Helping Students Help Themselves . . . And Us

Every year the Lord brings into our lives a few students who become more close than most. This year, two of those students are Danieli and Shukrani. We mentioned them in an update upon our return. They have become family, in their opinion. Joanne has sewn “church” shirts and backpacks for them and is the mother hen who frets over whether they have food in their “ghetto.” We keep a record of the hours they work and pay an hourly wage against their school tuition and fees. They are so grateful for the help we give them, and we are so grateful for the help that they give us.

Faithful watering by Danieli and Shukrani has produced a nice vegetable garden during the dry season. Now we have entered the rainy season, when it will eventually rain nearly every day. While others are just now planting, we are enjoying greens with our daily menu of rice and beans. And yes, Danieli and Shukrani are taking some greens home for cooking and say they very much enjoy the “greens from America.” Those of you who donated garden seed: God bless you for the blessing you gave.

 

You know the saying, “If you want it to rain, wash your car.” Well, our experience here is that “if you want someone to visit, sit down to eat.” We joke as we ready for a meal whether we’ll get a bite of hot food before someone comes to the door. We take turns answering the door so that we can enjoy a few bites of hot food. We also like to use meal time for a game of Yahtzee, Rack-O or Quiddler, or to watch a DVD. As you can imagine, it sometimes takes a few days to finish a game or movie. We really are a spoiled bunch of children, aren’t we?

“For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” 

I Timothy 6:7-8.

In His grace and service,

Gary and Joanne Grenell

The Jesus Film: Still a Box Office Hit at Idigima!

New students and repeat viewers from other classes carry their chairs from the school to our home and pack in. We almost always have to turn some away because of cultural differences. “What’s that?” you ask. Well, the students don’t mind sitting two to a chair and wall to wall. They don’t even seem to mind watching from the side of the room where the laptop image is very poor. You can only imagine the temperature and smells created by such a setting. (The students wash their clothes once a week; some better than others . . . and we all eat beans every day.) So, we insist on western standards of sitting for optimum viewing and listening comfort. We don’t want any distractions from the Holy Spirit’s use of the film.

 

With each year’s Pre-Form One students (and others) systematically scheduled to see the movie, there is a foundation established for their Bible Knowledge studies. Form One students learn about the prophecies concerning Jesus, along with Old Testament history, from Genesis through Ruth. Form Two cover the highlights of the Old Testament from I Samuel through Malachi. Form Three students study the gospels and Acts, and Form Four students have the challenge of reviewing Romans through Revelation. Obviously, we are not producing Bible scholars, but hopefully they have enough understanding to guard their hearts from the evils of spirit and ancestral worship, witchcraft and the destructive behaviors of man’s sin nature.

In His grace and service,

Gary and Joanne Grenell

Greek Missionaries

On November 10, I was preaching at a church in Iyula-A. After services, I was escorted by a church member to the pastor’s home for lunch. While walking on the side of the road, we met a LandRover full of white people. We waved to one another as they continued down the road. Seeing another white person out here is a bit of a novelty . . . something to write home about . . . about as frequent as seeing planes fly over.

 

Within minutes of arriving at the pastor’s home, another man came running to say I must return to the church building. Without thinking, I left my satchel and camera and went with my escorts back to the church. The LandRover was parked out front. Inside, I was introduced to Alexander from near Thessalonica, Greece. With him was his wife, his son, a couple of volunteers from Greece and two Tanzanian university students, working as translators for the team. They had registered 16 orphans from the Iyula-A village and were there to provide food, gospel teaching, songs and games to these children. I wish I’d had my camera, but you can see their work on the Internet. Tanzania Orphans Mission (T.O.M.), an NGO near Mbeya town in the village of Galijembe, is helping young orphans in our region. Even if you cannot read Greek you can enjoy their news by clicking on the “Engish” button at: http://www.tom.org.gr/

Alexander explained that he and his wife came to Tanzania about a year ago to build an orphanage to house 80 children. The work is being financed by his home church in Greece, which he considers a miracle in itself, considering the economic climate in Greece with failing banks and 60% unemployment. The village of Galijembe donated seven acres to the project. They have about half of their buildings constructed. Alexander is a retired contractor, so he’s doing a lot of the work himself.

Pure and undefiled religion: caring for the orphans. I shared with Alexander that about 30% of our secondary school students are orphans, so we had a common ground of fellowship. We can’t help all of those in need, but we can try, and it is so encouraging to know that brothers and sisters in Christ from the country of Greece, out of their poverty, are assisting in the effort. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers.

In His grace and service,

Gary and Joanne Grenell

Form IV National Exams

Well, there isn’t a lot to say . . . yet. From November 4th through the 13th, Form IV students across the nation of Tanzania sat for their national examinations. Tested in nine subjects, their individual results will determine whether or not they are allowed to continue in the Advanced Secondary School system, trade schools, colleges and universities. It is a big, big deal. Also, the scores for science as opposed to the arts will determine what area of study will be allowed. A student may become a teacher in the arts rather than a doctor, for example.

Armed guards arrived on campus with the examinations and were housed in the administration building throughout the duration of the exams. Supervising teachers were sent as well. A school must be registered to administer the exams, but the exams are supervised by teachers from other schools.

It will likely be April before results of the examinations are posted nationally. Until then, we all must wait. Talking with a number of the graduates, there is a general feeling that they were well-prepared for the examinations. Time will tell. Looking back over the year, and especially after last year’s disappointing performance on a national level, our Headmaster had organized a number of teacher meetings to brainstorm ways to help the students prepare. Let’s pray that the efforts paid off.

As we continue on in our relationship-building and involvement with the students currently at Idigima, we will also be regularly contacted by many students who have graduated. They ask for advice, money, and prayers. It is tough. Many times their dreams are not coming true. They want to know that we care about them, have not forgotten them, and to regain some of the spiritual “stuff” that made going to Idigima a special time in their lives. Thank you for praying for us and these students. Thank you for being a part of the spiritual “stuff” that changes lives.

In His grace and service,

Gary and Joanne Grenell

Student Body Elections

campaigning

Campaign “staff” members pretend to hold microphones for their candidates during speeches delivered in the classrooms all over campus.

Student leaders are a very important part of life at secondary schools in Tanzania. The general behavior and performance in all aspects of school life is largely guided by the quality of student leaders. Idigima has been blessed with godly leaders among its students in the past, and the future looks bright in light of the leaders selected during the recent elections.

The process consists of letters written by the students to the faculty, requesting consideration for a given position of leadership.The teachers then interview the candidate in the Headmaster’s office. Candidates are sometimes asked to run for a different office after the teachers have discussed the student’s strengths.

The candidate then “campaigns” between the various classrooms to garner votes from the student body. Election Day ends with the student body gathering to cast their votes. Announcing a given office and its candidates, teachers pass through the crowd with ballots, then immediately collect them after the candidate’s name has been written. The votes are counted right then and there in the midst of the gathering.

Pray for our student leaders, please. With about 700 students on campus, they have big jobs requiring wisdom and tact. Over the years, we have developed close relationships with a number of our new leaders, and we know them to be humble and God-fearing individuals who desire to glorify God. The new Head Prefect (student body president) came to our home before the campaign to ask for prayer. The new Head Girl is a regular song leader and organizer for our chapel services.

God is doing great things here at Idigima, and we are blessed to be a part of it. Thank you for also being a part of it, a big part of it, through your prayers and gifts.

In His grace and service,

Gary and Joanne Grenell