Sewing Seeds of Kindness with His Word

(unnamed student with Bible book cover)

Thanks to one of our gracious supporters, Joanne has some very strong, water resistant fabric she likes to use for making Bible covers for Bibles we give to the students. The environment here is very hard on books and papers.

(Gary with unnamed student with Bible book cover)

The students come to school rain or shine, and both rain and the African heat take their toll on the students’ notebooks.

(student, Stella, with book bag)

Coupled with the dust and dirt always present, books don’t last long unless the people are taught to take care of them. Many students have been blessed by the book covers and book bags Joanne makes.

(Stella, with friends and Gary)

(Stella, with friends and Joanne)

Speaking of books, we have been working with the church leaders in Ichesa to establish a church library. We are happy to report that a shipment of books was received at the end of the year. I (Gary) was scheduled to speak at the Christmas service, but rain made the trip a miserable and dangerous prospect. With rains nearly daily, the New Year’s service was hardly any better, but I went anyway.

(muddy road hill climb)

Having rained most of the night before, the rutted and muddy roads were a nightmare for travel on the back of a motorcycle. Going down the side of the mountains and around sharp curves, I found myself praying, “Lord, I’m yours in life or death.” Going up the mountain was worse . . . like a motocross hill climb . . . nearly falling a number of times, I was praying, “Lord, into your hands I commit my spirit!”

Finally arriving at the church, we had a fantastic time of worship. As part of my morning’s message, I challenged the church to make a New Year’s resolution to read the Bible daily. I found out later that very few have Bibles, although there are eight in the congregation who can read English. We decided it would be good to add a few copies of the English and Swahili Bible to the library for people to borrow.

(Pastor Michael and his family)

After the services, Pastor Michael took me over mountain paths to visit his parents. We returned to his home for a fish/rice/beans lunch and unpacked the library books. Michael drew out one book at a time and explained what it was about (all are in Swahili). There is a good variety of counseling books for addictions, marriage, leaders, and youth; Bible book surveys and atlas; commentaries; and topical studies to help train church leaders. I donated a concordance.

(Pastor Michael and his father)

(Pastor Michael and his mother)

The trip home was much more enjoyable, the day’s African sunshine having all but dried up the roads; however, with clouds rising in the south and west, I sent Moses home as quickly as possible after dropping me off. Within a half hour of my return, students were arriving for afternoon studies, so off we went to teach. The lectures were later interrupted by thunder and the pounding of rain on the tin roofing. A lull in the storm gave opportunity for the students to scurry to their ghettos in the villages, although later showers likely caught a number of the students who walk from more distant housing.

Thank you for your prayers of safety both physical and spiritual, and for your prayers for an expanding kingdom. God is faithful. Pray for laborers to enter his harvest fields. Pray for unity in the church. Pray for God’s people to walk in the spirit and in truth.

In God’s grace,

Gary and Joanne Grenell