Another seminar

Dear praying friends and family,
This is just a quick note to remind you to pray for us as we go South to the village of Songambele to teach another seminar. I (Luke) will be teaching along with Abeli (a young man) about love in the church. Gina and Esther & Emily will come along this time, as well as Abeli's wife, Bernadetta. We leave tomorrow (Friday) and return Sunday.
Please pray for the seminar teachers and pray that the believers in that church would be strengthened in faith and love as a result.
Pray for Gina as she will have to take care of both kids most of the time.
Pray that it would be a mutually encouraging time.
Thanks for taking the time to pray for us.
Luke Johnson

Your prayers are needed

Hello dear praying friends and family. This is just a quick email to ask for your prayers for some upcoming ministry events.

- Tomorrow (Friday Oct. 21) Luke will be going down south to the village of Sunuka to teach a seminar to the church on the subject of love. He will return Sunday after church. Pray for Gina too as she stays home alone with the 2 girls.

- Next week on Wednesday (Oct. 26) our whole family will be driving up to Burundi for a memorial service that the believers there are preparing in remembrance of Eleanor Johnson (Luke's grandmother who recently passed away). We will be there until Sunday or Monday.

- On Friday Nov. 4 through Sun. Nov. 6 our family will travel to Songambele with another young couple to teach a seminar to the youth.

Please remember these upcoming events in prayer before our gracious heavenly Father. Pray for greater love and greater fruit among the believers, and that God's Spirit would inundate these efforts.

We thank the Lord for your very real participation in the spread of the gospel here in the Kigoma region, through prayer. Please read Eph. 6:18-20.

Luke Johnson

September Update

Hello dear praying friends and family.

Since we got back from Moshi (where Luke taught at the Bible School) we have been settling back in to the ministry here. That has included several things.

- The weekend of our return we went to a funeral service and burial of a close relative of some of our town church members.

- The following week we went out for a sail on Harry's sailboat and have continued to discuss what still needs to be done before the boat can be used for ministry trips.

- We also attended the wedding of Abeli and Bernadetta, young people from 2 churches in the North.

- We had 2 days of prayer for the young people of the town church to seek God's face and pray for spiritual renewal.

Then we began to plan for a weekend trip to visit 6 of the Southern churches that we as a family had never visited before. We planned to go down with my father and mother as well as 2 church elders, but just a few days before the trip we received news that my grandmother (Eleanor Johnson) had passed away in the U.S. and Harry returned to the States for the funeral.

We continued with the trip however and it was a blessing to see the believers and get a feel for what is going on in their respective places. We left Friday morning and returned late Sunday. It was quite tiring and filled with many impromptu meetings with lots of preaching for me, but the Lord gave us strength. There are so many needs and the Lord has burdened us to pray for these believers now that we have actually met them. 

We have had our share of challenges this month and have dealt with some discouragement with regards to ministry.  We had 5 days with no city water, but fortunately God blessed us with 2 big rains and we were able to collect rain water. We have also had quite a few power cuts that have lasted longer than usual. The girls are entertaining and learning how to  be playmates. Emily is a good crawler and our little mischief maker! Esther is always eager to help around the house.

Counting our blessings,

Luke, Gina, Esther and Emily Johnson

Visit to southern churches

We made a trip this past weekend to visit 6 churches. Luke and I had never visited these churches so this trip was planned so we could see the locations.

Amosi at Kirando chapel

First place we visited was Ilagala. The believers there meet outside still and are trying to get a building of their own.

Ruth (mom) teaching the kids at Kirando

The second place we visited was the village of Songambele. This was the only village of the 6 that wasn't along the lake, we drove inland a bit. The people there are farmers and not fishermen, therefore of Waha origin as opposed to Wabembe (the Congolese that live along the lake).

Fishing village of Sigunga

The third place was Sunuka where we spent the night.

Talking and relaxing with Isaac and Lameck

The following morning we went to Kirando where the believers eagerly awaited us. We had an impromptu service at their chapel. They fed us a delicious meal before we went on our way.

Women getting the meal ready

The fifth village was the village of Kahwibiri. They are mostly Burundian refugees so the people preferred to speak in Kirundi. However the service that was quickly scheduled at the elementary school was held in Swahili.

Luke speaking at Sigunga

The sixth and last village was Sigunga, lying on a mountain side next to the lake. The homes almost seemed to be one on top of the other and we had to park the car at the very top and make our way down to our host's home by foot. The following morning was Sunday and we enjoyed fellowship and breaking the bread with the saints.

Weddings

The bride and groom are never to lift a finger. Their assistants are there to fuss over them. Like, wipe the sweat from their faces, adjust the veil, and adjust the "cool" sunglasses. The bride does not show emotion and has her eyes downcast at all times and bows low to her husband at the appropriate times. The groom however is more free to "be himself".

Attendants fussing over Abeli and Bernadeta.

The "Icky, Mud-wedding"

On Saturday we attended a wedding in a nearby village. Our car was loaded with people as we headed out at 9 am to get there in time for the ceremony that was to start at 10 am. Just before noon the bride finally arrived with her attendants and proceeded to the nearest house to finish getting ready. An impromptu meeting was started while we waited for the bride, and the rain started to pour! The man leading the ceremony eagerly called for the bride, asking that she'd come because we had all waited long enough. She finally made it out, under umbrellas and some 3 girls helping her keep the white dress from getting all muddy. 

Bernadeta, the bride being escorted to the chapel.

The rain never let up, and the walk to the reception was a mucky mess. 

People trying to stay dry during the reception and walking barefoot for a better grip.

Finally wanting to head home after 4 pm we made our way to the car to find that the kids had tried their hand at some "mud art" on the windows of our car. So, the wedding will go down in history, as Esther likes to call it: "the icky, mud-wedding".

May 1, 1915 - Sept. 13, 2011

Eleanor Loizeaux Johnson passed into the presence of her Savior on Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 2:40 AM.

Grandma enjoying a sail with her son Harry.

Visiting Grandma in Virginia July 2011

Our last visit with Grandma this summer was especially sweet. She was up early, making her mile-long walk before the heat of the day. At meal times we lingered at the table to chat. She was happy to meet Emily and watch Esther in the pool. She spoke of loved ones that weren't following the Lord, and you could see that her heart was really burdened for those individuals. She wanted to know of the work in Tanzania and how Luke was managing with the many teaching engagements, glad that he was using his spiritual gift. She encouraged me (Gina) to devote my time to my children during their young age. That visit will never be repeated, but we're so glad we could see her one last time this side of Glory. We will miss her greatly.

August Update

Our month in Moshi has come to an end. Tomorrow we load up the car and drive to Kigoma. We are eager to get back after being away for 4 months, including our furlough.

The main purpose for our stay in Moshi is so that Luke can teach at BBC. 

Last year Luke taught the first year students-- 2 of them. However this year, there are 31 first-year students. A huge answer to prayer! The classrooms don't look so barren and it's encouraging to see the desks being used by men and women studying God's Word. 6 of the students come from the Kigoma region. Luke is right now finishing up his Survey in Basic Christianity class by grading the tests. 

Last week church leaders from northern Tanzania gathered for meetings that serve the legal purpose of the assemblies. But they also enjoyed the Bible teaching and the mutual encouragement among brothers. 

The men who attended the week-long meetings. + the cooks, who wanted to be in the photo.

Please pray for safety on our road trip across Tanzania. 

Pray that we'd settle in quickly into life and responsibilities that await us in Kigoma.

We really appreciate your prayers.

In Christ,

Luke, Gina, Esther and Emily

Grandma Eleanor

Uncle George and Grandma relaxing in the July heat.

Esther fondly remembers visiting Grandma Eleanor in Virginia and even took pictures with her disposable camera. We just got word that Grandma had a stroke. This is after a long week of adjusting medications due to a heart problem and were waiting to put in a pacemaker. Please pray for her, and for the family.

In Moshi for a month

BBC students doing a "team building" activity; they managed to balance 10 screws on the head of another screw.

We are in Moshi, (northern Tanzania) for a month. Luke is busy teaching two courses to 31 students at Berea Bible College (BBC). This is the first time the college has had so many students and it's a big answer to prayer. Last year Luke taught only 2 students, so this increase has changed the dynamics of the classroom.