From the Field:

With summertime drawing to a close, I happily informed my sister yesterday that it was 33 degrees cooler in Mwanza than in Texas. Now, mind you, it was nearly midnight in Tanzania, but praying everyone in America is surviving the summer heat! 

In July, I started and ended the month teaching classes on the Letters of Paul in Mwanza and Musoma. We teach condensed, 40-hour classes in just six days, so getting through ten books of the Bible was a fun challenge! This second installment covered Galatians through Philemon. We studied the books chronologically, following Paul’s journeys in Acts, which helped us understand the context of each letter—who Paul was writing to and why.

At the end of the week, the students take an exam, and I’ve been told numerous times that mine are much more difficult than their other classes. But so far this semester, at two campuses, 100% of my students have passed! I’m so proud of their hard work! 

Judging by the questions they ask and the conversations we have, God is working in big ways in the lives of these students. I look forward to sharing stories as we hear about how this education is impacting their work and ministry in various villages. 

One of my goals for the next year is to visit other Bible colleges around Tanzania, learn about their programs, and glean wisdom from experienced staff as I continue to grow in my new role.

At the end of my class in Musoma, the students surprised me with a gift to celebrate the end of the semester. They presented me with a kanga, a traditional East African fabric printed with a Swahili phrase or proverb. Mine reads, “siri ya ujasiri wangu ni Mungu,” which translates to “the secret of my courage is God.” And this couldn’t be more true!

I often hear friends say, “I could never do what you do!” Truthfully, I sometimes think that about myself too. But it’s God who has called me here, and it’s God who gives me the strength to keep going. I’ve put my kanga where I see it daily—to remind me to pray for my students and to remember that my strength comes from the Lord, not from myself.

After leaving Musoma, I traveled farther north to Tarime for a Trauma-Informed Care training, working with a group that has started a foster care system within their churches, caring for orphans and providing employment for widows. I facilitated the training alongside two friends from Mwanza, and we’re excited to return in a few months for part two.

We also began identifying individuals to train as future trainers. The need is significant—there are over 700 PEFA churches in Northern Mara alone, with hopes of eventually expanding throughout the Lake Region and partnering with churches serving over 10,000 orphans in Northwest Tanzania.

In July, I also had a much-needed visit from my sister, Betsy! Coming to Tanzania takes time and is a financial commitment, but spending time with my sister and introducing her to my people here was priceless. I may have traumatized her a little when we arrived at a small hotel and were greeted by a chameleon in an open window. She tells this story better than I do, but hopefully it hasn’t scarred her too much! 

I also got to visit with my friend Laurie while she spent several weeks working at a language school. Through her, I met several long-term workers from across Tanzania, heard their stories, and was encouraged by them.

And the party doesn’t stop there! This week, my parents will arrive for a two-week visit. We’ll have some much-needed time to rest—and then I’m putting them to work!

I have lots of travel coming up over the next few months, so please pray for stamina and spiritual rest as I prepare to travel to Arusha, Kagera, Dar es Salaam, Spain, back to Tarime, and eventually the U.S. I’m keeping busy and excited for all that is to come! 

Support Update:

Raising support is a never-ending test of my trust in the Lord – and I’m continually humbled by the generous support of my friends and family. Thank you for partnering with me, praying with me, and choosing to be a part of this wild journey. In just the past six months, ministry opportunities have grown significantly. I have traveled across the region, building relationships and laying the groundwork for my work at LVCC. At the same time, inflation and rising regional costs have increased my monthly budget needs, with fuel, food, and imported goods up nearly 35% since January and continuing to steadily increase. For example, the other day I filled my gas tank for approximately $6.38/gallon. 

I am in need of an additional $375/month.

I fully believe the God who has called will continue to equip and provide for both me and those he calls to partner with me in ministry.

Will you pray with me that God will continue to provide for my every need?

Will you prayerfully consider joining my support team? 

Special Request:

Dear friends,

I am beginning to make preparations for my next trip to the States. I hope to have intentional meetings with individuals and churches who may be interested in partnering with me in ministry. 

If you know individuals, families, or churches who may be interested in learning more about my work in Tanzania, would you consider connecting us? I would love the opportunity to share more about what God is doing here in Tanzania. Feel free to share my email, social media, and website with others as I prayerfully grow my team.

From the Field:

I know I say this often, but, WOW! Time is flying!

It’s the end of May, but my brain still believes it’s the start of April. 😅

In the last two months, I’ve traveled extensively, starting with a quick Texas trip to visit family and meet my niece Nora (who was born on my birthday!) I’ve made several short trips to the States. Honestly, I don’t usually enjoy brief stays at home; once my body adjusts, I fly again. This time, it felt like the Lord multiplied time, making days slow and weeks long in the best way. Rather than feeling anxious about returning to Tanzania, I felt peace and enjoyed time with family and friends. 

After returning to Tanzania, I had ten days to prepare teaching notes before my next adventure. I traveled for nearly two weeks to Ngara, a village in far west Tanzania, just 15 minutes from Burundi and Rwanda borders. I heard this area was beautiful, and I was amazed by the hidden paradise in the hills.

I co-led a Pastors and Leaders Conference with Bishop Raphael, who spoke on biblical leadership, while I discussed the authority of scripture. Over three days, we explored how spending time in God’s word is essential for knowing God, growing in faith, and discipling others.

At the conference’s end, a Pastor asked to meet. He shared his calling and upcoming plans to plant a church in a village. The training reignited his zeal and desire to bring people to Jesus. As he prayed, he felt led to give us an offering as thanks. Though small, it reminded me of the widow’s mite—generosity is about the heart, not the amount. I often learn more from these pastors than they from me.

Week two in Ngara, I taught my last Minor Prophets class with 29 students, which I liked. The students asked many challenging questions! One of my favorite discussions was on day one. I started each week with an intro lesson where we answered questions like: “What is prophecy?” “How do we know a prophet is sent by God?” and “Does prophecy look the same today?” These questions were key as we explored Israel’s history and interpreted the messages in these twelve Old Testament books.

Our class met in a church, but construction has begun on a new LVCC campus in Ngara! We visited the site and saw the foundation stones delivered. Construction will start with a dorm for students sleeping on church floors. TEAM, a ministry we partner with, received matching funds for the school. Bwana Asifiwe! To learn more or join their mailing list, CLICK HERE.

After returning from far-west Tanzania, I traveled to far-north Tanzania to help lead a two-day seminar on child safety with pastors and widows. I was amazed to learn that within PEFA churches in Mara, they’ve started a foster care system, with families caring for orphaned children on the streets. Pastors address spiritual needs, while widows serve as social workers. We visited a church with a feeding program that meets community needs. This exemplifies the church as Jesus’ hands and feet in the community.

I’ll be in Mwanza for the next few weeks, preparing for my class – The Letters of Paul. In June, I’ll attend a training in Nairobi on “Healing Wounded Hearts,” a program I was introduced to years ago and am excited to see in action!

Visa Update:

I feel like Dory, but instead of singing “Just keep swimming,” I “just keep waiting, waiting, waiting.. What do we do? We wait.. wait..”

BUT, progress is being made! There are two stages to applying for a permit, and state one is complete. My two-year work visa has been approved and paid for; now we wait on the residence visa. Will you pray with me that this is approved quickly? I’m praying that this is approved before my trip to Kenya on June 16th.

Support Update:

Raising support is a never-ending test of my trust in the Lord – and I’m continually humbled by the generous support of my friends and family. Thank you for partnering with me, praying with me, and choosing to be a part of this wild journey. 

If you haven’t yet set up an account to support me through CTEN, click the link below.

I am currently in need of an additional $475/month. This will help me cover things like: 

• Visa (think processing fees and a gift for those helping me)
• Travel (think gas, hotels, food, supplies for trainings)
• Continued Learning (think Swahili lessons, resources to help prepare for teaching)
• Tools (think translation fees, battery-powered projector, screen, hard drives for storage)
• Health (think medical insurance, doctor visits, etc)

Eventually, I also hope to raise funds for different initiatives I may be able to participate in through LVCC (think camps for orphans, trainings for caregivers, youth camps, women’s conferences, etc)

Will you prayerfully consider joining my support team? 

Special Request:

Dear friends,

Your support and prayers have held me up as I have transitioned into a new season of ministry in Tanzania. Transition is a familiar theme in the life of a missionary, and it comes with both losses and gains. Transitions are not easy, but I’m learning that living away from home, away from familiarity, makes transitions exponentially more difficult. I love my new job (just as I loved my old job!), and I have enjoyed exploring new opportunities and building new relationships here in Mwanza, a place that I both know well and also keep learning more about.

It is recommended that cross-cultural workers take time to debrief in times of transition so that they can continue to grow and thrive. There is an organization in Spain called SentWell that specializes in helping people to transition well, and my hope is to participate in a debrief with them as I continue to adjust to my new ministry role with PEFA and LVCC. The goal is to take time to process the previous chapter while focusing on moving forward with an open heart in order to be able to minister out of a “full cup.”

If you would like to give specifically towards a debrief opportunity for me, simply make a note along with your donation.

From the Field:

This month has been a whirlwind, and I have enjoyed every minute!

I started my teaching career at LVCC’s Musoma campus with 48 eager students ready to learn about the Minor Prophets. Early in the week, a student remarked, “You do things too differently!” I anticipated this, knowing my teaching style would be unfamiliar. I asked them to give it a chance, and by week’s end, only minor adjustments were needed. The students seemed to enjoy the class!

I aimed to give them a survey of the Minor Prophets, focusing on historical books like 1 and 2 Kings, and Ezra/Nehemiah. My goal was for students to understand the context—such as the original audience and the books’ purposes—and then analyze each prophet’s messages, emphasizing interpretation and application today.

I then taught the same course at the Mwanza campus with 40 students. On my first day, I didn’t have a translator, so one student stepped in to help. Although inexperienced, she did an excellent job, but by the afternoon, we were exhausted—translation isn’t easy! Thankfully, a different translator joined on day two, and the rest of the week went smoothly. I’m grateful for translators; my Swahili is improving, but I still have a long way to go before I can teach independently in another language.

Last week, I celebrated my birthday with friends in Mwanza and visited one of the eight Theological Education by Extension (TEE) cohort groups. These groups meet monthly for four years, graduating alongside college students at the end of the program. The cohort I visited had seven students. I taught a session on stewardship, then led an inductive Bible study on Matthew 25:14-20, the Parable of the Talents. This helped teach another method of Bible study and reinforced stewardship principles.

The next few weeks will be for rest and preparing for upcoming classes. This also gives me time to complete a required safety course for my sending organization. So far, I’m off to a good start, and I’m excited to see what’s next!

BIG Prayer Request:

As you know, I am currently applying for my residence and work permit. The initial applications have been submitted, and approval usually takes 4-6 weeks. Currently, there is an issue with the online portal for submitting and approving visas – no one has access to it. Until this issue is resolved, no visas can be submitted or approved. 

Please pray with me that this issue is resolved quickly! I am here on a temporary visa, which expires in April. Lord willing, my residence permit will be approved by then. I am traveling to Texas at the end of March and have a return ticket for Tanzania on April 14th. Please pray with me that God will provide the permit! 

Support Update:

I am now raising funds through CTEN (Commission to Every Nation). CTEN helps people fulfill their God-given mission through administrative support and pastoral care. 

Raising support is a never-ending test of my trust in the Lord – and I’m continually humbled by the generous support of my friends and family. Thank you for partnering with me, praying with me, and choosing to be a part of this wild journey. 

If you haven’t yet set up an account to support me through CTEN, click the link below.

I am currently in need of an additional $625/month. This will help me cover things like: 

• Visa (think processing fees and a gift for those helping me)
• Travel (think gas, hotels, food, supplies for trainings)
• Continued Learning (think Swahili lessons, resources to help prepare for teaching)
• Tools (think battery-powered projector, screen, hard drives for storage)
• Health (think medical insurance, doctor visits, etc)

Eventually, I also hope to raise funds for different initiatives I may be able to participate in through LVCC (think camps for orphans, trainings for caregivers, youth camps, women’s conferences, etc)

Will you prayerfully consider joining my support team?