. I was shocked and almost thought I must be back in Africa! What an encouragement and blessing. Then when we look at the donor records from our mission, we shake our heads in amazement that almost $10,000 of the funds needed to publish at least some of those modules is already given. All praise to God!

Earlier this week, Laura made a number of visits in Moncton, New Brunswick, and was floored to hear how two of the couples she visited have very close connections to Tanzania! We knew about one of them, but she learned a lot more about that relationship. In the second home, she was totally surprised to learn that the wife has a brother working in Tanzania as a missionary. Almost that same day, Laura heard from Beth B (our Ugandan colleague who is planning our schedule) that one of the Training of Trainers is being planned for the same place the brother missionary lives! Beth also tells us that a Training is being planned for the island of Zanzibar (a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania), plus probably at least one more Training of Trainers in another place in that fairly large nation. We’ve also recently met at least one, maybe two, who sponsor a child from Tanzania. No, this is no coincidence. Please pray that we will cooperate attentively with God in whatever He is doing...all for His glory.

We’re including a map of East Africa. Zanzibar is the 2^nd and largest island from the top along the coast of Tanzania.

Together Again…Briefly at Least

As you can understand, after living and serving together for about 37 years, a big adjustment that has come with retirement for both Ruth and me has been living in separate homes in separate nations. Praise God for His gift to Ruth of unlimited phone calls which includes Canada, thanks to her brother/sister-in-law; we keep in touch via phone, text, emails almost daily…but it’s just not the same!

Our gracious God used friends to provide a way for us to spend just over a week together again—house-sitting in Maine. How fun to return to the familiar of sharing cooking, driving, corporate prayer, reading, debrief and discussions, playing games, walking and some sight-seeing…plus, thanks to technology, participating in long distance communication and prayer that included both SEND Canada and Scripture Union Uganda.

One of our goals for that time together was to seek God’s will regarding an invitation from Uganda to return for a 2-month visit in early 2020. After spending time in prayer, we both sensed God’s affirmation, which drove us to prayer again as we started to think through the logistics and goals. As of this writing, we have tickets in hand, health insurance nearly secured, and an emerging tentative schedule which includes both Tanzania and Kenya!

Why Tanzania and Kenya? A couple of days ago, we learned that the Swahili translation of three VOICE modules, Truth, Forgiveness, and Purity, is COMPLETE on all three age levels—answered prayer! As funds are available, plans are to print those three modules in Nairobi (more cost effective) and introduce them to the Ministry of Education in Tanzania in response to their two-year-old request for a Swahili edition. With these developments, training Scripture Union Tanzanian staff to be able to conduct training workshops for Christian volunteer values teachers across their nation is paramount. We hope to participate at least in the early phase of that huge project which has mammoth potential for reaching students for Christ through the teaching of Biblical values. Promotion and training is also planned for Kenya, while providing encouragement for Scripture Union Ugandan staff.

Please join us in prayer for the funds and the expertise to print the Swahili version in Nairobi. Ruth and I are also trusting God for provision for our own expenses for this trip. Pray also for wisdom as plans/dates are finalized for our activities in East Africa, and for our personal preparation and packing. Praise God for this opportunity to once again be able to serve together!

Changed Lives in Tanzania

Changed Lives in Tanzania

Beth B., overseer of VOICE Africa, was on her way back to Uganda via Kenya from Tanzania when she sent us two testimonies via What’s App message:

1.    One Scripture Union Tanzania staff member recently taught “Forgiveness” at a Scripture Union camp. One of the children was struggling with something a school teacher had done to him in the past: she had scratched his very dark skin and asked “what is this? Is this charcoal or black coals or what?” Other kids had laughed and he was called Charcoal. He was so angry but as the module on Forgiveness was being taught, he chose to forgive and stood up to share his story with the other campers.

2.    In another situation where the module on Purity was being taught, a boy who had been sexually abused by his Auntie responded to the Lord by forgiving her.

* * *

P.S. – After writing the above, we heard another amazing story from Beth B. of God at work. I’m quoting almost word for word from her letter:

The South Sudan Bishop that I worked closely with in the past and was promoted to the level of Archbishop earnestly requested me to go and help train his people. So Chris and I got ready to go. On the day of our planned travel, we went to the South Sudan embassy to pick up our visas and passports. It was just hours before travel. I was nervous abut this because if anything happens, then what do you do?

So we parked the car near the embassy but I had to remain in the car since we had luggage and as you know we are always watching that it is not broken into, plus we had no good place to park really, so one has to remain in the car in case police come and you need to move. 

Chris went and quickly came back and said, "Auntie, they have NOT given you a visa! "What?" I asked him why and he said, "They say that because there is no space in your passport." I knew it. I had only one page and had risked! Time was running out very fast, so I prayed, "Lord, maybe it is just Chris who should go?" Then I visualized the Bishop that was expecting me looking very disappointed and confused because it is me he knew and was always communicating with me, besides I was taking Chris for the first time and especially in this part of the world this age thing is a real big deal. Chris is young and I knew that our South Sudanese would prefer to listen to the older. 

So I asked Chris to remain in the car and I ran into the embassy to try and persuade them to give me the visa. I got there and the men and the one lady there emphatically pointed out that "Madam, we have been trying to reach you because there is no space and the remaining page we cannot place the visa there." Then the miracle happened before my very eyes. The lady told the men that, "I know this lady, when I was a little girl in Primary school at Kitente Primary School she used to come and teach us the Bible." She took my passport and went to the Boss and returned with the visa on that one last page! I left the place WORSHIPING at the top of my voice. I was so rushed, that other than, "Oh THANK YOU!" I could not even stop a minute to ask her who she was etc.!

Ten Years Later

Ruth (in New Hampshire) and I (in New Brunswick) keep in almost daily contact via phone as we both struggle to adjust to our “new normal.” Saturday, September 14’s conversation was energized by the realization that it was exactly ten years ago, Sept. 14, 2009, while we were in the Philippines, that we both, in our private devotions in our separate rooms, sensed God asking us to be available for a change. For me, it was through W. Glyn Evans Daily with the King Devotional “Keeping the Glow of Victory” and a passage in Isaiah 58.  That day I read “I must look beyond myself to see the ‘hungry’ and ‘afflicted’ person nearby, and then pour out myself for him (Isaiah 58:10)….I share spiritual blessings I already have.  In sharing them, God will multiple and magnify my resources beyond anything I can dream.” For Ruth, it was Luke 4:16-21 which includes a quote from Isaiah 62…“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Her heart burned even more deeply when she read Jesus’ next words “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Neither of us knew what all of this meant…until that very evening when an email arrived from northern Uganda inquiring about our availability to help make a way that children and youth in Uganda could be taught Godly Values in their school classrooms.

Ten year ago we were asked to leave our beloved Philippines. In hindsight was that a mistake? Hardly! Just a week ago, we received an amazing summary from VOICE Philippines stating that during the month of August, 2019, alone, 118 churches/faith-based groups had been trained to teach the Biblical values classes. And even more exciting, the trainings took place in all three major island groups of the Philippines—Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao! Undreamed of when we were there! The end of their summary states that due to these newly trained Christians, a possible maximum of 42,000 new students could be taught Godly family values each week!

Ten year ago, we were asked to go to Uganda. God did so much during the 5 years we were there and that ministry continues to expand as well (we’ll save the details for another blog). Now, ten years later, God is challenging us with the potential of Tanzania…no, not to go and live there, but to enlist others to pray and give with us that the ongoing translation of the VOICE curriculum into Swahili could be finished, published, and used in the seemingly wide-open door into the school classrooms of that vast nation--about 15 million more people than Uganda. SEND recently signed an agreement with Scripture Union Uganda to partner in seeing this happen.

Returning to Isaiah 58 - “As a result of giving my portion to others, God will make my light rise at noonday, guide me continually, satisfy my soul in drought, make me like a watered garden, and make me a repairer of broken people (Isaiah 58:10-12).  Join us as we trust God for Tanzania.

*************************
A story from VOICE Philippines too good not to share! - A church in Baguio, northern Philippines (which was closed to VOICE ministry when we left the Philippines but has since opened up wide) started teaching values in their 6th school! Not only were they invited to teach the students, the school also requested them to conduct Bible Study among the faculty and staff while the children were being taught by the Values teachers!

August, 2019, VOICE Ministry "Lion Sightings" (Praises)

As you may know, this blog, Lion Sightings, was used to highlight ministry (usually) situations where Laura and Ruth saw God, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, at work. Although we are no longer in "full-time cross-cultural" ministry, we plan to continue using this blog to highlight God's ongoing work in both VOICE Philippines and VOICE Africa now being carried on by nationals. Praise God with us for all that He is doing. For updated prayer requests from these ministries, please click the "Prayer Zone" tab (above). Your continued prayer support is much needed and appreciated.

• During May and June, 2019, God enabled VOICE Philippine Staff, Bevs, Emil, and Raffy, to promote and train volunteers from more than 70 churches in the southern Island of Mindanao including General Santos City, South Cotabato and Northern Mindanao.  
• Only two of the 81 provinces of the Philippines, both in Mindanao, remain without any VOICE Classes--Sulu and Tawi-tawi!  

Uganda

• Volunteer teachers are currently test teaching the new Responsibility Module Upper Primary level.  A debrief meeting was scheduled to happen today, Aug. 17^th. 
• A testimony coming from the Namungona Parents School states that school officials have noticed increased "anger control" among the 200 students who were taught the Self-Control Module.

Tanzania 

• Chris, Beth Baleke’s Assistant, recently traveled to Tanzania to interact with Swahili translator, Christine. She reports that 70% of the Swahili translation of Truth, Forgiveness, and Purity are complete.  
• A recent gift of $1,000 gift was received and receipted by SEND Canada to go toward this project, translation and printing the three modules on all 3 age levels. 

South Sudan

• A VOICE Training is taking place currently in Nimule, South Sudan; the VOICE Curriculum was earlier sent to them from Kampala, Uganda.