tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49159704437938789382024-03-05T06:03:24.091+00:00Life in the Lancs LaneSteve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-61810365757915626152022-12-23T19:17:00.002+00:002022-12-23T19:17:26.862+00:00A Review of '22<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>Working for “The Word for the World”</b> </div><div> 2022 has been an encouraging year for TWFTW, and there’s a real sense of growth for us as a support base as we look to increase our support for Bible translation projects in Africa and Asia. We exhibited at the hottest Keswick Convention ever (+30 degrees is a rarity in Cumbria!) and at the Bible by the Beach conference in Eastbourne; we took part in the illumiNations Europe fundraising event together with other Bible translation agencies; the number of monthly donors has increased; we have matching-donor funding in place for the next 3 years (!), and I’ve been able to travel far and wide to preach and present at 20 different churches. I’ve also been involved in teaching God’s word at a TWFTW conference in Slovakia, an Oak Hall Bible weekend, and at our church’s men’s weekend in the Brecon Beacons. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1EN8ao3BfnzkdCq2FoqY52wl9WL07_TcuHhJSUHJt7Ps9bJ2aYQTn7LUDDD4x37hq-8CP-yh6GEuXB0i1kEMtGB5RdHx_YgBsLwrxJyZ2rUInahcyj0EnXJOXvvKr8Np1iZepjgrxUj_5vp777PjCpfdvotSu4Lk9ZiURDyMnovKRJOG510MEPdwRg/s603/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="139" data-original-width="603" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1EN8ao3BfnzkdCq2FoqY52wl9WL07_TcuHhJSUHJt7Ps9bJ2aYQTn7LUDDD4x37hq-8CP-yh6GEuXB0i1kEMtGB5RdHx_YgBsLwrxJyZ2rUInahcyj0EnXJOXvvKr8Np1iZepjgrxUj_5vp777PjCpfdvotSu4Lk9ZiURDyMnovKRJOG510MEPdwRg/s320/001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><b>Life at Corsham Baptist & Inspired Act:</b> I (Ruth) have continued to juggle two part-time jobs this year and I’m grateful that both are based in Corsham, a 10 minute walk apart. My church administrator role has expanded as we’ve had a change of Treasurer and I’ve picked up some of the financial administration. The new Treasurer is a younger man and he’s keen to get our paper processes into the 21st century and online! I’m all for it! My role at Inspired Act (Ops Manager) is as busy as ever as I try to fit a full-time job into part-time hours. Hmmm….</div><div><b><br />2022 Short Summary</b>: Away from the pulpit and the desk we’ve also had a busy year. Having<br />hankered after the wintry slopes of the Swiss Alps for a few years, we were able to head out to the Eiger area on an Oak Hall skiing trip. This time round it was role-reversal, with Ruth leading the trip and me tagging along as a guest! Great skiing and great weather and, whilst we didn’t return with any injuries, we did return with the much-mentioned virus, which laid us low for a week or so. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjMdZzphq-1AwnMLSTUwusy7qlNuhmhqNIng_oluhftZ2FKaFVYmMg0uU2E4gkHRM3EcHmL5c4VV7hi14564m2HAtFQrqKfs1ZW6PAPl3o-hqoaBU6zX6eacmkteutYuC-AoCqDecrF9wg6_E7o7oc-MPeo2ASi2BiEYJs9gJuJnywHZf2-rulqrrFQ/s1024/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="1024" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjMdZzphq-1AwnMLSTUwusy7qlNuhmhqNIng_oluhftZ2FKaFVYmMg0uU2E4gkHRM3EcHmL5c4VV7hi14564m2HAtFQrqKfs1ZW6PAPl3o-hqoaBU6zX6eacmkteutYuC-AoCqDecrF9wg6_E7o7oc-MPeo2ASi2BiEYJs9gJuJnywHZf2-rulqrrFQ/s320/002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Oak Hall Israel trips in April & October went very well, although for the April trip there was an anxious wait for Covid results, as we all had to be tested at Tel Aviv airport! The dipper barely touched the sides of my mouth, so I wasn’t too surprised to get a negative result hours later! Tensions in Jerusalem were also heightened in April with Ramadan and Passover coinciding but, whilst we didn’t see any trouble, we could hear it! I’m reminded of a quote from Simon Sebag Montefiore (Jerusalem; the Biography’) that sums up this city of tension: “The city is so loveable in many ways and yet so hate-filled in others. It is always bristling with the hallowed and the holy, but also with the brash and the hasty. It can be outrageously vulgar and yet visually exquisite. Jerusalem seems to live more intensely than anywhere else; everything stays the same - yet nothing stands still”. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOH5TFAIxOpbuZrrs_TI5-dr0DBxQ7xdAa4IO5-CZIh1F7gehyV9IaF1eafcoauiKZuyfhDlxxEDokg70ddixbo6-OFpNXPBQQkpQH0LXC6m7bv19knAc7it-ikqLagLHvR-4g4x_PwgNHrpLQlhpRrPV3SuTIfXutIAKs6sV7YVAIkNIH88W6eQXmXQ/s1850/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1850" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOH5TFAIxOpbuZrrs_TI5-dr0DBxQ7xdAa4IO5-CZIh1F7gehyV9IaF1eafcoauiKZuyfhDlxxEDokg70ddixbo6-OFpNXPBQQkpQH0LXC6m7bv19knAc7it-ikqLagLHvR-4g4x_PwgNHrpLQlhpRrPV3SuTIfXutIAKs6sV7YVAIkNIH88W6eQXmXQ/s320/003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DQJL9PwfNsJZWFG6ubfi9sPQrzI1Y_DNZdM_i8s7odCVcfbpfutbipRvnCuZtDdp1bq0RSyhqr2u3ZaXnyez7b6hsEDYq80KXUuKta6peS5FrEsdBMm1MhsnaewAUdXoOCvrVXNIS8P5JavV06FjqCg-5bjp-9xOEelyTI-KcTvWtDKkuFl5do8Nfw/s1024/004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="1024" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DQJL9PwfNsJZWFG6ubfi9sPQrzI1Y_DNZdM_i8s7odCVcfbpfutbipRvnCuZtDdp1bq0RSyhqr2u3ZaXnyez7b6hsEDYq80KXUuKta6peS5FrEsdBMm1MhsnaewAUdXoOCvrVXNIS8P5JavV06FjqCg-5bjp-9xOEelyTI-KcTvWtDKkuFl5do8Nfw/s320/004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div> In June I was also able to scale the Scottish heights with a week of Munro magic, based up near Aviemore with my parents. And when the mountains weren’t beckoning, I was able to spend some time ‘spoiling a decent walk’ by wildly swinging a golf club through the heather of Nethy Bridge golf club! Highlight of the week, at least on the course, was scoring a 99 over 18 holes; not exactly Rory McIlroy form, but a milestone for a zig-zagging golfer like me! </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRfo-zy6XzBS83utQ3EQD2yjA9Ew6RSd6rApBvnnPxxx3hvnKwB5J0wYpa3ZTqwra_OSqR0AGGQNfgFkwLQmSe-9azgcjhD9MTrLerm54KZ3Nq1x0UG6XHoLZvZaQd9IqWXcIqhDwnbl4AqXgumUjvWEqX25ZoGfGuhEFAGkU7y1e2F4urduA-aRoJA/s1730/007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1730" data-original-width="1350" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRfo-zy6XzBS83utQ3EQD2yjA9Ew6RSd6rApBvnnPxxx3hvnKwB5J0wYpa3ZTqwra_OSqR0AGGQNfgFkwLQmSe-9azgcjhD9MTrLerm54KZ3Nq1x0UG6XHoLZvZaQd9IqWXcIqhDwnbl4AqXgumUjvWEqX25ZoGfGuhEFAGkU7y1e2F4urduA-aRoJA/w156-h200/007.jpg" width="156" /></a></div><br />We then headed back to Scotland in August to spend time with family, and to run the Nairn half-marathon, with Ruth getting a PB on her birthday! She also had to dodge the pipe-band on the approach to the finish line! Towards the end of September we were able to jet-off to Majorca for a week of birding, cycling, running & reading. And then during the month of November, Ruth made a return to Africa with a small team from our church, to help out with the youth work at an AIM Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. She was delighted to use her Swahili tongue again and, whilst on the subject of tongues, she jumped at the opportunity for a return visit to the Giraffe sanctuary where she was greeted with a not-so-holy kiss by one of the inmates! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxbbhYitMYOOvHRg2iI_QqQW3Nhb8CDL4-k1GMhXHxX3UTFl-4n1P08G9K3BvoR-uRmBY72cJuQTs78vMmTXA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbiAKda3takRkoaNm6CQForiktgjcmqSeshoPlAWs2jnzpWu2jnrGrFPz2CNuoMMuCx_9JydWWuFErAEPgzSrdRp86_1vrhb9uLgaBeqsc5r569OSx4okoKfEGEwnXMLSoz9_dEgoXGbGaMBSj4AGZAZ4p2DGX038ECXUc80v63num7opCJysHohfYg/s1447/006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1447" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpbiAKda3takRkoaNm6CQForiktgjcmqSeshoPlAWs2jnzpWu2jnrGrFPz2CNuoMMuCx_9JydWWuFErAEPgzSrdRp86_1vrhb9uLgaBeqsc5r569OSx4okoKfEGEwnXMLSoz9_dEgoXGbGaMBSj4AGZAZ4p2DGX038ECXUc80v63num7opCJysHohfYg/s320/006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We thank God for the opportunities we’ve had this year, and for the good year of growth in TWFTW. To those of you who pray for us, we appreciate that and thank you muchly! And we wish you all a very blessed and happy Christmas, with best wishes for the New Year ahead. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>A Christmas Reflection: Ordinary Christians Changing History! </b>
Over the last few months our TWFTW monthly newsletters have focussed on the subject of ‘What it takes to be a Bible translator’. We’ve noted that heart-language Bible translators are ordinary Christians who are changing history as they work, due to the fact that they impact whole communities and generations beyond their own. We’ve also noted that translation work can be arduous, and for some, dangerous. Some of our translators work in war zones, refugee camps, high-poverty countries, and some have even been kidnapped and killed. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>As we head into the Christmas season, it’s good to try and imagine what life was actually like for a couple of very ordinary God-fearing people, whose obedience changed history; Mary & Joseph. They lived under the occupation of the Romans; they were a peasant couple from the backwater town of Nazareth, and donkey-riding journeys were often dangerous – just ask the good Samaritan! I imagine therefore that life was somewhat tough for Mary and Joseph. Due to our romanticised and sanitised view of that first Christmas, I think we often forget how tough it must have been for this ‘ordinary’ couple. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWZDLdguVMNheyJ3mqCahlGZn4BN7hACsRB95j2IXxiV_PrAVn_8hSEPYdCTa9QrbLX4TNzdpR3aQgPT2S0nCoPZobEf_AXQxflWFU30Ss_QO9jPd3RrrgZ4S2FOCPtolAFow4TJQzw7-Sz-ot5RHGB61GkfcSg-NDqLhJkQnWbc4pF5G4XsQB3ZU6g/s640/011.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="640" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWZDLdguVMNheyJ3mqCahlGZn4BN7hACsRB95j2IXxiV_PrAVn_8hSEPYdCTa9QrbLX4TNzdpR3aQgPT2S0nCoPZobEf_AXQxflWFU30Ss_QO9jPd3RrrgZ4S2FOCPtolAFow4TJQzw7-Sz-ot5RHGB61GkfcSg-NDqLhJkQnWbc4pF5G4XsQB3ZU6g/s320/011.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Imagine what happens behind the verses that we read in Matthew & Luke. Here’s a young teenage girl who’s had to try and explain to her parents and her ‘righteous’ fiancé that she is pregnant……… with the Son of God! Where do you start?! Here is a young woman who has accepted the words of a powerful angelic being and whose response has been, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” Wow!! Here is a heavily pregnant teenager who has had to travel over 80 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem on the back of a donkey, just because the Roman authorities have said they must. Here is a young woman who has had to give birth in a cowshed because there wasn’t any other option, and who then lays her firstborn child in a cattle feeding trough! What woman would want this as her first childbirth experience!? Here’s a young woman who has seen a bunch of excited shepherds (the outcasts of society) crowd into her humble maternity suite just a few hours later to ‘glorify and praise God’ for the arrival of this swaddled baby. Oh, the shock value of it all! </div><div><br /></div><div>And in all of these incredible scenes, at the centre of all that is happening, lies the Son of God; the firstborn over all creation, the Word becoming flesh, and the second person of the trinity pitching his tent amongst humanity! Hard to believe eh?! But this is what our Bibles tell us, and oh, how marvellous and humbling, and awe-inspiring is this plan of salvation hatched by the Almighty God! This Christmas season, as we celebrate the birth of Christ, and as we seek to sift the meaningful from the commercialism, may we take the time to marvel in reverence at what He has done for us. May we “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” as he stooped to become one of us – in order to save and restore humanity. And how do we know all of this? Because we have the gift of God’s Word in a language that we can understand! </div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7AhBTYf__vBT6Nt-5bjrYbkKNjYX0t57INz8ehp9xaaBEwoWZPrPbP8xqzQA3PFeFLVmvkshXMW05VDrecU-awr9ezUpfL-AFNksqbtQnVIs_z-1JHFzuQSdlz79zHP9XfPWQf2PLPQmj3Kzhcuv2BfTNNvMzrxpIL-0-KdmYgW9UEuQVqyBWdkv3w/s1280/012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7AhBTYf__vBT6Nt-5bjrYbkKNjYX0t57INz8ehp9xaaBEwoWZPrPbP8xqzQA3PFeFLVmvkshXMW05VDrecU-awr9ezUpfL-AFNksqbtQnVIs_z-1JHFzuQSdlz79zHP9XfPWQf2PLPQmj3Kzhcuv2BfTNNvMzrxpIL-0-KdmYgW9UEuQVqyBWdkv3w/s320/012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq2h2TdxDpOzPnX3rR5pHQI3p-ITCMEp3Q81uENNK8k-H5Zruqx2r7hGCIGAPyexQG_OnULy7Pa70sH01VUbRaz503OQCuTVmSmnFCwBi7u6uVWy32QqD1U58UmpmZ4wElpF42FjpcA6CzLZ4XyggWtrht2tzM90h2FRElXcnEh7Yy-zLfwLLiYsfyg/s1404/008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1404" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq2h2TdxDpOzPnX3rR5pHQI3p-ITCMEp3Q81uENNK8k-H5Zruqx2r7hGCIGAPyexQG_OnULy7Pa70sH01VUbRaz503OQCuTVmSmnFCwBi7u6uVWy32QqD1U58UmpmZ4wElpF42FjpcA6CzLZ4XyggWtrht2tzM90h2FRElXcnEh7Yy-zLfwLLiYsfyg/s320/008.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birds of the Year: we were chuffed to see a Wryneck in Majorca</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyALuFub607pnfq2ueJyj6nW6m-Gd4OAPV-CtkzBkDgtl3omWfChKOfEMpdy_5NIWsDJYE3Lh7K98YDM4-AZc50dkQbw5QvzMfTSk4qA8CMXA9sRRSGGLJNU55k-zyl-5kkVLlMYbq0MYBFT40CcpjRfHw9_Ytnp2UPYT37yX2xYy7aASUflA_JAPOA/s1050/009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1050" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzyALuFub607pnfq2ueJyj6nW6m-Gd4OAPV-CtkzBkDgtl3omWfChKOfEMpdy_5NIWsDJYE3Lh7K98YDM4-AZc50dkQbw5QvzMfTSk4qA8CMXA9sRRSGGLJNU55k-zyl-5kkVLlMYbq0MYBFT40CcpjRfHw9_Ytnp2UPYT37yX2xYy7aASUflA_JAPOA/s320/009.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dartford Warbler, Poole Harbour</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-14345041884018174612021-12-15T21:01:00.000+00:002021-12-15T21:01:52.888+00:00Moving home for Christmas...<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0aFx5S7Rmqo_FC00p4aqqxSRJ0tCgax5T5CC2XLA9bIvaKFIIt6FfyhK2bkl9fXk5-iGRkhCChCnrcA1vcutjB6dhEoWmipAM22NRzM2jvC8GNBpSGW9sXtGmCtWAUJjAvFVOK7F4-XTy78AFmAMmudAUA6FdRzAMQOzhrNMrF2WWnpQ_dAoswtsAiA=s1024" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0aFx5S7Rmqo_FC00p4aqqxSRJ0tCgax5T5CC2XLA9bIvaKFIIt6FfyhK2bkl9fXk5-iGRkhCChCnrcA1vcutjB6dhEoWmipAM22NRzM2jvC8GNBpSGW9sXtGmCtWAUJjAvFVOK7F4-XTy78AFmAMmudAUA6FdRzAMQOzhrNMrF2WWnpQ_dAoswtsAiA=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The last time we sat on our Corsham lounge <br />floor was in July 2013 as we packed <br />up for Tanzania!</i></td></tr></tbody></table> ...or is it “driving home for Christmas”?! This time last year, we were wrapping up our time in Tanzania, saying our hot and sweaty goodbyes, and packing up our worldly belongings into five suitcases! Exactly one year on and we’re getting ready to pack up once again and make the move from the old silk mill in Malmesbury to our revitalised house in Corsham! This time round, instead of a 7,000 mile flight, we’ll only have a 15 mile drive in a hire van, the temperatures will be slightly cooler, and we’ll finally be able to unpack our lives into a house that we last lived in 8.5 years ago! During the last few months the painters have painted, the plumbers have plumbed, the carpetters have carpeted, the electricians have electrified, the kitcheners have kitchened, and the plasterers are now plastered! And thanks to Ebay we’ve been able to replace most of what we sold when we were emptying the house to go to Tanzania! Here are a couple of tips for those looking to collect washing machines and bookcases: make sure the outflow hose is ‘corked’, otherwise your car seats will get very wet! And always check the measurements of the bookcase you’ve said ‘yes’ to on Freecycle, otherwise it will be a wasted journey!! </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyL-ZH9GFkXYOa3anKcwrNF_1-2D3yZEOpePn361pBYRwCmmTSXUO3bb5xuJfhYUwnHJHhq8rQ8-VrN5BUZ84FzewTE42Cp5nvGPqz3ML5rPuG9qVMPN-OMb_vIVWkVCpsz--VYLnBgw7n78QSeZhSRqGft-qEN95loytR01F6DrUjd8zV_vgEqu0SPQ=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyL-ZH9GFkXYOa3anKcwrNF_1-2D3yZEOpePn361pBYRwCmmTSXUO3bb5xuJfhYUwnHJHhq8rQ8-VrN5BUZ84FzewTE42Cp5nvGPqz3ML5rPuG9qVMPN-OMb_vIVWkVCpsz--VYLnBgw7n78QSeZhSRqGft-qEN95loytR01F6DrUjd8zV_vgEqu0SPQ=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">It didn't take a genius to realise it wasn't<br />going to fit!</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="font-family: arial;"><br />WWW</b><span style="font-family: arial;">. <b>Working for the Word for the World.</b> In our last blog post (September) I mentioned my new role with the Bible translation agency The Word for the World. Coming into this role, I knew quite a bit about Swahili/English translation but very little about Bible translation! The past few months have therefore been a journey of discovery as I learn more about the need for Bible translation. Did you know that out of the 7,361 known languages on planet earth only 717 of them have a full Bible, and only 1582 languages have the New Testament?! There is still much work to be done with nearly 4,000 not having any Scriptures. Things are at least speeding up though, as it now takes only 3 years (?!) to translate the New Testament, whereas it used to take 40! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcNVkZky4rNwBOkHXdf3i95EjaGEhtdkpDOYGoouNz8oJNTHplvGAKFE2jCsMT_3hvdWcYyha_2oce7jn8GIWRcI1JrlykYDp-wqrGPzHR13Wf7Ne5xyPTs0VziXjrnXPVZ1bNROF2POY7rvC9NNTYAmpldaS6pDpDT3_jFUs1dDNZskwY1SyOuYEKrQ=s907" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="786" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcNVkZky4rNwBOkHXdf3i95EjaGEhtdkpDOYGoouNz8oJNTHplvGAKFE2jCsMT_3hvdWcYyha_2oce7jn8GIWRcI1JrlykYDp-wqrGPzHR13Wf7Ne5xyPTs0VziXjrnXPVZ1bNROF2POY7rvC9NNTYAmpldaS6pDpDT3_jFUs1dDNZskwY1SyOuYEKrQ=s320" width="277" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A Malawian reading his Sena bible</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Last week we were able to send funds to Malawi for the distribution of 5,000 Sena Bibles. The personal connection for me is that the town they are being sent to (Nsanje) is a place I stayed in briefly during the early 2000’s whilst on African Quest, and the man in charge of the distribution happens to be a good friend of a Malawian pastor I stayed with whilst there and who I am still in touch with. If I’m honest I don’t have too many pleasant memories of Nsanje! Sauna-like heat, plenty of dust, the early morning squawking of the guineafowl, mice nibbling on my toes during the night, and a bout of malaria - not the ideal place to get sick! But I do remember helping to distribute Bibles in that area, which were published and printed by ….The Word for the World! Isn’t it great when these so-called random connections happen, bringing people and situations together, across the miles and across the years?! It’s all to do with the Sovereign God whom we worship, who is in the habit of orchestrating events for His glory! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj07iwCn2SdZDAsf20ln9COFQHEfJG3t2RinJCaAKVrqynzjnl0fDuzSnEwgoSdbAzLMXXj0LVuR_rnGcwHJeOixkmvIAsDcjAo2tx76KnwjkcyEa2inH8F0xeEFY0U200CdMlC7dR5gJyxxfN6f5mEja1bNmTRB0pM7qiYahoHt5WVVc9LuH3OhHsWUg=s1024" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="719" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj07iwCn2SdZDAsf20ln9COFQHEfJG3t2RinJCaAKVrqynzjnl0fDuzSnEwgoSdbAzLMXXj0LVuR_rnGcwHJeOixkmvIAsDcjAo2tx76KnwjkcyEa2inH8F0xeEFY0U200CdMlC7dR5gJyxxfN6f5mEja1bNmTRB0pM7qiYahoHt5WVVc9LuH3OhHsWUg=s320" width="320" /></a></div>Here’s another personal connection from the more recent past! Our current fundraising project is called ‘Sponsor a Verse’ – and the language we’re currently focussing on is the Lughuru language. Guess where that language is spoken? In the Uluguru mountains just behind Morogoro, which is of course where we lived for 7 years! And I had nowt to do with choosing that language! The Lughuru are a people group numbering just under 1 million and, although their New Testament was completed in 2015, they still don’t have the OT. Our translators are halfway through, so the push is now on to see it through to completion. If you’d like to contribute to this work, please get in touch, or ‘sponsor a verse’ by donating £26 using this link: <a href="http://www.sponsoraverse.org">www.sponsoraverse.org</a> – you’ll get to choose a verse, and then be sent a piece of artwork (your choice of design) with the verse of Scripture in English and Lughuru. It might be hard to believe, but it’s even more colourful than the ‘sponsor a toilet’ certificate that adorns toilet walls in many a Christian household! <p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Ruth’s New Job! </b></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Ruth also has a new job. In November she reduced her hours with Inspired Act and began work as Corsham Baptist Church's new Administrator. Thankfully both offices are only 5 minutes’ walk apart, and only 15 minutes’ walk from home.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Celebrating a defining moment! Immanuel – God with us.</b> The history of the world is full of stunning moments! Whether it be the end of world wars, men walking on the moon, developments in medicine and vaccines, great political speeches that inspired change, or sporting comebacks (who can forget Dennis Taylor in the 1985 World Snooker Champs?!). I’m sure that we all have particular incidents and moments that were defining for us. Yet there is one moment that is more stunning than anything that has ever taken place: the coming of Jesus into the world. There has never been another moment like it in the whole of history. God breaking into the world He created is a remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime event! And whilst the incarnation of the Son of God might be hard for us to get our heads around, think about what it was like for the second person of the Trinity about to perform the most sacrificial act of all time! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is what the Christian author Jeff Lucas wrote about the miracle of the incarnation: <i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">“What did it feel like Jesus, the day that you peered over the parapet of heaven and prepared to take your dive into humanity? Did you stare and recoil at the swirling madness below? Did the stench of hollow religion drift up and wrinkle your nostrils? You were to take a dive from your lofty, ordered, Father’s house, down and down and still further down, into the murky morass of blood and pain so far below. You were to plummet from that calm place of love and song, into our writhing chaos: from the world of rapture - to our world of rape and rebellion: from immortality - to the grime and tedium of time. Did you look around you at the sea of stunned angel faces, bowed and paled now at the sight of this holiest sacrifice? Was there any moment of farewell as you stepped, in a millisecond of time, from being the richest to being the poorest? Can we tiptoe for a moment onto that holy ground, and consider the magnificent Christ becoming a tiny, embryonic speck?”</span></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMWBpQtHRbGrQ_Xn2-WrIXmqIPtvMRR5-d93SQrh9wqgTf9EaXgBOLo8EaiqLGWg_AtES94Vy_umKKhqFVFISVA235xn_E87rS7J_FYPdoJ4frwQW8NoYFDSYTQreLJtyTUVqXqgafrevPLL6OJahWRWVg45DZkC5gxnf_ZbwKkY0sgGlR5M78pUkEbA=s520" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMWBpQtHRbGrQ_Xn2-WrIXmqIPtvMRR5-d93SQrh9wqgTf9EaXgBOLo8EaiqLGWg_AtES94Vy_umKKhqFVFISVA235xn_E87rS7J_FYPdoJ4frwQW8NoYFDSYTQreLJtyTUVqXqgafrevPLL6OJahWRWVg45DZkC5gxnf_ZbwKkY0sgGlR5M78pUkEbA=s320" width="215" /></a></div>It's one of my favourite Christmas quotes and one that I’m sure I’ve used before, but it’s a quote that causes you to ponder in wonderment at what the real celebration of Christmas is all about. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:14) It’s an amazing fact that God should stoop to clothe Himself in humanity to put His rescue plan into operation. We praise God for Jesus, and all that He has done for us. It’s also our hope that as we prepare to see in another New Year, that having the Word of God, the Scriptures, would become a reality for many more people, and that this powerful Word would find dwelling in more and more homes across the world. <p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Many thanks for your prayers and support. We wish you a healthy and happy Christmas, with huge amounts of best wishes for 2022. See you in the New Year! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Praise & Prayer Points: </b></span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">We’re thanking God for the way He has provided and guided during this last year. This is what we wrote exactly a year ago whilst preparing to leave Tanzania: “At this point, we’re still not sure what the next chapter looks like, and the canvas is looking fairly blank! However, we believe that the Artist in charge of the next tapestry will reveal the pattern according to His timing and purpose”. Well, as the year unfolded, so did the new pattern! Local employment has been provided for Ruth, and an unexpected door was opened for me to work for The Word for the World, enabling me to be involved in an itinerant preaching ministry. </span></li></ul><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOpLXrbkL7cqeTtaQDlB56bvCx_Flw1lC2oCPRgpH7sk5vix1DFevGCQVCQoMoJ3wWHZFfUf6F-ZdBEJJhGlT3rI2QJSATppYtewBiOmiT3wldzYpup90gVrlTjhEVygTUG_HrEdLUjKU3P7pFW1_rFioUM9fC3zhH1jgzFLN78C3f05Bg9g1FxYNMUA=s1306" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1220" data-original-width="1306" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOpLXrbkL7cqeTtaQDlB56bvCx_Flw1lC2oCPRgpH7sk5vix1DFevGCQVCQoMoJ3wWHZFfUf6F-ZdBEJJhGlT3rI2QJSATppYtewBiOmiT3wldzYpup90gVrlTjhEVygTUG_HrEdLUjKU3P7pFW1_rFioUM9fC3zhH1jgzFLN78C3f05Bg9g1FxYNMUA=w200-h187" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: arial;">The new/old house in Corsham</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Praise God that a lot of work has now been completed on our house in Corsham without any setbacks, and we’re ready for the move on 18th! We're also thanking God for various people who have helped us in this process. We’ve loved living in Malmesbury and we’ve very much enjoyed the silk mill setting. It’s provided ‘an office with a view’, and the opportunity to watch kingfishers whilst working! <br /><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Please pray for Steve as he represents TWFTW and preaches in various churches; that he would “correctly handle the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15) and that God would “enable him to speak God’s Word with great boldness” (Acts 4:29). <br /><br /></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Please pray that the distribution of the 5,000 Sena Bibles happening this week would go well; that they would fall into the hands of people who are hungry for God’s Word. </span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Steve's Diary Dates: </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">9th Jan: </span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Corsham Baptist morning services</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">13-22 Jan:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Bible teaching on Oak Hall Ski trip to Switzerland </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">6th Feb: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Preaching at Strete Evangelical Church, Devon (AM) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">12th Feb: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>TWFTW Board meeting in Bedford</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">13th Feb:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Ladyfield Evangelical Church, Chippenham morning service</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">27th Feb: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Preaching at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Mold, North Wales </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">3rd Mar: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>TWFTW Presentation – Ladyfield EC, Chippenham (PM) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">6th Mar: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Preaching at Wootton Baptist, Bedford (AM) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">13th Mar: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Corsham Baptist morning services</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">20th Mar: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Preaching at Hebron Evangelical Church, Carlisle (AM) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">27th Mar: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Corsham Baptist morning services </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">3rd April: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Orrell Park Baptist, Liverpool morning service</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">12-21 April: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Oak Hall Israel/Palestine trip - to be confirmed</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">24th April:<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>South Oxhey Baptist Church, Watford morning service</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">29th Apr – 2nd May: Bible by the Beach, Eastbourne </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">5th-8th May: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“IllumiNations” Europe Conference (Bible translators) in Scotland</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRs8lg3eS68IGgTDAD4Co4y2-XKZPNQViApZbuZP6eT2kCSDb_V7n67Y78GzfovHOUr1MFVn_OiR2TcpaT0T2nF00H_DFZIIhXM9bh6qltEXO6OktzdWwHpGiWjKtZJgl8lP6vMlvYq26blv4bBPxkpOP16KorLTRToSgwUaJqvhm61F_6lztivtHtlQ=s2060" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="2060" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRs8lg3eS68IGgTDAD4Co4y2-XKZPNQViApZbuZP6eT2kCSDb_V7n67Y78GzfovHOUr1MFVn_OiR2TcpaT0T2nF00H_DFZIIhXM9bh6qltEXO6OktzdWwHpGiWjKtZJgl8lP6vMlvYq26blv4bBPxkpOP16KorLTRToSgwUaJqvhm61F_6lztivtHtlQ=w400-h211" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>Bird(s) of the month: the humble starling! Steve saw 3,000<br />of them on the Somerset Levels last month in their murmuration</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Random Stats and Facts about Christmas! </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">•</span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">It was the custom to eat goose at Christmas until the 16th century when Henry VIII decided to tuck into a turkey instead! Over 90% of the UK population will eat turkey on Christmas Day. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">•</span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">We use enough wrapping paper at Christmas to cover the island of Guernsey!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">•</span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">In the UK the Holy Days & Fasting Days Act of 1551 states that every citizen must attend a Christian church service on Christmas Day, and must not use any kind of vehicle to get to the service! This act has not been repealed! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">•</span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Pope Julius I declared Christ’s birthday as December 25th in AD440. Before that, in pagan religious calendars, 25th Dec marked the birthday of the sun. Now it marks the birthday of the Son! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">•</span><span style="font-family: arial; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">When was Jesus actually born? We know from Luke Ch 1 that Elizabeth was six months pregnant when the angel visited Mary. John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, was a priest serving in the Temple during the course of Abijah (Luke 1:5), which apparently corresponded to June 13-18 in that year. Assuming that John was conceived at the end of June he would therefore be born in March. Mary goes to see Elisabeth when she is 6 months pregnant which would mean she visited in December, which was at the start of Mary’s pregnancy. If this is correct, Jesus would have been born in September. So much for “In the bleak mid-winter”! </span></p>Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-79053965331002336122021-09-26T17:56:00.000+01:002021-09-26T17:56:53.705+01:00In praise of mountains…..and The Maker! <p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEKbToNEN647NIzXu8vGmcNpvqRYrJsZNqlQF9UDDDCRVs_a81Sd_x3DAqOmUfhxKqV8F15Ws_AObzLn5MYVwSq1Vn1SV7EwroBJs2aFtgQ_fZwjtTdF0q-sKAIwNtuy1HUOaEWx458BD/s1600/IMG-20210830-WA0007+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Scottish mountain" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEKbToNEN647NIzXu8vGmcNpvqRYrJsZNqlQF9UDDDCRVs_a81Sd_x3DAqOmUfhxKqV8F15Ws_AObzLn5MYVwSq1Vn1SV7EwroBJs2aFtgQ_fZwjtTdF0q-sKAIwNtuy1HUOaEWx458BD/w400-h300/IMG-20210830-WA0007+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The mighty Ben Nevis</i></td></tr></tbody></table>What do these names all have in common: Moriah, Gilboa, Sinai, Tabor, Olives, Zion, Carmel, Hermon? Yep, you’re right - they’re all mountains mentioned in the Bible. Maybe the clue was in the title, or maybe you just know your holy mountains! Significant biblical events took place on each of these mountains. Some of them were indeed super-significant for the whole of humanity! As a lover of the mountains I am chuffed that they feature so much in the Bible – apparently more than 500 times! Well, during this sabbatical ‘year’ I (Steve) have had plenty of opportunity to head to the hills, and in the process have been extremely blessed. This year has turned out to be a year of mountain madness for me! These little legs have clocked up 235 miles over 73 summits, climbing over 79,000 ft in the process, in places like the Lakes, the Brecon Beacons and the Highlands of Scotland – where much of the walking has been easier than pronouncing the summit names! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivo5siQUOcU6Txnu4fqYcjxMR7FHX4DfgN_W0jq3mjf0_KYwaXDuUpKzLcXTqzQ5hN1DAuBOZbEHEempz53EwXJtzVytVrL3G6eRTlIrIzB-7Cd7hKqlkc3O4nIUesbpJe9zRTrMyR10yR/s1024/20210901_112759+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivo5siQUOcU6Txnu4fqYcjxMR7FHX4DfgN_W0jq3mjf0_KYwaXDuUpKzLcXTqzQ5hN1DAuBOZbEHEempz53EwXJtzVytVrL3G6eRTlIrIzB-7Cd7hKqlkc3O4nIUesbpJe9zRTrMyR10yR/s320/20210901_112759+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I was introduced to the mountains at an early age by my dad, and over the years have loved being in the hills - but since returning from Tanzania, that thirst for the heights has been even stronger. Why such a desire? There’s many an answer to that one, not least because I haven’t been able to scale many UK heights in the last seven years! However, the answer is best summed up in the words of one of my favourite Runrig songs: “When I walk among the hills I can hear you. When I walk among the hills I feel near you.” I’m not entirely sure who the band were referring to, but for me, when I apply those words to myself and God, it sums up why I enjoy being on the heights so much. There is something special about being out in the wilds of God’s creation. The majesty and grandeur of the mountains causes me to want to praise the Creator, and makes me marvel at the fact I can pour out my heart to the Maker himself. For me, the mountains are places where praise flows more freely and where I feel closer to God – and I thank Him for the opportunities I’ve had this year for more mountain time! These adventures have certainly played a part in helping to restore my energy levels. <p></p><p><i>“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights.”</i> (Hab 3:19). </p><p><i>“He who forms the mountains…..and treads the high places of the earth……the Lord Almighty is his name.”</i> (Amos 4:13). </p><p><i>“Praise the Lord….you mountains and all hills…..let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted, His splendour is above the earth and the heavens.” </i>(Psalm 148).</p><p><b>What else has been happening?</b> Our time with AIM officially came to a close at the end of March, although just a few weeks ago, I was able to attend the AIM Fellowship conference, this time as a retired AIM missionary, which still sounds rather strange! Due to complications associated with the wretched Covid bug, the planned Oak Hall trips to Israel and Austria were cancelled, but Ruth and I were able to enjoy a family holiday in the Outer Hebrides, where we cycled through the islands of Lewis and Harris. Apart from the expected saddle-soreness, a few punctures, bike-chain malfunctions, and lost car keys, the trip went without hitch! Lochs and beaches, mountains and moorland, white-tailed eagles, seals and sunsets, picnics and dolphins – an awesome Scottish adventure! I’ve been able to do a bit of gardening work here and there, and we’ve also been able to visit a few RSPB reserves to get our birding fix. We’ve been out running, we’ve read books, and we’ve spent good time with family……and since the middle of May, Ruth has had the pleasure of being back in work and being the chief bread-winner! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkmw0xu8big_Kx2AWqSsG7S6vkN-ag17j78qLf-iA_bhsKdfE-wDry3-_WaXP1j_KHYTAMUdcZWqgqj7src2dt9jdVTCLijHmf-wfIyl_CAX5LMxVuDtuFVkhnwBbhukhdkHSy1qH63pJ/s1024/104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="1024" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPkmw0xu8big_Kx2AWqSsG7S6vkN-ag17j78qLf-iA_bhsKdfE-wDry3-_WaXP1j_KHYTAMUdcZWqgqj7src2dt9jdVTCLijHmf-wfIyl_CAX5LMxVuDtuFVkhnwBbhukhdkHSy1qH63pJ/s320/104.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4CaMO2_BytYz93Gj1BEaV8Eprsg6hjYZCwA9MTkXbNe2ZDo493ygAT27nja9Phw1IHFQqFJskiwMPqhg4IdwpOwbePFPEorGckTuj4G2VBRLuIsOCiit4b4DgaKkS2PoKByQCA9DlqBF/s1024/095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4CaMO2_BytYz93Gj1BEaV8Eprsg6hjYZCwA9MTkXbNe2ZDo493ygAT27nja9Phw1IHFQqFJskiwMPqhg4IdwpOwbePFPEorGckTuj4G2VBRLuIsOCiit4b4DgaKkS2PoKByQCA9DlqBF/s320/095.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4Jk-1bMCVHp0vCb_b7ZEA3pNkpbCe_RZtT0X4cstPeHYYu79V8RTbXSfjAw9ZszL9HOQVQA8klqSfidTtbS_SvF194XyAQn0wXfCgHnR5oK02mMcccnz_wlDBiHkWz5cEX1zcue2HnuE/s1024/067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="757" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4Jk-1bMCVHp0vCb_b7ZEA3pNkpbCe_RZtT0X4cstPeHYYu79V8RTbXSfjAw9ZszL9HOQVQA8klqSfidTtbS_SvF194XyAQn0wXfCgHnR5oK02mMcccnz_wlDBiHkWz5cEX1zcue2HnuE/s320/067.JPG" width="237" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Over to Ruth:</b> <i>I’ve been working with Inspired Act since May as Operations Manager. The company specializes in providing professional role play actors for training situations. It’s been a steep learning curve and an interesting insight into a world of which I knew little, but I’m enjoying it. </i></p><p><i>Our house in Corsham has finally been returned to us, although not without its issues, as I am sure many a landlord has experienced! We hope to be able to move from the ‘mill in Malmesbury’ back into our house towards the end of the year when a few necessary refurbishments have been completed! It will be good to be based in Corsham again and to be able to walk to work!</i></p><p><i>It’s been so good to attend Corsham Baptist regularly over the last few months and to reconnect with people. I’m looking forward to being more involved in church life, especially as restrictions lift and activities return to being face-to-face rather than online. I’ve already signed up to join the monthly craft group! </i></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2gjUN0bGF-pib3_mEKA-6hx10U-uK4yLAnB92OrA-42RRe0xSmny6HDUeb_PpgUzrxivM2-pJw0VKInXPTc6eATFlQechA8Th6B2FXtz8NwloyO8sJln4OBYcr5rwnCqmWyg635Q3XZL/s2048/008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1327" data-original-width="2048" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2gjUN0bGF-pib3_mEKA-6hx10U-uK4yLAnB92OrA-42RRe0xSmny6HDUeb_PpgUzrxivM2-pJw0VKInXPTc6eATFlQechA8Th6B2FXtz8NwloyO8sJln4OBYcr5rwnCqmWyg635Q3XZL/s320/008.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b>A New Chapter:</b> Actually, I’ll be working with an organisation that deals with 1189 of them (chapters!). After nine months of ‘time-out’ the opportunity is now there for me to get back in the saddle! On 27th Sept I’ll start working for a ministry called “The Word for the World”, which is a Bible-translation agency. The ministry was started in South Africa back in 1981 and there are now supporting offices in USA and the UK. Across 15 countries, mainly in Asia and Africa, 165 Bible translation projects are currently in progress, or have been completed by TWFTW. The aim of the organisation is to train and equip indigenous people to translate the Bible into their own languages. Even in this so-called advanced world that we live in, there are still many places that don’t yet have the Bible in their own language. The stats are that 2,500 language communities already have some, or all of the Bible – but that still leaves a staggering 4,000 languages without access to God’s printed Word! The aim of TWFTW is therefore to help alleviate Bible poverty across the world, and to bring the good news of Jesus to people that haven’t yet received it in their own tongue. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcyuPeA_iSzxAHHJnw1707NNumkdODCkNVAKshsXDdbRlKHkpOjKVaLXWqJDdHZstxz6c950Dl48f7JRvOtHSI52nKeGC5zw3vvATX07N_Sb_PfW2X3bObIYO2oSAiI0hcj-nXWZ1MoxT/s300/SAVmainpage-300x247.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="300" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcyuPeA_iSzxAHHJnw1707NNumkdODCkNVAKshsXDdbRlKHkpOjKVaLXWqJDdHZstxz6c950Dl48f7JRvOtHSI52nKeGC5zw3vvATX07N_Sb_PfW2X3bObIYO2oSAiI0hcj-nXWZ1MoxT/s0/SAVmainpage-300x247.png" width="300" /></a></div>So, where exactly do I come in, especially as I have absolutely no experience in Bible translation?! My remit will be to represent and promote the work of The Word for the World here in the UK, mainly through preaching and presenting in various churches, but also at various conferences and events. I’m hoping to inspire people into supporting the work of Bible translation as part of the task Jesus gave us in the Great Commission verses, but in preaching God’s Word I also want to encourage believers to get deeper into their Bibles, making more of the fact that we have such easy access to God’s written Word. If you feel there might be an opportunity for me to visit your church, please feel free to get in touch. And if you want to find out more about the ministry, the unique way in which Bible translation is done by TWFTW, and in which countries they work, please click on the following links for more info: <p></p><p><a href="https://twftw.org.uk/" target="_blank">The Word for the World UK – Translating the Bible into every language (twftw.org.uk)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.twftw.org/" target="_blank">The Word For The World Bible Translators (twftw.org)</a> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WlrO8pfJjv91Uwp5Tl7mJBVKP1f5VVxlVejt_zrxkMo1Uh2-3f7cnYxbpY2FKa2QgNoIYaiPDqJONDaazVc53177rp_vDPFlnkGiNix9AQV77uZSHRaiUKQJU6RpHza4RJ34RXo5ta9x/s1024/IMG_2112+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1024" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WlrO8pfJjv91Uwp5Tl7mJBVKP1f5VVxlVejt_zrxkMo1Uh2-3f7cnYxbpY2FKa2QgNoIYaiPDqJONDaazVc53177rp_vDPFlnkGiNix9AQV77uZSHRaiUKQJU6RpHza4RJ34RXo5ta9x/w400-h285/IMG_2112+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>On the UK website you’ll also find details of the “Sponsor a Verse” project, so if you want to send someone a Christmas present with a difference, or simply want to invest in helping TWFTW in their translation work, please <a href="https://twftw.org.uk/index.php/get-involved/sponsor-a-verse/" target="_blank">click here</a> for more details. <p></p><p>And if you would like to be kept up-to-date with the work I’ll be involved in, plus the wider work of the ministry, please send me an email and I will add you to the mailing list. You will then receive a short emailed newsletter approximately once every two months from TWFTW. So, just so that it’s crystal clear - if you only want to receive the “Life in the Lancs Lane” blog update, then you do not need to do anything: this will be a general ‘Steve & Ruth’ update sent out twice a year, but if you want further updates on TWFTW and my involvement in the ministry, I do need to hear from you. </p><p><b>Praise & Prayer Points:</b></p><p>- Thanking God (and Ruth!) for the opportunity I’ve had to take time out. The stomach issues have settled, the head is clearer, the energy and enthusiasm is returning, and the sleep is a bit better than it was! </p><p>- Thanking God that Ruth has had employment for the last four months, and for the fact we’ve felt very settled in the old Silk Mill here in Malmesbury. It’s been such an ideal stop-over place whilst waiting for our house in Corsham to be vacated. </p><p>- Please pray that I would settle into my role with “The Word for the World” and that, as I continue to preach, “I would fearlessly make known the gospel” and “correctly handle the Word of Truth”. </p><p>Thanks for your prayers,</p><p>Love, Steve & Ruth</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjtBkbydeg_BUzjulwOIkOT7Ct2GioSWpYz_dkeOSTk1UX6mmT9MZUl5ytXnyU-8cHc002U2iu3JsGemg7C09WRubAqEfYP5BLtFTmEFZjeg6AxUdd6fZn9YlM_Stbnd77D-WV0JUogzA/s1600/007+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjtBkbydeg_BUzjulwOIkOT7Ct2GioSWpYz_dkeOSTk1UX6mmT9MZUl5ytXnyU-8cHc002U2iu3JsGemg7C09WRubAqEfYP5BLtFTmEFZjeg6AxUdd6fZn9YlM_Stbnd77D-WV0JUogzA/s320/007+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bird of the month - the bearded tit. We didn't take<br />this picture but we saw them at RSPB Titchwell<br />on a short break to Norfolk - the fulfillment of<br />a birding ambition!<br /><br /></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYqW3oKEhb5TEoLRPdqrU08AuLpoOeUAfV15VKKfAs1p72JJovbdpuuW4iTXFLWNzShU5VLDrRf1BumFzNpYrOCmjjLldqwygL0PNS3kkVeX4tr_cgRrb7ACpIk_0emtJFRHo2OEkExul/s1024/IMG-20210820-WA0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirYqW3oKEhb5TEoLRPdqrU08AuLpoOeUAfV15VKKfAs1p72JJovbdpuuW4iTXFLWNzShU5VLDrRf1BumFzNpYrOCmjjLldqwygL0PNS3kkVeX4tr_cgRrb7ACpIk_0emtJFRHo2OEkExul/s320/IMG-20210820-WA0001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Celebrating Ruth's birthday in August with pizza!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-52803935445125349372021-05-08T17:34:00.001+01:002021-05-08T17:34:41.276+01:00The Last Words!<p><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #202122; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; text-indent: 0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxODjj1CjU9qI21Lmv8RBtuWcn5SL4VcDTRGj0FGj-JWTY0LDTI6iLN7K6xzthYpuPR7M3m3xMhNlS4t5pPgac7P8eQfQlITTk71M6s_gaJI4ynEhhKDW58hb1AECxNxWgQAn5osFnLK_/s1159/001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="791" data-original-width="1159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTxODjj1CjU9qI21Lmv8RBtuWcn5SL4VcDTRGj0FGj-JWTY0LDTI6iLN7K6xzthYpuPR7M3m3xMhNlS4t5pPgac7P8eQfQlITTk71M6s_gaJI4ynEhhKDW58hb1AECxNxWgQAn5osFnLK_/s320/001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>2nd January: High Pike in the Lakes</i></td></tr></tbody></table>The very last words of Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ novel are a tad underwhelming considering what has gone before. Samwise Gamgee, the ever-faithful travelling companion, arrives back in the Shire after completing his quest to help Frodo deposit the magical ring in the fires of Mount Doom. He has fought off giant spiders, battled with orcs and trolls, trudged over mire and mountain, and finally arrived back at his Hobbiton home. He slumps into a chair in his cosy hobbit-hole and says to his wife in a rather understated manner, “Well, I’m back.”</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br />Well, we’re back! And this is where our AIM journey comes to an end. We haven’t had to fight any trolls, at least not in the physical realm! Who knows how many spiritual trolls have been encountered during our journey?! We have encountered a few big spiders and scorpions, but not on the scale that Sam and Frodo had to deal with. We haven’t had to trudge over mire and mountain, unlike many of the early AIM missionaries, but we did clock up a lot of miles on the potholed roles of Tanzania as we ministered to pastors and missionaries across the country. We didn’t have a magical ring to deal with, although, just as Tolkien’s ring had the power to destroy all evil, our mission was to teach God’s Word, a story that deals with the ultimate battle between good and evil, and the eventual demise of our enemy. Revelation ch. 20 states that Satan will indeed be thrown into a lake of fire, and on that day, his influence will be no more! The victory has been won! Now, I realise that you can take analogies too far (Tolkien might disagree!) but the fact is that Ruth and I have completed our AIM journey and we’re finally able to say with Sam Gamgee, “Well, we’re back.” It is the end of that story - but if you’d like to watch a summary of our final term ‘adventures’, see the penultimate paragraph for more details! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdo1onWzy-dMpCobLkrEJEnECn-p2SoIucOWLRoFJIJ3Sps_ijg2_UsEo1t_Fl9xEwiyEc9kHAo3qxYG-UYThWGQ_lQUZq1Gjl-3It4jSJtSAGsAW2Sg6IyXuKuQPMADvgyjLKwbmi3g9/s1347/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdo1onWzy-dMpCobLkrEJEnECn-p2SoIucOWLRoFJIJ3Sps_ijg2_UsEo1t_Fl9xEwiyEc9kHAo3qxYG-UYThWGQ_lQUZq1Gjl-3It4jSJtSAGsAW2Sg6IyXuKuQPMADvgyjLKwbmi3g9/s320/002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Winter Wonderland:</b> It’s now just over four months since we arrived back in the UK. We enjoyed a quarantined Christmas, staying in a cosy Cumbrian cottage in the village of Baggrow - not ‘Bag End’! Due to the fact that we couldn’t do any face-to-face deputation and that we hadn’t got a home to go to, we decided to head north to Scotland where Ruth’s sister has a holiday cottage that we could rent for a few months. We stayed in the town of Nairn, or as one resident referred to it, Nairnia! It certainly felt like Narnia during January when the snow came down and covered the frozen harbour! Here’s a strange connection: the actress who played the evil ice queen in the Narnia movie actually lives in Nairn! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxY0Pi7PFd-rDo5ihTFKC0DoFEjjWRP3bFnhrK3fzB9wQT-GAAniCX3qPlo-5e-qqvpX6Ra_78BN8Yg-2OCYfWb-V65pQeLxjCcJaoD3mlRQJsfNVOQ5IUVWLLut5DDK5p1XC6FZyAjK5i/s1600/007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxY0Pi7PFd-rDo5ihTFKC0DoFEjjWRP3bFnhrK3fzB9wQT-GAAniCX3qPlo-5e-qqvpX6Ra_78BN8Yg-2OCYfWb-V65pQeLxjCcJaoD3mlRQJsfNVOQ5IUVWLLut5DDK5p1XC6FZyAjK5i/w113-h200/007.jpg" width="113" /></a></div>Coming out of the heat of Tanzania, Ruth and I had both wanted to experience a proper cold winter, and up in Nairn we certainly got that! We were told that Nairn hadn’t seen as cold a winter for at least 10 years, so it seems we were there at the right time! With mountains on the doorstep, beaches to walk along, forests to wander through and birds to spot, these two months provided a real Rivendell experience for us; a place to rest and relax, to unwind and unravel, to chill and be chilled! We loved it! We managed to do a few online presentations and I was also able to preach a couple of times. In fact, the wonders of modern technology meant that I could be halfway up a mountainous Munro but at the same time preaching in Carlisle! Whilst preaching a pre-recorded sermon to a laptop does have some advantages, it isn’t quite the same, so I’m looking forward to getting back in a live pulpit sometime soon. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRQOjIpO9nNz052bF4zTu8rnat1Z4kcw9lMDSiFrlbgO7t1kI1tyml_INFTrkv_cWlB5jhMaWat3EkuoP4xnmV5UXHskI6lRrgmzdDSuTdA0tUUruX61irCUCh0vKNCPtKtvxHqHQ_7Sy/s1600/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTRQOjIpO9nNz052bF4zTu8rnat1Z4kcw9lMDSiFrlbgO7t1kI1tyml_INFTrkv_cWlB5jhMaWat3EkuoP4xnmV5UXHskI6lRrgmzdDSuTdA0tUUruX61irCUCh0vKNCPtKtvxHqHQ_7Sy/w400-h225/003.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A wintry Munro in the Highlands of Scotland</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KJhCAIFe1S6Gvr039W210PAoF36inhSoDzflieCA0CMPK1Ga03EWVWw2oQ5rjUELSbkyGYn4dKPC_yJ1ymWfd3yDBqJmATSxQFXuam2gMLKvQCB2gJNL8J_LdkM13nc0GK5gfdMyFAbi/s1024/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7KJhCAIFe1S6Gvr039W210PAoF36inhSoDzflieCA0CMPK1Ga03EWVWw2oQ5rjUELSbkyGYn4dKPC_yJ1ymWfd3yDBqJmATSxQFXuam2gMLKvQCB2gJNL8J_LdkM13nc0GK5gfdMyFAbi/s320/005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Morogoro to Malmesbury:</b> Following our time in Scotland we headed south and began the process of finding somewhere to rent. To cut a long story short, we’ve ended up in the small Cotswold town of Malmesbury where we have been able to rent a flat in an old workhouse! Actually, it’s an old silk mill that was built in 1793 to process raw silk from China. You’ll see from the photo that the building has numerous large windows in it, designed to let lots of natural light into the rooms, thereby avoiding having to use oil lamps and candles. This was all with safety in mind as the silk material being processed was highly flammable! We’ve been here just over a month and have settled in really well, and so far haven’t come across any ghostly silk-millers looking for their silk! We had initially wanted to rent in Corsham itself but found that there was very little on the rental market that was available for just six months, so we opted for this flat in Malmesbury, only a 20-minute drive away. The silk mill will be our home for the next few months whilst we wait for our tenants to move out of our house in Corsham. </div><div><br /></div><div>The town of Malmesbury seems to have three notable claims to fame.<b>1 .</b> Athelstan, the first king of England was buried here in the abbey in the year 939. <b>2.</b> A tower in the abbey was used for an early attempt at human flight way back in 1010. One of the monks jumped into a hand-made glider and launched himself off the tower. It flew for 180 metres before crashing to the ground, leaving him with two broken legs! <b>3.</b> Nowadays it’s home to the Dyson company, an employer of over 4,000 people who design and produce all sorts of household gadgets.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0j2ckmYNvxRdLrOYuggQqTE8CtvSM8e5AtOuQxtRrX8ImPf9LedOyPU4NxjsDwaXBtff8vIP0oxX77SDJ0YsXMBpgR2BoiypWaTNdXuX1INpyv0Olu9rHH0SokyLNdLPkASTqCTOKBAiG/s1600/008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0j2ckmYNvxRdLrOYuggQqTE8CtvSM8e5AtOuQxtRrX8ImPf9LedOyPU4NxjsDwaXBtff8vIP0oxX77SDJ0YsXMBpgR2BoiypWaTNdXuX1INpyv0Olu9rHH0SokyLNdLPkASTqCTOKBAiG/s320/008.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sunset on the Solway Firth</i></td></tr></tbody></table>And so to the ‘what next’ question!</b> We’ve certainly enjoyed our home assignment months, even though they’ve been a bit different due to Covid restrictions. Tanzania already seems a world away from where we are now; there are no geckos on our walls here, no ants crawling over the kitchen top, no snakes to be mindful of! We now drink water from the taps without a second thought and are still amazed by the food choices available in the supermarket! Despite what people may say, the roads here are a pleasure to drive on, and having my car serviced here only takes a day, rather than week!! And it still seems strange that it’s not getting dark at 6.30 every night! I guess that these, and a thousand other differences, add to the variety of life that we’ve experienced during the past 7 years, and it’s going to take a bit more time to fully adjust back into UK culture. We’re grateful for most of these experiences (!) and thankful to God for a good re-entry! </div><div><br /></div><div>Ruth has been actively looking for employment and had hoped to find a job with a Christian ministry. However, the Lord seems to have another direction in mind for her at this time and on 10th May she will start a new job as the Operations Manager of a small company that specializes in providing training through role play (see <a href="http://www.inspired-act.co.uk">www.inspired-act.co.uk</a> for more information). This opportunity came about through a member of Corsham Baptist Church who runs the company. Please pray for Ruth as she settles into the role. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cTi5VHFwg8Y9G82hhyYMHjHCfIyMZnhknebSY4vwSCLUPjxUVyt1K6zuIQr4hVX_AOCnPRBlQLbehNPQ997D8ZNce6-K9j2eTSeQaKPZbztLWzBWF4YfzhjbUUWyM3lL6cv1DscDkOM3/s1123/006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="715" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cTi5VHFwg8Y9G82hhyYMHjHCfIyMZnhknebSY4vwSCLUPjxUVyt1K6zuIQr4hVX_AOCnPRBlQLbehNPQ997D8ZNce6-K9j2eTSeQaKPZbztLWzBWF4YfzhjbUUWyM3lL6cv1DscDkOM3/s320/006.jpg" /></a></div>As for me (Steve), there are a few possibilities, but nothing definite to report on. I’ve found it hard to know exactly what I want to do in this next chapter, and I’m content to wait for the right opportunity, knowing that God will show me the right door to walk through as and when that door appears! I’d like to continue in Christian ministry through preaching and teaching but working out the right context in which to do that, at this point in time, is the hard part! Meanwhile, Oak Hall has asked me to lead and speak on a few trips during the summer and, now that travel restrictions are beginning to ease, there is a better chance of them actually happening. Israel is one country that has just been given a ‘green light’, meaning that there won’t be a requirement to quarantine on return. The Israel trips I hope to be leading will be 31st July-10th August, and 8th-18th Sept, and I also hope to be doing the Bible teaching on the Oak Hall Alpine Bible week in Austria towards the end of August. It’s always good to see a few familiar faces on these trips, so if you fancy joining me, please have a look at the Oak Hall website, or click the following links: </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.oakhall.co.uk/israel/israel">Oak Hall - Israel</a>—trip codes IS34 and IS40 </div><div><a href="https://www.oakhall.co.uk/summer/alpinebibleschool">Oak Hall Alpine Bible Week</a>—trip code AA36</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7mHyQyAdJ2mT07zBocCzcHQX0p2oyNTksRmDvmKzXKvOnZeFM_EC3IxOh8cyUWnSfeO4UrbMiJy2ipshGp9uGkdiGTpWG8_89IjqRTqRQu_Qs8NxDraeK3mBolbMzhJP1NRx2xQaHCjY/s1040/Batano+%2526+Tony+Feb+21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="780" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7mHyQyAdJ2mT07zBocCzcHQX0p2oyNTksRmDvmKzXKvOnZeFM_EC3IxOh8cyUWnSfeO4UrbMiJy2ipshGp9uGkdiGTpWG8_89IjqRTqRQu_Qs8NxDraeK3mBolbMzhJP1NRx2xQaHCjY/w150-h200/Batano+%2526+Tony+Feb+21.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Pastor Batano & Tony <br />at Sanga Sanga<br /></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table>News of Sanga Sanga: </b>Our former team mates Tony & Cath Swanson visited Sanga Sanga in February to run a training course for pastors and reported back to us that the ministry appears to be thriving. The buildings were spick and span and visitor bookings were growing. We’re so thankful to hear this news and to know that our Tanzanian colleagues are doing a great job. Please do continue to pray for Pastor Batano, the accountant John, evangelist Francis Manungu and all the team there. You can receive occasional updates of Sanga Sanga through the Facebook page at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aictsangasanga">https://www.facebook.com/aictsangasanga</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Magical Memories and Memorable Moments:</b> Back in March we put together a video presentation of our third term in Tanzania, a summary of our final term and a collection of our memorable moments. It was done primarily for folks at our home church in Corsham because we couldn’t report back to them face-to-face, but we thought we’d make it available on the blog for anyone to watch. You might be familiar with some of the photos and stories, as they’ve appeared in various newsletters, but we hope that it gives the full flavour of our final term in Tanzania. So, if you’d like to see some footage of an elephant up close and personal, some grown-up men and women getting excited over a piece of birthday cake, a Muslim-majority primary school class singing God’s praises, and some Masai dance moves, head to the previous post on the blog entitled “Video – a look back at our last term” and click on the link which says “3rd term video for Corsham Baptist”. A word of warning to those strapped for time, the presentation lasts for 46 minutes!! </div><div><br /></div><div>This is the 41st and final edition of our AIM-related newsletter and, if you’ve read all 41 editions, you deserve a medal! A note of thanks to Ma and Pa Lancs for printing and distributing those 41 editions! We hope you’ve enjoyed the journey and have felt a part of what we’ve been doing over these last 7.5 years. We may well continue to write an occasional blog update (depending on what happens next), so if you would prefer <u>not</u> to be on the blog update list, please let us know. If we don’t hear from you, we’ll assume you’re happy to hear from us occasionally! </div><div><br /></div><div>Our formal service with AIM officially ended on 31st March, although we’ll continue to be inactive members for the time being. We had good debriefs with our colleagues in the Nottingham office and are grateful for all they’ve done to administer our service and smooth our transitions to and from the field.</div><div><br /></div><div>To those who have written to us at various times, to those who have encouraged us, to those who have prayed for us, and to those who have supported us and our work at IBM financially, we want to say the biggest <b>THANK YOU</b> possible - asante sana kabisa for your support! You’ve been a huge blessing! And I guess all that’s left to say is ‘goodbye’…. for now! </div><div><br /></div><div>Every blessing,</div><div><br /></div><div>Steve & Ruth</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Prayer Points</b></div><div><br /></div><div>- Praise God for the way in which He has helped us to adjust back to life in the UK and for the provision of accommodation.</div><div>- Please pray for Ruth as she starts her new job soon. Pray too for Steve as he considers the future and waits for God’s direction.</div><div>- Please pray for Pastor Batano and his team at Sanga Sanga, that the ministry will continue to bless the pastors and evangelists of the AICT. Pray for wise management and increasing visitor numbers to sustain the work.</div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0Sd7PM2_1gBooQYxefjvTA-q5SJh7kNiRlSBtaEcoIu_Eydtff102i0qFaC4lGKhEPt8TBNqvLOLlThAhmaH2wFYGE57FZPP06WSXGeTbU4_2oRIlR3VfV6W8RAfhdIki8QK1GazDHJb/s474/009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0Sd7PM2_1gBooQYxefjvTA-q5SJh7kNiRlSBtaEcoIu_Eydtff102i0qFaC4lGKhEPt8TBNqvLOLlThAhmaH2wFYGE57FZPP06WSXGeTbU4_2oRIlR3VfV6W8RAfhdIki8QK1GazDHJb/s320/009.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird of the month: Long-tailed Duck,<br />seen at Hopeman, Moray</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCMsTITnkiZr3QZYIt2-2M55Q8vErhfl33k1TinvVgMu8Z8p6EuVmLlw9l4_T6g3DGZQE_qxt2QPwYX3xCmgnm0XRVGoTGlpB8ZO6mbb34trGoayW22jQFoOlvTq2ENL-fFYPiUWUnqke/s1474/004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1474" data-original-width="1062" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCMsTITnkiZr3QZYIt2-2M55Q8vErhfl33k1TinvVgMu8Z8p6EuVmLlw9l4_T6g3DGZQE_qxt2QPwYX3xCmgnm0XRVGoTGlpB8ZO6mbb34trGoayW22jQFoOlvTq2ENL-fFYPiUWUnqke/s320/004.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve, his niece Grace and sister<br />Bev at the end of the unofficial<br />Nairn half marathon in March!</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-30813794261273666312021-03-08T19:01:00.019+00:002021-03-12T17:15:42.845+00:00Video - a look back at our last term<p> Hi folks,</p><p>We've been back in the UK for a couple of months now. It's been a good time for us to process our final term in Tanzania and adjust to life back here, and especially life under lockdown. We'll be sending out a final newsletter in a few weeks' time but for now we thought you might want to watch a video that we put together for our church, Corsham Baptist, that gives the highlights of our final year, some memorable moments and some things that we'd love you to pray for. The video is 45 minutes long so get yourself a cuppa and get comfortable! To access the video, clink the link below (it will look like it's buffering but if you press play it will start).</p><p>Enjoy!</p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QQbGZ5rfWr7WioERXona_ZfAVZ1AKJQa/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">3rd term video for Corsham Baptist</a></p><p><br /></p>Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-45162506780990055562020-12-08T18:10:00.002+00:002020-12-08T18:10:59.650+00:00Never say never!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_lzCeoNZ4nDOY6RzWVJOAxVtHfg024kpdwYgidUnkMGZjqT8yVj2FQDlJjOkrrY0lmdKGkj6ffAPyu2DzLZQaOsfmBXq4dPVzuJzbVxNyxNC0DAJXX12t0VKWlRxqypYzT1oaWvL5q9U/s507/001+lr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="507" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_lzCeoNZ4nDOY6RzWVJOAxVtHfg024kpdwYgidUnkMGZjqT8yVj2FQDlJjOkrrY0lmdKGkj6ffAPyu2DzLZQaOsfmBXq4dPVzuJzbVxNyxNC0DAJXX12t0VKWlRxqypYzT1oaWvL5q9U/s320/001+lr.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Back in 2010, in my role as an AIM mobiliser I made a brief visit to Morogoro to stay with an AIM missionary couple (the Swansons), little knowing that three years later we’d be joining them in the work at Sanga Sanga. Towards the end of that trip, Ruth flew out from the UK to join me for some holiday. It was Ruth’s first visit to sub-Saharan Africa and she can vividly remember walking down one of the bustling Morogoro streets thinking to herself, “I could never live here!” Well, I wonder if God had a little chuckle at that point, knowing that His plan was for us to live and work here for 7.5 years?! We often joke that, in God’s economy, it’s dangerous to say the word ‘never’, but obviously in Ruth’s case, the thought was just as dangerous! God has a habit of using people in places and situations where they could never have imagined living, doing what they never thought they’d be doing. And yet He always follows that ‘never-never’ call by equipping His servants to carry out what He’s called them to do in never-never land! <p></p><p>We can both testify to that. Ruth can testify to the fact that God has equipped her to manage the finances at Sanga, alongside many other tasks and roles she would never have imagined doing before she came here (building maintenance!). Although I'm not a fantastic linguist God has enabled me to preach and teach in Swahili on 229 occasions, despite the fact that I would often find myself thinking (whilst preaching) ‘What on earth am I doing standing up here preaching in another language?!’ He has proven the words of a phrase I heard at Bible College 18 years ago: “God often doesn’t call the qualified but he always qualifies the called.” The verse that we chose for our third term prayer card highlights this issue of God equipping His servants for a role: “There is nothing in us that allows us to claim that we are capable of doing this work. The capacity we have comes only from God.” (2 Cor 3:4)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsbvpI7vYMzgRpULdnCZMV2uNtJr8BTnzK8UPA2J685TShJIoFqqnW-s20StdnOhFw92SWQQ49H7fLSdpg1PUqemQYpAAOjHW72HIRE3Qw0z0VcObFl_UwcuUVaZQQXVV7g-zZROVMaK7/s606/002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="606" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsbvpI7vYMzgRpULdnCZMV2uNtJr8BTnzK8UPA2J685TShJIoFqqnW-s20StdnOhFw92SWQQ49H7fLSdpg1PUqemQYpAAOjHW72HIRE3Qw0z0VcObFl_UwcuUVaZQQXVV7g-zZROVMaK7/w320-h229/002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Being equipped by God to do what He has called you to do does not, however, guarantee that the road ahead is going to be straightforward! I think our 7.5 years of living in Morogoro can be compared to the state of the roads in Tanzania! There are sections where the tarmac is new and smooth, where the road is straight for many a mile – but there are also sections where the roads are rough, twisty, potholed and yet another rumble strip shudders through the car, testing your shock absorbers to the limit! There are also quite a few unpainted humps in the road which are invisible until you’re on them! Likewise, that’s how life can be for us all at various times. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpd5GInJajZKGtpNX8I2CYj-IGLNT8kBqRMsIEyBX0iwgRatVa618BfxFpwW4Yr31jf8pYgQq5p0ulamw5fP39brsUFW51nZxW0NvQwlGuAR_CLAU8-r_P-daDubxhB7hxH3C3r2KU7NCc/s640/003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="640" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpd5GInJajZKGtpNX8I2CYj-IGLNT8kBqRMsIEyBX0iwgRatVa618BfxFpwW4Yr31jf8pYgQq5p0ulamw5fP39brsUFW51nZxW0NvQwlGuAR_CLAU8-r_P-daDubxhB7hxH3C3r2KU7NCc/w320-h230/003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>Certainly, in the last couple of years, there have been more potholes and humps than we would have chosen on this journey, but despite them, God has enabled us to do what we came to do, and this part of the journey is nearly journeyed! And we're realising (rather slowly!) that God uses the humps and bumps more than the ‘straight and the smooth’. In fact it would seem from the pages of Scripture, that there are times when God leads us purposefully down into some potholes in order to accomplish His purposes in our lives. And more often than not, at the time we haven’t got a clue why! </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Although it doesn’t use potholes as an analogy, I’m reminded of a poem I came across years ago called The Weaver. My guess is that I’ll look back over time and wish I hadn’t complained so much about all those humps and bumps!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNnQFdVpWhjSbu9tWpANnt_cWyOheLpKrN758y5R6vbVEQabob97XmNqdPT679M9k9Ouv7zVmByzjZAAecysaJ-Pixr5axQ09JeTG2v4sQNk5v8DZgkN4EK0t5DXLx-R6dwD8XrpSUMuo/s552/004.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="341" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNnQFdVpWhjSbu9tWpANnt_cWyOheLpKrN758y5R6vbVEQabob97XmNqdPT679M9k9Ouv7zVmByzjZAAecysaJ-Pixr5axQ09JeTG2v4sQNk5v8DZgkN4EK0t5DXLx-R6dwD8XrpSUMuo/w248-h400/004.jpeg" width="248" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><b>Surviving the Seminar Season!</b> A few weeks ago we were able to wrap up the IBM conference season with a four day seminar for AICT Evangelists at Sanga Sanga, with over 120 people in attendance. This was concluded with another goodbye ceremony and yet more yards of coloured cloth being wrapped around Ruth. The presentation of an African shirt provided many minutes of comedy as I struggled to get the thing over my head, whilst silently vowing never to wear it again! <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGb1_we68fIMNv-Gm3kPz02ZuwgJK6KvUkxqBof4fBuf_4rZPHOneB1-2PKKu2kg_dt3-ZTpRb11N9-JVNJm1Opw4CJCuSjJz1QiisJ9uFuMqqclhXzjoBxLhgabE9C_9teH99ZtaNxSjP/s1507/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1507" data-original-width="1271" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGb1_we68fIMNv-Gm3kPz02ZuwgJK6KvUkxqBof4fBuf_4rZPHOneB1-2PKKu2kg_dt3-ZTpRb11N9-JVNJm1Opw4CJCuSjJz1QiisJ9uFuMqqclhXzjoBxLhgabE9C_9teH99ZtaNxSjP/w270-h320/006.JPG" width="270" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No, these aren't snow goggle marks - they're<br />tribal tattoos. A conference attendee.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6azknRiKsNHuMelkvGtcf05nrM6Hmr1y_QV-Flu6kmBItRAuRvOJgAOewm3Tfh84YwFY-MaNweeHZNv60_Q_LbA1Y16txIIZOqduikYIBD1VkKBeiVyRhx8wYvOUXjKxS_E4YI4pN4rcv/s640/005+lr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6azknRiKsNHuMelkvGtcf05nrM6Hmr1y_QV-Flu6kmBItRAuRvOJgAOewm3Tfh84YwFY-MaNweeHZNv60_Q_LbA1Y16txIIZOqduikYIBD1VkKBeiVyRhx8wYvOUXjKxS_E4YI4pN4rcv/s320/005+lr.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve's very last Swahili session!</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy39hER0XjyrTFIRh47F8RJemtaXWpOKEycLe7fwFgfZSWZ-7gMMTtCwPv5MukHmG1hzCMOYnkh4b0eXnZCr4V8M9zxGdC3tdOflMuStcmrDXZL5VSBoL_9PBrsvM3Wp8fFtzk9d5FktXY/s1080/007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="810" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy39hER0XjyrTFIRh47F8RJemtaXWpOKEycLe7fwFgfZSWZ-7gMMTtCwPv5MukHmG1hzCMOYnkh4b0eXnZCr4V8M9zxGdC3tdOflMuStcmrDXZL5VSBoL_9PBrsvM3Wp8fFtzk9d5FktXY/s320/007.jpg" /></a></div>The Evangelists' conference provided a real contrast to the last of our regional seminars, held in Iringa back in October. The church building we met in was a challenging venue as it was situated at the top of a steep road leading into the city. The sound of labouring lorries struggling up the hill in first gear was never far away! Added to that was the constant sound of pan-clattering as the adjoining corridor was used as a makeshift kitchen. Strangely enough, I never did see the hygiene certificate on the wall, although in defence of the cooks, the food was good and we didn't get dodgy stomachs! It was a challenging week in many ways and brought added meaning to the scripture where Paul says, “Preach the Word, being prepared in season and out of season.” In other words, be prepared to preach when it’s convenient and when it’s not; when it's noisy and when it’s quiet; when it's well-attended and when it’s not! So concluded the teaching series on Mark’s gospel, after which we headed straight off to our annual AIM retreat (also in Iringa) where I was involved in teaching, this time from John’s gospel. I know for sure that any ministry back in the UK might not be as ‘colourful’ as it is here in Africa! <p></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8SEVufAIZbwXJhS7QDCw_mLBfx-TnEOjGgUVnguK82VtDZ3X3mDr3d5SJlLz2Qd1iiQwCcvXPQ9Bjt7pPSmnjKdynlni5hAh8oKnR_XFddlnPQGcEelWt0wdRUztHA2T4BQNVcdnTf24/s987/009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="987" data-original-width="611" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8SEVufAIZbwXJhS7QDCw_mLBfx-TnEOjGgUVnguK82VtDZ3X3mDr3d5SJlLz2Qd1iiQwCcvXPQ9Bjt7pPSmnjKdynlni5hAh8oKnR_XFddlnPQGcEelWt0wdRUztHA2T4BQNVcdnTf24/s320/009.jpg" /></a></b></div><b>Project Pack-down!</b> With our goodbye ceremonies complete and handovers all but done, we’re now preparing for our Tanzanian departure on 20th Dec. This week is definitely where the pack-down gets serious as we sell off our household goods and aim to squeeze our worldly belongings into six suitcases! We leave Morogoro on Tuesday 15th and head to the coast for five days, where we’ll take in the last of the African sun and enjoy the last few days of mask-freedom! Arriving back in the UK on 21st Dec is going to be a shock to the system in terms of climate and Covid! We’ll quarantine over Christmas in Cumbria and then plan on heading down south to Wiltshire in early January. The first two months of 2021 will see us on home assignment, and then come 1st March, our term of service with AIM will come to a close. At this point, we’re still not sure what the next chapter looks like and the canvas is looking fairly blank! However, we believe that the Artist in charge of the next tapestry will reveal the pattern according to His timing and purpose. Please pray that we’ll remain patient as we watch, wait, and listen! <p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-L5q_UWGR80E7v4t5B5fffjydL7O-PC3G4Dm_2Vr_hIc1E0tFDZoVhEGDobmIXOxYa5fGx24gLleg2ZnCMM31Z-7GATKA2SIwKqnh2Yhn7IGNqF0Sf2TG-jgEJDUrQLSob1I2N5sOLE0K/s640/008+lr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="640" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-L5q_UWGR80E7v4t5B5fffjydL7O-PC3G4Dm_2Vr_hIc1E0tFDZoVhEGDobmIXOxYa5fGx24gLleg2ZnCMM31Z-7GATKA2SIwKqnh2Yhn7IGNqF0Sf2TG-jgEJDUrQLSob1I2N5sOLE0K/w400-h263/008+lr.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saying farewell to the staff at Sanga Sanga</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We hope to be in touch with a final newsletter sometime in February but for now we’ll sign off from Tanzania and wish you all a very happy and healthy Christmas. Many thanks to those of you who have supported us on this journey, whether that be through prayer or pounds, or both! We’ve been blessed with faithful, loyal and loving support along the route – and for that we are extremely grateful. We could not have done this without you. To those who have supported us financially, we’ll be in contact in the New Year to let you know about the ‘shutting down’ process! For now, it’s 'kwa heri' from Tanzania, knowing that it will soon be time for ‘hello’ in the UK! </p><p><b>Prayer Points:</b> </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We’re thanking God for the completion of this year’s conferences, and praying the teaching goes on to bear much fruit. </li><li>We’re thanking God for good farewells and a sense of closure to our time in Tanzania. </li><li>We’re thanking God for His protection and blessing during the last 7.5 years. </li><li>We’re praying for guidance with regard to the next chapter; that we’d be open to His leading; that God would show us clearly what the next step is; for wisdom as we plan our home assignment including where we should live!</li><li>Please continue to pray for Pastor Batano, John Enock and the staff at Sanga Sanga as they continue with the ministry in our absence. </li></ul><p></p><p>Every blessing</p><p>Steve & Ruth</p><p>PS. For the Corshamites among you, here’s a weird connection with our newsletter title! Did you know that the first time the phrase “never say never” first appeared in print was back in 1837? Charles Dickens used it in his novel ‘The Pickwick Papers’ – which was apparently written in Pickwick, Corsham! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pir4w94W__PLxSrRVOxWXCQ1S4g43yvtCpzKOyG8FvrJ1eCwtAM08OtydUBLx32PIBk7Ediv5J50diCzHJRpTf6bTOiLrPAmjppn3ahcw8jINeMpv4fKpoESnn3DktG4JtgAZ94yBU2P/s2048/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Pir4w94W__PLxSrRVOxWXCQ1S4g43yvtCpzKOyG8FvrJ1eCwtAM08OtydUBLx32PIBk7Ediv5J50diCzHJRpTf6bTOiLrPAmjppn3ahcw8jINeMpv4fKpoESnn3DktG4JtgAZ94yBU2P/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruth just about managed to cram John's head<br />with as much information as he needs!<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QbBDtf1Ak73FPDWenb-WAw3Bq-IWzPEyFs6ZzBTM0ctixdIRG48m1h2szIjXOkO7mELmvJffVsGg5HSZ21fcayO5MEHHbkgJo2CBJbtkDV4HEqgCJ2vLifpe0vxDyxgc7ucXXlXPY0yh/s640/011+lr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QbBDtf1Ak73FPDWenb-WAw3Bq-IWzPEyFs6ZzBTM0ctixdIRG48m1h2szIjXOkO7mELmvJffVsGg5HSZ21fcayO5MEHHbkgJo2CBJbtkDV4HEqgCJ2vLifpe0vxDyxgc7ucXXlXPY0yh/s320/011+lr.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The flamboyant trees are in full bloom at this<br />time of year, Tanzania's own Christmas trees!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyAhHYFYDfYg3bJqRIBcFJXdq2JEGtOTAxzj3fwKl5DsHX8lEyxCjfZW9cxLXoGZdZI38VQwob2Kf-Pr0Aqwi1z0PqeaX3M0w0-mJ18pz38eCJiWm767Nb17BSEF30B8jY9H3JlFzUoPj/s640/Wembley+Stadium.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyAhHYFYDfYg3bJqRIBcFJXdq2JEGtOTAxzj3fwKl5DsHX8lEyxCjfZW9cxLXoGZdZI38VQwob2Kf-Pr0Aqwi1z0PqeaX3M0w0-mJ18pz38eCJiWm767Nb17BSEF30B8jY9H3JlFzUoPj/s320/Wembley+Stadium.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who's pinched the arch?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkHlkr17nweYsh-oenNbeRZPd5I7qolqRWK8KpJ68R8cZv3uGcFAu11z495jOoYDcO9b5sEccPYXmiEpqBdSsWBAR2Udv3c9YEnFfWkyptskmAQDdc3vAJyVQJHvYee025MzNPPi70nAe/s1708/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1708" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkHlkr17nweYsh-oenNbeRZPd5I7qolqRWK8KpJ68R8cZv3uGcFAu11z495jOoYDcO9b5sEccPYXmiEpqBdSsWBAR2Udv3c9YEnFfWkyptskmAQDdc3vAJyVQJHvYee025MzNPPi70nAe/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird of the month: Brown-hooded Kingfisher,<br />a frequent visitor to our garden in Morogoro</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p></div>Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-36006595874839569192020-09-21T10:12:00.011+01:002020-09-21T15:21:23.941+01:00Making the Message of Mark Matter<p><span lang="en-GB" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAEc56yzzC7xJ1QD3_fbzKfjOrAvPNKBAbLDjFB6-sLx6yvC-XzCefUb29xpCSWsGQrrN8xyc9JHr3SJr48VrLuUlWhL6RkM-G77yGXJmQmJ5fAdwN4_rZmff-Yg49Vf6npd-PibxCdmEK/s1002/01.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Monduli seminar" border="0" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="1002" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAEc56yzzC7xJ1QD3_fbzKfjOrAvPNKBAbLDjFB6-sLx6yvC-XzCefUb29xpCSWsGQrrN8xyc9JHr3SJr48VrLuUlWhL6RkM-G77yGXJmQmJ5fAdwN4_rZmff-Yg49Vf6npd-PibxCdmEK/w320-h209/01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The
Monduli conference – the heart of <br />Masai land</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We’re now midway through our conference season and preparing for our fourth event, this time in the wilds of Magambua (23<span lang="en-GB"><sup>rd</sup></span><span lang="en-GB">-25</span><span lang="en-GB"><sup>th</sup></span><span lang="en-GB"> Sept)</span></span><span lang="en-GB" style="font-family: Calibri;">,</span><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> a 3 hour drive from the nearest tarred road. So far the IBM events have gone really well, with 90 pastors (and wives) in attendance. During the 3 day course we journey together through the gospel of Mark, although with only ten teaching sessions we’re only scraping the surface of some of the major events. Here’s the breakdown, with a few added comments:</span></span></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;">1</span><span lang="en-GB">: </span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0;">Intro to Mark. </span><span lang="en-GB">A man who was possibly a failed missionary but was given a second chance by Barnabas, and who later became very useful to both Paul and Peter.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;"><span dir="ltr"></span>2</span><span lang="en-GB">: </span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0;">The Parable of the Sower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="en-GB">A session that promotes more discussion than any other, quite possibly because many of our pastors are also subsistence farmers!? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;"><span dir="ltr"></span>3</span><span lang="en-GB">: </span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0;">Jesus calming the storm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="en-GB">A key lesson for me this term, as I keep trying to apply the truth that Jesus is in the boat with me as I face the waves. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;"><span dir="ltr"></span>4</span><span lang="en-GB">: </span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0;">The feeding of the 5000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="en-GB">Jesus doesn’t actually need the five loaves and two fish to do his work, but he chooses to use the small amount the little boy can offer to feed thousands!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="en-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;"><span dir="ltr"></span>5</span><span lang="en-GB">. </span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0;">Peter’s confession of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="en-GB">If Jesus really is who he says he is, then we must deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;"><span dir="ltr"></span>6</span><span lang="en-GB">: </span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0;">The donkey-riding King!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="en-GB">King of the Universe – yet he comes in humility and gentleness. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;"><span dir="ltr"></span>7</span><span lang="en-GB">: </span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0;">The authority of Jesus and the rumble in the temple!</span><span lang="en-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do we need to remove from the courtyards of our lives in order to give room for more reverence and worship to God? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;"><span dir="ltr"></span>8</span><span lang="en-GB">: </span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0;">Anointing the anointed.</span><span lang="en-GB"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The deep devotion of one woman who was prepared to give something of immense worth to Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;"><span dir="ltr"></span>9</span><span lang="en-GB">: </span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0;">The power of the cross</span><span lang="en-GB">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus (who didn’t deserve to die) was crucified, whilst Barabbas (who deserved to die) was freed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our middle name is Barabbas!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;"><span dir="ltr"></span>10</span><span lang="en-GB">: </span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0;">He has risen!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some of the most important words ever uttered by an angel! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Calibri; mso-armenian-font-family: Calibri; mso-georgian-font-family: Calibri; mso-hebrew-font-family: Calibri; mso-ligatures: none;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 2pt; text-align: left;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6667px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfx_eiIHwzzEcKzgB6J5Y9DLI8IAnfKuwn9dFG534J96EWfB9G8WCXSGJ93TWgAqJVGcHaCNslttJM8BxqUSsGRIXHWEwwfF2bfj_FuhrKYC3VV4EhADFTiD9AfXf-YDe3UBpgJ5j8gnM/s1004/02.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="893" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfx_eiIHwzzEcKzgB6J5Y9DLI8IAnfKuwn9dFG534J96EWfB9G8WCXSGJ93TWgAqJVGcHaCNslttJM8BxqUSsGRIXHWEwwfF2bfj_FuhrKYC3VV4EhADFTiD9AfXf-YDe3UBpgJ5j8gnM/s320/02.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Steve's just relieved he didn't get<br />the jacket!</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">At the three conferences so far, the day that stands out from the rest is the third day of teaching. From a teaching/preaching perspective it has felt as though there has been an extra ‘uummpphhh’ to sessions 9 and 10. Swahili utterance has felt more fluid and there’s been a real feeling of the message hitting home. The singing that follows these sessions has borne testimony to the fact that hearts and minds have been challenged and blessed, as we’ve considered the awesome power of the cross and the empty tomb. It’s our hope that the teaching the pastors receive will enable and inspire them personally, but that they might also be mobilised to pass on what they’ve learned to their congregations. </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><p></p><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;">The Long Goodbye! </span><span lang="en-GB">At each conference so far the closing minutes have involved a farewell presentation to us from the pastors and their wives, even though we haven’t shouted from the rooftops about our departure home to the UK! I’d rather pop out the back door once the conference has finished! A lengthy speech is normally followed by a procession of swaying gift-givers who parade to the front and wrap us up with tribal blankets! At the Monduli event we were robed in Masai gear, followed up by the longest of photo-calls! </span></span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TduCxqYrAxftGnRiDBW27-7H_KPlbPQLJCduegQmrY5_6XIgqo7NZJ_yVU1kdUg2jChaYisoHqDP7QHziVS755w_Yv0CGoOUr1tF_vMqBCN21OePMJmXtRYcUjJE-dtnXa9MxOBJgpyO/s1080/03.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1080" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TduCxqYrAxftGnRiDBW27-7H_KPlbPQLJCduegQmrY5_6XIgqo7NZJ_yVU1kdUg2jChaYisoHqDP7QHziVS755w_Yv0CGoOUr1tF_vMqBCN21OePMJmXtRYcUjJE-dtnXa9MxOBJgpyO/w400-h264/03.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">At the Monduli seminar - clearly the couple on the <br />right didn't get the joke!</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 110%;"><br /></span><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 110%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At the Pwani event, in an attempt to get us to rethink our exit strategy, pastor Reuben quoted from Acts 18:20 where the Ephesians pleaded with Paul to stay: </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #5b9bd5; line-height: 110%;"><i>“</i></span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0; font-style: italic; line-height: 110%;">They asked him to spend more time with them</span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #5b9bd5; line-height: 110%;">”</span><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 110%;">. I politely quoted the end of the verse which says, </span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #5b9bd5; line-height: 110%;"><i>“</i></span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0; font-style: italic; line-height: 110%;">but he declined</span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #5b9bd5; line-height: 110%;">”</span><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 110%;">! Such farewells are indeed a blessing and enable us to realise that the work God has given us to do has not been in vain. Such farewells also help us to finish well and give us the platform to say good goodbyes! It also gives me the opportunity, in my closing speech, to lift up my Enabler in all of this. 1 Peter 4:11 says </span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #5b9bd5; line-height: 110%;"><i>“</i></span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #0070c0; font-style: italic; line-height: 110%;">whoever preaches must preach God’s messages; whoever serves must serve with the strength God gives, so that in all things praise may be given to God through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs glory and power for ever.</span><span lang="en-GB" style="color: #5b9bd5; line-height: 110%;">”</span><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 110%;"> In a season which has seen a few struggles, I am so aware that it is He who has given us the strength to do our work here, and therefore the glory belongs to Him.</span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzS8GaBKD-la6XPvB1ShzjvEYy5-mGmdqWZbLU8McYOmwi2iK588wljoH39e06Z5uJi1uHJIilIa7mVAMK8Sw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><span lang="en-GB" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; line-height: 110%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 110%;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKLBoNyYCYXEfiLKXwcsLq4K-iiitKp9O5r-rWgF9ojpxE8I387jLjGMYgT4YIDa3J-ImL_nSpzuZ7MLVCZs9j-ZMh1obgwmGEV8pSEMY3-uwGWjfZaIHimGtkGXgsfEQ5DcMFFGHJp2O/s1072/Steve%2527s+birthday.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1072" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKLBoNyYCYXEfiLKXwcsLq4K-iiitKp9O5r-rWgF9ojpxE8I387jLjGMYgT4YIDa3J-ImL_nSpzuZ7MLVCZs9j-ZMh1obgwmGEV8pSEMY3-uwGWjfZaIHimGtkGXgsfEQ5DcMFFGHJp2O/s320/Steve%2527s+birthday.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The fake birthday!</span></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 110%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A Tale of Two Birthdays! </span></span><span lang="en-GB" style="line-height: 110%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What do you do when a birthday cake is presented to the wrong person, with the wrong name iced on the cake?! That was the conundrum facing us as we sat in a dining tent in the African bush. I had decided that it would be nice to wake up in the middle of the Serengeti on my birthday, especially as it would be empty of tourists during this Covid season! During the booking process I had mentioned that the reason for our visit, apart from animal spotting, would be to celebrate my birthday. And so the cook swung into action to bake a cake. Their customer care was to be applauded, except for the fact that they put the wrong customer’s name on the top! So, what did we do as the three staff members paraded in with the cake and placed it before Ruth? In that split second, and after a couple of exchanged winks, we decided we hadn’t got the heart to correct them, so we played along and I joined in the singing to wish my wife a very happy fake birthday</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">! </span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; text-align: left;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPQk9W7dKKf2n7SG8itdjA-LwPqwdiHb7rfnMhu084udsxleDx2mweRqbTIwet8dFDulRFT-t_n7d_Lze-HxsBVKZYe098-yurm7IVvvds3kahoaxhX6lRfSTCgjhh-jUj-v6kNVcA9UF/s970/06.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="756" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPQk9W7dKKf2n7SG8itdjA-LwPqwdiHb7rfnMhu084udsxleDx2mweRqbTIwet8dFDulRFT-t_n7d_Lze-HxsBVKZYe098-yurm7IVvvds3kahoaxhX6lRfSTCgjhh-jUj-v6kNVcA9UF/s320/06.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">The real birthday!</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fast forward to 20th August and a very different setting, where we woke up in a £7-a-night guesthouse to celebrate Ruth’s real birthday! It was the middle day of our second IBM conference, being held in the outback town of Monduli in the north of Tanzania. Ruth had resigned herself to having a very ordinary birthday, sorting out conference finances and listening to me bellow forth in Swahili - so I decided to go on a cake-hunting tour of the town. One would think that a bakers might be the best bet but I was directed to a stationery shop where I could apparently order a cake! Although slightly dubious as to what might be served up, and dodging the temptation to have my name put on the top, I ordered the cake and was told to return in four hours’ time<span style="font-size: x-small;">.<br /></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />On my return I was amazed to find a very professional-looking cake complete with iced flowers and the right name on it!</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">What was equally amazing was the response from the pastors and their wives as they queued up to sample the cake.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">There was plenty of singing, clapping and dancing as 38 mouths waited in line for Ruth to ‘feed them’ a slice of cake, some of them giddy with excitement at the anticipation!</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It made us realise that, whilst we may take such small things for granted, this was a big event and a luxury that some of them don’t often enjoy.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">After all, the cake which had cost the same as two nights’ accommodation at our guesthouse (£14) was more money than some would see in a couple of weeks.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">It turned out to be a second memorable birthday for Ruth….although Steve is still waiting for his!</span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzYjDszrBoItqUAhe5TeX4NMcBwv-87PVT9uygLHfeQZXRCWpOAut4Qe0N1p3H_0u9FLchRox2OhHt-A9z-3A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><span lang="en-GB" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-weight: bold;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66im1pEpMNZfKfW0zbn4owihr-jLjULpSKGZiYFXtCq0Q_LNKufiHOjI95ayEaLDDJ_uILmP_tr7LcJ8RyVBiQW41YspdH2uKoQkPXmB4Hh5Us3YFQCN-FrPQ5nIroWTTOBaPJmRDLjJa/s640/08+lr.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66im1pEpMNZfKfW0zbn4owihr-jLjULpSKGZiYFXtCq0Q_LNKufiHOjI95ayEaLDDJ_uILmP_tr7LcJ8RyVBiQW41YspdH2uKoQkPXmB4Hh5Us3YFQCN-FrPQ5nIroWTTOBaPJmRDLjJa/s320/08+lr.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Tausi House nearing completion</span></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Ruth’s Report:</b></span></span><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> I was pondering recently on all the different hats one sometimes has to wear as a missionary, things often outside one’s comfort zone and skillset. Over the last few weeks I’ve found myself managing a building project at Sanga Sanga—definitely something I’m not qualified to do! Suffice to say that the completion of Tausi* House is near! The building comprises 3 en-suite rooms which add a further 18 beds to Sanga Sanga Retreat Centre. The village guesthouses may suffer as a result but it means some of our conference delegates won’t have to walk a mile to their beds when they come for a conference! We’re thankful to Corsham Baptist for getting the ball rolling on this project, and to Oak Hall for enabling us to finish it. Otherwise, I continue to train up our new accountant (John Enock), who’s made the move from the big city of Dar to the little village of Sanga Sanga. So far so good and I’m happy to say that John is doing a good job. Whilst he’s been crunching numbers, his wife Beatrice has had a tough time of late. She had to spend four nights in Morogoro hospital with a burst ulcer. She’s now back at home and on the mend, having also found out during the process that she’s pregnant! </span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">*Tausi means peacock in Swahili</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5i2XqPJ-3d8QlJ1K2PaquEDMiVckXHu_gSGEUmk7azF_KJ4QlEONePU2auEF2S6vgs0sd_nGcnahQoK_sSyI1UKnWyln42psxOtl_L1Cbxuj0KaxRv54jMDHyHNvdMKnEhYh6KoMJWjA/s640/09+lr.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5i2XqPJ-3d8QlJ1K2PaquEDMiVckXHu_gSGEUmk7azF_KJ4QlEONePU2auEF2S6vgs0sd_nGcnahQoK_sSyI1UKnWyln42psxOtl_L1Cbxuj0KaxRv54jMDHyHNvdMKnEhYh6KoMJWjA/s320/09+lr.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">"It's rude to stare - especially when <br />I'm eating!"</span></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Diary dates:</b></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">22nd -26th Sept:</span> IBM Magambua conference (north of Dodoma) teaching on Mark’s gospel.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 1.104in;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">5th-7th Oct:</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Various UL meetings in Dar (Steve).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 1.104in;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">19th-22nd Oct:</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>IBM Iringa conference – Mark’s gospel.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 1.104in;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">23th-27th Oct:</span> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>AIM missionary retreat near Iringa. Steve doing the Bible teaching. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 1.104in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span lang="en-GB"><span dir="ltr"></span>1</span><span lang="en-GB"><sup>st</sup></span></span><span lang="en-GB"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> Nov:</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Steve preaching at Emmanuel Church, Morogoro. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 1.104in;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">23rd-27th Nov:</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>IBM AICT Evangelists conference at Sanga Sanga. Steve teaching. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 1.104in;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">20th Dec:</span> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The End!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flight home to UK, God willing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 1.104in;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Jan/Feb 2021:</span> Home Assignment UK. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 1.104in;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Points 4 Prayer:</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 1pt; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 1.104in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="text-indent: -14pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Praise God for the completion of three IBM conferences to date, all of which went very well.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span lang="en-GB">Steve is thanking God for improving health and a feeling that God is enabling him to finish well here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Praise God that John has settled in very well. Pray for Ruth as she continues the handover.<span style="text-indent: -14pt;"> </span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Please pray for the remaining four conferences that Steve is teaching at, that in God’s strength he would preach/teach with power, passion and pronunciation!</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Please pray for us as we begin to declutter the house, sell our possessions and prepare to leave Tanzania.<span style="text-indent: -14pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -14pt;">It will no doubt be a time of mixed emotions.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">We’re relaxed about the ‘what next’ question but we’d appreciate your prayers as we seek guidance on what we should do next. 2021 is currently an open book!!</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">We’re due to fly home on 20th December, although this depends on the Covid situation in the UK.<span style="text-indent: -14pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -14pt;">If the quarantine requirement is still in place, we’ll delay our return until January as we prefer not to spend Christmas in quarantine!</span></span></li></ul><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: 0pt;">Many, many thanks for your prayers and support.</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: 0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: 0pt;">We’ll be in touch again towards the end of November.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: 0pt;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-GB; mso-arabic-font-family: Calibri; mso-armenian-font-family: Calibri; mso-georgian-font-family: Calibri; mso-hebrew-font-family: Calibri; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold;">Steve & Ruth</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="margin-left: -16.5pt;"><span lang="en-GB" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-GB; mso-georgian-font-family: Calibri; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BQGg-5z03GMZbFReNb1roL7lwy-gds1LX2HDdn0Wm0pfL86dNONA6OZPAyE4JiaywVW3kM1hHt50nRAFZutFZCmIWOq-3UyrHmgc8UbdPQ9ztXwNsuiL4mODKdllqj2uxPeNQqRQ4e6a/s640/10+lr.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="640" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-BQGg-5z03GMZbFReNb1roL7lwy-gds1LX2HDdn0Wm0pfL86dNONA6OZPAyE4JiaywVW3kM1hHt50nRAFZutFZCmIWOq-3UyrHmgc8UbdPQ9ztXwNsuiL4mODKdllqj2uxPeNQqRQ4e6a/w640-h408/10+lr.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bird of the month: Red-and-Yellow Barbet</span></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span lang="en-GB" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; language: en-GB; mso-ansi-language: en-GB; mso-georgian-font-family: Calibri; mso-ligatures: none;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"><span lang="en-GB" style="language: en-GB; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxF3YkIn_Lr9EuTtzTKW1MYH7eBaJKw94WXtbq3NFcx_o7X0UNi38CWRPdMz-1yjKzbINE9dTL5QOVTUz33SA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination: none;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIkju9gxbD1L1YEU0ZbJPt0FjQJlFaujeoVFZ3mLaScUjAUcqFhJYdQVqf1z_i5RqGivdFErDdjGRhGWETTbsjFgAzD_47sxwNXZOQr4RKGpNeKAuF4gL06BdCkDDPdjuridynsydUGTuU/s640/12+lr.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIkju9gxbD1L1YEU0ZbJPt0FjQJlFaujeoVFZ3mLaScUjAUcqFhJYdQVqf1z_i5RqGivdFErDdjGRhGWETTbsjFgAzD_47sxwNXZOQr4RKGpNeKAuF4gL06BdCkDDPdjuridynsydUGTuU/s320/12+lr.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Spot the odd one out!</span></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span lang="en-GB" style="language: en-GB; mso-ligatures: none;"><br /></span><p></p>Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-12388655513487031452020-06-28T14:02:00.000+01:002020-06-28T14:02:15.212+01:00Celebrating 125 years!We are sharing this message from AIM with you all:<div><br /></div><div><div>“In humble dependence upon God, we have moved steadily forward, no doubt in our blindness making many mistakes, but we ascribe all praise to him for anything that has been done which can bring glory to his name and honour to his cause."</div><div><br /></div><div>The words above were written by our founder, Peter Cameron Scott after the first AIM base was established in Nzawi, Kenya. This year we mark our 125-year celebration, and look back with the same mindset. Despite our human frailties, God has done great things in and through those who have served AIM over our history.</div><div><br /></div><div>Originally we’d planned to have celebrations in Edinburgh and London, but these have now moved online. We are currently compiling stories, videos which allow us to worship together remotely and thoughts from both missionaries, Africans and our International Office on our past and our future. </div><div><br /></div><div>There are two ways for you to watch all that we put together:</div><div><br /></div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sign up to get a password details of our Vimeo stream, which will go live on 26 September and remain accessible for a while afterwards.</div><div>•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Sign up to receive a DVD through the post.</div><div><br /></div><div>We hope that you all sign up for one of the above options, and that the event will be an encouragement to you. It would also be great if you could share about the event with your prayer supporters, so that they too can gain a wider insight into the work of AIM and our thoughts for the future. You can sign up, and point them to sign up, at <a href="http://eu.aimint.org/125">http://eu.aimint.org/125</a></div></div><div><br /></div>Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-86640347394712022622020-06-19T18:07:00.000+01:002020-06-19T18:08:00.689+01:00Covid Conundrums! <div><p style="clear: both;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubPCdw-fPxWIe5ftL8yiIjBrUSGVIXqn-DB0XTW0Y-j-bUIuhXWXtPhtYzGrXSuk-HbaGnIlLSXNpxaa7sDKi1i5qNBYwIOvWooYSRWx7QX7pyjt_5Umzo9bucZx-2KWLmR2YpnRTvko4/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjubPCdw-fPxWIe5ftL8yiIjBrUSGVIXqn-DB0XTW0Y-j-bUIuhXWXtPhtYzGrXSuk-HbaGnIlLSXNpxaa7sDKi1i5qNBYwIOvWooYSRWx7QX7pyjt_5Umzo9bucZx-2KWLmR2YpnRTvko4/s320/01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Our last sunset view from Hotel Quarantine!<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table>You may remember that our last blog update came at the end of March from the third floor of a hotel in Dar during our 15 day quarantine period. Well, we survived our enforced captivity and were proudly presented with ‘corona-free’ certificates on our release, along with our confiscated passports! That same morning the Tanzanian government decided to remove the hotel option for incoming passengers for quarantine due to the fact that a number of disgruntled lock-downers had escaped their hotels! Instead, all incomers were being whisked off to some dingy university halls…. complete with shared bathrooms! Not so ideal when you’re meant to be isolating! It made us realise that our enforced hotel stay could have been so much worse! To be honest, even though we were confined to one room, we actually enjoyed our stay there, although what did help was being able to escape into the corridor every night for some speed-walking exercise! I (Steve) managed to clock up 30 miles over 14 nights – much to the amusement of the policeman posted at the end of the corridor! </p></div><div>So, what has the situation been like in Tanzania during these past few months? In short, there has been no lockdown, much to the annoyance of the surrounding countries! From the outset the President decided that serious lockdown would be too costly on the fragile economy of the country. Schools, colleges and public gatherings were banned – but he did insist that the ban should not include gathering in church on a Sunday morning! In fact he encouraged people to attend to pray against the virus – and just last week announced to worshippers in Dodoma that “the corona disease has been eliminated (from the country) thanks to God.” We’re a tad sceptical about the elimination part of that sentence, although we’re very thankful to God that the virus does not seem to have caused the devastation that was feared. It’s hard to know the real facts because data on the number of virus cases stopped being published on 29th April, at which point there were only 21 official deaths recorded. Last month there were all sorts of rumours swirling around - of night-time burials in Dar, hospitals being overwhelmed, unreliable testing, and plane-loads of herbal remedies being flown in from Madagascar etc! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Social Distancing – what’s that?! </b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBL962d8NU-drFB6zCt31jBOp5uPqCRTwcliJtiP_1MAnLD3tRkKM1AEDclACzLTa8cTcXmyGtdeazASJbZ4dKKjRM3IvVRd_EfItk35z96-9aJH-Kvyw6dDodgZL7jTlUzhpICSsGRLwF/s450/02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBL962d8NU-drFB6zCt31jBOp5uPqCRTwcliJtiP_1MAnLD3tRkKM1AEDclACzLTa8cTcXmyGtdeazASJbZ4dKKjRM3IvVRd_EfItk35z96-9aJH-Kvyw6dDodgZL7jTlUzhpICSsGRLwF/s320/02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Today, the main streets of Morogoro are as busy as ever, and it’s very much business as usual. It’s all hustle & bustle and there’s certainly little sign of social distancing! Was there ever going to be in Africa?! The traders continue to lay out their wares on the dusty pavements; the knife sharpener continues to sharpen machetes on his upturned bike; beggars continue to ask for a few shillings; the coffin-makers (situated near the hospital!) continue to bang up their coffins at the normal rate of production; the guy selling fresh coconuts from the back of his rickety old pushbike continues to peddle (and pedal!) for his living! The only sign of a pandemic is that a few people are still wearing face masks, and outside every shop there is a variety of handwashing contraptions, some of which work better than others! </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECwMbmMN5yYJ7tnuoj7PXCLO9mKnKRMz2n6-E2so0lrVmsL0DFp648j1sORAHoinj86TK2CdzDdK63p6H5N-FIPeqRKL9aXTREGT8rC7jSWSv3RjcSMDxJnaNcv53rpcyWAyeLvD2rTDv/s1024/04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECwMbmMN5yYJ7tnuoj7PXCLO9mKnKRMz2n6-E2so0lrVmsL0DFp648j1sORAHoinj86TK2CdzDdK63p6H5N-FIPeqRKL9aXTREGT8rC7jSWSv3RjcSMDxJnaNcv53rpcyWAyeLvD2rTDv/s320/04.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It seems a world away from what has happened elsewhere across the globe and the expected disaster appears not to have happened, and God willing it won’t. In fact the WHO is now saying that there has been a slower rate of infection in Africa with lower mortality rates than elsewhere in the world. One possible explanation is that Africa has a young population which has benefited from the control of diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis which has in turn reduced the vulnerabilities. The experts are now saying that, whilst coronavirus likely won’t spread as fast in Africa, it may well linger on in transmission hotspots for some time. The following link is a recent BBC article on the how the country (and president!) has handled Covid-19: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52983563" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52983563</a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5jIaViPo1oR-zpucLireh70uCx4pnfgvgg6DQMUtS63FtpBwzDiHRNg88EjjtbBKWhIZDZl6z-6WGn0ofO5N_vFCYHHdcf_KiDC45PdEhpJWg1P4RwGwqZSlr-8_EjEFINMP-RYtQEQ4/s810/05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="610" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5jIaViPo1oR-zpucLireh70uCx4pnfgvgg6DQMUtS63FtpBwzDiHRNg88EjjtbBKWhIZDZl6z-6WGn0ofO5N_vFCYHHdcf_KiDC45PdEhpJWg1P4RwGwqZSlr-8_EjEFINMP-RYtQEQ4/s320/05.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pastor Batano receives a sack of<br />flour for his family</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Sanga & Seminars: </b>Due to the ‘gatherings ban’ (April-May) life at IBM’s HQ has been rather quiet. Kids camps and churches cancelled their bookings at Sanga, and this meant that income was virtually non-existent. As a result we had to reduce the hours of our workers but thankfully haven’t had to lay anyone off. There’s no such thing as ‘furlough support’ here in Tanzania, and we’re very grateful to a number of IBM supporters who donated to the cause and enabled us to continue paying salaries. With these donations we were also able to buy sacks of maize flour to support the families of our workers during these leaner times. It is hoped, now that the ‘gathering ban’ has been lifted, that bookings will be re-booked and life at Sanga will return to some sort of normality! Two incidents reported in the last few days remind us that life at Sanga is often not normal: reports of a neighbouring bush fire meant that our workers were on high alert to prevent it spreading onto our property; and just yesterday a few of our workers tried to harvest honey from our bee hives…. without a great deal of success! People ended up running in all directions as the bees swarmed and vented their fury on whoever got in their path. Our building maintenance guy, who was down a well at the time, didn’t even escape the stinging! </div><div><br /></div><div>Our first scheduled IBM regional seminar of the year had to be postponed back in early June. We’re hoping that the next one on the list will happen in July in Mtwara, way down in the south of the country. With an extended preparation time this year, all of the teaching material has now been prepared and is ready to print – all 64 pages of it, with a Swahili word count of 35,000 words! The pastors and evangelists who attend will be given a full set of notes for two reasons: firstly, they can then use the material in their churches, and secondly, having my notes means they’re able to make sense of my Swahili pronunciation! In terms of the English word count, the notes are 6,000 words longer due to fact that one word in written Swahili often comprises 3-5 English words! Everything is thrown together: tense, pronoun, verb etc! Let me give you a couple of examples so that you can marvel at the language that is Swahili! These five words - “he did not concern himself” become one word in Swahili – “Hakujishugulisha”. If I were to say to you “Let us humble ourselves”, I’d say this word: “Tujinyenyekeze”. And finally the words “When it is preached” become “Itakapohubiriwa”. You can understand why my teaching notes contain a lot of pen marks in an attempt to break up such words to make them easier to say! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><b>IBM seminar dates:</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Rm4fuT2BAnzvIyg5_ypLUsM-FqhPnFJjvQwKwZ4mkgAmT8Qlr6z5Rx7f1rosYQ9rV2YTCqyah40QY8bT8y-o9FcHqujbAchPFvSDEgG3BrYa_2vKcGW3vP7x_877soTrJ-h6H2w0GDhd/s523/07.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Rm4fuT2BAnzvIyg5_ypLUsM-FqhPnFJjvQwKwZ4mkgAmT8Qlr6z5Rx7f1rosYQ9rV2YTCqyah40QY8bT8y-o9FcHqujbAchPFvSDEgG3BrYa_2vKcGW3vP7x_877soTrJ-h6H2w0GDhd/s320/07.gif" /></a></div><div><table border="1" bordercolor="#888" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-color: rgb(136, 136, 136); border-width: 1px;"><tbody><tr><td style="min-width: 60px;"> 1. 6-11 July </td><td style="min-width: 60px;">Mtwara seminar<span> <br /><br /></span></td></tr><tr><td> 2. 5-7 Aug</td><td>Coastal Diocese seminar at Sanga Sanga Retreat Centre<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td> 3: 2-4 Sept</td><td>Ifakara seminar<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td> 4: 23-25 Sept </td><td>Magambua seminar<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td> 5: 28-30 Oct</td><td>Songea seminar<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td> 6: ?? <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span></td><td>Monduli Arusha seminar<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td> 7: 24-27 Nov</td><td>Pastors’ seminar at Sanga Sanga Retreat Centre<div><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEG3Rc6K1esw1sCRmz_koXsfKvaWBpROMFbHcmGbIef5YvW25diH3q3gDAVQ131deH1zNuH7MeP71w-g18OrkFzguQc_-xcd78y5jgKvAx1TlDDFIJOlXlSTbVcXiz1tAZ0CsbtIX2jY7/s523/07.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSU88PaIRx0Koh8TQz8Lz7kicoPGzWfO_b5GwdTS-a0T6stpPDrG5cYnN0pPUZTrvPDkXlALd2ZJ1OF4htPN2aKbteN2YqYkBEnVhIQy71QVOBBj3heJac_egDA_zn62ceXdD2ducSYIP/s992/06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="829" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSU88PaIRx0Koh8TQz8Lz7kicoPGzWfO_b5GwdTS-a0T6stpPDrG5cYnN0pPUZTrvPDkXlALd2ZJ1OF4htPN2aKbteN2YqYkBEnVhIQy71QVOBBj3heJac_egDA_zn62ceXdD2ducSYIP/s320/06.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A labour of love! Steve poses with his<br />finished teaching materials</i></td></tr></tbody></table>This year I’ll be preaching through the gospel of Mark, although with only eleven teaching sessions, we’ll only be scratching the surface. There is no particular theme or agenda, no strategies or ‘how to do….’ methods, just good old-fashioned preaching from God’s Word! In studying Mark’s gospel I’m inspired by the fact that the writer was, in his early days, quite possibly a failed missionary whose best friend was our favourite disciple, Peter – who was also known for his slip-ups and failures! I’m encouraged by the fact that these two ‘failures’ were used mightily by God in the early church and beyond. It’s thought that Mark used much of Peter’s preaching material and shaped it into the gospel that we have today. Little did they know what an impact this material would have down through the ages. Praise God that he chooses to use ordinary bods like Mark and Peter, with their foibles and faults, in the growth of His kingdom! Whilst I’m certainly not expecting my teaching to have as much impact, I am hoping and praying that God would use my material on Mark’s gospel to inspire, strengthen and deepen the faith of all the AICT men and women we work with. </div><div><br /></div><div>These last two months have continued to be busy ones for Ruth. Whilst her monthly ladies prayer breakfast and fortnightly Book Club have been temporarily suspended, there has been plenty to do at Sanga Sanga. The audit of the books in March has led to implementing some new and improved processes, the finance manual has been updated, a new bank account opened (a long-winded process here!) and various reports written for the Diocese. There are always personnel issues to deal with and the usual administration and maintenance that goes with running a conference and retreat centre, even without guests! </div><div><br /></div><div>One of Ruth’s goals for this term was to find a good person to employ as an Accountant. Praise God that we have been able to appoint a young man who is a believer and seems suitably qualified. God willing, he will start on 1st July and Ruth will spend several weeks training him in our systems and processes.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2WLJxQKBtHYgIO3tZmvWr-gk8YsP2hfTFwwzWLNpcL6QdZ7eSi8iBgi5oVPoLGk-w2g1D7F1TrT0YkPLml_PW5CrLErUDki7M5tOZNipTc1dSPNiwsXuPCwAD_dkri54xtEd126G8qnT/s2016/Grace+Baptist+choir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2WLJxQKBtHYgIO3tZmvWr-gk8YsP2hfTFwwzWLNpcL6QdZ7eSi8iBgi5oVPoLGk-w2g1D7F1TrT0YkPLml_PW5CrLErUDki7M5tOZNipTc1dSPNiwsXuPCwAD_dkri54xtEd126G8qnT/w400-h300/Grace+Baptist+choir.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The choir of a local Baptist church came to Sanga Sanga<br />recently to shoot a video for their new DVD </i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dylWSCvtCSM3AL7bXArkYjAG5xbpm3Eo8LhxXISGvKvcyHePPAk8a4GgGNCAYt99lUixPxIWj7LSl_Et3aF0w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EwTmip44jPul7oKj7cwoXJmiGsYrzTkfQIe-GGaY8wdxIa1yRJQrlamn2SVKpUqI5g2DxohSF_VJ84mXFvIeoBRZof6DutT_t7FtIkxKk7T0B_qpxgKta5f3fYPKfUV8N-phvR7ha6db/s1000/fran+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EwTmip44jPul7oKj7cwoXJmiGsYrzTkfQIe-GGaY8wdxIa1yRJQrlamn2SVKpUqI5g2DxohSF_VJ84mXFvIeoBRZof6DutT_t7FtIkxKk7T0B_qpxgKta5f3fYPKfUV8N-phvR7ha6db/s320/fran+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ruth visiting with Sanga Sanga<br />housekeeper Fran and her family</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><b>Faults & Foibles</b></div><div>Let me leave you with a quote that’s resonated with me over these last few days. It’s from a book called “21 Servants of Sovereign Joy” by John Piper. What a book it’s turning out to be! He examines the lives of 21 well-known saints of old, highlighting their accomplishments, whilst not glossing over their faults and foibles! It’s proving to be a huge encouragement to me – and I’m only on page 258 out of 814! My only criticism is that Mr. Piper does not include Mr. Livingstone! Anyway, here goes with a quote that should encourage you and I: These lives are “a vivid powerful testimony to the truth that God can and does use weak, sick, discouraged, beat-down, lonely, struggling saints who cry to him day and night to accomplish amazing things for his glory”. Onwards in the fight! </div><div><br /></div><div><b>PPP: Prayer & Praise Points: </b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>We’re praising God for the donors who have helped pay our staff salaries recently.</li><li>We’re thanking God that we will soon have a Tanzanian accountant. Please pray that John Masanja will settle into his new role well. </li><li>We’re praising God that Covid-19 doesn’t seem to have hit Tanzania hard.</li><li>Pray for Steve as he begins his last Swahili teaching programme at the various seminars, starting in July; for strengthening and power, for good health, and for hearts that are open. </li><li>Please pray for us both as we enter the home straight of our Tanzanian venture! We now have less than six months before we head home and close up here. Pray we would cross the finish line well. Please pray with us that God would show us clearly what he wants us to do in 2021, and the next chapter of life. </li></ul></div><div>Many thanks and every blessing</div><div><br /></div><div>Steve & Ruth</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8c5wtKLdQTQz7So09DFMFKNWW67YCNZg69bjAfPMqwQjBwkf9l12d2DHNpeirio1NfgUcI6H8MKnjftxQbDtQW_42gSIe-8hF8BM28IBJfc69wC2SaeOQ4yE9w_MdrRj9lsYdhQ-i3vY/s1025/Drone+Songa+Songa-07+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="1025" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8c5wtKLdQTQz7So09DFMFKNWW67YCNZg69bjAfPMqwQjBwkf9l12d2DHNpeirio1NfgUcI6H8MKnjftxQbDtQW_42gSIe-8hF8BM28IBJfc69wC2SaeOQ4yE9w_MdrRj9lsYdhQ-i3vY/w500-h323/Drone+Songa+Songa-07+cropped.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Qlgfz8PDtD7mX93FLMKHugWeWoG8LilFS9pEuWVYKD9-WNuS2K8MAS69ZMN73_GgRbFB0AKS9VopoWO3kFUyfjNXaxrE23f6nidb6xqEw1qaXQOBmy3oi0QTf5xg6z42YTrJlBs4GY9E/s2857/09.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1904" data-original-width="2857" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Qlgfz8PDtD7mX93FLMKHugWeWoG8LilFS9pEuWVYKD9-WNuS2K8MAS69ZMN73_GgRbFB0AKS9VopoWO3kFUyfjNXaxrE23f6nidb6xqEw1qaXQOBmy3oi0QTf5xg6z42YTrJlBs4GY9E/s320/09.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bird of the month: Saddle-billed Stork</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMYIx-_gr9O7sNSc8miujCV-5UPxpfo_St7O-FyWiXx65DHrxxUyCwUhfHQk__cOnDBNi0yKF2X5H_6ghEG4cS-sGl_zE9UPdBCerg00KfVzhqmjfLIavzdFFx_dwCc_tKDpiEnLDLQFi/s2754/08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1723" data-original-width="2754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipMYIx-_gr9O7sNSc8miujCV-5UPxpfo_St7O-FyWiXx65DHrxxUyCwUhfHQk__cOnDBNi0yKF2X5H_6ghEG4cS-sGl_zE9UPdBCerg00KfVzhqmjfLIavzdFFx_dwCc_tKDpiEnLDLQFi/s320/08.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Insect of the month: no idea! Any guesses?</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div>Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-64476165429296904592020-03-24T14:31:00.000+00:002020-03-24T14:31:23.687+00:00Life in the Lockdown Lane!Some of you will know that Steve was recently granted a month's medical leave in the UK as he had been diagnosed with anxiety and burn out. I stayed behind in Tanzania for 3 weeks and joined him in the UK for his final week there, last week. I'm thankful to say that the break has done Steve good and he is improving, and he has even regained enthusiasm for life in Tanzania! Sleep has at last returned for him thanks to the medication and his head is a lot clearer. Thank you so much for all who have prayed for Steve during this last month - your prayers are being answered. I'm also thankful for your prayers for me while I have been sorting out the Sanga Sanga accounts. That work is now done and the 2019 accounts closed. An audit of the accounts was very helpful too.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rush hour on the London <br />Underground!</i><br /><br /></td></tr>
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We travelled to Heathrow on 22nd March for our flight back to Tanzania. We knew that we would probably have to self-isolate at home in Morogoro but we could do that quite easily. However, 5 minutes after checking in at the airport we received news from our team mate in Morogoro that the Tz Government would be quarantining all passengers arriving from a Covid-19 zone for 14 days. With no other information to go on - would that include us? Where would we be quarantined? - we wrestled with whether to pull our bags out and remain in the UK, or to go on with our plans and return to Tanzania.<br />
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We spent an hour trying to get more information from friends on the ground in Tanzania. One said she'd been told that all arrivals would go to a hospital ward for 14 days, another said it would be a hotel - at our own expense. Despite the uncertainty and after more than a few arrow prayers for guidance, we decided to go ahead and get on the plane.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Route map on the Qatar Airways flight...hmm,where has<br />Israel gone?!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Getting 40 winks at Doha Airpor</i>t</td></tr>
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It was a long journey - we had a 7 hour layover in Doha. Actually we met a few missionaries at the airport who were heading the other way, back to the West, including a family of AIM missionaries who had just left Tanzania (the leaders of the Zigua team who we mentioned in our last blog). It was good to see them and say our goodbyes, as Steve had been their Unit Leader and involved with them and their team in various ways. <br />
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On our 300-seater Dreamliner aircraft from Doha there were only 12 of us aboard! Behind their masks the cabin crew were undoubtedly smiling at how easy their job was going to be! On arrival at Dar yesterday afternoon we were processed through Passport Control but then gathered together to be told that we were going to a hotel to be put into quarantine. Our pleas to be allowed to return to Morogoro to self-isolate fell on deaf ears.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The view from our window </i></td></tr>
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So here we are in quarantine. The hotel is quite comfortable and there is good wifi. The staff and manager are being helpful and sympathetic. That said, we have to take all our meals in our room and are not allowed to leave the 3rd floor - and to make sure of that there are now armed police outside! Officials from the Ministry of Health will be visiting us every day to check our temperatures and health. It's a bit frustrating not being able to be at Sanga Sanga, especially as I was due to pay wages there at the end of the month. But we understand the reasons for our quarantine and are happy to comply with the instructions of the authorities here. During the next few weeks Steve still has some prep to occupy him and I will be keeping a remote eye on finances at Sanga Sanga.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Interesting bathroom tiles in our hotel room (sorry, we're a bit<br />desperate for good photos!)</i></td></tr>
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Pray for Tanzania - if Covid-19 takes hold here the results will be devastating. Social distancing is almost impossible with large families living together under one roof and public transport cramming in as many people as possible. Many have underlying health issues that they can't afford to have treated, making them very vulnerable. Medical facilities will not be able to cope with an influx of patients, and protective equipment and ventilators will most likely not be available in the quantities that will be needed.<br />
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Please pray for us too, for grace and patience in this enforced period of confinement, albeit with room service! Pray that we won't get cabin fever and will use this time wisely - and not throttle each other in the process!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bird of the month: Southern African<br />White-faced Owl...on the streets of<br />Keswick! </i></td></tr>
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<br />Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-76277374676269309892020-02-20T06:56:00.001+00:002020-02-20T07:07:03.944+00:00Bizarre Birds, Balancing the Books, and Jars of Clay<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Shoebill Sighted!</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">Although they now seem like a distant memory, we very much enjoyed our Christmas hols in Uganda, hosted by our friends the Swansons & the Kinsellas. We picnicked in Entebbe Botanical Gardens on Christmas Eve, got within touching distance of a southern white rhino in the conservation park, and sat down for lunch on the shores of Lake Victoria as a swarm of lake flies passed through! Looking across the lake we thought we’d seen huge plumes of smoke rising from the water, only to discover that they were in fact millions of lake flies! Thankfully they don’t bite, but it’s a good idea to check your sandwich before taking a mouthful! The birders amongst you will also remember that our birding mission was to catch a glimpse of the mysterious Shoebill with its fat hooked beak. Our boating trip into Mabamba Swamp did not disappoint, and we had some great views of this weird and wonderful bird, also known as the ‘whalehead’! All in all, a great Christmas break, although there’s still a ‘strangeness’ about celebrating Christmas </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">in Africa. </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;"><b>“From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise”</b> (Psalm 8:2). I often travel to see </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">various missionaries, and am privileged to get a glimpse of what Christ is doing through them in </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">their ministries. You may remember in our last newsletter, I mentioned that an AIM TIMO team had </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">established a nursery school in the rural village where they live, and that 25 children had made it </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">through their first year of education. That team is only two months away from finishing and I want to </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">refer to an article produced by AIM recently, highlighting the way in which God has used the team to </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">reach out to the children of the village with the gospel. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of the team members shares the following: “Our village leader, Mwenyekiti, is a force to be </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">reckoned with. She is well respected in the village and is full of wisdom. She is also adamantly </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">opposed to hearing about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many of the members of our team have </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">shared </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">the gospel with her countless times but she usually responds with a polite, “Maybe another </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">day” or </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">“That’s great for you but I’ll stick with my religion.” She has made it pretty clear that Jesus is </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">not for </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">her. Nonetheless, her youngest son and four of her grandchildren are students at our nursery, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">an </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">openly Christian school. A few weeks back, Mwenyekiti mentioned that she was fairly certain her </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">son </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">was ready to profess Christ as his Saviour. We were thrilled to hear this, of course! The </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">conversation went on and Mwenyekiti casually continued, “I expect this next generation to all be Christians </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">because </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">of the school. They won’t be Muslim anymore.” Yes! Praise Jesus! This is our prayer.” This has not </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">been an easy three years for the team, so it's great that they are now </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">beginning to see a few seedlings growing in what has been a very tough soil to cultivate. For the full </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">article click on the following: </span><a href="https://eu.aimint.org/ziguafeb2020/" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;" target="_blank">https://eu.aimint.org/ziguafeb2020/ </a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gardens being planted at the conference centre</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Day-to-Day stuff!</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When we’re at home in Morogoro, it’s pretty much routine and humdrum stuff! The power surges continue, the water supply is intermittent, the sugar ants run riot in the house, the often-repaired potholes grow deeper…. and the traffic police still circle like vultures waiting to pounce! Ruth has spent a lot of time over the last few months at Sanga, beavering away at getting the accounts up-to-date, tracking down payment vouchers and receipts. At the moment she’s working on end-of-year financial reports for AIM, but by the end of the month, she’s hoping to have signed-off </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">on ‘the money’, and will then turn her attention to fundraising and marketing. This has been</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a huge undertaking for Ruth, and her diligence and persistence is definitely winning through. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In terms of teaching material for this year’s conferences, I’ve chosen to look at the Gospel of Mark, focussing on Jesus as the suffering servant. It’s the shortest Gospel, the earliest Gospel, and </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">probably </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">the liveliest with everything happening at a quick pace. You’ll find that every preacher has </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">a favourite word, and Mark’s is definitely ‘immediately’ or ‘straightaway’. He uses it over forty times! “Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat. Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit what </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">they were </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">thinking. Immediately blind Bartimaeus received his sight.” It’s a gospel full of action and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">you are </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">hurried from one scene to the next. Mark manages to pack a lot into his Gospel, although if </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">you add up all the events that he portrays, they only come to a period of three weeks in the life of </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">Jesus. Ironically, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">at my current pace, it’s going to take me three months to prepare eleven teaching sessions! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Treasure in Jars of Clay</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of you know that poor sleep has been an issue for me over recent years and this has often been accompanied by other </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">health complaints (stomach, headaches, etc). These past few </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">months </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">have been quite tough for me in terms of general health. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">Last </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">year whilst on home assignment I was encouraged to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">consider </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">counselling, to explore whether these symptoms could </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">have a physiological basis. This led to a diagnosis of ‘generalised </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">anxiety disorder’. It would seem that I’ve had this for many years </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and that living and working in Tanzania has exacerbated things, causing it to bubble to the surface. I won’t go into detail but </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">having trouble </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">sleeping is just one of the symptoms of this </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">disorder! I’ve </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">also </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">been aware </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">that I’m not tolerating the stress of </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">cross-cultural living </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">as </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">well as I </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">once did, and this has been accompanied by the feeling </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">that there’s not much left in the tank. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A few weeks ago, following advice from a few folks, I travelled to Nairobi for a medical and for further counselling with AIM’s </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">dedicated counselling service. What </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">came out of those sessions </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">was a further diagnosis of burnout and mild depression, resulting </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">from </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">stress and anxiety which hasn’t been managed well. It was a lightbulb moment for me because I </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">found that I was experiencing many of the symptoms listed under ‘burnout’: no emotional energy left, digestive problems, increased irritability, reduced ability to concentrate, poor sleep, aching joints/</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">muscles, and mental exhaustion. It’s no wonder that the tank feels empty! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As a result, we’ve made a number of decisions that we hope will reduce certain stressors and may </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">enable us to finish our work here in a timely way. I will be heading back to UK on Tues 25th February </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for a month’s medical leave, based in Cumbria with my parents, whilst Ruth will stay to continue the </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">work at Sanga. We’ve also been advised to finish here in Morogoro sooner rather than later, and so, although we were planning for this to be our last term, we’ll now aim to finish at the end of November </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">this year, rather than November 2021. We realise that a month’s medical leave is not going to turn </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">me </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">into Superman and clear up all the issues! However, we hope that it will provide some </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">recuperation, </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">whilst giving medication the chance to do its work, so that on my return I’ll be able to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">finish the </span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">conference season, work towards a good handover, and that Ruth will be able to train up a Tanzanian accountant </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">at Sanga. We’re committing our way to the Lord in this and praying that our </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">plans will </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">succeed (Prov </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">16:3) - but we’re also well aware that, “in his heart a man plans his course, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">but the Lord determines his steps” (Prov 16:9)! If we need to finish earlier, then we will do so, but we </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">want to try </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">and handover in </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">the best possible way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Note from Ruth: It’s fair to say that the last few weeks have been challenging for me as I’ve ploughed </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">much time and energy into sorting out Sanga Sanga’s accounts and at the same time tried to be a </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">patient and sympathetic wife to Steve! I know that many of you have been lifting us up in prayer. I </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">am certain that your prayers for me have been answered and I’m praising God that He has given me </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the needed strength and ability to persevere when ordinarily I might have retreated to a dark room for </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">an indefinite lie down! My grateful thanks to you for your prayers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Pray for Ruth as she ties up last year’s accounts and reports to AIM by the end of Feb. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Please pray for Steve as he heads home to UK for medical leave, that there would be some healing </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and a renewed energy to finish this task.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Pray for Ruth in terms of safety and security as she stays in Tanzania. The longest we’ve been </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">apart </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">in 11 years is 13 days! Pray that there won’t be any emergencies or problems to sort out at </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">home or </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px; text-indent: 0pt;">at Sanga Sanga.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- In a few days we’ll be advertising for the position of an accountant/book-keeper at Sanga. This is a </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">key position at IBM so please pray that we’d have some godly and gifted applicants to choose from.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- Please pray for the Zigua team as they prepare to finish up, and for the children who are hearing </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the gospel; that these seedlings will spring up and produce a good crop! Pray also for the Tanzanian </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">couple (the Kimoyo’s) who are staying on to continue the work. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-GB" style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">25th February Steve flies to UK for medical leave<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-GB" style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">22nd March Steve returns to Tanzania<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-GB" style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8th April Ruth & Steve fly to UK. Ruth spending time with her parents<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-GB" style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">9th-18th April Steve leading Oak Hall Israel trip (DV)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-GB" style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">20th April S&R fly back to Tz<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFa0nIA5DyK_jzsbiBjBc0U0bx795aXR9pApo922R0fQq-brPwAb-NDW4F7FexBe8uEUUaaNBq00FnHcxhYrYcvoZIAX4b1Fk3qnNQwwnp30V_iNGW0LCpwp-f7idS7ZUmmcjUlWfJaEjU/s1600/AICT+Sinza+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFa0nIA5DyK_jzsbiBjBc0U0bx795aXR9pApo922R0fQq-brPwAb-NDW4F7FexBe8uEUUaaNBq00FnHcxhYrYcvoZIAX4b1Fk3qnNQwwnp30V_iNGW0LCpwp-f7idS7ZUmmcjUlWfJaEjU/s320/AICT+Sinza+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children at a recent AICT kids' camp at Sanga Sanga. Looks <br />
like most of them are having fun!</td></tr>
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Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-85086777818352031562019-12-20T15:26:00.000+00:002019-12-20T15:26:42.899+00:00Tanzania Touch-down!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It seems more than five weeks ago that we packed up our stuff and headed back here to Tanzania. I’d been given the all-clear by the surgeon and was able to return with a new nose! The operation went well and my sinuses were well and truly scrubbed up and scraped out! As we touched down in Dar another delight awaited us! In fact, we wondered whether we’d arrived in the right country! We left Dar back in March from a rather grotty airport and arrived back at a brand new terminal building! And this time, it was great to see all our luggage trundling around the gleaming new carousel! It was also a bit of a surprise to have no issues at Immigration, so the system obviously acknowledged the recent renewal of our permits. <br />
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As forecast in the last newsletter, the cars were indeed a lengthy job! Peeling back the tarpaulins revealed that the insides of the cars were covered in a thick layer of mould! In an effort to protect the outside of the cars, the insides had certainly suffered, so much so that we had to take the seats out to give them a thorough cleansing! Rotting fuel (?!) also added to a fuel-filter issue and, although the engine compartments hadn’t become a nesting place for termites, rats or snakes, we did find a couple of rather large spiders hiding in there, one of which is still lurking somewhere amongst the spark plugs! Thankfully, the house was in good condition and it didn’t take us long to get settled in.<br />
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On our return to Sanga Sanga, it was good to see the conference hall being used for a pastors’ conference and to hear that all but one scheduled seminar had taken place during the year. It was also encouraging to see the AIC using the facilities for a children’s camp. Thanks to our sending church, Corsham Baptist, it was great to see a new accommodation block rising out of the bush! And, as a tree lover, it was fantastic to see that the team had been busy planting lots of trees and shrubs around the site.<br />
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Since our return Ruth has been spending hours with her head in the cash books, sorting out vouchers and receipts from the last eight months and playing the detective in trying to work out what came from which budget etc! It’s consumed her every waking thought (and some night-time thoughts as well!) but headway is being made slowly. My efforts have been focussed more on unit leadership matters, which has meant more time behind the mouldy steering wheel as I visited various missionaries in the unit. </div>
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<b>“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere you go”?! </b></div>
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As I wandered the aisles of a supermarket in Dar the other day, this was one of many Christmas songs being played. It all seemed a bit surreal and disconnected from life outside. In fact, here in Morogoro, there are only a few small shops that are remotely Christmassy and it’s rather ironic that those shops belong to Muslims! I pondered some of the words of these so-called Christmas classics and wondered what Tanzanians make of them. After all, reindeers and sleigh bells, mulled wine and mince pies, snowy Christmas-card scenes and Santa, carolling and Christmas cake don’t quite fit into an African culture! Thankfully, there’s more to Christmas than some of these western traditions! </div>
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The situation I found myself in 24 hours earlier was even further removed from the title of that song! As part of my role as unit leader, I was visiting a team of AIM missionaries out in the bush who are living amongst an unreached Muslim people group - and it certainly didn’t feel anything like Christmas there! The rutted red-mudded ‘road’ was a bit of a challenge for the Subaru but it led me to a village of mud huts and mud-bricked houses. The heat was intense, the cicadas buzzed in the trees, and a family sat on the ground under some trees, whilst bare-bottomed toddlers toddled around! One of the recent buildings is a small school which was built by an AIC church and the team. Providing education has definitely been a gateway for the gospel here, where teaching the Bible is part of the curriculum. Twenty five children have made it through the first year of education and there are some encouraging tales of the gospel rubbing off on some of these little ones. </div>
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You might remember a rather different Christmas song released back in 1984 (35 years ago!) which contained the words “Do they know it’s Christmas time at all?” Well, here in this off-the-beaten-track Tanzanian village, they definitely do! They’ve heard the real Christmas message, without having to wade through wrapping paper and tinsel to hear about Jesus. Thanks to this team, this group of people has heard the real and relevant message of God’s son “putting on skin” and descending into humanity for the most dramatic and sacrificial rescue mission of all time! As you pray for people around you this Christmas who don’t yet know Christ, please also spare a prayer for this team and the villagers they’re trying to reach with the gospel. </div>
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Christmas will be different for us this year as we’re heading to Uganda to spend some time with our former team-mates, Tony & Cath Swanson. At some point during those festivities we’re also hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive Shoebill, which I realise might not mean much to many of you, or even be top of your Christmas wish list, but it’s one of those ‘must see’ birds in the African birding world! For those trying to picture it, just think of a large bird with a shoe-like bill! Soon after New Year, we’ll be heading to the cooler climes of Nairobi for unit leader meetings. So all in all, a festive period that will involve quite a bit of travel, some of it for pleasure and some for ministry. </div>
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As we close up a memorable year, we’d like to take the opportunity to thank those of you who support us prayerfully and financially. We couldn’t do our work here in Tanzania without you – so many, many thanks to you all. Whatever you’re up to for Christmas and New Year, have a truly blessed time! “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 15:13). </div>
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<b>Diary Dates:</b> </div>
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23-30 Dec: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Christmas in Uganda</div>
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5-11 Jan: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Nairobi (Unit Leader meetings) </div>
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Jan-March: <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Steve prepares teaching material for 2020 conferences</div>
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<b>Prayer & Praise Points:</b> </div>
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<li>We’re thanking God for a safe return and for the fact that we’re fully supported.</li>
<li>Please pray for Steve as he begins his teaching preparation for the seminars in 2020.</li>
<li>Pray for Ruth as she wades through the accounts, checking and correcting.</li>
<li>Please pray for an accountant to be employed at Sanga, sooner rather than later! </li>
<li>Please pray for Steve and his health. Whilst the sinus operation was very much needed, it has now become obvious that the sinuses weren’t the real cause of headaches and dizziness. They still exist, along with the insomnia. The sleep tank is pretty empty! </li>
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Bird of the month:</div>
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Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-6477362776673624142019-10-19T17:04:00.000+01:002019-10-19T17:21:52.269+01:00Permits & Polyps - Delays & Deferrals! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We all know that feeling don’t we? That feeling of relief when your luggage finally appears on the carousel! Some of us have also experienced the other feeling - that anxious and annoyed feeling when the carousel comes to a grinding halt and your luggage hasn’t appeared! When we returned from Tanzania back in March, we experienced the latter feeling and had to wait 5 days for our luggage to arrive, all the way from……. Amsterdam! Our home assignment started with a delay and it certainly seems to be ending with a delay….or two! First of all there was the issue of our residents permits not being ready for our scheduled return in September. And then just a few weeks ago (following a delay in getting my CT scan results) it was decided I needed sinus surgery to remove polyps, and so this has resulted in a further delay in our return! So, until 17th November, we’re still very much based in UK. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>UK based:</b> the past seven months. You may just about remember that in our last update (nearly 8 months ago!) we listed 20 things that we were looking forward to during our home assignment. Whilst I could wax lyrical about the whole list, you’ll be pleased to know that I’ve only chosen 8 things from that list as a way of reporting back on what’s been happening. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overlooking Nazareth</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Visiting Israel.</b> I’ve had the pleasure of leading two Oak Hall trips to Israel/Palestine, one of them with Ruth as my co-leader! Maybe I’ve said this before (!?) but to teach from God’s Word in the place where it all happened provides a real buzz! And these trips are often eye-openers for the guests. You can begin to imagine Hezekiah’s men chiselling their way through bedrock as you wade through his tunnel underneath David’s City! You can picture Jesus weeping over Jerusalem as you descend the Mount of Olives, and, as you mingle with the crowds in the bazaars in the old city, it’s easy to visualise what a busy Passover festival would have been like. And then, when you sail on the Sea of Galilee or sit on the shore, you can almost hear the words of Jesus as he teaches the crowds or stills the storm. And so I could go on! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve waxing lyrical overlooking the Dead Sea</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Running in cooler climes.</b> We both enjoyed running the country lanes of Wiltshire in preparation for the Nairn half marathon in August. My time of 1hr 58 mins over 13 miles was slightly faster than Eliud Kipchoge managed in Vienna last weekend, although it might be fair to point out that the professional Kenyan runner covered twice the distance in that time!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here we are with bro Lancs and Kerri.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">90th birthday tea!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Spending quality time with family and friends. </b>It’s been great to catch up with family and we’ve enjoyed some top times together! We were able to see Steve’s youngest sister and her family for the first time in six years, and had the privilege of doing a mini-preach at my Grandad’s funeral back in July – just a month after his 97th birthday! There have also been some awesome family holidays in Scotland to add to the memory bank. Ruth enjoyed being able to celebrate her parents’ birthdays in September and October – Mum was 90 and Dad was 89. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Food variety.</b> Bring out the pork pies! And that could be the reason I’ve put on 7kgs (1 stone)! We’ve enjoyed being able to eat salads without having to bleach them beforehand, and, as a bread fan, I’ve enjoyed eating some of the 20+ different varieties currently found in Morrison’s! In Morogoro, brown bread is a relatively recent addition. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Driving on smooth roads where most people adhere to the highway code! </b> I realise that some of you will question my judgement on this one, but I’ve found driving in the UK to be relatively relaxing! I’ve been amazed that drivers actually let you out at junctions! It also makes a nice change not to see police jumping out of bushes with a tampered speed camera in hand! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mighty Schilthorn</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Skiing.</b> What better way to unwind from the heat of Tanzania than to head to the Swiss Alps?! We enjoyed a great Oak Hall skiing trip for five days back in March. Somehow we covered 199 miles in distance and skied 170,000 vertical feet – although not all in one drop! For those familiar with the Jungfrau ski area, I also managed 58mph on the wall of death; still shaking!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Climbing a mountain or two. </b>Definitely delivered on this one! A number of minor Lakeland summits plus the Welsh summit of Snowdon were climbed. We were also able to stand on the same mountain on which Moses stood (Mt Nebo) as he looked across from Moab (modern-day Jordan) into the Promised Land. The view from Mt Masada (Israel) is also said to be one of the finest in the Middle East, although it’s more of a cable-car ride than a climb! And during the Oak Hall Iceland trip that I spoke on, we stayed just a few miles away from the volcano that caused so much trouble back in 2010 - the one that no one outside of Iceland can really pronounce: Eyafjallajokul! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Cycling the Hebrides.</b> What a week up in the southern Hebrides in July! Along with some of the family, we cycled 95 miles on the islands of Barra, Eriskay, South and North Uist, Benbecula and Berneray. Fantastic beaches, stunning scenery, and some quality birding: lots of short-eared owl and hen harriers, plus white-tailed eagle and snipe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Not being at the mechanics on a weekly basis! </b>We’ve managed to put 13,000 miles on the ‘little red blimp’ (mums car!), and apart from a standard service, we haven’t had to see a mechanic! </span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Being at our home church. </b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We’re blessed to have a supportive church behind us (Corsham Baptist) who not only support us financially and prayerfully, but also send out teams to help at Sanga Sanga and at various AIM conferences - so we feel the connection is pretty strong! We’re also blessed to be fully supported so we haven’t had the added stress of having to raise funds while at home. I was asked to do the Bible teaching at our church weekend back in June and was given four 1 hour slots to focus on the Upper Room chapters in John’s Gospel. Not sure about the folks there, but I very much enjoyed having quality time to preach in English! We’ve also presented at a number of other churches in Liverpool, Lincoln, Carlisle and Chippenham, and I’ve been able to preach/teach on 30 occasions, including at the AIM Fellowship Conference in London and a warehouse church in Iceland! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve teaching the Word at the AIM Fellowship Conference in September</td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Delays & Deferrals are plentiful in the Bible!</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Think about Jacob waiting to marry Rachel for 14 years! What about the Israelites who took 40 years to enter the Promised Land when it could have taken them less than 3 weeks; that’s a huge delay! The Apostle Paul was ‘delayed’ in Caesarea for two years sitting about waiting for his trial to happen. Elisha was anointed Elijah’s successor but then had to wait 7 years for Elijah’s chariot to appear so that he could become Israel’s main prophet! Jesus himself chose to delay for a few days on hearing about Lazarus. And according to Daniel 10 even angels sometimes get delayed in their duties! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the passages that I preached on recently involves a delay, albeit a slightly shorter delay than the ones mentioned above! Mark 6:47 says, “When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on the land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars because the wind was against them.” We are told in the next verse that Jesus went out to them, walking on the water, during the 4th watch of the night (3-6am). The disciples had been on the lake since late the previous afternoon, wrestling with the wind and battling with the waves. They were still in that position 10-12 hours later! And yet remember, Jesus had seen them straining at the oars the previous evening! He knew about their situation and the ordeal that they were facing but he chose not to come to their aid immediately. Jesus chose to delay his rescue operation! Why did he wait until the 4th watch of the night? We simply don’t know. Maybe the disciples asked that same question! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve & Ruth with a calm Galilee in the background</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are some delays in our lives that work well for us and, as we look back on them, we can see a clear reason for the delay. We can even thank God for the delay because in His sovereignty He works these things out and knows what’s best for us. There are, however, other delays which are painful to bear and we long for God to remove them - we just can't see any logic in the delay. In fact it feels as though we’ve been sitting in our storm-tossed boat for too long, crying out for God to intervene, but He seems to delay in coming to our aid. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Be assured, the Almighty God sees you straining at your oars and, at His appointed time, He will come to your aid. Somehow, in the midst of the delay, He is working His purposes out for your life. It is during the delays, some of which can be quite stormy, that God teaches us about Himself. He calls us to trust Him through the delays and through the storms. Indeed, without the delays, stresses, trials, and even failures, we would never grow to be what we should become as Christians. They are a vital part in our spiritual growth, even though at the time, we might not like or appreciate them. Father God, grant us grace and patience to face the various delays that You, in Your sovereignty, have allowed to happen. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Onwards and southwards! </b>Hopefully, if all goes to plan in the nasal department, we’ll be flying back to Tanzania on Sunday 17th Nov to begin our third and final term at Sanga Sanga (2 years). Ruth will continue to work closely with Pastor Batano in the management of IBM & Sanga (bookings, admin and finance), and I’ll continue in my role as a Bible teacher amongst the pastors and evangelists of the AIC. I will also continue as AIM unit leader for Tanzania East. When we get back we’ll be returning to the same house in Morogoro, and hoping that our night guards haven’t moved in during our absence! One of the first lengthy jobs will be to get the cars started, whilst hoping that the engine compartments haven’t become a nesting place for termites, rats or snakes! One of the cars also needs some new brake disks, which I’m told can’t be obtained in Tanzania, and so packing that 14kgs of steel into our suitcases is going to be a bit of a challenge! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It will also be quite strange returning to Morogoro without the Swansons or the Dixons being there, but we’re looking forward to working with our new team-mates (Joel & Lauren Wildasin), who arrived back in May and seem to have got their feet firmly under what was the Swansons’ dining table! So, onwards and southwards we go, back to the mighty continent of Africa, and in His strength we’ll carry on the work that He’s given us to do for this next chapter. We’re fully aware that “there is nothing in us that allows us to claim that we are capable of doing this work” but we know that “the capacity we have comes from God” (2 Cor 3:4). And so we commit ourselves to Him and ask that He would use us mightily for His purposes, despite our weaknesses and our ‘jars of clay’ fragility! </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Praise & Prayer Points: </span></b><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We’re certainly praising God for a top quality home assignment! We’ve been able to do everything that we planned - and more! We’ve also been bowled-over with how generous people have been towards us and our ministry – from a cottage, to a car; from a holiday, to various gifts and meals along the way. You know who you are! Many thanks to you, and of course, to the Ultimate Giver for His provision!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Please pray for Steve and a number of health issues he’s facing; that the sinus operation would go well on Weds 23rd Oct and that the ongoing stomach issue (functional dyspepsia) would somehow settle down! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Please pray for us as we return on Sun 17th Nov; that we would be able to pick up where we left off; for good relationships with our new team mates; for strength and stamina as we get back into the Tanzanian flow; and for safety on the roads and in the home.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Please pray for the continued work at Sanga Sanga, and amongst the pastors and evangelists of the AIC church with whom we work. Pray that I may proclaim God’s Word clearly whenever I have the opportunity. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Whilst we think this next chapter is for a two year period, we don’t know what’s in the pipeline after that. We don’t need to know right now, and we know that God has a plan for the next phase, but we’d value prayer as we keep our spiritual eyes and ears open for what He may be saying to us during this next two years. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Every blessing,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Steve & Ruth</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird of the month: Short-eared Owl, North Uist</td></tr>
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Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-28775875707164557992019-02-17T18:02:00.000+00:002019-09-01T22:18:25.888+01:00“We’re leaving on a jet plane”<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Back in February 2016 the title of our pre-home assignment newsletter was taken from a John Denver song: “Take me home pot-holed roads”! Three years on and it’s another one of his songs. We are indeed “leaving on a jet plane” after completing our second term in Tanzania. On the morning of 7th March you can expect me (Steve) to be humming JD’s words: “All my bags are packed and I’m ready to go; the taxi’s waiting, he’s blowing his horn”, although I won’t be able to sing along with the words, “I hate to go”, because I’m very much looking forward to heading home! In fact we both are.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In February 2016 I referred to the first home assignment (furlough) of a certain missionary explorer that you may just have heard of! And so it seems fitting to refer to Mr Livingstone as he prepared for his second home assignment! His first stint in Africa lasted a whole 15 years but he decided to take his second home assignment after only 8 years of trudging around Africa! During that time he ‘discovered’ Lake Nyassa in Malawi, buried his wife in Mozambique, encountered the ‘wretchedness’ of the slave trade, and sailed a small boat 2500 miles from Zanzibar to Bombay in 45 days! Having then sold his boat, he got back on another one and headed home for England. He arrived in London to find that not one member of his family had come to meet him, and so he ended up having dinner with the Prime minister instead! It had been an extremely tough term for him. He wrote in his journal: “Due to the failure of our recent mission all my work seems in vain. Am I to be cut off before I can do anything to effect permanent improvement in Africa? I have been unprofitable enough….”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, as we prepare for our second home assignment, I can assure you we’re not feeling as low as Livingstone was! Whatever hurdles and hardships we’ve had to deal with can in no way be compared to what DL had to endure, although we both admit that this term seems to have been tougher than our first one. I’ve struggled with illness for the past 10 months (sinusitis and gastritis) and we’ve both had bouts of what they call “culture fatigue”, although which missionary hasn’t experienced this?! Sadly I’ve had to deal with a disciplinary matter concerning a Tanzanian pastor who had been a close friend and, just a few weeks ago our ‘guard’ dog died, a faithful companion who really enabled Ruth to settle here in Tanzania. Ruth has also felt the burden of various responsibilities more this term. All that to say, we’re ready to get on that jet plane and we’re thankful for the fact that we can be home in 12 hours!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, and it is a big ‘however’, we do have much to praise God for! Many positive things have happened during this second term – so here goes! I’ve driven over 50,000 km without accident or breakdown. We’ve seen the Conference Centre grow to its completion with the facilities being well-used by various groups. I’ve preached or taught over 160 times, mainly to Tanzanian pastors & leaders, and had a go at my first Swahili commentary! Ruth has dealt with over 80 bookings at Sanga with over 2600 people staying there, taught several English courses, and she’s also processed donations for work at Sanga totalling 507 million shillings (£170,000)!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We’ve also had the pleasure of introducing family members to Tanzania, as well as a number of church teams and Oak Hall groups. It was also heartening to hear that a number of those Oak Hall folks have gone on to invest further in mission. So, whilst we travel home with jaded eagerness (!) we’re counting our blessings, and we’re thankful for what God has gifted us to do. As I mentioned in our last newsletter, using the words of Paul in 2 Cor. 3: 5 & 8: “There is nothing in us that allows us to claim that we are capable of doing this work, for the capacity we have comes from God alone”. And one of Ruth’s favourite verses, Isaiah 26:12: “Lord, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished You have done for us.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over the next six months we’ll be spending time with our home church in Corsham, meeting up with family members, some of whom we’ve never met before, and talking to folks about the work we’ve been involved in. I’ll be doing some Bible teaching on a number of Oak Hall trips, and we’re hoping to get away for a few breaks, one of which will hopefully see me celebrate a significant birthday! Among the more routine matters that need attending to will be visits to doctors, dentists and opticians, preparing presentations and sermons, sorting out tax and pension issues, and having a debrief at AIM’s HQ in Nottingham. At some point along the way, we hope to be able to see many of you, so that we can say a personal “THANK YOU” to those who have supported us. Without the financial and prayerful support of many of you, we simply couldn’t do what we’ve done – so “ASANTE SANA” for your backing and for lifting us up to the throne room of the Almighty! A privilege indeed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The last few months…. As well as dealing with bookings and the finances of Sanga, Ruth has spent a lot of time training up an AIC pastor to look after the accounts. Fortunately, he’s not just a pastor but a qualified accountant! Praise God for this provision. Whilst on the subject of the AIC (Africa Inland Church) we were recently very encouraged to see a clip of the General Secretary addressing the Tanzanian President on TV. Once in a while various church denominations get the opportunity to make requests to the President, and one of the requests that our AIC guy raised was whether it would be possible for missionaries not to have to pay for work permits! At $500 a time, we’re hoping for a positive result!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In terms of recent preaching appointments, I’ve formed firm friendships with a number of local churches. The AIC church at Kihonda meets in a dilapidated school classroom on the edge of town, and for that privilege they get to pay £17 per month in rent! Thankfully there’s no electricity! It means there are no microphones or sound systems to damage the eardrums! The singing is great and it’s from the heart. The décor is also interesting! They decorate the front of the dusty classroom with brightly coloured material and stick a couple of yucca plants in the corner wrapped in plastic bags! They also wrap up the pulpit as if it were a Christmas present! At the end of the service everyone files out whilst singing with the added benefit that you get to shake every sweaty hand along the way! Apart from the dive-bombing sparrows that target the gaudy pulpit, I’m always encouraged when I preach there, because the percentage of note-takers outnumbers those who don’t! They’re keen to study the Word, and that’s always an encouragement to the preacher.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdYgX3_gOoQKny99JuJB5aASWbr_F-Fr5NHoJJDQMdFWrIKODXDxfCWr_1DnzcXgOLfeTJoym8072BpGUg4r2yWSg1I0TCrkcriKhCktTVGWcRe76ZUvC2WPFJ4q7W0LkdQ0VYvgWVPVq/s1600/aict+kihonda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUdYgX3_gOoQKny99JuJB5aASWbr_F-Fr5NHoJJDQMdFWrIKODXDxfCWr_1DnzcXgOLfeTJoym8072BpGUg4r2yWSg1I0TCrkcriKhCktTVGWcRe76ZUvC2WPFJ4q7W0LkdQ0VYvgWVPVq/s400/aict+kihonda.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The folks at AICT Kihonda</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AICT Kiloka</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the other churches we sometimes visit is out in the bush at a place called Kiloka, although it could be Kiroka! We never quite know due to the problem many Tanzanians have with their L’s and R’s! The AIC church at Kiloka is led by a man called Francis who is actually one of our trusty workers at Sanga – even though it’s an hour’s journey from Sanga to Kiloka! I’m not sure I’ve ever met such a godly, committed, smiley evangelist during my time in Tanzania. Just a few weeks ago, I was preaching to the small congregation there and was able to give out Bibles thanks to a monetary gift from someone who had read about the church in one of AIM’s publications. Other gifts have also meant that the church had a makeover a few months ago. In fact it was more like a rebuild due to the fact that the cracks in the bowed walls were getting bigger! Whilst it can be a bit of a challenge getting to the church, it’s always well worth it and we come away feeling blessed at their generous welcome, often shown with a big bunch of bananas! The church provides a small glimmer of gospel light in an otherwise dark community where Islam rules, and we pray that this small gathering would be protected and blessed as they witness for Christ there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>20 things we’re looking forward to on HA!</strong><em>The cold! No mosquitoes! Visiting Israel. Being spiritually fed. Running in cooler climes. Spending quality time with family & friends. Watching Carlisle United get promotion?! Not battling with Swahili! Enjoying long summer evenings. Food variety. Driving on smooth roads where most people adhere to the highway code! Playing golf on greens. Skiing. Climbing a mountain or two. Going to the chippie! Not having ants crawling around the kitchen! Cycling the Hebrides. Not being at the mechanics on a weekly basis! Not being stared at! Being at our home church.</em></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Prayer Points:</span></strong><br />
<ul><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /> </span>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please pray for us as we aim to finish well and handover our various responsibilities. Pray in particular for Pastor Heri Ruma who will be looking after the accounts. Pray that our home assignment would be a time of refreshment, physically, mentally, and spiritually.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please pray for our teammates Matt and Amy Dixon as they will be the only missionaries left at Sanga, at least until May when we have another family joining.<br />Please pray for stomach healing for Steve! Recently diagnosed with gastritis and duodenitis.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please pray for the two K churches; Kihonda & Kiloka. Pray that the Kiloka folks would be protected as they live out their faith, and for the Kihonda church which is currently leaderless as their pastor recently went to Bible College!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every blessing and see you soon!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Steve & Ruth</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yikes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found this magnificent creature on Steve's shoe -<br />a praying mantis</td></tr>
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Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-55559191664169533692018-12-01T13:25:00.000+00:002019-09-01T22:46:44.794+01:00Times of Transition, Successful Seminars and Confused Cockerels!<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"So much effort measuring speed but we're still</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our last update began with the words “three down, three to go”. Four months later, in terms of our IBM regional conferences, it’s now “six down, none to go”! Project Peter is now complete and we have much to be thankful for! All six conferences went to plan and I was able to teach all of my allotted sessions: 46 in total. Despite travelling 3,000 miles on the dicey roads of Tanzania, we didn’t experience any hold-ups, punctures or accidents along the way, just numerous police checkpoints which continue to suck the joy out of driving! Oh that these large figures dressed in white uniforms were angels! Alas, they are not! In terms of attendance at these events, we had a combined total of 160 pastors, evangelists and wives turn up, the largest number we’ve had for a few years. All seemed to be very happy with our focus on the book of 1 Peter, and of particular relevance to the pastors was chapter 5, where Peter urges elders in the church to be shepherds of God’s flock, serving as humble overseers, and being examples to those they lead.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It’s been encouraging to read the feedback from the pastors, although one did question why we were studying 1 Peter when Paul had written many other letters! Another pastor commented that the letter had been brought to life for him, and at the Kilwa seminar, it was great to hear that, as a group of churches in the area, the pastors had decided to use my notes to teach their congregations. It was a timely reminder for me that those hours of labour spent in the study have not been in vain and that the audience is wider than just those who attend the conferences. The teaching material has now been put into book form so that the pastors can have something more permanent for future reference and study. You’re welcome to a copy – if you can read Swahili!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our August conference took place in the dead-end town of Ifakara! It’s a one-street African town with many dusty side-roads leading off it, and a real sense of run-down-ness. Yet despite its location and its last century feel, we had 43 pastors/evangelists/ wives travel in for the event. Guesthouse prices ranged from £3.20-£8.50 and all of the cooking was done right outside the church under the shade of a mustard tree! On the menu for the three days was typical Tanzanian fare: rice, beans, ugali, spinach, and watermelon, although I was concerned that some super-sized catfish might make it onto our plates at one point! A random guy on a bike turned up one afternoon trying to sell five of the large slimy wrigglers for £3 each! At the end of the conference it was a real encouragement to see that the pastors had collected £30 towards the work of IBM – and this wasn’t the only conference where this happened. This year we’ve found that there is a growing sense amongst the pastors that they appreciate what IBM is all about, and want to step up and help with costs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our conferences in September and October (Magambua and Mbeya) also went well. The beauty of the Magambua event is that it’s way out in the bush with the nearest tarmac road being 100 miles away! That means few noisy distractions to contend with for the teacher, just the occasional herd of cows or goats trotting past the church door! The other benefit for Ruth and I was that we were able to stay with some fellow missionaries, who supplemented our rice and beans diet and ensured we didn’t have to stay in a spartan pastor’s house which had only two working lightbulbs! As we wrap up this conference season, we’re able to say that God’s Word has indeed been taught, and we pray that these church leaders will grow in their faith and lead their congregations into a closer relationship with Jesus - because that’s what this is all about. I’m thankful to God that he’s enabled me to teach again this year. Teaching in Swahili is still far out of my comfort zone but the bottom line is that it is He who has empowered me to do so! I’m very much aware of Paul’s words in 2 Cor. 3: 5 & 6: “For we are not competent in ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” In other words, as the Good News version says, “There is nothing in us that allows us to claim that we are capable of doing this work, for the capacity we have comes from God alone.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Oak Hall Returns:</strong> In August Ruth and I hosted an Oak Hall group at Sanga for two weeks, with 22 guests coming to experience the sights of Tanzania and a taste of mission. They worked hard on various projects at Sanga, helped to paint a dormitory at Agape Children’s Village (an orphanage), went on safari and climbed into the Uluguru mountains, but one of the highlights was visiting a small AIC church out in the rurals, set in the midst of a Muslim village. The eye-opening moment for the group came during the service when they were ceremoniously presented with a confused-looking cockerel and a tonne of bananas as a gift! The welcome and the generosity the church showed towards us in the midst of their humble surroundings was overwhelming. The intrepid Oakies returned home with some precious memories and, for one guest in particular, the African adventure looks set to continue as she’s since applied to teach with AIM somewhere in Africa! A taste of mission seems to have developed into wanting more!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">“The times they are a changin”!</span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For our team here in Morogoro there is plenty of change ahead, although it seems as though missionaries serving overseas live within a revolving-door environment where people are constantly coming and going. Our team mates Tony and Cath Swanson are in the process of saying their goodbyes and packing their bags after being in Tanzania for 20 years. In a weeks’ time, they’ll head to the UK for six months before continuing their consultancy roles with AIM, based in Uganda. Tony became the Co-ordinator of IBM way back in 2004 and he’s been at the forefront of developments at Sanga over the last 14 years. He’s lived and breathed all things Sanga, and I’m sure if you were to cut him in half you’d find Sanga blood flowing out! Both Tony and Cath have been an enormous support to us and we’ll miss their wisdom and maturity as well as their friendship and support. On a more playful note, I’ll particularly miss my battles with Tony on the ‘browns’ of Morogoro golf course, and to hearing Cath recall her latest missionary mishap during the course of her many travels!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">To mark the end of this era, we headed to the wilds of Mikumi National Park a few weeks ago and enjoyed a team day on safari. The highlights of our day in the bush included watching over 200 buffalo jostling for position at a waterhole, and a lone leopard out on the plains. The lowlight, however, was receiving a phone call telling us that there was a fire in the upper room of the newly-built conference centre! One of the free-standing halogen lamps had been placed too near the curtains and it hadn’t taken long for the fire to spread up into the ceiling boards and roofing sheets. The alarm was raised quickly and our amazingly brave Sanga team were able to put out the fire with the use of ladders and buckets of water! It could have been so much worse, but thankfully our guys were able to deal with it before it caused too much damage, and the repair work was completed within a week. A footnote to the story is that the local fire brigade (think Trumpton!) turned up once the fire had been put out!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">All that remains for us to say as we approach the end of another year, is an enormous <strong>THANK YOU f</strong>or your prayers and support and, although it feels way too early to be sending festive greetings, once it arrives, have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year!</span></span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Diary Dates:</span></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">8-13 Dec: Unit leader meetings in Dar and Lindi (south Tanzania)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">16 Dec: Preaching at Emmanuel Church, Morogoro</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">18 Dec: Amani School Board meeting in Dar (Unit)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">23-27 Dec: Christmas hols</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">6-10 Jan: Unit Leader meetings in Nairobi</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">8 March: Term 2 complete! Return to UK for six months!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Prayer Points:</span></strong></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">You might remember that we were looking to recruit an accountant for 12 months for IBM. The AIC has actually appointed someone on a part time basis to cover Ruth’s absence during our home assignment (March-Sept 2019), so that’s an answer to prayer, at least in the short term. Ideally Ruth would like this person to continue managing the accounts when we return to Morogoro next year.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Please pray for the Morogoro AIM team as we enter this time of transition. Whilst Tony and Cath will leave on 9th Dec, we’re hoping to have a new family (Wildasins) joining the team in February, depending on the issuing of work permits! Please pray for this to happen soon! Ruth and I will then be heading back to UK on home assignment in early March, and the Dixons will then also be leaving Tanzania in July! Please pray for Pastor Yohana Batano as he picks up the baton passed on by Tony as the Co-ordinator of IBM!</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Please pray that we would finish our second term well! In many ways this has been a hard year with an on-going sinusitis battle for me, increased responsibilities for Ruth at Sanga, discouraging pastoral situations within the AIC church, growing cultural fatigue, and a seemingly growing police presence on the roads! I’ll admit that my levels of patience and grace are running low as we enter the final three months of this term. It makes me more aware of just what a fragile clay vessel I am! Thankfully, “we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Cor. 4:7)</span></li>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Friends of Sanga Sanga</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We invite you to become a Friend of Sanga Sanga. What does that mean? It means that we keep you updated with news and prayer requests of the ministry at Sanga Sanga via WhatsApp or email. You will receive a newsletter (written by Ruth!) via email twice a year. You can ask for a speaker to come to your church or mission event. And you will receive invitations to come and see what we do and perhaps help with some practical work. If you would like to become a Friend of Sanga Sanga please let us know or <a href="https://www.sangaretreatcentre.org/24/Friends-of-Sanga-Sanga" rel="noopener" target="_blank">click here</a> to sign up!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Easter Sunday in Jerusalem?!</strong> If you’re looking for something to do over Easter next year, then how about heading to Israel and Palestine with Oak Hall? I’m leading another trip (trip code IS19) from 16th-26th April, and it would be great to see some familiar faces on the trip. For a detailed itinerary and more details please see the following link: <a href="http://www.oakhall.co.uk/israel/Israel" rel="noopener" target="_blank">www.oakhall.co.uk/israel/Israel</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Every blessing,</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Steve & Ruth</span></span>Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-49628481135829071142018-07-27T12:51:00.000+01:002019-09-01T23:26:16.839+01:00Challenges and Distractions; Dancing with Masai and Opening the ‘Oak Hall’<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Three down, three to go!</strong> In our last newsletter we used this map to indicate where our six regional pastors’ conferences would be taking place. We’re now able to put three giant ticks alongside three of those locations, and the fourth one will be taking place this coming week when we head off to the backwaters of Ifakara. Thank you to those who have prayed for me during these seminars. Each conference and venue has its own distinctive flavour but one constant is that folks here just don’t seem to get fazed by distractions! During the first conference in Babati we had children peering through the windows and the sound of a nearby band-saw cutting wood! In the Kilwa conference the unfinished floor of the church was as level as the Uluguru mountains, with clods of clay-soil increasing the risk of much ankle-twisting! It didn’t seem to matter to them! Nor did it matter greatly, during the last session of the last day, when someone spotted a venomous snake curled up in a crack in the wall, high above my head! It was ironic that the topic we had been looking at was that of Satan and his scheming! Peter talks about Satan prowling “around like a lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8), but we also know that Satan slithers around as a serpent looking for people to deceive, even within the walls of the church! One of the pastors grabbed a stick and quickly ‘dealt with it’! “Resist him, standing firm in the faith” (1 Pet 5:9)!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A harmless grass snake seen on safari - not the one at<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">During the recent Pwani conference, which was held in the relative peace and quiet of our Sanga HQ, a couple of dogs and a bleating goat made an appearance in our un-walled thatched banda - but again, it didn’t seem to distract the listeners! As for me, it often seems like an uphill battle trying to ignore these various distractions, whilst also trying not to lose my train of Swahili speak! Oh the joys of preaching in Africa! There is one exception that I can think of, where mobile phone distractions obviously grated with a certain pastor! On the wall of his church there is a notice quoting a verse from Habakkuk that says, “the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him”, along with the accompanying words: “please switch off your phone”! Anyway, distractions aside, the teaching on 1 Peter seems to have been well-received, and about 70 pastors/evangelists now have enough material to craft at least 20 sermons for their congregations! All part of AIM’s goal to see “Christ-centred churches amongst all African peoples”. Onwards to Ifakara, Magambua and Mbeya!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Changamoto Kubwa!</strong> One of the most challenging verses that we look at in 1 Peter comes towards the end of ch 2: “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply from the heart” (2:22). In Swahili I would say to the pastors: “Hii ni changamoto kubwa sana.” Roughly translated it means “This is a big challenge”! And don’t we know it!? Loving one another can be tough and we can only do it effectively in the power of the Holy Spirit and not in our own strength. Leading on from this verse I then head towards John 13:34-35 where Jesus instructs his disciples (and us!) to love one another, stating that if they do this, outsiders will realise that they are followers of Christ. Love is indeed the key to the gospel isn’t it? Paul says to the Corinthians that if we lack love in our lives, our witness amounts to nothing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I recently heard a great story that highlights the importance of love within the Christian community; love for each other and love for those who do not know Christ. We have an AIM team living out in the Tanzanian bush that I sometimes visit and they’re seeking to live out the gospel to an Islamic people group. This is what one of the team said: “One day I happened to be sitting in the market with some of the local men who didn’t know that I was part of the team. Two of my team members happened to be passing by and, as always happens when they go to market, kids came flocking! I heard one of the elders from the mosque comment: ‘Do you see that? Before long, this area is going to become Christian.’ The team member sitting in the market asked the elder what he meant and the elder replied: ‘Those Christians really love our people. They care for people when they are sick and they visit their neighbours every day. They really love and pay attention to the kids, and they’re even learning our language. That kind of thing is so different from how we are… it’s irresistible. That’s why I say this area is going to become Christian.’” Wow! What an encouragement that was to that particular team, and what a reminder to us of how important agape love is as a witness to those who don’t know Christ. Father, fill us with your love; strengthen and equip us to love each other, so that a watching world may be drawn to your irresistible love.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dressed up for the Opening Day - <br />
Steve didn't want to wear a <br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Conference Centre Opening:</strong> Following hard on the heels of our Pwani conference in July was the long-awaited opening of the conference centre, three years after the project began. Ribbons were cut, plaques were unveiled, and cameras clicked as we gathered to give thanks to God for the people who had helped to make it possible. When Solomon had finished building the temple in Jerusalem all those years ago, his prayer of dedication was recorded for us in 1 Kings 8. In response, the Lord said to Solomon: “I have consecrated this building which you have built by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.” (1 Kings 9:3b) We’ve had that reference inscribed on a stone tablet near the main entrance and, having dedicated the building to God, we trust that He will indeed always be there and that His powerful presence will be felt by those who use it. The Centre will be used by the AICT, various other churches, kids camps and other organisations and our hope is that God’s name will be glorified in what takes place there. We also want to thank the various people and churches that have contributed to this project, and especially to Oak Hall for their generous support; hence the reason for the naming of the main hall!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Time off and random holiday happenings!</strong> In the middle of July my sister and her family came for a ten day holiday and we had an awesome time introducing them to all-things Tanzania. We certainly packed a lot in: swimming in the Indian Ocean, playing tennis in the heat, experiencing the bite of the notorious Tsetse flies whilst on safari, climbing gigantic Baobab trees, walking up the Uluguru mountains, wandering amongst the rickety fruit and veg stalls of Morogoro market, and sitting in a three-hour church service; what more could you want!? In regard to the latter, they coped admirably, and even introduced the congregation to the chorus ‘My God is a great big God’. Not so sure Ruth appreciated trying to translate the words, “He’s higher than a skyscraper and deeper than a submarine’! However, one of my favourite memories was introducing my bro-in-law (Phil) to the game of golf! It turned out to be quite a random game! On the 8th hole, as we prepared to tee-off, we encountered a Masai choir strung out across the fairway filming a DVD! I’m not so sure they had ever seen a golf ball before, but they signalled that we should play on, and so we walloped (not an official golfing term!) our balls down the fairway. From 150 yards my ball sailed over the heads of the dancing Masai, whilst Phil’s ball left a dent in the back of a Masai warrior! However, there didn’t seem to be too much hard feeling, as Phil and the family were then invited to star as guest dancers in their production! My lasting memory will be of Masai warriors dancing with their sticks, alongside Phil dancing with his golf club! Only in Tanzania!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Caudle clan on safari</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unbelievable scenes!</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Dates for the Diary:</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">31st Jul – 4th Aug: IBM Pastors’ Conference in Ifakara</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">18-31st Aug: Oak Hall group at Sanga</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">25th-29th Sept: IBM Pastors’ Conference in Magambua</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">11th-16th Oct: AIM Missionary Conference in Dar (Corsham Baptist Team!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">23rd-27th Oct: IBM Pastors’ Conference in Mbeya.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Prayer Requests:</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Please pray for Ruth as she deals with administration and financial ssues, along with managing guest bookings. We’re currently looking to recruit an accountant/book-keeper for 12 months, so if you know of anyone who might be interested, please give them a prod! Please pray for me in the remaining conferences; that I would teach faithfully & biblically, and that the pastors would go away spiritually well-fed and better equipped to feed their congregations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">We currently have a team of 17 people from All Souls, Langham Place, London, staying at Sanga Sanga. They’re here to experience the Tanzanian culture and to help out around the site. In mid-August we’ll also be getting ready to receive 22 guests from Oak Hall. Please pray for Ruth and I as we lead that trip, and that people would be challenged with regard to mission, and what they can do to help build God’s kingdom.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We are sad to report that Sanga Sanga’s cows were recently stolen – by the security guard employed to guard the site! As you can imagine, this has been very disheartening for all the team and workers at Sanga Sanga. The thief is now in custody but the cows haven’t been found yet. Please pray that they would be returned to us. They aren’t just valuable in themselves but also provide a useful source of income through selling their milk.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Please pray for our team here in Morogoro. The Swansons (Tony just recovered from pneumonia) leave in December, although we’re encouraged that a family plan to join us here in January next year. We’d also be grateful for your prayers as we think beyond our next home assignment (Mar-Sept 2019), and ponder the question of whether we should return here for a third term.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Thank you</strong> for all your prayers and support!</span>Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-45503189124847566542018-05-07T14:28:00.000+01:002019-09-01T23:40:42.880+01:00Weevils & Worms, Radio Ruth, Project Peter & Turkish Delight!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the police aren't immune to unseen pot-holes!</td></tr>
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<strong>Rain drops keep falling</strong>….. loudly on our tin roof!! Tis the season to be…..wet, damp & soggy! Granted, these are not words that you normally associate with Africa but, as we approach the end of the rainy season, we’re looking forward to drier days! For the many subsistence farmers here the rains are a blessing and everywhere looks lush and green as the vegetation goes into over-drive! For many people the length of the rainy season determines their food-stocks for the rest of the year – and so the rains are welcomed with open arms by most. However, the rains also bring with them some unwelcome side effects! Pot-holes that were only ‘repaired’ last month start opening up again. Roadside gutters fill up very quickly with reddish silt that’s made its way down from the mountains behind us. Power cuts tend to increase and the occasional power-surge blows out your lightbulbs - three in one go in our house!<br />
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Even the worms are seeking refuge from the rain! During every downpour they slither under the doors of our house before drying out and offering themselves as food for the numerous ‘sugar ants’ which have also taken up residence in our kitchen! Desperate measures have come into force whereby the sugar now lives in the fridge and the honey jar sits in a bowl which has pesticide powder in it! Sitting down for breakfast a few weeks ago, I even found a couple of weevils popping their heads out of my Weetabix! And then there’s the mold! My leather sandals have taken on a soft green/white appearance and I’m wondering how long it will take for them to morph into a pair of carpet slippers! And then there are the smells which always seem to be exaggerated here in Africa. Having a damp dog snoozing next to a damp sofa isn’t something to be sniffed at! Oh the joys of an African rainy season!<br />
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Having said that, we’re well aware that we get off lightly when the rains pour down. We have a roof that doesn’t leak (well, not much anyway!) and walls that stand firm. For many people up on the mountains behind us there’s the risk that run-off water will undermine their houses, <strong>causing</strong> the mud-brick walls to collapse. In a number of places around the country, including the city of Dar, there’s been heavy flooding with roads and houses destroyed as well as lives lost. And so, on reflection, worms, weevils and pot-holes are really not that big an issue.<br />
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<strong>Grammar Queen hits the airwaves!</strong> We mentioned in our last update that Ruth was busy preparing a series of English lessons with a difference. During the last month she’s been able to record a number of programmes for a local Christian radio station run by Faith Baptist Church here in Morogoro. The station is hoping to go live at the end of the year and they’re busy stockpiling material ready for their launch. Whilst teaching English to an invisible audience is a new challenge for Ruth, Steve is hoping, with a new audience for Ruth to focus on, that he’ll now be spared his daily grammar lessons! Away from the microphone, there’s been a lot to do for Ruth at the home of the Institute of Bible & Ministry with bookings on the increase and the accounts to look after, plus the launch of the ‘Friends of Sanga Sanga’ scheme along with the new IBM website! (www.sangaretreatentre.org) During the next few days, don’t be surprised if you receive an email from Ruth about the scheme!<br />
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<strong>Project Peter!</strong> Since the New Year I’ve spent much of my time preparing teaching material for the IBM conferences. Four months of study and translation work have been whittled down to a 64 page file totalling 34,000 words! Our focus this year is the book of 1 Peter and, whilst it’s only a short letter, it’s packed full of foundational doctrine and has much to say about the nitty gritty of practical Christian living. Many of Peter’s key themes begin with the letter ‘S’. Here are a few to give you a flavour of what the pastors will be learning about this year: strangers, stones, salvation, scattered, suffering, submission, second coming, shepherding, and standing firm against Satan.<br />
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Peter’s reason for writing his letter is outlined in ch 5:12 (NLT): “My purpose is to encourage you and assure you that the grace of God is with you no matter what happens.” And my prayer is that, as I deliver these talks over the next six months, what is shared would be an encouragement and would give assurance to these pastors and evangelists. It’s now time to bring those words alive and to preach them out to the pastors of the AIC church, starting this Wednesday (9th) in Babati. As you can see from the map, the first conference of the year is also our most northerly regional conference. Here’s hoping that the happenings of last year’s northern event don’t occur this year; one can only take so many bedbugs!<br />
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<strong>Away from the Study:</strong> In early March my brother and his wife (Ian & Kerri) came to visit, and we had an awesome week of non-stop adventure. It began at a deserted airport terminal at 3am (minus some luggage!) and was all too quickly followed, on the same day, by a 7am start time for the Kilimanjaro half marathon! Running conditions were ideal, although some of the footwear worn by fellow runners was not! One guy wore his football boots, another was running in his Sunday-best slip-ons, and yet another runner wore his steel-toecap work boots! ‘Ouch’ - in all three cases!! Whilst running a half marathon might not be everyone’s ideal holiday start, the safari certainly would be. The highlight of our 24 hour safari was seeing leopard and lion and then later lying in bed listening to the roar of said lion rumbling across the plains of Mikumi; a tad scary even when behind a locked door!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx94FsOOMwitH4lKJKkrJkhMOCNlcS_oNwj5tGf2g1BeZw8fUFLQqdydc5rsImKIMXFLjSRp7OuQy93ToS6FjUE3q2eZ5yI9oScHrwc0Ndj9DLTsgyAYayj-iEvJbqdj1FuMrTjy7jyaJV/s1600/Galilee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx94FsOOMwitH4lKJKkrJkhMOCNlcS_oNwj5tGf2g1BeZw8fUFLQqdydc5rsImKIMXFLjSRp7OuQy93ToS6FjUE3q2eZ5yI9oScHrwc0Ndj9DLTsgyAYayj-iEvJbqdj1FuMrTjy7jyaJV/s1600/Galilee.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galilee and the Golan Heights</td></tr>
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In early April, I was able to head off to Israel and Palestine to lead another Oak Hall trip. This trip always makes it on to my ‘annual highlights’ list, although the things that stand out vary from trip to trip. This year, we were in Jerusalem over Easter, which meant we were able to join with hundreds of other Christians (plus the speaker RT Kendal!) at the Garden Tomb, to celebrate the fact that ‘Christ is risen’! Other notable memories include the crush of people in the narrow alleyways of the old city, standing on the Golan Heights overlooking Syria and hearing heavy shelling in the distance, and watching a white dove trying to settle on someone’s head as they paddled at the traditional site of Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan! Talk about Scripture coming alive – well, almost!<br />
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My journey to and from Israel was via Istanbul but it made for an interesting flight. As we flew over Turkey (Asia Minor) we followed much of the route that Paul took during his first missionary journey. Whilst most of my fellow passengers dozed off or watched TV, I was leafing through the book of Acts, whilst peering down from 35,000 ft, looking at some of the locations mentioned in my reading! Places like Antioch, Lystra, Derbe and Cyprus.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5IwvyV4n1dH_O-czwJMrt3lO8TuZAih8p3x8iJLM48n1W0QAXKyV_0wBpWsZutmyJB89yNWfODB6MJ02XfZ4fzvM52hxNB0_iEPEMZPnTGtzopXJotXC-7A6Rh4HKL8fFPf5RtGpOqTU/s1600/asia+minor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5IwvyV4n1dH_O-czwJMrt3lO8TuZAih8p3x8iJLM48n1W0QAXKyV_0wBpWsZutmyJB89yNWfODB6MJ02XfZ4fzvM52hxNB0_iEPEMZPnTGtzopXJotXC-7A6Rh4HKL8fFPf5RtGpOqTU/s1600/asia+minor.jpg" /></a></div>
It also seemed fitting that, having had my eyes focussed on 1 Peter for the last three months, I was now flying over the regions mentioned by Peter in the first verse of his letter: “To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.” I tried to imagine what Peter and Paul would have made of someone travelling across these regions in just a few hours, sitting in a jet-propelled metal tube, whilst it took them weeks and months of hard walking! Different times and different worlds, but still exactly the same gospel!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqkUgsIQGKB7XuEPG21ls2xJQN0urzIR3Vd3KiYBBh622aWbBLv6VNfhrunjXaA-wzNhU3cHW7FzeMrsO29wyw1fFy7i7G2BHkGruYb-0Jx_pK_l1hOSNUpVvB8qtpcWUWZ8arYYkPIqP/s1600/plane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqkUgsIQGKB7XuEPG21ls2xJQN0urzIR3Vd3KiYBBh622aWbBLv6VNfhrunjXaA-wzNhU3cHW7FzeMrsO29wyw1fFy7i7G2BHkGruYb-0Jx_pK_l1hOSNUpVvB8qtpcWUWZ8arYYkPIqP/s1600/plane.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asia Minor and the Turkish city of Antalia (bottom of<br />photo) mentioned in Acts 14:25</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8edG5U6WNBbgvob9XJ0Vf6F0-BiJuPbYJecfswDWXOKObTErNRzLIPg-yjp__NgPDi3t8c1EVeX2ghScfUH4B7YKctr-4v8-bCDyXDRNfHsSo38jv5QbSTfuw4f-l9pFGPNuKI7_5uXlu/s1600/steve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8edG5U6WNBbgvob9XJ0Vf6F0-BiJuPbYJecfswDWXOKObTErNRzLIPg-yjp__NgPDi3t8c1EVeX2ghScfUH4B7YKctr-4v8-bCDyXDRNfHsSo38jv5QbSTfuw4f-l9pFGPNuKI7_5uXlu/s1600/steve.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't beat teaching the Bible<br />where it all took place!</td></tr>
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<strong>Prayer Points for the next few months:</strong><br />
<ul><br />
<li>As we kick off the conference season, I would be very grateful for your prayers as I teach the pastors. “Pray for me that whenever I open my mouth, the right Swahili words may be given me so that I may fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” - Eph 6:19 slightly adapted! Please pray for us as we travel the miles and carry out conference administration behind the scenes.</li>
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<li>Please pray for Ruth as she helps to organise the AIM Women’s Retreat in Arusha in mid-May, and for strength and energy to carry out her various roles at Sanga, particularly in regard to finance.</li>
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<li>You’ll see from the diary below that we’re due to officially open the Conference Centre on 7th July. Please pray for our workers, for Matt Dixon (our building supervisor) in the lead-up to this, and for the event itself, that all will be done for God’s glory.</li>
</ul>
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<strong>Diary Dates:</strong><br />
<br />
9-11 May: IBM Pastors’ conference in Babati<br />
15-16th: AIM Conference planning meetings in Arusha<br />
17-20th: AIM Women’s Retreat in Arusha (Ruth only!)<br />
27-30th: Unit Leader meetings in Nairobi for Steve<br />
3rd June: Steve preaching at Emmanuel Church, Morogoro<br />
10-15th: Travel to southern Tanzania for meetings & IBM Pastors’ conf in Kilwa<br />
4-6 July: IBM Pastors’ conference at Sanga Sanga<br />
7th: Official opening of the Conference Centre!<br />
9-20th: Holiday with family! The Caudle Clan (Steve’s sister) from Scotland!<br />
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Thanks for all your prayers and support,<br />
<br />
Steve & Ruth<br />
<br />Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-82143680550515030802018-02-13T15:38:00.000+00:002019-09-05T11:26:49.506+01:00Flexing the sinews and ligamentsWhen we last wrote we were just about to head off to the UK for a short break with family and to celebrate my (Ruth’s) parents’ 60th wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful time and made many special memories. Christmas was spent with my parents and family (with the obligatory pork pie for Christmas breakfast—it’s an East Midlands tradition!). The anniversary celebration on Boxing Day went very well and it was great to meet up with siblings and cousins that we haven’t seen for years. My parents even received a lovely card from HM The Queen!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6o4GP7D9n4qqEnVM1a6D1b9FvMejElLVeogrfimRSoWWbmMGScdm8XndSzUjCg4ag2E_WsedfkXocEHlJqo6eBR8051MVWMCVx-ODks8mtoIBm1_chQlITKQYifIrNQxKiwQ8HwrosRYp/s1600/family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="750" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6o4GP7D9n4qqEnVM1a6D1b9FvMejElLVeogrfimRSoWWbmMGScdm8XndSzUjCg4ag2E_WsedfkXocEHlJqo6eBR8051MVWMCVx-ODks8mtoIBm1_chQlITKQYifIrNQxKiwQ8HwrosRYp/s640/family.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Willows clan at the Diamond Anniversary do, four generations together.</td></tr>
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Then it was north, travelling through snow, heading to Scotland for a few days in Nairn with my sister and over to Elgin for New Year with Steve’s sister and the wider Lancaster clan, which, with 8 adults and 6 kids in one house, was a noisy, active and fun time! In between we managed a quick overnight visit to our pastor and his wife in Corsham and a couple of days in Bicester with Steve’s brother. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip, not least feeling cold again!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJ7beQPAGZ472IMkxve7e7banWIc1fTBZy5Ys3XawWbGZsnEXGy2W3tSbra7UPd5_zCZu6U56MaRyiN0J6y-Zk1bcvmfRpOPjlbm_LdVhDggPMIP6uBggedAAKa092tyVkJSMIsk-1xpZ/s1600/beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="1024" height="455" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJ7beQPAGZ472IMkxve7e7banWIc1fTBZy5Ys3XawWbGZsnEXGy2W3tSbra7UPd5_zCZu6U56MaRyiN0J6y-Zk1bcvmfRpOPjlbm_LdVhDggPMIP6uBggedAAKa092tyVkJSMIsk-1xpZ/s640/beach.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lancaster clan on Lossie beach Yes, it was cold!</td></tr>
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Our journey back to Africa was broken by a few days in Kenya attending Unit Leader meetings. This was the first time that I had attended these meetings and it was an interesting experience seeing first-hand this part of Steve’s ministry. AIM’s Eastern Region comprises Tanzania and Kenya and each country is split into different units with a leader being responsible for member care and for implementing the strategy set by the Region. As you can imagine, a lot of administration comes with this role and this was reflected in the meetings with discussions on annual leave paperwork, language learning requirements and immigration matters—not terribly exciting stuff but necessary in order to facilitate AIM’s missionaries who are at the coal face of planting Christ-centred churches in Africa. So spare a thought—and a prayer—for Steve as he juggles this role with his other work. Perhaps these tasks are the ligaments and sinews that Paul talks about in Colossians 2: 19—supporting and holding together the whole body.<br />
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<strong>Talking of sinews and ligaments….</strong>Steve is in training to run the Kilimanjaro half marathon in March. His brother Ian and sister-in-law Kerri are coming out to run it too and to visit us for a week. I will be happy to wait at the finish line to cheer them all in!<br />
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Steve is now well and truly into preparation for this year’s Institute seminars. He is basing his talks on 1 Peter and has 11 sessions to prepare. His method is to prepare them all in English first and then, with the help of a Tanzanian friend, to tackle the mammoth task of translation into Swahili. We are thanking God that he has completed 8 talks so far with 3 to do. He is planning to start translation work mid-March. Please pray for him!<br />
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Meanwhile I have been handling the usual tasks of admin and accounts for Sanga Sanga Retreat Centre. There is one important task coming up that fills me with foreboding—the annual project report for the Eastern Region Office! It’s due in by the end of February so in the next couple of weeks I will be immersed in the books and trying not to get confused! I am thankful for the help of Brenda, my accountant friend, who is able to see the wood for the trees and translate a year’s worth of Tanzanian shilling transactions back into US dollars for the report! Please pray for us!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFS_SyIxLqR6_vAo06-5bA0KCA2NH-A2GrZCOEFSq9YsWmqtF7BcyiKutJl9OHx2jPOsUMnCaOADcIFIMRHjx-kYks0TSrgfWJeF-FCl8ZI9cUoC8vKL_J-ppUeOAW8Be-ytzv9pwMm_N/s1600/English.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="300" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFS_SyIxLqR6_vAo06-5bA0KCA2NH-A2GrZCOEFSq9YsWmqtF7BcyiKutJl9OHx2jPOsUMnCaOADcIFIMRHjx-kYks0TSrgfWJeF-FCl8ZI9cUoC8vKL_J-ppUeOAW8Be-ytzv9pwMm_N/s200/English.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Another aspect of my role is to teach English. Last week I ran a course for Intermediates. In amongst the grammar teaching were fun, games and lively discussions that really got the students talking! These courses are a great opportunity to demonstrate what a ‘real’ Christian is like, in front of people who may be nominal Christians or Muslims. Two of the students requested Bibles but, seeing that I’d brought 5, the other students also wanted a copy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpbIQj-tjQhy9Em4W1Us6vRG0fIZkBqvCTdJ7vj7XPlJG33bl6gYRu_82Ep2-awgQGOUYjUosDt_O_NWVsmvmB-d1kEJYJl-9ZQp72tfUUjsl5Oxsi7YYZ6k0mDC6HHAxt7H1jPjjWsjo/s1600/graduation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpbIQj-tjQhy9Em4W1Us6vRG0fIZkBqvCTdJ7vj7XPlJG33bl6gYRu_82Ep2-awgQGOUYjUosDt_O_NWVsmvmB-d1kEJYJl-9ZQp72tfUUjsl5Oxsi7YYZ6k0mDC6HHAxt7H1jPjjWsjo/s400/graduation.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy English students with their certificates!</td></tr>
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<strong>Radio gaga? </strong>I have been given the exciting opportunity of teaching English on the radio! Faith Baptist Church in Morogoro is setting up a local radio station and has invited me to record some short English teaching programmes. This is a new and unfamiliar venture—how to teach English with no direct interaction with students. Watch this space for more news!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmuItDNMC67jt05NacCL7EBtXoL-FuYcgP6t0HNpmmsKuqOLdLbzUqLhGLl4wmlONR2wfNhjRuiDCFAhiuWV5AxBWGiKgsEKD1oHJnMQIlnbrUOOvXrJ5Hx4uDRDSWFQGbRIWwS5PxApJ/s1600/bee+eaters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmuItDNMC67jt05NacCL7EBtXoL-FuYcgP6t0HNpmmsKuqOLdLbzUqLhGLl4wmlONR2wfNhjRuiDCFAhiuWV5AxBWGiKgsEKD1oHJnMQIlnbrUOOvXrJ5Hx4uDRDSWFQGbRIWwS5PxApJ/s1600/bee+eaters.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-throated Bee-eaters - another 'cop' for us</td></tr>
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<strong>10th anniversary!</strong> On 19th January we celebrated 10 years of marriage with a weekend away on the coast, in fact on a small tropical island! Getting there involved a short journey by motorboat (having waded out to it to begin with!). We had two days of unwinding, swimming, reading and resting. There really wasn’t much else to do on the island! We took our binoculars in hope, not expecting to see much, but boy, were we surprised! We saw 5 or 6 ‘new’ birds with some wonderful names, including Caspian Tern, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater and the Blue-naped Mousebird. Beautiful birds and two very happy bird-watchers!<br />
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<strong>Diary Dates</strong><br />
<br />
18th Feb Steve preaching at AICT Morogoro (2 services)<br />
March/April 1 Peter prep for Steve<br />
2nd-10th March Holiday. Kilimanjaro half marathon! Bro Lancs coming out.<br />
30th Mar-11th Apr Steve leading Oak Hall Israel trip<br />
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<strong>Prayer and Praise</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>Praise God for the progress Steve has made to date with his preparation. Pray that it will continue to flow and that the translation work will go quickly and</li>
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<li>Pray for Steve as he juggles this prep with his Unit Leader work, and for Ruth as she prepares financial reports.</li>
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<li>Pray for the 5 English students who received Bibles, and the opportunity to teach English over the radio.</li>
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<li>Praise God for 10 years of marriage!</li>
</ul>
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Thanks for all your prayers and support,<br />
<br />
Steve & Ruth<br />
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<strong>Bird of the month</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUZIAzsdvjXRxQXQu6A12S9byQd7f-OmPmDWgBAdIUt0b4cdrxQWrEMHmepcWlr9p4w53gSM1qI09Rd9FwAdAPGDOe6HHep0CAOtENsd4Z2TEukY7QBrUrXnqTxGAApA2uuksFILSAiOS/s1600/whydah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUZIAzsdvjXRxQXQu6A12S9byQd7f-OmPmDWgBAdIUt0b4cdrxQWrEMHmepcWlr9p4w53gSM1qI09Rd9FwAdAPGDOe6HHep0CAOtENsd4Z2TEukY7QBrUrXnqTxGAApA2uuksFILSAiOS/s640/whydah.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pin-tailed Whydah, seen in our garden.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5plTjE0wHGykyMramPsdmLn6EuaM92qAsXOOmno5F4m5byBp_OxzVRHGRCW5oudSQgJ-_11W8Y-EGjKqlfI223KeSMaO_RvsAm7nN_tnblus6_Qj5zCRrN3OHeUQ8t4Fzbec2yJquYsDm/s1600/mum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="750" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5plTjE0wHGykyMramPsdmLn6EuaM92qAsXOOmno5F4m5byBp_OxzVRHGRCW5oudSQgJ-_11W8Y-EGjKqlfI223KeSMaO_RvsAm7nN_tnblus6_Qj5zCRrN3OHeUQ8t4Fzbec2yJquYsDm/s640/mum.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Mum and the Queen - but which is which?!</td></tr>
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<br />Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-46089019682806079272017-12-12T18:52:00.000+00:002019-09-05T11:39:00.680+01:00"Flying home for Christmas!"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKtbGdeinwoZa_brfvmeUPBKhwuD-pKCccvikXIAnALgcmeNftQJRBd0meSGtYaGjJZ7w-hmKPZ7Frpvgq6yFwdq-VGTgeMehwDzp8pNACazUfGdTwsMGLkjRGn4_2JGfZ6h6bQpbftVW/s1600/Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="300" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwKtbGdeinwoZa_brfvmeUPBKhwuD-pKCccvikXIAnALgcmeNftQJRBd0meSGtYaGjJZ7w-hmKPZ7Frpvgq6yFwdq-VGTgeMehwDzp8pNACazUfGdTwsMGLkjRGn4_2JGfZ6h6bQpbftVW/s320/Christmas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
As I sat in a well-worn barber’s chair on Saturday morning, my mind began to drift towards our UK Christmas visit. As the scissors and the clippers did their work, it gave me time to ponder on how very different my surroundings would be in just a week’s time. They won’t be singing “snow had fallen, snow on snow” here in Morogoro and there’s no chance of “frosty winds making moan”, just warm and wet winds sweeping off the Uluguru mountains behind us. There won’t be any jingling of bells or the twinkling of fairy lights and, whilst there will be plenty of open fires, there won’t be any chestnuts being roasted – just rice, beans, maize, ugali and possibly some chicken. And as you walk around Morogoro you have to look very hard to find a tinselled tree or a laughing Santa – thankfully!<br />
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Christmas is indeed coming but there’s a very different feel to it here, where Christians remember the birth of Christ but in a ‘business as usual’ sort of way. The church services do get a bit longer and, quite possibly, a bit noisier! The AIC church here will be having services on three consecutive days, each one lasting for about three hours. Spare a thought for our team leader Tony Swanson who is preaching at all three and is very much looking forward to watching the choir dancing their way through ‘Hark the herald angels sing’! There might also be a few candlelight services happening on Christmas eve but that’s probably more to do with a regular power cut than wanting to create a cosy stable-like feel (?!) in the service!<br />
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By the way, talking of power cuts, what does my Tanzanian/Indian barber do in his psychedelic green shop when the power goes off? He cranks up a noisy generator and carries on with the job, which by this point is very nearly done. Out comes a razor for the finishing touch and out comes a rather large brush (the type that goes with a regular dustpan and brush!) to sweep away the cuttings from my head and shoulders. Finally a dab of un-manly fragrant talc is applied to the neck and the job is done. And all for just £2!<br />
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Back to the Christmas musings! Whilst there are many differences between Christmas in Tanzania and the UK, the real focus is still the same – it’s a ‘holyday’ to remember the birth of Christ. It’s a time to reflect on an occasion when God began to put his plan of salvation into action; a time when God chose to ‘put on skin’ and come to live on this earth as a human; a time when he chose to use a young peasant girl to bring into the world the Son of the Almighty God, who somehow was also there when the world began! What an outrageous story! And all for the benefit of humanity! Amidst the froth of Christmas let’s find the time to ponder afresh the astounding truths of what it meant for God to become man. And then let’s pour out our hearts in gratitude by giving our lives in service to Him. “What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a Shepherd I would bring a lamb. If I were a wise Man I would do my part. Yet what I can I give Him, I give my heart.”<br />
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<strong>A Tale of Two Churches</strong><br />
The IBM conference season has now finished for the year; Ruth is working on the year-end reports and I’m beginning to ponder the subject for next year’s teaching. We’re thankful to God that the conferences this year have all gone to plan, and that the subject of godly leadership seems to have had an impact.<br />
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Bearing in mind Ruth’s comment about statistics in our last update, I’ll refrain from going into detail about miles travelled, litres of fuel consumed (by the car!), sermons preached, and the number of times I’ve been stopped by the police! Suffice to say, whilst it’s been a busy year, it’s been a good one, and we’re finishing the year with a sense of satisfaction at what God has done through us as a team. I’ll round up the year by giving you a glimpse of what life can be like on the preaching road here in Tanzania, in the form of a few diary entries.<br />
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<strong>AIC Dumila:</strong> This was a long and painful day! Left home at 8am, and drove 75 kms to the church. On arrival I was given a dried chapatti and some tea; in hindsight, a mistake! Before I got up to preach, I had to visit the cob-webbed toilet shed three times, although it did give me the opportunity to escape the distorted noise of the generator-powered sound system for a few minutes! When the time came to preach, I then had to battle against the sound of an Islamic wedding party happening nearby. The hypnotic trance-like music seemed to have an effect on the congregation – or was that my preaching!?<br />
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There were about 70 people crammed into this small mud-brick church. The notices lasted 20 mins, and there were three collections; one of them a general one, another for some building work, and the other for the choir! For the last one, the guy on the microphone was on hand to call out the amount that each person put into the basket! Meanwhile, sitting rather awkwardly at the front of the church and being able to see through the hole in the wall where a window should have been, I tried to keep a close eye on my car which was in danger of being swamped by Sunday School children! They found it amusing to look at their reflections in the mirrors and to run their hands down the not-so-glistening paintwork! Once the service was finished, I sold 15 Bibles at a knock-down price and was later given a lunch of rice and beans. I finally arrived home at 5:30pm with a pounding headache and the need for a paracetamol!<br />
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<strong>AIC Kinzudi Dar:</strong> Due to the fact this church was off the beaten track, I had asked the pastor to meet me at the main road. On the way to the church he asked me to stop at the butchers so that he could buy lunch! With a quick glance towards the hanging lumps of meat in the shop window, I assured him that my favourite meal was indeed rice and beans, and that he needn’t go to the expense of buying meat just for me! Off we drove with me inwardly cheering! As we approached the church the track got rather more ‘off-road’ and somehow I managed to arrive without ripping the sump from the bottom of the car! Yet again, mine was the only car outside the church; there were a few bicycles but the other 40 people had walked there. We started 25 minutes late and people continued to arrive as the service progressed. In a number of churches I’ve even seen people arrive with five mins of the sermon to go!<br />
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What a pleasant surprise! There were no microphones or speakers to shake the internal organs, which meant that I wouldn’t need the wax earplugs that I’d put in my pocket! There was only one collection, one song from a four-woman choir, and lots of congregational singing, much of which I couldn’t really understand, but nevertheless it proved to be a tonic to the soul! The tin-roofed church provided oven-like conditions in the humid heat of Dar, and I noticed that the pastor’s shirt was somewhat damp with only a few minutes gone! I’ve learnt that when preaching in Tanzania, it’s always wise to carry a flannel with you, and indeed, it proved useful as the service went on! I preached from John 13 - the section where Jesus washed the feet of his disciples just hours before the cross. We’re urged to stoop and serve as Jesus did, and that includes ‘washing the feet’ of those we don’t get on with, and those who may have wronged us in the past. I don’t recall reading that Jesus refused to wash the feet of the man who was planning to betray him - such a challenge to us all. As the service drew to a close, we filed out whilst singing the closing song and stood in a long line having shaken each other’s hands. And then……time for some more rice and beans!<br />
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<strong>Diary Dates:</strong><br />
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16th Dec – 4th Jan: Christmas & New Year with family in England & Scotland!<br />
5th- 7th Jan: Unit Leader meetings in Kenya<br />
8th Jan: Return to Tanzania<br />
19th Jan: Our 10th wedding anniversary!<br />
Jan – dates tbc: Ruth teaching Intermediates English course<br />
Jan/Feb/March: Steve preparing seminar teaching material<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Progress at Sanga Sanga. Forget the view - look at those new window frames!</td></tr>
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<strong>Prayer & Praise:</strong><br />
<ul><br />
<li>We’re thanking God for the past year and for all the plans that have come to fruition; for safety on the roads and in the home; for the opportunity to teach from God’s Word; for the progress made at Sanga Sanga. We’re also praising God for you! We’re thankful for the fact that many of you are journeying with us and providing finance and prayer. Thank you so much for being such a blessing!</li>
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<li>Please pray for Ruth as she continues to provide administrative support to IBM & Sanga, and as she balances the books, handles bookings and manages the housekeeping staff there. The site is certainly being used more and more, with groups coming on a regular basis to use the facilities, but with that growth comes busyness!</li>
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<li>Please pray for Steve as he spends the bulk of Jan/Feb/March preparing teaching material for the IBM seminars which begin in May. Please also pray for the Swansons as 2018 will be their last year in Morogoro! They’ll be leaving in December 2018 and heading to a new assignment in Uganda. It raises all sorts of questions as to ‘what next’ for the team, for IBM and the work at Sanga. We would value your prayers as we try to discern the best way forward, and seek to recruit new personnel to cover Tony’s roles.</li>
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<strong>Further ahead</strong>: I’ll be leading another Oak Hall Israel trip from 30th Mar–9th April and it would be great to have some familiar faces on the trip! If you’re interested in seeing the sights of Israel & Palestine with your Bibles open, please see this link for further details: <a href="http://www.oakhall.co.uk/israel/israel" rel="noopener" target="_blank">http://www.oakhall.co.uk/israel/israel</a>.<br />
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In our last update Ruth reported on Oak Hall’s first Tanzania trip which took place back in August. Well, there’s another trip planned for next year (18 Aug-1 Sep), so if you want an idea of what the trip looks like, or maybe even fancy the idea of staying at Sanga yourself, have a look at the online brochure: <a href="http://www.oakhall.co.uk/summer/tanzania" rel="noopener" target="_blank">http://www.oakhall.co.uk/summer/tanzania</a>.<br />
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We wish you every blessing for Christmas and the New Year.<br />
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Steve & Ruth<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a push bike in there somewhere!</td></tr>
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<br />Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-40711851647110710722017-11-02T12:54:00.000+00:002019-09-05T11:49:56.727+01:00Oakies in Tanzania!One of highlights of life here in Morogoro is the Book Club that I (Ruth) attend every month. Half a dozen Christian ladies get together to discuss whatever book we are currently studying. Right now we are reading through Sally Breedlove’s book ‘Choosing Rest’. It’s subheading is, “Cultivating a Sunday heart in a Monday world.”<br />
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Rest is an interesting concept for missionaries when there can be many demands on our time. We can often feel the pressure to ‘redeem the time’ for the sake of those who are supporting us financially. And, frankly, sometimes there is just so much to do. But rest is vital if we are to be here for the long haul. It’s sometimes difficult to get the balance right. 2017 has been an exceptionally busy year for us and we are looking forward to a rest. But first, what have we been doing since we last wrote….?<br />
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<strong>August—Oak Hall in Tanzania!</strong><br />
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Steve and I have been connected with Oak Hall Expeditions for over 10 years and Oak Hall has also been a generous supporter of Sanga Sanga Retreat Centre. So it was a real pleasure to host the first Oak Hall trip to Tanzania! Twenty-four intrepid souls came for a taste of mission and culture. The trip started with a hiccup as fog in Amsterdam meant the group missed its connection and ended up coming on 2 separate flights much later than expected. Good job our Oak Hall training and experiences in Africa have taught us to be flexible!<br />
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The group was based at Sanga Sanga Retreat Centre for 10 days. They threw themselves gladly into some practical work on 2 of those days, painting the outside of the conference centre and working on the hydroponics project. Evenings were special times, spent around the campfire as we gathered for worship and Bible study, gazing at the stars above. We took them to visit a nearby Maasai village where they tried some Maasai dancing; we visited a local NGO which trains ‘hero’ rats to sniff out landmines and TB (fascinating—visit <a href="http://www.apopo.org/">apopo.org</a>); we enjoyed a mountain hike in the Ulugurus and we had a day on safari where we saw everything including lion!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Worshipping at AICT Kiloka</td></tr>
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But the real highlights for the group were the visits we made to AICT Dakawa and AICT Kiloka, small village churches. At Dakawa, as soon as the choir began to sing and dance our group jumped up to join in too! It was amazing and surprisingly emotional—two sets of people, different in language, culture, appearance and economic status, but united in enjoying praising God. The British aren’t so stiff-upper lipped after all! At Kiloka we sang a couple of songs to the church (with actions!) and received a very warm welcome and gifts of rice and bananas. It was fascinating to watch our group’s reactions and see it all through their eyes, as if for the first time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruth's birthday coincided with the visit to AICT Dakawa<br />and she was presented with a kanga</td></tr>
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We ended the trip on the coast for a couple of days, including a day on a tropical island enjoying the golden sands and warm waters of the Indian Ocean—and all getting completely soaked on choppy seas on the way back! All in all, it was a successful trip, tiring but rewarding, and we look forward, God willing, to hosting another group next year! If you’re interested contact <a href="http://www.oakhall.co.uk/summer/tanzania">Oak Hall</a>!<br />
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<strong>September—Magambua</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xpZHOHDaCo9RTZgFOXmCQl0ywgSQ7N-7d0lkvF-pv0vp93-j2UBULIlEbGt5cdWcUF-oWKXbMh4lIeartfRXMW6xioIjkYv-N1fCEjIK2XV3Hs2PUSJj7Ze6mC-Y3akx3BggKyfuSuI1/s1600/magambua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0xpZHOHDaCo9RTZgFOXmCQl0ywgSQ7N-7d0lkvF-pv0vp93-j2UBULIlEbGt5cdWcUF-oWKXbMh4lIeartfRXMW6xioIjkYv-N1fCEjIK2XV3Hs2PUSJj7Ze6mC-Y3akx3BggKyfuSuI1/s1600/magambua.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AICT Magambua</td></tr>
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We travelled deep into rural Tanzania in September for a pastors’ seminar. Magambua is in an area where the people group are classed as ‘unreached’. Steve was again teaching on the subject of leadership with moral integrity. We stayed with an AIM missionary couple , fellow birding enthusiasts! Numbers attending the conference were lower than expected but they still enjoyed some lively discussion on the topic! At the end of the conference we took an extra day in Magambua to rest and enjoy some bird watching. I saw 21 new birds!<br />
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<strong>October—AIM Tanzania Conference & Iringa</strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwi7vEhI-7DAJT7QX5Ickmhcy14s_EXEKylZfu5oGy2ii9OZ_f6LgpHxoDGzYM0-3HoMQrPyrObCzgK-c4TU6gLlTfQh9CxSO9O9Qrafk2XvNOWJC5WMdIzHdoHUpKv1EFbNP0MKBiFjm/s1600/Bob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwi7vEhI-7DAJT7QX5Ickmhcy14s_EXEKylZfu5oGy2ii9OZ_f6LgpHxoDGzYM0-3HoMQrPyrObCzgK-c4TU6gLlTfQh9CxSO9O9Qrafk2XvNOWJC5WMdIzHdoHUpKv1EFbNP0MKBiFjm/s1600/Bob.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bob Hunt - Steve's former<br />All Nations tutor</td></tr>
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AIM has quite a number of missionaries in different parts of Tanzania and our annual conference is the opportunity to get together and catch up. Steve, myself and Cath were responsible for organising this year’s conference but in spite of that it all went very smoothly! Bob Hunt, Steve’s former tutor at All Nations, came to do the Bible teaching, leading us through the Gospel of John on some of the journeys of Jesus. After conference Bob came back to Morogoro with us for a couple of days and it was good to be able to show him a little of our lives here and, of course, Sanga Sanga.<br />
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Steve has just returned from Iringa where he has been teaching at the last of this year’s regional seminars. If this were Steve writing you would now get a series of stats—numbers of kilometres driven, hours on the road, numbers of sessions taught etc! Suffice to say, however, that 138 pastors, evangelists and their wives have received teaching on godly leadership this year. Let’s pray that God will use them to shape His church into a model for the world to follow.<br />
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Thanks, as always, for your support and prayers for us. Every blessing,<br />
<br />
Steve & Ruth<br />
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<strong>Diary Dates & Prayer Requests:</strong><br />
<br />
5 Nov Steve preaching at AICT Dumila<br />
14-17 Nov Evangelists’ plenary seminar at Sanga Sanga<br />
19 Nov Steve preaching at AICT Mbezi Beach, Dar<br />
20-24 Nov Ruth teaching English course for Intermediates<br />
15 Dec Travel to Dar/UK for Christmas break<br />
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- Praise God for the completion of this year’s regional pastors’ seminars and pray that God will raise up humble leaders. We are thankful for the many kilometers driven safely and for the people who have received this year’s teaching.<br />
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- Praise God for a successful Oak Hall trip, after months of planning. Pray that those who came will be open to God’s calling on their lives to serve him however he chooses.<br />
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- Pray for Steve in his Unit Leader duties—he will be travelling to visit various members of the unit over the next few weeks.<br />
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- We are planning a short break in the UK over Christmas and New Year. It will be Ruth’s parents’ diamond wedding anniversary on Boxing Day. Pray for safe travels and for a good time with family in Carlisle, Bicester, Newark, Nairn and Elgin! We return to Tanzania via Kenya on 8th January.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsNNbBNe-jfXl7q-iuUg5t_5VzBDsLsapS5aMfZN6KzaHe8lfupwJHtpkE8z8TnvhFRBoN2T1dNK3s2FIXoTOJ9iV-Yv9T0OlBweBNrMa8UbhBM0nVYI0CWrpqgH1FIz8g5azesYZSuVnW/s1600/rat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsNNbBNe-jfXl7q-iuUg5t_5VzBDsLsapS5aMfZN6KzaHe8lfupwJHtpkE8z8TnvhFRBoN2T1dNK3s2FIXoTOJ9iV-Yv9T0OlBweBNrMa8UbhBM0nVYI0CWrpqgH1FIz8g5azesYZSuVnW/s320/rat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our Oak Hall guests has a close encounter with<br />a hero rat!</td></tr>
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Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-90358934202602449702017-08-02T10:42:00.000+01:002019-09-05T12:08:31.271+01:00Conference Conundrums!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrJh7eiltwe5-6Y-2HHjSzxm4GfQdJPyYJLuFwEotgOexH5c-VxXuG49gEsAIj8U5rAvXs-OsUl1y0avSXF4ju-ri_W9DKe67PoAtuJzvG6VcqsOMQXZqNEBueBON-dS_W0AFuRHpQZCv/s1600/barazani.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="448" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrJh7eiltwe5-6Y-2HHjSzxm4GfQdJPyYJLuFwEotgOexH5c-VxXuG49gEsAIj8U5rAvXs-OsUl1y0avSXF4ju-ri_W9DKe67PoAtuJzvG6VcqsOMQXZqNEBueBON-dS_W0AFuRHpQZCv/s400/barazani.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barazani, with dried up Lake Eyasi behind</td></tr>
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<b>Barazani:</b> the town reminded me of an old wild-west movie set, although with a lot more poverty. A number of ramshackled shops lined the rough-roaded street and the one main café in the town consisted of a small plastic-covered shed and a couple of charcoal stoves. Youths hung about in the ‘pool hall’, many of them with glazed eyes and looking decidedly bored, a sure sign of unemployment in a town which is known for its seasonal onion farming! The words on the gate of my accommodation read ‘Florida Guesthouse’ and outside loitered a couple of stray dogs. I knew in that instance that I was not in for a luxurious stay and that this was anything but Florida! Maybe the room rate of £2.80 per night should also have raised an eyebrow, but alas, this was indeed the best that Barazani had to offer. Thus began the IBM conference season back in early May! I’ll let my diary entry for that night set the scene:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2L4fIr4tD8cQDfDPE494t5xtyijl7e3BDhMxar4x5Z1Dwk_LPpJM_2O7m8RSgtn2c46mc5FTgvYGlTaXT9Rd-cAe-VriulZKh6sio-Fcquq9F82Ia4STtKvVml6N6ik9s83GalkjQ7JIH/s1600/florida.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2L4fIr4tD8cQDfDPE494t5xtyijl7e3BDhMxar4x5Z1Dwk_LPpJM_2O7m8RSgtn2c46mc5FTgvYGlTaXT9Rd-cAe-VriulZKh6sio-Fcquq9F82Ia4STtKvVml6N6ik9s83GalkjQ7JIH/s1600/florida.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Florida guesthouse!</td></tr>
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“My room is 3x3 metres. There’s no desk, no chair, no cupboard; just a bed with a multi-coloured chequered sheet on it! There is electricity; it’s been in the town for a couple of years now. There’s also running water, even when the shower is turned off! Drip, drip, drip – onto the tiles. The remedy is to pop next door and turn off the water supply to all of the rooms! There is a window – but less than a metre away there’s a brick wall, so the view isn’t exactly ‘lake district’! There’s no mirror in the small bathroom, so shaving should be fun, and to get to the squatty potty, I have to pass under the leaking shower! Four glorious nights of this! If I’m honest, I’m not relishing it and would rather be elsewhere, but I am here to do a job, and the job will be done. I feel woefully inadequate going into this and, being as this is the first of the year, I am not sure how things will go. How will the pastors respond to nine sessions of my Swahili teaching this week!? Father God, I need your strengthening hand on me this week. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit, enable me to teach your Word, and grant me fluency beyond the natural.”<br />
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Well, the conference did go very well and the pastors seemed keen to tackle the subject: “Show me a leader with integrity.” In fact it was a hot topic that grabbed their attention and the questions and head-nodding (in agreement, not sleep!) revealed that this was definitely a timely subject that needed expounding. On the final afternoon we were also able to encourage the local AIC pastor by visiting his small unfinished church building and praying for him and his family. Their story, accompanied by tears, revealed that they were going through some very tough times and I left the church astounded, wondering how this guy has been able to cope in this isolated northern outpost. His house made the Florida Guesthouse seem like the Ritz – or at least like a Travelodge! As I lay in bed that night listening to the call of a distant hyena, and trying not to itch my 120+ bed-bug bites, I couldn’t help but wonder what it was I had to be grumpy about!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXufn_3TKEWgOGl_MhCjYlRU8h9Uy0uLEbKhP7ymRgvkQCS0bGllTLr2K_PqbasIXwuiItZr9anhjqzsxx4zdStVFOPmNGggCH884ISm4n9UOl_Xe-kY7pChMF_V8DcErY1G6Pxf7WTwQ/s1600/tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkXufn_3TKEWgOGl_MhCjYlRU8h9Uy0uLEbKhP7ymRgvkQCS0bGllTLr2K_PqbasIXwuiItZr9anhjqzsxx4zdStVFOPmNGggCH884ISm4n9UOl_Xe-kY7pChMF_V8DcErY1G6Pxf7WTwQ/s1600/tree.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The house where trees live, Lindi</td></tr>
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Whilst the Barazani conference is our most northerly venue, the second conference of the year took place in our southern-most venue: the town of Lindi, not too far from the Mozambique border. One of my guidebooks describes Lindi as follows: “With one eye closed, you can even imagine that the main beach served as a resort of sorts, but today the beachfront benches are all broken and they probably go for weeks at a stretch without being perched on by a tourist. In the town centre numerous colonial-era buildings are ruined or heading that way, whilst the old derelict German Boma has nothing in it except trees”! The conference, although small in number (12), went well, but the humid coastal temps meant that, at one point, we had to move out of the tin-roofed church and under some nearby trees to get some much needed breeze! Whilst some relief was found, the nearby wailing minarets seemed to become a tad louder! The only issue to report was that, on one morning just before we were due to start, I was summoned to present my passport at the local immigration office and told that I had committed a crime by staying in the town without obtaining prior permission! Whilst my Tanzanian colleague graciously asked if he could pray for the very officious Muslim official, I sat in the corner biting my tongue and zipping my mouth for fear of a longer confinement!<br />
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Our most recent conference (July) was actually on home turf, as we decided to hold the Pwani event at Sanga Sanga, instead of Dar. Thankfully, with Sanga only being 12 miles up the road from our house, there’s little to report on the travails of travel! The only drawbacks in trying to hold people’s attention at this venue were the nesting sparrows overhead and the stunning views of the Uluguru mountains! We had to position the seating so that the pastors wouldn’t be mesmerised all of the time! We met in the main upper room of the new conference centre, which as yet doesn’t have windows fitted, but the sparrows, the views and the breeze certainly made it memorable. There was also some great singing during the three days, and it thrilled the soul to hear those African voices, especially as there wasn’t a keyboard or an amplifier in sight!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EkZe7RGQxWJYbNYnG2T9ImfnW6AFH9j5urDF-89nuKVE3xBMAbgtD2KyKFmktfQ8fZytHycnRHXaaZdegNrW7PAr4oqhKS3QHpvS6FZD1FVN8ibXLRBdfTM5LgdfMnI7VAaBhUeAozqS/s1600/steve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="448" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EkZe7RGQxWJYbNYnG2T9ImfnW6AFH9j5urDF-89nuKVE3xBMAbgtD2KyKFmktfQ8fZytHycnRHXaaZdegNrW7PAr4oqhKS3QHpvS6FZD1FVN8ibXLRBdfTM5LgdfMnI7VAaBhUeAozqS/s640/steve.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The seminar room with a view!</td></tr>
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The one thing that did stand out for me personally was how tough the first day was. I taught three sessions but it felt as though I was wading through treacle for much of it! I was aware of a lack of inner enthusiasm; the ummpphh was missing, and I stepped away from my homemade lectern a bit dejected. Was it simply an off day, or was cultural fatigue showing through? It could indeed be a bit of both, but my team leader Tony helpfully reminded me that what we’re doing at IBM and the subject that we’re teaching is bound to rattle the cage of Satan. He is very much opposed to seeing teaching on integrity in the Church and, as we know, he comes to steal, disrupt and discourage us in our work. Thankfully, days 2 and 2 went much better. The ummpphh was back and I felt that I was more expressive in my Swahili teaching than I had been before!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXH2dpgMTPjmxYAmoaAaJ78od0yWAHUtU93IuUTxnljyLTKmCg86Dzt7J20CQexBqaP-Cyoxq-0j2mvK4CbTT9Px_giEHat3H4BWCjcycihI9stg4DxL1lHBcvPO9d3tF_ORKYmcvuOqO0/s1600/lancasters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXH2dpgMTPjmxYAmoaAaJ78od0yWAHUtU93IuUTxnljyLTKmCg86Dzt7J20CQexBqaP-Cyoxq-0j2mvK4CbTT9Px_giEHat3H4BWCjcycihI9stg4DxL1lHBcvPO9d3tF_ORKYmcvuOqO0/s1600/lancasters.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mum & Dad Lancs 'gift-wrapped' - literally!</td></tr>
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<b>Parental Visit!</b> The very next day Ruth and I headed to Dar to pick up my parents who had flown in for a two-week holiday. One of the first things to be unwrapped from their luggage was…… a pork pie! It’s strange what you long for when away from your home culture. Following the Lancaster tradition, our holiday did not consist of much ‘sit-at-home’ time, and we packed a lot into our time. We swam in, or rather were battered about by the eight-foot waves of the Indian Ocean! We spotted scorpions, sea-snakes and storks – literally thousands of them! In fact the bird list was certainly added to as we toured the National Parks of Tarangire, Manyara, Arusha and Mikumi. We also spent some time in Tabora with a pastor and his wife who run an orphans and widows project, and came away humbled at the welcome we received by people who literally had next to nothing. Another sobering moment came as we travelled back from Tabora and observed a disabled women crawling across a busy main road on her hands and knees. Other more amusing journey sightings included a goat standing on the top of a speeding petrol tanker, and a man walking down the street with a pig on his shoulders! We also gave a lift to a man who told us he had been walking for three days because he couldn’t afford the bus fare of £1.70 to get to his home town. We had just driven his ‘three days’ in a little over three hours! Never a dull moment on the roads of Africa!<br />
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<b>Life in Ruth’s Lane! </b> Every year AIM’s female missionaries in Tanzania get together for a time of retreat. This year’s retreat was held in May on the coast south of Dar es Salaam. Kathy Larkman, our pastor’s wife from Corsham Baptist, came to speak on ‘Christ’s Love Compels Us’. It was a special time of relaxation, catching up with friends, praying with each other and having a few laughs too. Unfortunately I had again been suffering from a few boils, and a large abscess on my side distracted me somewhat from the retreat. I was able to have a small surgical procedure at a clinic in Dar before we headed home to Morogoro. Thank you to everyone who prayed for me during this time – it has healed up nicely now and added to my collection of scars!<br />
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We’ve had lots of visitors at Sanga Sanga over the last few months, including two large AICT children’s camps. We converted the pump house into a temporary dorm to add to our capacity! It was lovely seeing the children enjoying the fresh air, space and their Sunday School lessons.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxdZJVPz2uThbeFVYEpa02q4jG2SK0RNqMcHdWLLL0tzHIs1qWe2MaqBntpwOeteZd-WGKalelI8EuXUjhfle4u5v2u2sl8WVyXgAzxzniUY3LmARrqiBCgSUsRehEMpPaoIOlZu3f9px/s1600/team.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxdZJVPz2uThbeFVYEpa02q4jG2SK0RNqMcHdWLLL0tzHIs1qWe2MaqBntpwOeteZd-WGKalelI8EuXUjhfle4u5v2u2sl8WVyXgAzxzniUY3LmARrqiBCgSUsRehEMpPaoIOlZu3f9px/s1600/team.jpg" /></a></div>
One of the highlights of the year so far was the visit of a work team from our church in Corsham who came to help build a shower block on the campsite. Nine folks came and joined with our local team to lay bricks, mix cement and plaster walls. Some of the nine were returnees from last year’s group but some were new and had never visited Africa before. They coped really well in the unfamiliar environment and even picked up a few words of Swahili. They were very focused on their task and at the end of the trip the roof was on – a great achievement! We are so thankful to our church for sending them and for raising the funds to build these much-needed facilities.<br />
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I had a few days of holiday at the end of May when my friend Rachel from Tearfund/Oak Hall days came to visit. We had 3 nights on Zanzibar and a day on safari. It was her first time to Tanzania so it was lovely to show her our ministry and home life here.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbocVneb3tvfBwV0NgnGD_ujEwW4J3WA_iEAnGN05L5i1fQu4Mpr4XKb9BwdKcySgHFqM6Q-KLq3loo6cdNfWM55P4O2wsTiIz_KZfR4uXXRkz3COPwcCMBnLg6V-3YIJeYfSHyqnHID2/s1600/cooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbocVneb3tvfBwV0NgnGD_ujEwW4J3WA_iEAnGN05L5i1fQu4Mpr4XKb9BwdKcySgHFqM6Q-KLq3loo6cdNfWM55P4O2wsTiIz_KZfR4uXXRkz3COPwcCMBnLg6V-3YIJeYfSHyqnHID2/s1600/cooks.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cookery course students</td></tr>
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One part of my role that I very much enjoy is spending time with the staff at the Retreat House. Francisca, the housekeeper and cook, is a bright spark who has all sorts of ideas about generating funds for the Institute. One of them was to hold a cookery course for Tanzanians who work in western households in Morogoro. She already knew how to cook a few western dishes but we had great fun one afternoon when I was able to teach her how to cook chilli con carne, spicy chicken and guacamole, among others. It means we are able to offer a more varied menu to our guests at Sanga Sanga. The cookery course itself was a big success and we have plans to hold more in the future.<br />
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<strong>Diary Dates & Prayer Requests:</strong><br />
<br />
1-5 Aug: Ifakara IBM pastors’ conference (Steve)<br />
16-30 Aug: Hosting, speaking and leading on Oak Hall’s first Tanzania trip!<br />
20 Aug: Ruth’s birthday!<br />
5-9 Sept: Magambua IBM pastors’ conference<br />
18-22 Sept: Ruth teaching an English course at Sanga Sanga<br />
25-30 Sept: Mbeya IBM pastors’ conference<br />
12-17 Oct: AIM Tanzania conference in Dar es Salaam<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's always room for one more bag!</td></tr>
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We’re praising God for a busy few months at Sanga, for safety on the roads, for plans that have come to fruition, for teaching that’s gone well, and for a great holiday with Mum & Dad.<br />
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We’re also thankful for our home church and band of faithful supporters who have enabled us to be here for four years now! Yes, it really is that long! On 11th July we celebrated our four year anniversary here in Tanzania. Thank you to those who support us through prayer and finance. We couldn’t do what we’re doing without your support.<br />
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Please pray for Steve as he continues to teach at the IBM conferences on the subject of Biblical leadership and moral integrity. The next one starts on 2nd August.<br />
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Please pray for Ruth as she handles bookings at Sanga and manages the Retreat House staff. Pray that we would be able to move forward into completing the conference centre build. Things are certainly happening but on a slower basis, although we’re now in a position where we can use some of the rooms.<br />
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Please pray for us both as we host and lead the first ever Oak Hall Tanzania trip in August! Obviously, we’d love for this trip to be a success and for the guests to go away having had a real taste of Africa and a taste of mission.<br />
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Please pray for us both (and our team mate Cath Swanson) as we continue to plan for the AIM Tanzania Conference in October. We’re looking forward to welcoming a certain Bob Hunt as our speaker, and we’ve now got a children’s team all lined up!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As always, Dad needs help with his phone!</td></tr>
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Visits from family and friends are wonderful but also tend to make us long for home—we sometimes wish we were going with them as we wave them off at the airport. Pray that we will be fully focused on our calling to Morogoro and that our hearts and minds will be guarded by the One who called us.<br />
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Many thanks.<br />
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Steve & RuthSteve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-4848885923450263162017-04-29T19:58:00.000+01:002019-09-05T12:21:01.162+01:00“Insects, Integrity & Israel”! (There’s a combination you don’t see too often!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How's that for a gigantic leaf!</td></tr>
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<strong>"Wake up and smell the coffee”! </strong> It’s a phrase normally used to encourage someone to ‘get real’ about a situation but this morning it took on a more literal sense. As I (Steve) sat down at my desk to scan the online news, a pesky mosquito managed to bite me four times! And this one seemed to have it in for me, as it left extra-itchy bite marks! The insecticide spray was quickly found and the hunt was on! But in the process of moving my desk, the coffee cafetiere was knocked off and its contents splattered all over the tiled floor! I guess I should be thankful we don’t have carpets here! The wee beastie was eventually found and dispatched with determination – or is that ‘extermination’!? Thus began my coffee-scented morning!<br /><br />
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It’s the time of the year when insects of all shapes and sizes are plentiful and it can be a losing battle trying to keep them out of the house. In addition to the insects, we also had to dispatch a small snake from the bathroom last week! And this increase in creepy crawlies is all down to the fact that there’s been a humungous amount of rain here in Morogoro; so much so, that it even found its way into our kitchen through our roof! The reddened dust has been dampened, the maize crops are reaching for the skies, the waterfalls are tumbling off the mountains behind us, and everywhere is a verdant green. Temperatures are also dropping into the mid-20’s and some of the missionary folks can be heard uttering the words ‘It’s getting cold’ - hmmmm!<br />
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<strong>Conference season begins! </strong> It’s also the time of the year when the IBM conference season is about to begin and yesterday marked a significant moment for me. As you know, my main focus for the past three months has been the preparation of teaching material for this year’s pastors’ conferences - and yesterday, with a fair amount of relief and satisfaction, I was able to take my twelve teaching sessions to the printers! Actually, the relief was far more palpable than I expected it to be! During the last sentence of translation with my language helper, as I pressed the ‘full-stop’ key on my laptop, I broke down and sobbed my eyes out! Finally, it was ‘mission accomplished’!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working hard with evangelist Yohana Dutuyi</td></tr>
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I’ve been very conscious of people praying for me over these last few months, and am indebted to those who’ve been lifting this cause up to God. During this time I’ve been praying a verse from the prayer of Moses in Psalm 90: “May the favour of the Lord rest upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us.” In other words: “Lord, enable me in this process, and make my labours effective and enduring for your glory.” And I’ve definitely felt blessed and strengthened during this time. On a number of occasions, whilst lying in bed at night with strained eyes and an aching neck, I would pray that I would be strengthened beyond my natural self to continue the next day. Low and behold, I was! It was tangible, and I felt God at work through this process in a number of ways. He also provided me with a wonderful translator to work with, who’s been such a blessing to me. When the energy to move forwards has been flagging, he’s spurred me on, and together we’ve pondered God’s Word and chewed the spiritual cud! So, a huge thank you to those who have prayed; I believe those prayers have been answered.<br />
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Our subject this year is: “show me a leader with moral integrity”, based on a book by a Tanzanian bishop. Amongst the things we’ll be focussing on are the following topics: a mini study of biblical leaders with integrity; the qualities of a leader with integrity; the example of Jesus; servant leadership; compassion in leadership; obedient leadership; and how we deal with temptations and conflict in the ministry. With several recent negative reports concerning church leadership here in Tanzania, and with various church leadership elections around the corner, there’s a feeling that this is exactly the right topic for this year.<br />
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The first conference starts on Wednesday 3rd May, so I’ll be leaving home on Monday, to do battle with the roads, some of which will be rough and not-so-ready! We’ll be based in a small town called Barazani in the north of the country and, as you’ll see from the map, it’s situated right at the top of Lake Eyasi in the Rift Valley, just below the Serengeti plateau and the Ngorongoro Crater. Whilst I did visit Barazani seven years ago (when the lake was completely dry!), I haven’t been to the church where the conference will be held. I’ve been told that “at least the church has a roof”, so it could be interesting! The towns marked with a blue star are the locations of all the conferences that will be taking place over the next seven months.<br />
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<strong>What’s Ruth been up to?</strong> Ruth has been busy over the last couple of months with various projects. An English course for beginners in March went well, despite having students with a wide range of abilities. Part of her teaching included learning two worship songs, some simple prayers and memorising Psalm 117. Two of her students, one a nominal Christian and the other a nominal Muslim, asked for Bibles at the end of the course, which Ruth was delighted to give them. Pray that Monika and Thabiti will read their new Bibles and come to know the Lord. The Retreat Centre has been fairly busy with different guests and groups. We are running three courses at the Centre in May and June is fully booked with a couple of children’s camps and we’re looking forward to welcoming a work team from our home church, Corsham Baptist! Ruth will also be attending a retreat for AIM ladies in May which is being held on the south coast of Tanzania. In spite of her busy schedule Ruth is finding time to attend one of AICT Morogoro’s home groups on a Wednesday afternoon. It means that she is getting to know various members of the church a little better and it’s good practice for her Swahili. In fact, during the prayer time Ruth has been asked to pray on several occasions – which is rather daunting and out of her comfort zone!<br />
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<strong>Stepping in the footsteps of Jesus – again!</strong> In early April, I was able to fit in a trip to Israel with Oak Hall. Flight timings and stopovers were not so friendly, but the privilege of showing people around this biblically significant land and treading in the footsteps of so many biblical characters, far outweighed the airport hang-abouts and blurry eyes! Plus, the views from above weren’t too bad either! Snow-covered mountains in Turkey, the Bosphorus Strait near Istanbul, the sprawling city of Cairo, the meandering Nile, the horn of East Africa, and the infamous city of Mogadishu! The tour itself went very well, and it was great to see the guests taking in the sights and having their ‘wow’ moments as we opened our Bibles to reflect on events that happened over 2000 years ago and yet still have such an impact today. We stayed in Jerusalem, Galilee, and Bethlehem and packed in as much as we could in the time available.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steps up to the Huldah Gates - newer steps to the left,<br />original steps to the right</td></tr>
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On one of our mornings in Jerusalem we visited the south end of the Temple Mount and looked up at the steps leading to the Huldah Gates, through which many a biblical pilgrim would have entered on their way up into the Temple area. We imagined the early church congregation meeting under Solomon’s Portico, just above the gates, and we read about Jesus and his disciples entering the Temple. Apparently, so too did the astronaut Neil Armstrong! When he visited Israel sometime after his trip to the moon, he was taken to these gates (now blocked up) by an Israeli archaeologist. Armstrong asked whether Jesus might have stepped anywhere around there and the archaeologist replied: “Well, being as Jesus was a Jew and these are the steps that lead to the Temple, he must have walked up them many times”. Armstrong then asked whether the steps they were standing on were the original steps, and the archaeologist confirmed they were. Armstrong, who was a devout Christian, pondered for a while and then said this: “I find that I am more excited stepping on these stones than I was when I stepped on the moon.” Whilst I can’t make the same comparison with standing on the moon, I can certainly appreciate his excitement and I guess that’s one of the reasons why I never tire of visiting this fascinating land.<br />
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We’ve included some diary dates below, and would be grateful for your prayers as we enter a busy conference period. Please pray that God would move in the lives of the pastors and evangelists, and that He would enable me to teach well, with a Swahili that is beyond my natural ability!! Please pray that we’d also experience good health and safety as we travel. And join with us in thanksgiving for the fact that our conference budget has been met for this year with a generous donation, and for the progress that continues to happen at Sanga Sanga. Many thanks!<br />
<br />
Steve & Ruth<br />
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<strong>Dates for the Diary:</strong><br />
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<strong>May</strong><br />
1st-7th: Steve to Barazani – IBM conference 3rd-5th<br />
4th-9th: Ruth to Kilwa for AIM Ladies Retreat<br />
15th-19th: Ruth teaching English course at Sanga Sanga<br />
18th-20th: Steve to Dar for unit leader meetings<br />
27th-31st: Steve to Nairobi for UL meetings/Ruth holidaying with a visiting<br />
friend<br />
<br />
<strong>June</strong><br />
13th-18th: Lindi (south) - 2nd IBM pastors’ conference<br />
20th-30th: Corsham Baptist team arrive to help out at Sanga<br />
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<strong>July</strong><br />
4th-6th: Sanga Sanga - 3rd IBM pastors’ conference<br />
7th-25th: Ma & Pa Lancs come to visit!<br />
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<strong>August</strong><br />
1st-5th: Ifakara - 4th IBM pastors’ conference<br />
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Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-47919320219360298352017-02-12T13:16:00.000+00:002019-09-05T12:39:03.635+01:00'Deluxe' to Dar, sheds to warehouses, and light into darkness<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to the warehouse church - started <br />18 months ago!</td></tr>
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<strong>From “The Shed” to “The Warehouse”! </strong> Last Sunday Ruth and I returned to AICT Dakawa - the ‘Shed’ Church - for the first time since last February. However, there wasn’t much activity in the lean-to shed adjacent to the church leader’s house because the new partly-finished church building, just 100 yards away, is now in use. Compared to the shed it feels like a cavernous warehouse, especially when there are only 30 people sitting inside! There’s still work to be done (cementing the earthen floor, fitting the remaining window grilles and doors) but it’s testament to the dedication of the members that they are even at this stage, having only begun eighteen months ago! Listening to the notices I worked out that their average weekly collection is about £5.50, so goodness knows how they’ve managed it!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How's that for a central aisle?! Men on one side,<br />women on the other</td></tr>
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The choir danced and sung, the generator spluttered outside, the microphone hummed, and the boy on the keyboard insisted on playing sound effects whenever the leader finished a sentence! It was amusing at first but after 2.5 hours not so much! From a preaching point of view there were certainly fewer distractions, although I might just miss those pesky cockerels which used to hang around ‘the shed’! I preached in Swahili on the letter to the church at Ephesus from Revelation 2 where Jesus rebukes the church for having lost their first love – and so the focus turned to our love for the Lord, and for each other. Putting it into practice is always the hard part but I did manage to shake hands with the boy on the keyboard afterwards!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All 20 carriages of the deluxe Kigoma-Dar train<br />going at break-neck speed round a bend!</td></tr>
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<strong>An adventure by rail!</strong> I attended Unit Leader meetings in Nairobi in January and decided to do the first leg of my journey using a different mode of transport! Despite a couple of raised eyebrows from colleagues here, I chose to travel from Morogoro to Dar by rail. You may well question the raising of eyebrows at such a choice but when there’s only one ‘deluxe’ train a week that doesn’t guarantee delivering you to your destination on the same day, it becomes a bit more understandable. It took me 6.5 hours, sitting in a surprisingly new and comfortable carriage, to travel 115 miles. That means that the average speed was 18 mph!! I had ample time to watch the Tanzanian world go by, even though it was accompanied by the monotonous drone of African rap music echoing down the carriage! Still, it was much preferred to the alternative coach journey and it did take out the risk of getting stopped by the traffic police had I gone by car!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two weeks later and the Deluxe derailed!</td></tr>
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That being said, having mentioned the word ‘risk’, imagine my surprise just two weeks later to read in the newspaper that the very same train had derailed on its way to Dar! Apparently the intense sun had buckled the rails and the driver, despite maxing out at 18 mph, hadn’t been able to stop in time! So maybe there was some justification in those raised eyebrows after all!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An African Puff Adder, much like the one we<br />nearly stepped on!</td></tr>
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<strong>Anyone for a stroll?! </strong> For those who tend to get a bit wobbly when the word ‘snake’ is mentioned, avoid this paragraph! During our New Year team retreat in the idyllic surrounds of Masumbo Camp, Iringa, the suggestion of a stroll to the river rapids sounded very non-threatening. But this is Africa! We enjoyed some bouldering as we clambered over the rocks near the half-empty river, but not before encountering a rather fattened Puff Adder! We were walking single-file through the bush when, suddenly, I froze mid-stride because a few feet away, lying right next to the path, was a 3ft snake. This is how Wikipedia describes it: <em>“The African Puff Adder is responsible for causing the most snakebite fatalities in Africa. It’s normally a sluggish species and relies on camouflage for protection, but as its Latin name implies, it can strike violently. If disturbed they will hiss or puff loudly, adopting a tightly coiled defensive posture. They may strike suddenly and at a high speed, to the side as easily as forwards.” </em> Well, it was indeed sluggish and camouflaged, but we were mighty thankful that we didn’t experience the rest of the description! In fact, it didn’t move a muscle, except for its tongue which was busy sensing our whereabouts! We backed up rather slowly, gave it a wide birth, and continued on our merry way, mindful of the fact that for many a rural African, such encounters don’t end as well as ours did. The remainder of our retreat was spent talking and praying through team issues, relaxing in our little hobbit holes, and playing pickleball! Ruth organized our New Year’s Eve celebration with party games, poetry and sparklers! We closed our time together with a communion service, sitting around a campfire under the African stars accompanied by a gaggle of glow worms!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An African Hobbi hut at Masumbo!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the team relieved to have survived the<br />snake encounter!</td></tr>
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<strong>Power Encounters:</strong> One of the joys of being unit leader is that I hear about what happens in other ministries and locations around Tanzania. Whilst I sometimes hear stories that make it seem that there’s not much visible fruit, I also hear stories that thrill the heart and reassure me that what we’re doing is certainly not in vain! Over the last few months it does seem as though a few exciting things are beginning to happen in places considered to be ‘unreached’ with the gospel. One particular team is rejoicing over a number of healings, a baptism in the sea, and a neighbour who came to Christ. Another small team in a rural village is rejoicing that a guy, who asked them for a copy of the New Testament so that he could compare it with the writings of his religion, has now decided to give his life to Christ. He’s since been baptised and has changed his name to reflect this!<br />
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Just a few weeks ago, I heard from another small team where ‘the light of the Gospel is beginning to shine and the Holy Spirit is at work.’ The team had only been in situ for a few weeks and was looking at ways to reach out into the community. A number of students at a local primary school had been experiencing demonic attacks and their religious leaders had already ‘prayed’ for them, but with no result. The team offered to pray for the students and, somewhat surprisingly, their offer was accepted! When they arrived to pray there were 26 children in the classroom who had been suffering from these attacks! The team was able to share the gospel and, during a mammoth three-hour prayer session, some of the students were delivered from demons! God provided this incredible opportunity for this team and already there are signs that a number of people are keen to know more about Jesus. Please pray for this ongoing situation and for the protection of the team as they continue to shine their light into what has been a very dark community.<br />
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Stories like these warm the heart don’t they? They open our eyes, broaden the mind, deepen and refresh our faith, and even challenge some of our beliefs! They encourage us to pray and they cause us to rejoice in a God who is still in the business of changing lives and moving powerfully against the enemy. Despite the hiccups that we sometimes experience within the Church, it’s great to know that people are being introduced to the gospel, lives are being changed, disciples are being made, and His Church is being built and strengthened through a whole range of ministries.<br />
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<strong>Points for Prayer & Praise:</strong><br />
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The conference centre at Sanga has certainly entered the final phase. Whilst there is still a lot of work to be done, most of the walls are now up and the place is a hive of activity as fundis work on the plastering and begin work on the interior. Building supervisor Matt and his family head off on home assignment in April, whilst Tony holds the reigns!<br />
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Ruth has been immersed in Sanga administration and end-of-year accounts and is also busy preparing to teach two English courses at Sanga in February and March.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why throw it away when you can sew it up!</td></tr>
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I’m trying to keep the travelling to a minimum during February and March so that I can concentrate on preparing teaching material for the IBM conferences which start in early May. The subject this year will be something along the lines of ‘Show me a leader with moral integrity’, and my hope is that much of that prep will be done before I head off to lead an Oak Hall Israel trip in April.<br />
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For those who also like to pray through our itinerary we’ve included some dates below. Many, many thanks for your support and your prayers.<br />
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19th Feb: Preaching at Morogoro AICT<br />
20-24 Feb: Ruth teaching English at Sanga<br />
7-8 Mar: Steve travels to Dar for UL meetings<br />
27th-31st: Ruth teaching English for beginners, at Sanga<br />
2nd Apr: AICT diocese-wide fundraising day for the conference centre at Sanga<br />
3rd-13th Apr: Steve to Israel<br />
5th-8th May: Ruth attending Tz Ladies Retreat (speaker: Kathy Larkman)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bottle boys of Africa! These guys walk the streets<br />collecting plastic bottles and in return they get the<br />equivalent of 13p for every kg collected!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird of the month - notice the pink eyelid! It's an owl -<br />but what sort?</td></tr>
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Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-26109783975827682362016-12-03T14:42:00.000+00:002019-09-05T12:50:42.781+01:00Touchdown in Tanzania<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It’s nearly 12 weeks since we touched down in ‘Delightful Dar’ and made our way back to Morogoro. The house was still in one piece; the night-guard had done his job and although our dog (affectionately referred to as the ginger maggot by some!) was a bit thinner, she was very much alive and happy to see us! Everywhere looked very dry and dusty compared to the early autumnal Wiltshire that we’d just left, and of course that wasn’t the only comparison that we found ourselves musing over. However, it was definitely different this time round. We were returning to the familiar: our home, our team, our roles, even the language was now somewhat familiar! And we were pleased to find that within just a few days, we seemed to have stepped relatively seamlessly from one culture into another and into the routine of life here in Tanzania. It had been tough for me (Steve) gearing up to return from such an awesome home assignment and, as some of you will know, I was not exactly champing at the bit to get back here! However, once we were back, there was a feeling of familiarity and that this is where we’re meant to be for the next term. And those feelings made it easier to say to myself: “I’ve had a great HA but this is now what God would have us do, so get on with it!”<br />
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<strong>Life on the road:</strong> Over the last couple of months the car has clocked up over 4,000 miles, much of that in connection with my unit leader role, visiting AIM personnel, some of whom live in some pretty remote locations. Journeys in Africa are often not as straightforward as they are in Wiltshire, which I guess often relieves the boredom normally associated with sitting in a car! There are the humps and bumps in the road to look out for, as well as the broken-down trucks and vehicle debris lying around, not to mention the numerous police checkpoints. Detours and diversions can be a regular feature, either to avoid accidents blocking the road, or from having to rumble across untarred land running parallel to the main road which is being worked on! On two recent journeys we came across large-scale roadworks that went on for 50 mile stretches, and, on another, we had to get out on a steep hillside track to remove some hefty stones so as not to rip out the bottom of our Subaru! <br />
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It definitely beats sitting on the M25 but it does mean the car needs more regular servicing! I return from these journeys in awe of the folks who have settled in such locations; their dedication to living out the gospel in areas where Christ is not really known is wonderful to see.<br />
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Our first journey happened within a week of landing in Tanzania, to a town way out west called Njombe. Ruth and I were helping to facilitate and organise an IBM pastors’ conference, although the teaching was being done by a Tanzanian pastor. I did manage a 20 minute devotional one morning in Swahili and was encouraged to find I hadn’t forgotten too much!<br />
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One thing we hadn’t prepared for was the temperature in Njombe! We peeled back the curtains on our first morning to find the mist was down and the thermometer was showing a cool 10 degrees; at least 15 degrees lower than we’re used to in Morogoro! Due to the fact that the expected church dress for a lady here in Tanzania is always a long skirt, Ruth had to nip down to a local market stall to buy a pair of ‘secret’ leggings in a bid to keep the temperatures up! Despite the power cuts and the lack of hot water, it was a good conference and it was encouraging to see the response of the pastors when challenged about the issue of mission in the Tanzanian church.<br />
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<strong>Preaching in a sauna! </strong><br />
To the other extreme, certainly in terms of temperatures, just a few weeks later I found myself way down in the south of the country, near to the border with Mozambique, at a church in the cul-de-sac town of Mtwara. I was preaching at a church that resembled a sauna, not in appearance but certainly in terms of sweat levels! I’ve come to appreciate why many Tanzanian pastors carry a flannel with them into the pulpit!! A combination of factors (sun, humidity, tin roof and lack of working fans in the church) made for a lot of perspiration, and I found that those humid conditions tend not to help the preacher in his cause. A number of nodding heads could be seen from my vantage point, and I don’t think that was because they were agreeing with my scriptural musings! Three hours after the choir had started their first number, and after four separate collections and a sermonette of comfort to a grieving daughter, it was time for the service to close – but not before I was presented with a giant watermelon which someone had donated to me following their winning bid in the ‘perishable goods’ auction! I was thankful that I had the car with me and that no one had decided to donate a live chicken to the auction, which has actually happened in the past!<br />
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<strong>Sanga Conference Centre – the opening! </strong> Meanwhile back at the ranch, the middle of November saw the opening of the conference centre at Sanga Sanga. Building work commenced in June 2015 and, although the project is still some way from being finished, the completion of the roof meant that we could use the facility for a large gathering of AICT pastors – over 85 in attendance. The ceremonial ribbon was cut and the veil that separated the fancy marble plaque from the watching eyes was torn in two from side to side! It was a great moment for ‘Matt the Builder’, Tony Swanson (who has <br />
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championed this cause) and for IBM which will soon have a base to work out of. The spacious meeting room, which is yet to be walled, had a different feel to last year’s venue, which was the containerised pump house! We look forward to the day when we’re open <br />
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for business and God’s Word is being taught there on a regular basis.<br />
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Our staff at Sanga pulled out all the stops to make sure the conference went well, working from dawn till dusk, and sometimes well beyond. Even one of the general labourers was pressed into catering action, donning an apron and a chef’s hat to serve the long line of hungry pastors! It was a case of “all hands on deck” during the event, and this very much applied on one particular evening when a large bush fire began rampaging through the Sanga site.<br />
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The cooks, cleaners and labourers, who had been clearing up after the evening meal, immediately turned into firefighters! After an hour of beating flames with nothing more than small tree branches, the fire was put out and the workers returned to base (some nursing their singed arms!) to deal with the washing up! All in a day’s work for our dedicated staff!<br />
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<strong>Back to School!</strong><br />
Cast your mind back to the start of our Tanzanian journey and our period of language learning. I seem to remember writing about the undiluted ‘pleasures’ of grappling with another language and the joys of wrestling with nouns, verbs and Swahili tenses. I also remember telling you of my annoyance at having read the phrase “Swahili is one of the easiest languages to learn”, and how the mental gymnastics of language learning had wearied the body, dulled the senses, and made my head hurt! Well, that was three years ago! And now we’re back at the very same school, albeit in the very un-schoolish surrounds of the Rivervalley Campsite out in the Tanzanian bush.<br />
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Unlike last time, where we grappled with grammar for three months, this time we’re here for just three weeks, which I think is more manageable for a guy who’s not a born linguist! We’ve definitely grown in our use of Swahili (some more than others!) but we felt it would be helpful, at the start of our second term here, to get back into the classroom. It’s a time of intense learning away from our day-to-day activities, where we can hopefully concentrate on moving up a level, expanding our vocab, and going over the stuff that we’ve forgotten. By the end of these three weeks I know that my head will be hurting! Oh, to be one of the disciples on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out upon them! Imagine how it felt for them as they spoke clearly in other languages without having to learn them! I can only dream on!<br />
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<strong>Diary Dates:</strong><br />
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26th Nov – 17th Dec: Swahili language school in Iringa<br />
24th—28th Dec: Christmas at home<br />
29th Dec – 2nd Jan: Team retreat at Masumbo, Iringa<br />
4th/5th Jan: Steve to Dar – personnel meetings<br />
16th—19th Jan: Steve to Nairobi for unit leader meetings<br />
26th—29th Jan: Wedding anniversary retreat on the coast!<br />
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<strong>Prayer Requests:</strong><br />
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<li>It does feel different being back at language school the second time round – please pray that we would apply ourselves to the task ahead and, with more understanding, really move up a gear!</li>
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<li>We’re thankful for our team here in Morogoro and for those who have contributed to the building of the conference centre at Sanga. Please pray that this place would be a centre of encouragement and solid biblical teaching for pastors.</li>
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<li>Please continue to pray for Steve as he travels around Tanzania carrying out his unit leader responsibilities; for safety behind the wheel and for wisdom as he serves AIM personnel.</li>
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<li>We’re praising God for 9 years of marriage on 19th January! For those who were there – yes, it really was that long ago! Please pray for protection on our marriage, that we would reflect Christ in our married lives, and that we would grow closer together in Him.</li>
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<li>During the months of Jan/Feb/March Steve will be preparing his teaching material for the 2017 conference season. Please pray that he would be guided clearly by the Holy Spirit as to what subjects and passages he should teach.</li>
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Thank you so much for your prayers and support. We wish you a very happy and blessed Christmas.<br />
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Steve & Ruth<br />
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<strong>PS: Oak Hall Expeditions and AIM are teaming up next summer to offer a holiday/taste of mission trip to Tanzania. If you're interested <a href="http://www.oakhall.co.uk/summer/tanzania">click here. </a></strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruth and Cath receiving thank you gifts at the pastors'<br />conference in the Tanzanian way!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastor & Mrs Katwale looking<br />smart in their matching outfits</td></tr>
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Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4915970443793878938.post-47057441279866771632016-09-11T02:51:00.000+01:002019-09-05T12:58:48.075+01:00Relaunching after 'dry dock'I heard from a friend recently that their mission agency refers to home assignment as “dry dock”: where ships are taken out of the water to allow maintenance and refitting work to be done. I can see the analogy. We’ve been taken out of Tanzanian ‘waters’ for the last six months and it’s been a time when the engines haven’t been at full throttle; an opportunity for some maintenance and repair work, both physical and spiritual! It’s been a time of assessment and examination, and an opportunity to prepare for the next ‘voyage’ as we launch out for our next cruise! Hmmmm! I guess you can only take the analogy so far - I’m not so sure I like the image of a ship sitting idle for any length of time, because that doesn’t reflect what the last six months have been like for us, but you get the picture! So, what exactly has this period of ‘dry dock’ been like for us? We thought we’d give you an idea by giving you the A to Z of what’s been happening in the Lancs Lane during that time. The following is a random collection of memories, observations and highlights which have made up a wonderful home assignment!<br />
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<strong>A: All Nations Christian College.</strong> We attended the AIM retirees conference at All Nations right at the end of our HA; a fitting place to finish as I spent three years there preparing for overseas mission! These folks are serious prayer warriors and it was great to be at prayer meetings where there was barely a second of silence! In fact it was hard to get a prayer in!<br />
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<strong>B: Blessings & Birthdays.</strong> HA has been full of blessing and we’re grateful to God for this time. All of our planning has come together well and I’m not sure it could have gone any better! There has also been a number of significant birthdays to celebrate too!<br />
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<strong>C: Corsham Baptist Church; Cakes, Coffee & Chats. </strong> Corsham Baptist is our supporting church, and not just in name! The folks there have been so supportive, and again we’ve been humbled by that support. The opportunity for cakes, coffee and chat with various church friends has been much appreciated by Ruth!<br />
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<strong>D: Deputation, Debriefing, Donkeys & Dolphins!</strong> We’ve done 19 presentations to various church groups reporting on what we’ve been doing in Tanzania. Debriefing was done at the AIM offices in Nottingham. We made friends with the braying donkeys next door to us, and on Ruth’s birthday weekend we even succeeded in seeing the dolphins of the Moray Firth!<br />
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<strong>E: Ebay & Endoscopy! </strong> Ebay doesn’t exist in Tanzania and so we’ve made the most of internet buying whilst we’ve been home. Something I didn’t get on Ebay was an endoscopy! Results were good but they don’t explain the stomach discomfort that I sometimes get – load up on the Gaviscon!<br />
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<strong>F: Family. </strong> You miss those family happenings and gatherings when you’re away, and so it’s been a real joy to spend quality time with family in places like Bicester, Newark, Portsmouth, Nairn, Elgin and Carlisle. Some quality memories are stored in the memory bank!<br />
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<strong>G: Golf & Generosity.</strong> Many a hole has been played in various parts of the country and it’s been a nice change to play on ‘greens’ not ‘browns’! My wife gave me a birthday card with the following words on it, and it seems she knows my game well! “If the ball goes right it’s a slice; if it goes left it’s a hook, and if it goes straight it’s a miracle”! In terms of generosity, we’ve been blown away by people’s kindness and support for us and, indeed, for the work of IBM at Sanga Sanga.<br />
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<strong>H: Health.</strong> Ruth has been able to see a specialist haematologist with regard to the blood clot she experienced on our outward journey back in July 2013, and whilst she needs to take various precautions, she’s been told that she doesn’t need to be taking meds on a daily basis. Thanking God that there’s been no reoccurrence of the DVT.<br />
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<strong>I: Invitations. </strong> We’ve been on the receiving end of some serious hospitality! On 30 occasions we’ve been invited out for meals – wonderful times of sharing and fellowship and eating!<br />
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<strong>J: Jerusalem & Jericho.</strong> Once again, I had the privilege of introducing people to the land of the Bible with another Oak Hall trip to Israel and Palestine. Despite the ongoing tensions that exist in those lands we didn’t feel unsafe and the trip went without a hitch. Highlights included an early morning run around the city walls of Jerusalem and an ascent of Mount Arbel in Galilee!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve surveying the view from Mt Arbel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By blue Galilee!</td></tr>
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<br /><strong>K: Keswick & Kilograms. </strong> I was able to take in some Bible teaching at the Keswick Convention, a conference that in the past has been used mightily by God to call men and women into serving overseas. In terms of kilograms, owing to the numerous meal invitations we’ve received, and also to the amazing variety of food one can buy in UK, we’re going back a tad heavier!<br />
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<strong>L: Long summer evenings. </strong> In Tanzania it’s dark by 7pm all year round so we’ve enjoyed the light summer nights.<br />
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<strong>M: Ministry, Miles & Motorways. </strong> The little red car that Mum & Dad lent us has clocked up over 14,000 miles in the last six months and has enabled us to motor around England, Wales and Scotland visiting friends and family, and also to talk about our ministry at various churches. Oh, the joy of motorway driving – except for the often-clogged-up M6!<br />
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<strong>N: No mosquitoes! </strong> It’s been a welcome relief to be away from those munching mozzies and not to be spraying ourselves with the sticky stuff that’s meant to keep them away!<br />
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<strong>O: Ornithology. </strong> Whilst Tanzania is great for birding, we’ve managed a couple of birding forays here in the UK and have seen Osprey, Marsh Harrier and Turtle Doves – and the odd Blackbird, to name a few!<br />
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<strong>P: Pulpit & Preaching. </strong> It’s been great to get back in the pulpit to preach in English again and I’ve had the opportunity on 16 occasions.<br />
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<strong>Q: Queuing. </strong> This is something the Brits are good at! Whether it’s at the bank or the post office we like our orderly lines and as I sat there in another M6 queue I wondered what the equivalent would look like in Tanzania. It certainly wouldn’t be three orderly lanes and an empty hard shoulder, so maybe it’s a good job they haven’t got any motorways! It’s bad enough on a single track road!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruth, Steve and twin Rachel relieved to have<br />finished the race!</td></tr>
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<strong>R: Running.</strong> We enjoyed running the country lanes of Wiltshire in a sensible climate! Our training schedule saw us run about 200 miles in preparation for the Nairn half marathon. T he event itself went well – even if it was a tad hot! We both managed personal best times (1:58) and Ruth managed to raise £1,950 for IBM—thank you to everyone who donated.<br />
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<strong>S: Skiing in Switzerland. </strong> After a three year absence we were finally able to strap our skis on and hit the slippery slopes of the Alps! Wonderful weather, stunning scenery in the surrounds of the Eiger, good snow and great to be cold again!<br />
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<strong>T: Tree work.</strong> In a former life I used to be a tree surgeon and so it was great to be able to wield a bow saw again! I spent seven days in my sister’s garden in Elgin pruning various trees and reducing the height of a long Leylandii hedge – loved it!<br />
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<strong>U: Unpacking & repacking.</strong> Being on the road has meant some heavy usage of the suitcases!<br />
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<strong>V: Val D’Isere. </strong> What a wonderful family holiday we had in Val D’Isere (France) to celebrate Mum & Dad Lancaster’s 50th wedding anniversary. Dad celebrated by doing some paragliding and Mum celebrated by anxiously watching on! The week included running, boating, swimming, tennis and walking the heights. One of the highlights was playing 18 holes of golf with my brother on Europe’s highest course; mountainous golf at its best!<br />
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<strong>W: Worshipping in English. </strong> One of the things we miss when we’re in Tanzania is being able to sing out songs of praise in English, and to be back at our church in Corsham belting out songs and hymns we knew and understood was wonderful!<br />
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<strong>X: Xamine!</strong> I couldn’t think of a word beginning with ‘x’ that fitted here so I had to bend the rules slightly! Our time here has enabled us to spend time thinking, reflecting, and examining our time in Tanzania. What did we achieve? What did we do wrong as we tried to blend into our new culture? What could we have done differently, and what will it be like second time round?<br />
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<strong>Y: Yatton Keynell & the Stable Cottage. </strong> For much of our time we’ve been based near to the villages of Yatton Keynell & Castle Comb, and blessed with the provision of Stable Cottage. This place was balm to the soul and we praise God for it.<br />
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<strong>Z: Zurich in the snow and Zzzzzz’s! </strong> Our flight back from Tanzania in March took us through Zurich airport. We were buzzing to find the place covered in snow and marvelled at how, just eight hours previously, we had been sweltering in the heat of Dar at temps in the mid 30’s. Zzzzzz’s represents sleep, and having suffered with bouts of insomnia for 7/8 years, I think it’s safe to say that good sleep has returned because the last year has been much better. During our HA we slept in 21 different beds!<br />
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<strong>What next? </strong><br />
The ropes are being loosened as we prepare to set off on our return voyage! We’ll be flying to Tanzania via Zurich and Nairobi on Monday 12th Sept and then settling back into our various roles with AIM and IBM (Institute of Bible & Ministry) in Morogoro, along with our team mates Tony & Cath and Matt & Amy. Ruth is very much looking forward to seeing our ‘guard’ dog and I can’t wait to tackle those Swahili verbs again! Within a week of arriving back we’ll be on the road to an IBM pastors’ conference near Mbeya in the west of Tanzania, although I won’t have any teaching responsibilities.<br />
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We would very much value your prayers for us as we begin our second term in Tanzania and here are a few <strong>Prayer Pointers:</strong><br />
<ul><br />
<li>We’re praising God for a wonderful home assignment and that we go back fully supported.</li>
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<li>In many ways it feels as though it should be easier this time round as things are in place, we know where we’re going and what we’re doing, and we know a bit of language etc - but we also know more about the challenges before us! Please pray that we’ll settle down quickly into our roles and into team life.</li>
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<li>Please pray for safety and protection on the roads and as we go about our daily business.</li>
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<li>Pray that God would use us for His glory as we seek to serve Him in Tanzania.</li>
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<li>We will need to make an effort in terms of continuing to learn Swahili – please pray that we’d recall what we’ve already learnt but not used during the last six months, and that we’d really push on towards some sort of fluency!</li>
</ul>
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The secretary of the London Mission Society Rev Arthur Tidman, back in 1840, wrote to David Livingstone with these words: <em>“Let your ardour be sustained by incessant communion with Christ and your consolation drawn from the conviction of His power and sympathy, and then you will neither be faint not wearied in your mind, whatever obstacles may exist or trials arise.”</em> This is our prayer – that we would know Christ more and more in our lives, marriage and work; that we would be sustained by that ‘incessant communion’; that we would know more of His power in our lives, and so become more effective for Him as we go about our various roles. It’s a big prayer, which is why we’d love you to join us in praying it for us! Many thanks for your prayers and support.<br />
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<strong>Diary Dates:</strong><br />
<br />
12th Sept: 6am flight from London Heathrow to Dar via Zurich<br />
13th: Travel from Dar to Morogoro<br />
21st-23rd IBM Pastors Conference in Njombe (travelling 20th & 24th)<br />
1st-8th Oct: Hosting personnel from AIM UK office<br />
13th-18th: AIM Tanzania Conference in Dar<br />
23rd-28th: Showing AIM Eastern Region Staff around AIM ministry placements in<br />
eastern Tanzania<br />
15th-18th Nov: IBM Pastors conference & the opening of the new Sanga conference<br />
centre<br />
26th-17th Dec: Intensive Language refresher course in Iringa?<br />
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Many blessings,<br />
<br />
Steve and Ruth<br />
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Steve and Ruth Lancasterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07831557726951497509noreply@blogger.com3