Letter from Stafford and Rae Cowling

Dear Mike and Ally

Great to hear all of the news from you and the church and thanks for
sending it on. Over Easter we attended a conference for teachers in
Christian schools and there were two main themes: one to integrate
Biblical principles into our everyday teaching and the other to regard
children as of great importance (including in evangelism) so your
comments about the status of the ministry to children is along the
same lines. The man from ‘Compassion’ (Wes Stafford) pointed to many
Scriptural passages where children were used by God and the NT example
where Jesus was firm in his command to let the children come to him.
He estimates that 80% of Christians were converted by the age of 18.

Here the school year has less than 10 weeks to run, and for Rae’s
students it is only about 4 weeks to the beginning of Cambridge exams.
She is praising God that some of them are doing better than expected,
but asks for prayers for some others who need to work very hard on
their revision. She also has been teaching flute and clarinet to some
of the students in the school’s band program and helping to coach a
middle school soccer team. These activities give her the opportunity
to establish relationships with younger students.

Teaching English at the midwife college is also coming to a conclusion
for this year because in a few weeks time they will go on clinical
placement for several weeks before their long break. There will be a
new group of first year students in about September to teach, and
possibly some help with writing for the second and third years.

A family here has just unexpectedly lost their father/husband to
pneumonia so please pray for the two children, two boys age seventeen
and thirteen, and their mother, as they return to Zimbabwe for the
funeral and eventually to live because their father had the work
permit permission to live in Ethiopia. The whole school prayed in
their classes for the family. The students in Stafford’s class were
deeply touched by what had happened. They spontaneously got themselves
into a circle and each one prayed.

The photos are just for fun. The tall Eucalypt in the school grounds
was cut down by axe and rope and a nest containing a young Kite came
with it. One of the Australian teachers rescued it and gave it a nest
in a dish. It is much bigger now and with the Bennetts at the Fistula
Hospital. The small patch of garden is in front of our place and
further back (out of sight) are some cape gooseberries. A shot of the
Rift Valley Academy in Kenya as we were leaving.

Best wishes and love from us

Stafford and Rae

We will be back in Adelaide late June so we will be able to visit your
new church location. Praise the Lord for all he has been doing in your
part of the world.

Prayer notes from the Kleins

 Klein’s Prayer Group April 2010

Heri ya Pasaker (Happy Easter)

Yesu amefufuka (Christ is Risen)

Thank you for your prayers. God continues to look after us here and we are mindful of his daily hand in our lives.

What’s happened?

After returning from our brief trip to Mwanza we had word that our car was almost ready. In the last week of March, Nigel and Ken Chapman bused to Mwanza, met with the Diocesan Secretary, Canon Godfrey and flew to Dar Es Salaam. Having found a problem with the radiator- gearbox oil in it, and the fact that switches were missing, leaving exposed wires on the dashboard, they spent 2 days getting it fixed. Then they travelled another 4 days to collect our belongings, drop them off in Murgwanza and arrive back in Musoma, 8 days later. This quick summary doesn’t do justice to the amazing working of God so let me tell you-

It probably should have taken 5 days for the car to be fixed except that N and K were directed to the National Service manager who supervised the repairs. He is a ‘mzungu’ who they briefly met on the plane the day before! The parts ‘became’ available despite not being in country the day before.

N&K were able to follow in convoy the Bishop of Kagera from Dodoma to Murgwanza. Not only did this help with navigation but also gave a time for Nigel in a less formal setting to get to know the Bishop and Canon. It turns out that they all studied at Ridley College, and the Canon lived at St Andrew’s Hall – in our rooms!

Nigel was able to view our house in Murgwanza – so we have an idea of what we need.

They stayed safe on the roads! They passed serious bus accidents with multiple fatalities.

‘The girls’ stayed safe in Musoma and coped. Lesley Chapman’s back became ‘bad’ the week before the boys left and so schooling the kids by herself was looking bleak. However the Vink’s went on holidays leaving their home school teacher looking for something to do…. Yes she helped us! Our guard upped and ran away to Dar the week before as well. Unfortunately he didn’t say goodbye to his family leaving much grief and turmoil. Thankfully,  our Landlady was back THAT weekend and managed to find someone to fill his shoes – Mageta’s older brother ateneus – he is married with 3 kids and speaks no English but is a hard worker.

Lucy turned 8 on Saturday 10^th!!! We managed to have ea party with 5 misso families coming. The cake was cooked the day before which was a blessing as we lost power the day of her party. Also, we had been sad about packages not arriving – well they arrived Thursday 8^th, 5 packages and 2 letters. Lucy was overjoyed and so were we. God is SO good answering even these little requests!

Praise Points

For God’s obvious hand in the logistics of picking up the car and getting it repaired.

For the great first meeting with The Bishop and Canon and the chance that Nigel had to see Murgwanza, our house, the hospital and Nursing school.

For meeting Andy and Jenny Bennet, CMS-SA.

That we have been able to grow our relationship with Beata, our house help, and her family through the circumstances of Mageta leaving. Nigel continues to read the Bible with her.

For God’s provision in providing for “the girls” while the men were gone, including rain so we didn’t need to organize alternative water.

For Lucy and Sarah’s growing relationship with God – we had a Passover meal on Good Friday as we were up to Exodus 12. The girls are really enjoying reading the Bible. Sarah’s trust in God is such that when she prays for rain she has an eager expectancy of the answer. On Good Friday Lucy prayed that God would forgive her for being the type of girl who likes to have more despite what she’s got, in the face of so many around us with very little. God is working in their hearts.

For our growing relationship with God!

For the arrival of the packages that so many people prayed over!

For Lucy’s 8^th Birthday and the provision of missionary friends to share it with, and the encouragement and love of people back home to her at this time.

For the confirmation that we will have a STM, Sarah Boyd, joining us in Murgwanza to help with the girls schooling at NAPS and home.

That Nigel’s mum is remaining well.

Prayer Points

 That God would continue to refine and mould us for the ministry here and ahead, so that we may reflect him, and all glory goes to him.

We would continue to learn and grow in Kiswahili in these last months.

For patience for Nigel and good health – having seen Murgwanza he has an eagerness to get there but must still get through language school first!

For more restful and refreshing sleep to help ease some of our weariness – Sarah continues to wake with noises and the weather has been hot and humid.

For Ken and Lesley Chapman that they may have energy in this final stretch and that Lesley’s back would be healed.

For Sarah Boyd as she begins preparations to come to Murgwanza in June/July.

For relationships here in Makoko that they may be grounded in God and that the start of our goodbyes will go well.

For Rain.

That Lucy may continue to learn how to home school and that God would be preparing friends in Murgwanza and at NAPS (Ngara Anglican Primary School) for both girls.

Pray for Rose’s family in Hobart – that Rosalie, her mum, would continue to have good quality of life despite her ongoing motor neuron disease. Also that Thomas, her nephew would respond to medications. He was diagnosed with a bowel problem as we left. His family is Rosalie’s main support in Hobart.

Murgwanza

For smooth logistics as we look to the needs of the house, being mindful of our needs as a family and in that community.

For more financial input into the diocese – it has NO money and running on aid. The Canon and Bishop have not been paid for 2-3 months. The Canon was given $200 Aus from a friend in Melbourne  - he promptly spent it on 2 bicycles for 2 pastors to help them in their work!

The hospital is still in difficulties as well with the Government cutting supplies due to cost cutting.

However – Praise that the Nursing school has received a grant to enable it to function over the next 2 years.

THANK YOU for your love, support and encouragement and YOUR ministry here in Tanzania through CMS-SA/NT and us.

Philippians 4: 4 – 7.

Evangelism success at the TAFE

Well my evangelism lately is having more success with the 'Aussies' than with the Africans.  I'm having great chats with Robert and Glenn.  Please pray for them.  Today we talked at length about the evidences for Jesus' resurrection, about whether faith must mean commitment without evidence, whether there is absolute truth or meaning, and much more.  Pray that these guys will come to a true and lively faith in the Lord Jesus.  Nearly all the sound engineers are open to chat, so that's great... Praise God for that.

Launch a success

Well, I think our launch was big success.  Well done to all.  It was encouraging that many of the skater boys were willing to come over, take free stuff, take our card advertising us..... and one couple of boys even suggested they might come to church with us.  Also, Linda wants to join us.  (The lady that came with Rosemary found out about us through the Messenger article......Bravo!)

Listen to me on Life FM 10.10 Thursday 18th March

Yep, there's 15 minutes worth of Mike being interview.  Please pray I commend Jesus with what I say!

Money for Alina's family

Hi all,
Alina's family are struggling in Tanzania at the moment.  She has 8 brothers and sisters (4 brothers, 4 sisters) there.  Three of them are married, and some of those families have children.  Alina's Mum and Dad are also there.  There is no food anymore, because UNHCR have left and the Tanzanians want the refugees to go, so they are restricting further their freedoms.  For example, no more pet goats allowed.
Only 30000 refugees now remain, meaning that the majority have returned to Burundi.
Alina's father believes if he returns to Burundi, he will be killed.  This is because the man who is now staying on Alina's dad's land will not want him to return and claim the land which is rightfully his.  He will arrange for Alina's Dad to be killed, they are sure about that. Many of the Burundian refugees who have returned have been killed - not in public battles, but in quiet targeted killings of this sort, or of a political nature.
I have said we will get together $500 and send it over to help them eat for 3 months.  Please pray they will get refugee visas so they can come out of there.

Life FM interview

Good news, guys.  I'm getting an interview on Life FM, to be broadcast 10.10 Thursday 18th March.

I'll talk about our church and our launch and other things.

About 15 minutes worth, which is fantastic.