Throughout All Generations

Greetings from Wittenberg Seminary in Arusha! With the seminary in the fourth full week of classes, we are getting to know each other better and benefitting from a routine schedule. I am nearing the point where I can move beyond the introductory phase of teaching in Christian Doctrine, Preaching, New Testament Survey and the Gospels. We will then progress to a more advanced level of instruction. That's when the seminary curriculum authored by retired pastor/professor David Lau will be put to good use, as we print textbooks for the students with side-by-side English and Swahili (from a computer translation). The students are already using this material in their Hermeneutics (Bible Interpretation) course. 

During one class I related to the students how, when I was a young man, I learned about the ministry by vicaring under Pastor David Lau at Messiah, Eau Claire. Now it is my turn as an experienced pastor to impart knowledge of God's Word, and ministering with God's Word, to a younger generation. David Lau also continues to teach them through the seminary textbooks he has written. In this way God's Word is being fulfilled here at Wittenberg Seminary:

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts." Psalm 145:3-4

The seminary students, along with Teacher Robert Loskira, expressed their thanks to David Lau for his work in the short video clip HERE (this is followed by a clip of one of the seminary classes in progress).

A video clip from last Sunday's Ascension worship service, including a song by the Sunday school children, is HERE. The printed sermon summary in English is HERE. These were also distributed in Swahili and German versions.

On a personal note, I'm looking forward to moving this Saturday to the rental home that the Board of Missions is providing. My room at the "Christina House" traveler's lodge has served very well, but it will be good to settle into a more permanent location. The commute on my bicycle will be about 3.5 miles one way, which won't do me any harm. 

 

Here are a few recent pictures (click to enlarge):

Robert Loskira is a fellow teacher at the seminary, and is also the pastor of Mbuyni parish about 45 miles away. He has a wife and three small children. He very recently received a long-needed motorcycle, courtesy of your donations to CLC missions, for travel to and from home and to outlying members. 

My first sight (on this trip) of Mount Kilimanjaro, about 60 miles away. 

The seminary students appreciated receiving multi-pocket file folders for organizing all the handouts and homework that I assign to them.

The students and other faculty members send their greetings to our fellow believers in the CLC-USA, and thank you for your prayers and support! 

God's Word is our great heritage And shall be ours forever;

To spread its light from age to age Shall be our chief endeavor.

Through life it guides our way, In death it is our stay.

Lord, grant, while worlds endure We keep its teachings pure.

Throughout all generations! Amen.

Sweet!

Hello everyone - We are now well into our second full week of instruction at Wittenberg Lutheran Theological Seminary. Current enrollment stands at three in the 1-year Evangelism course and four in the 3-year Seminary Course, for a total of seven. They are proving to be able and eager students.

Left to right: Elinaja Bayo, Eubank Elijah, Raphael Kinyaga, B. Naumann,
Jasper Musakali, Marko Sapuro, Godfrey Mzoo, Philip Mollel

In other news - the second session of the Ambureni Sunday School was an uplifting experience for all last Sunday afternoon. The day began with 11 am worship, followed by a charity auction of 2 long stalks of sugar cane. The winning bid from someone else was going to be 10,000 TZ schillings (about $4). I called out "10,000 AND these 2 pieces of candy that I have in my pocket," which won the prize. Sweet!

Winning bidder for sugar cane, next to seminary student Elinaja Bayo

After lunch at Pastor Jeremiah's home nearby, we brought a Land Rover full of kids back to the church for 2 pm Sunday School. By the time some neighborhood kids arrived we had 14 in attendance. Several seminary students were also present for training purposes. The story was "Jesus Raises the Daughter of Jairus," which the kids then reenacted. After coloring pages and review we practiced our song for an upcoming church service, and then went out to play "Bata Bata Goose!" Finally, everyone got some peeled sugar cane as a treat - I just knew that winning bid would come in handy! You chew on the woody pulp for the sweetness and then spit out the remainder. I won't be surprised if the Lord brings us even more children next week, which would be extra sweet!

Reenacting "The daughter of Jairus" 

"Bata Bata GOOSE!"

Another recent blessing our LORD has provided for the work here is a rental home for Paula and I to live in. I'll be moving in on June 1. The owners are a friendly Tanzanian couple who are moving to the U.S. We'll be renting their fully-furnished home for perhaps 1/3 the cost of a similar home in the U.S. It's about 3 miles from the seminary, which is an easy commute by car or bicycle. It is walled and secure, not far from the main road, and within walking distance to various markets. We're very thankful to have found such favorable accommodations for our extended stay here. We'll have plenty of room, and will be looking forward to hosting visitors from the U.S., including Mission Helper team members next summer!

Street and front gate

Exterior

Living room

Kitchen

Anticipate, Make Allowances, and Adjust

 

So far my experiences with the local people in and around Arusha, Tanzania have been overwhelmingly positive. Most everyone is genuinely welcoming and deferential to visitors. This is even evident in traffic. After more than a month of living here I have seen only a single traffic accident, and this is on roads that are crowded with cars, land rovers, trucks, motorcycles, and 3-wheeled auto-rickshaws. There is a constant ebb and flow, and the "rules" of the road, including the traffic lights, are taken only as suggestions. 

What makes it all work is that everyone is willing to make allowances for others. This is in contrast to other countries I've visited where a driver has to force himself into a lane, with the implied threat of a crash unless the other guy gives way. Here in Tanzania people are usually willing to make room for someone to merge, or slow down for a pedestrian, or let someone into the roundabout. As long as everyone anticipates the flow of traffic, accommodates others, and makes adjustments as necessary then everyone gets where they're going...eventually.

There is an African life lesson here for yours truly. As an impatient westerner, I'm inclined to 1) make a plan, 2) settle on it with the others involved without too much chit-chat, and 3) implement it sooner instead of later. I'm learning that things simply don't work that way here. There is an ebb and flow, a need to anticipate the expectations of others, accommodate them, and adjust plans accordingly. Everyone does get where they're going...eventually. That's the way it's been with arranging a seminary class schedule, renting a home, and many other lesser tasks. It's a sometimes trying, yet positive experience. It makes a person put into practice the time-tested principles from Scripture such as:

"...Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Eph. 4:1-3)

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, (Col. 3:12) 

After some necessary "ebb and flow," the Wittenberg Lutheran Theological Seminary began its delayed second semester today. With the arrival of a new instructor (namely me) many adjustments have been necessary for the students and other faculty members. Our purpose remains the same: to equip men to be undershepherds for our Lord Jesus, the great Good Shepherd, in caring for His flock. At our first opening devotion I encouraged the men in their studies on the basis of 2 Tim. 2:15: 

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Here are some photos of our opening day (click to enlarge):

Arrival - Day 1

Tea and breakfast before class 

6 students were present on the first morning, along with faculty members Nathan Lengutai (left) and Robert Loskira (right). Five more students are due to arrive soon. 

Also - This past Sunday, seminary student Godfrey delivered the sermon at Ambureni Parish. See a brief video clip HERE.

Another bright spot during the past week was the first session of the Ambureni Parish Sunday School, with an enrollment of 6 and a staff of 2 (myself and Lena Issangya, Pastor Jeremia's daughter-in-law). This took place at Pastor Jeremia's home. We plan to move it to the church next Sunday afternoon, so that it will be available to all. Our first lesson was the story of how Jesus forgave the sins of the paralytic and then healed him to prove His point. The children are eager to learn!