All Aboard!

For some personal insights into missionary life in Tanzania, see the latest installment of Paula Naumann's journal HERE.

February 28 marks the first day that all of our 10 students are present together at Wittenberg Lutheran Seminary in Arusha, Tanzania. We have four Evangelism students (1-year program) and six seminary students (3-year program). One of our evangelism students began classes quite late, and is working overtime to get caught up. Also, sometimes our other students have been absent for a time, for a family funeral or other necessary responsibilities at home. Here is the entire group; we are thankful to our LORD that our students are finally "All aboard"! 

L-R: Pastor Jeremia Issangya, Pastor Robert Loskira, Emanuel Boniphace, Dennis Musakali, Eubank Elijah, Marko Sapuro, Jacob Masya, Elinaja Bayo, Godfrey Mzoo, Jasper Musakali, Raphael Kinyaga, Missionary Bruce Naumann, Brian Mtika

The purpose of our seminary is to train men to call out "All aboard!" with the Gospel of Christ crucified for sinners. We are also developing an evangelism tool for that purpose with the "Jesus Film" outreach project. This is a 2-hour movie about the life of Jesus, with the script taken entirely from the Gospel of Luke. Versions are available in more than 2,000 languages, including Swahili and Maasai. 

On Saturday evening, February 24, we used a battery-powered projector and outdoor screen to present the "Jesus Film" to about 100 people in the Maasai village of Mbuyuni, some of whom were Muslims. This provided a good welcome to the community, with a Gospel sermon by Pastor Robert Loskira after the film and an invitation to find out more about Jesus through our sister church there. We hope to offer this same program to many congregations in the TCLC, and also perhaps in Kenya and Uganda. We are developing a follow-up Bible study on the Gospel of Luke in both English and Swahili. This would be an aid for local pastors to begin a weekly Bible study after showing the film. Paula and I spent the night in the village, in the guest room of one of Pastor Loskira's neighbors. The next morning I was the guest speaker for the worship service in Mbuyuni. Here are some photos (click to enlarge), and links to some video clips:

Arrival - Pastor Loskira and daughter Angel outside the partially-completed church.

Waiting for sundown - Paula and some local children

Learning about the life of Christ during the "Jesus Film"

Sunday worship, with a sermon on "The Poor Man and RICH Lazarus"

Video Clips:

• Pastor Robert leading the Saturday gathering in song following the Jesus film, click HERE
• The Mbuyuni ladies' choir at Sunday worship, click HERE
• The Mbuyuni children's choir at Sunday worship, click HERE
• Close of the Sunday sermon - TLH #429 vs 3 with Swahili translation, click HERE
• Mrs. Rachel Loskira demonstrates how Africans carry water, click HERE
• Pastor Robert's son Onesimus, our junior seminary student, singing "Listen! God is Calling" in Swahili, click HERE

It's a great blessing from our LORD to be able to train men for a lifetime of service in proclaiming all of God's true Word. It's also very exciting to be able to assist the pastors in our fellowship, with creative outreach tools, in their work of calling out "All aboard!" to the people in their communities. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to effectively call many hearts to Christ through these efforts!

 "I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth." Isaiah 49:6