Merry Christmas from Tanzania!

Gary & Joanne with two students wearing shirts made by Joanne

Living in a developing country, daily routine is a bit different than in “the good old USA.” Living in a house that sometimes is flooded by a blowing rain, eating rice, beans, and whatever is “in season” and dealing with the lack of electricity, we should remember the hardships of the first century, when God chose to become flesh and live among us. In a land where everyday is unpredictable, it is good to remember that our God is predictable. He is the great promise keeper. Praise him for his great and wonderful gift in Jesus.

Gary teaching class

Joanne teaching class

Sending this update when we have the chance early in December, we don’t know what we will end up doing for Christmas here in Tanzania. Gary has been invited to a three-day Christmas gathering of churches, but we haven’t discussed local plans for the holidays with our headmaster or the other teachers. Last year we hosted a campus Christmas dinner.

The school will “close” following annual examinations, but we will continue to teach the newer Pre-Form One students through the holiday break. There will also be the scoring of hundreds of exam papers and the entering of thousands of scores into the computer, so much of our holiday will be in wrapping up the year and its reports.

There will be time for rejoicing in the indispensible gift given at Christmas, praising God for his protection and provision through the past year, and special remembrance of the faithful believers who have been partners in this mission to “the least of these” in Tanzania.

God’s richest blessings to you this Christmas and always.

In His grace and service,

Gary and Joanne Grenell

First Aid Ministry

Special thanks go out to those of you who donated money and First Aid supplies for the health of our students here at Idigima. To date, there have not been too many people in need of medical attention, but this girl made quite a few visits and even twice a day for cleaning and bandaging. Obviously, we used many large bandages on this one! She was riding on the back of a bicycle that didn’t quite make a peaceful descent of the mountain. We’ve also had a few boils and eye cysts.

Training the students to keep wounds washed, clean and free of flies is a big part of First Aid treatments. Although they are learning the importance of good hygiene and health issues in their school subjects, it often times results in academic regurgitation rather than lifestyle change. Hmmm, sometimes we treat our Bible study that way. I suppose that is something of what Jesus was talking about in Revelation 3:17-19.

In His grace and service,

Gary and Joanne Grenell

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

Graduation

students marching in for graduation ceremony

One of the biggest events on the school schedule is the annual graduation ceremony for the Form IV students. Many of these students will return to their villages to pick up where they left off, but with an education that should equip them to better both themselves and their villages. They will have greater skills for work opportunities and a grasp of the importance of health and well-being. Others will continue their education in Advanced Secondary School, trade schools, colleges and universities. Our greatest hope is that they will be faithful workers in their churches and glorify God in whatever they do.

prepping the grounds

The past week has been a blur. Teacher meetings have focused on the agenda for the ceremony, food arrangements, environment preparations and the printing of certificates and awards. Students have been hauling in fire wood for the planned dinner that will feed the student body, the graduates and their families, the school staff and dignitaries. In the evenings, students have been gathering in groups around the campus to practice songs, dances and speeches.

cleaning the campus

collecting firewood

This graduation class is a bit special to us, personally, as this was the first Pre-Form One class we encountered when we came in 2009. We’ve seen these students grow physically, scholastically and spiritually. From little, insecure boys and girls, they’ve grown into the mature leaders of the student body . . . bigger than life to the current little boys and girls we have in Pre-Form today.

headmaster speech

guest speaker speech

karate demonstration

student speech

student skit

serving cake

serving cake

The big day went very smoothly. Speakers weren’t too windy, and there was a good variety of music, dance, skits, and displays of talent. There was also the traditional serving of the cake by the graduates to their parents or someone special, showing them honor and respect.

prepping cook pots

cooking

serving beans

serving rice

Following the ceremony, graduates, their families and school staff enjoyed a meal of goat, rice, beans and greens. (Students had spent most of the night tending fires under huge cooking pots of beans and goat meat.) At another location, students at large were served also. After the meal, the students enjoyed a dance. Joanne was happy to chaperone.

Returning to our home exhausted, we should have guessed that the day was not over. Many of the graduates drifted down to the teacher houses for final farewells and advice for the future. We tell them, “Glorify God in all you do. Save a little of all you earn. Look for the opportunities God puts before you. Lean on Jesus.”

Please join us in praying for the futures of these graduates. It will be April before they will hear the results of their national exams. Their performance will determine their ability, or inability, to continue with higher education.

In His grace and service,

Gary and Joanne Grenell

Update from Tanzania

Just a quick update to keep our support group aware of our activities here in Tanzania.

Shortly after arriving at O’Hare in Chicago, we were approached by a young lady who, after inquisitively looking at our luggage tags, introduced herself as one of the three female teachers joining us on the trip to Tanzania. The trip was fairly uneventful. Mr. Edgar, the Headmaster of the Madisi Secondary School (where the Vintons live) met us at the airport in Dar at 2:35 in the morning.

We reached the hotel with all of our luggage at 5:00, slept for five hours, and were up for breakfast and lunch within two hours of each other. Mr. Edgar took us on a harbor walk tour of downtown Dar, and delivered us back to the hotel for dinner and an early bedtime.

Up at 4:30 a.m., we were loaded and transported to the bus station for a 6:30 departure. The others dropped off at Mafinga, and we continued on, reaching Mbeya at 8:25 p.m. Although we’d been texting the folks at Idigima that we were on our way, trouble with the truck resulted in them not meeting us at the station until 10:15. 

The staff had a chicken dinner waiting for us at midnight, and the generator was left on for us to dig a path through the luggage and storage bins to “find the bed.” By 2:00 a.m., we were finally back home in our own bed.

We arrived in time to assist with the September Mid-Term examinations, although not as intensely as in the past. Our typing classes for teachers paid off! By the time we arrived, the teachers had typed their own examinations. All that was needed was a few format adjustments.

Although there was a lot of sign from rat activity in our house during our absence, one of the kittens we left behind has been restored to us, and we haven’t seen hide nor hair of a rat since our return. For those following our third generation cat saga, this one is named Sassy.

Due to a back injury that had been plaguing Gary the last couple of weeks in the States and growing worse from lifting containers during our travels, we contacted our Registrar to assign a couple of “students in need” to help us with chores.



The boys, Danieli and Shukrani, are Form One students, orphans, and working hard to make good grades as well as earn money to pay their way through school. They’ve been hauling water for the house and garden, watering trees, fixing fences and preparing the garden for planting.

This dry season is not the time to be planting garden, but with their daily watering, we’re going to try to get some vegetables started. With Gary’s back much improved of late, we have started planting.

On a related note, we had a wonderful blessing while in the States from the F.W. Schumacher Company, who donated thousands of tree seeds for the reforestation of the Idigima Secondary School campus. Gary planted about 600 seeds of five different types of trees the other day, both ornamental deciduous and coniferous.

The Headmaster visited the project yesterday and was very pleased with the prospect of having shade trees and windbreaks for the campus.

Joanne is staying busy with 50 new students since returning and more coming nearly every day, and with new students come the need for uniforms. Gary will need to take one of “our boys” to town soon to replenish the supply of fabric for shirts, skirts and trousers.

We are so thankful for the items donated this year. The students and staff are especially excited about the number of soccer and volleyballs we were able to bring, thanks to the Iowa Mennonite High School. Other gifts will be equally appreciated as the school year progresses: the contact paper for laminating student ID cards, First-Aid supplies, office supplies and equipment, etc. Personally, we are very grateful for the food stuffs (dried and smoked meat, fruit, nuts and spices) donated to augment our diet. For those of you who always ask, we are having students shop in the market for whatever they can find...and eggs are always on the list.

The bottom line in all of this, as always, is to build relationships for the communication of the gospel. Just the other day, we had a student express interest in learning to use a computer. His name is Ayubu, and he is a frequent chapel preacher. In the course of teaching him basic typing skills, we learned that he has a younger brother, Ronaldo, in school who does not attend church. We ask you to pray that the Lord will open opportunities to influence this youth and others.

In God’s grace and service,

Gary & Joanne Grenell

Going Back Home

Dear Family and Friends,

It's been a packed summer; time to go back to Africa for some rest!

We will ride with wonderful friends to Chicago on Sept. 7th. Our flight leaves at 10:15 p.m. for an 11 hour trip to Istanbul, Turkey. After a 2 hour layover, we'll fly for 7 1/2 more hours to Dar-es-salaam, arriving at 2:35 a.m. on Sunday. Then we'll sleep for a day and night and be up at 4 a.m. on Monday for a 13 hour bus ride to Mbeya, where the school's dump truck will pick us up for a 2 hour ride to the Idigima school campus and home!!

We would appreciate your prayers for our safe travel and renewed relationships at the school. There will be new teachers and new students with whom we hope to have spiritual influence.

We'll keep you posted as best we can throughout the year. We've decided to send blog notices once a month, so unless you log on more often, there may be more than one update waiting for you.

May God bless your ministries wherever God has planted you. Tell us how we can pray for you.

Love and hugs,

Gary and Joanne Grenell

Update arrived on 09/09/2013:  We have arrived safely in Dar (2:35 a.m.) and got to the hotel by 5:00. Slept until 10:30 and had breakfast. Lunch at 2:00 and tour with our escort of some of the downtown sites and water front. We will leave the hotel around 5 a.m. for our bus trip. No pics. Our traveling companions are from CO, WA and MI. They've all traveled Africa before, so not many surprises. We are all excited to be here and the opportunities God will provide.

More Death Strikes the Family at Idigima

Justin Halinga

Sadly, it is all too often that we hear of the death of loved ones among our students’ families: fathers, mothers, siblings, close relatives. One of our teachers recently lost his older brother, a father of two and financial supporter to Oscar’s education. Also recently was the severe motorcycle accident of the brother to our Vice Headmaster. Mr. Mgale was gone for over a week to the far side of the country to see him recover, thankfully. Prior to these, as you know, was the death of Ombeni’s 2-year old son just days after the birth of his second son, and on May 2nd, Gary lost his beloved brother. (Additional photos were recently added to the blog post regarding the death of Gary's brother - click on this link: In Memory)

On Monday, June 3rd, Justin Halinga visited our home, coming back during a break from his Advanced Secondary studies in Iringa. Justin, as you’ve seen in prior updates, was a 2011 graduate who stuck around and taught for a time until receiving his posting for Advanced, Forms V and VI, education. He’d been the student body president for three of his four years at Idigima. Everyone knew and loved Justin, who always seemed to be wearing a smile. He was a frequent preacher in chapel, a fervent prayer warrior, and reliable witness for Christ among his peers.

Justin, standing, left

Pictured, he was having a fellow student measure him for a new pair of trousers. Plans for the day were to make a quick trip to Mbeya town and return to his family in Idiwili. He was in a hurry, so we said, “Safari njema” (safe journey) and saw him off.

Two hours later my phone rang. It was the police wanting to know if I knew Justin. I said yes and asked if he was alright. The response was, “No, he is died!” Stunned, I handed the phone to a national teacher who was at our house to proof an exam we’d typed. Justin had me listed in his phone as BABU Philipo, so the police, looking for next of kin, had called me. We gave the Headmaster’s number to the police, who was able to inform them of the family’s contact information.

I was scheduled to go to Mbeya on Tuesday, which quite frankly made Joanne and I a bit nervous. The small buses are death traps on the highway, and I usually opt for the larger buses that charge a bit more. 

As it turned out, the funeral was scheduled for Tuesday and we entertained a number of returning classmates. I’d sent text messages to a number of our graduates and prior teachers about Justin’s death, and it was amazing how many returned with such short notice. It is a testimony to the importance in this cultural of supporting one another.

Although it was hard for all of us to grasp the reality of the passing of this young man, who had so much potential and promise and goals in life, the repeated comment I heard from the his friends and family was, “What can we do? Nothing. It is God’s business to take us when He wants us. We have no choice in the matter.”

Life is short. Don’t waste it.

Returning soon to see our supporters in America, Lord willing.

Gary and Joanne Grenell

(Editor's note:  Gary and Joanne have returned to the states for their summer break.  They arrived in late June, but have been traveling out of the Iowa City area, and in fact, out of the state, for most of the time visiting family.  They will be back in the Iowa City area near the end of July.  They will return to Tanzania in late August or early September.)