Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Report 9: Tanzania Part 2, February 15-16

Tuesday morning we rose and prepared for the day. Michael was not feeling very well and lay back down until the time we would have to leave.

I took the opportunity to walk down the road outside. I knew Lake Victoria was very near. I did feel like a spectacle as people stared. I greeted them in Swahili by saying 'Jambo Sana' which is Hello.

The lake which was beautiful. I didn't stay long but returned to the room. The taxi didn't show up to take us back to the chapel so we walked the 20 minutes with Bro. Peter.
Bro. Stephano met us partway and carried Michael's bag.

In Tanzania, we found the people to be very prompt. Breakfast was served when planned and we were able to start services at 10.

Michael was still feeling unwell after the long walk. He broke out in a cold sweat and at first was too weak to stand on his feet. He didn't want me to alarm Bro. Peter, but he had already become aware. We had a season of prayer and the Lord gave Michael a touch enough to get up and go out to the group awaiting.

Michael started right in with studies. Topics covered today included:

The Fall of Man
Sacrifices
Law of Moses
Eating of Meats
Smoking (someone brought this up as a question)
Salvation
Restitution
Monotheism-One God resulting in One Faith which results in One Church, the Church of God
True Worship
Ordinances

He moved right through from one subject to another, leaving time for questions and at times having a 10 minute break. Teachings were largely scripture and the ministers took notes faithfully. Michael encouraged them to be as the Bereans and to search the scriptures to see if it were so. I was so inspired by the truth of God's Word.

In the study on True Worship he brought out the prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal. Elijah made somewhat light of the prophets of Baal in their fleshly worship. Is your God on a journey? Michael made the correlation to fleshly dancing that appeals to the flesh. Are we shouting and dancing to get God's attention? Are we trying to imitate the discos to bring people in to our churches? The scripture says, "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord." Does a guitar or keyboard have breath? Jesus said that the time was coming and indeed now is that true worshipers will worship in Spirit and Truth. The Father is still seeking those kind of worshipers. So if we are truly seeking to worship God, let us do it as He desires, with our spirits and in truth.

They seemed to understand this teaching and we never heard the loud music or dancing any more while we were there.
At lunch time we were served beans and rice and goat meat along with Ugali for Bro. Peter. Michael discovered right away that they had saved the delicacy of the liver for their guests. I like liver so between us we got along quite nicely.

During the break, I took out a boomerang I had brought for the children to play with. They found it curious that when they threw it that it returned to them.

When I walked back to the chapel, I noticed the women cleaning up from dinner. I brought out a gift Sis. Tricia Bell had supplied me with.

Pampered Chef scrapers.
They were perfect for scraping the pots of the starchy staple foods they cook every day.

Michael handed out sweets to the children.
Before the afternoon session, we passed out the literature and Bibles we had brought.
This is a beautiful piece of property nearby that is for sale. It would make a wonderful area to build a larger church or tabernacle for campmeetings.


In the afternoon, dark clouds and strong winds brought a close to the services. We were meeting outside under tarps, so we had no protection from a rainstorm. We returned to our guest room.

In the evening, the weather settled down. Michael and I took a walk along Lake Victoria amid a light mist.
It is so vast that the people call it the Sea.

Resting on a fishing boat.

Little fish drying in the sand. These are sold in the market.

We returned to our room for the night. The next morning we again walked to Bro. Stephano's home and the adjoining chapel.

We were served a beautiful breakfast of Chai tea, fresh pineapple, roasted ground nuts (peanuts) and Big Bread (tastes like a potato bread, very moist and sweet).

Lessons began this morning on the following topics:
Holy Spirit
False Spirit of Tongues
Marriage/Divorce
Modesty
Was the Devil in Heaven
Prophecy

There was a wonderful lesson on the Holy Spirit and the work He does in the heart. This was followed by discussion on the false doctrine of the manifestation of tongues. It brought on lively discussion from a few of the ministers.

When we broke for a few minutes, they gathered around to continue discussion. Michael pointed them back to scripture and told them we must follow the pattern laid down in Acts concerning the work of the Holy Spirit. Religious spirits have done great damage to the cause of God. People seek an outward sign, but the Holy Spirit came to do a work in the heart.

Another topic of interest was the Devil being in Heaven. Michael urged them to give him one scripture to prove that Satan inhabited the Celestial heavens with God. In each reference, he pointed out who the scripture was referring to: Nebuchadnezzer in one location, the Prince of Tyre in another. Once again, Michael assured them that when you eat new food it takes time to digest it. He encouraged them to study their Bibles and allow the Holy Spirit to witness to them the truth of God's Word.

The lessons were concluded by 1:30 as the ministers had a distance to travel. In closing, several ministers stood and testified to the challenge and encouragement the meeting had been to them. We pray that God will raise up a people in Tanzania that is willing to turn from the religions of man and follow the Living God. We left funds for Bro. Stephano to put iron sheeting on the roof of the chapel in place of the thatched roof he now has.

The women all came to the front and greeted me.

Bro. Stephano's wife presented me with a traditional wrap as a parting gift.

Since there was time to get back before dark, we left and traveled back to the orphanage. It was good to see our group again and we enjoyed our last night in Bro. Peter and Sis. Roda's home, eating and swapping stories of the past few days. Bro. Peter expressed some very kind words of appreciation for the sacrifices and expenses we had expended in making the trip. We spent our last night in the village so thankful for God's blessings and incredulous that our time had so quickly come to a close.

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