From Tanzania to our Hoover church family

I’m writing this on Thursday night Tanzania time, and this is the point in the week when we’re all pretty much both exhausted and exhilarated. We’re tired because of long days of walking and teaching, and we’re excited because of what God is doing in and through the Tanzanian people. And, of course, we’re a little homesick as well, even though things here are going well. Here’s a quick update:

This week we’ve focused primarily on three goals:

1. The majority of our group is conducting evangelistic studies with people who are within walking distance of the Kisongo Church of Christ, which—for those of you who’ve been here before—is the church that is located immediately behind the school where we stay. Our Hoover group has been joined by about 15 people from Oxford, AL, St. Louis, MO, and Phoenix, AZ. We’ve conducted hundreds of studies, and several people have been baptized into Jesus this week.
2. We have also focused on trying to ground new Christians in the fundamentals of the faith. Dozens of people have become Christians in the last month, and we’re working hard to help new Christians love Jesus more deeply so that their commitment is substantial. This emphasis will continue with the local church family here as they follow up with these new believers.
3. Finally, we are encouraging Christians who have fallen back into the world. There are dozens of people within a short walk of where we are who once were followers of Jesus but who turned away from him. Some of our team are visiting these people in their homes to try to turn their hearts back to the Lord.

We once again want to thank you for making it possible for us to be here. You are a generous group of followers of Jesus, and we’re honored to be a part of the Hoover church.

As you pray this weekend, please talk to the Lord about the people we are studying with—that God will touch their hearts. Please also ask him to strengthen the Tanzania Christians as they continue the work after we leave. And, of course, please pray that God will bring us home safely to our families. If you read this when you arrive at the Hoover church building Sunday morning, we’ll be on our way to the Kilimanjaro airport to begin the long trip home. Lord willing, we’ll be back in Hoover sometime early Monday evening.

Thanks again for your work here and in other parts of the world. May God continue to bless you.

In Christ,
Chuck (on behalf of the TZ team: Sid & Isabelle Aultman, Kyle Bedgood, Leah & Kendyll Covington, Dunia Naylor, Tiffany Roberts, Kyle Wadley, and Griffin Webster)