January Update

Dear praying friends and family,

On January 16, Luke and Esther joined a crew sailing to the northern village of Kigalye. They spent a day talking to many youth in the Muslim village.

Then, last week, Luke spent 2 days, along with two other men from the church, fixing up the old wooden church building. The plan is to use this as a classroom for the discipleship program that will start in March.

New boards added to replace the rotting ones.

This past Thursday, Luke spent the day teaching a seminar on "preaching" to the men who are leaders at the local church and keen on sharing God's Word.

Luke is teaching again, at "Grace Bible College" in the village of Sunuka. He's teaching Theology Proper, this time for only one week. 

Next week, Luke and his father will teach a 2-day seminar on The Church at the local assembly.

The kids are getting along marvelously. Esther and I just keep plowing thru homeschooling, one day at a time. She's doing a great job.

Enjoying a hike at a look-out spot over Lake Tanganyika.

Please Pray:

- For lasting fruit among the ones that heard the Gospel in Kigalye, especially those who received Bibles.

- For the leaders in the local church as they teach the "flock".

- For Luke as he travels and teaches this week.

Thank you for reading this and for praying.

Many Blessings,

Gina, Luke, Esther, Emily and Aaron Johnson

First Boat Trip of the Year

At 10 this morning, a group of 7 went to the northern village of Kigalye, along Lake Tanganyika. It is a predominantly muslim village that's been visited some 3 times already. Harry was eager to visit a few families and, of course, take the sail boat out for a much needed ministry trip. Esther was also eager to go, and this time get to spend the night on the sail boat with her Daddy!

Please pray for a safe trip and return and for a meaningful visit with the muslim families.

Esther is on board and ready to sail.

The crew is busy as they leave.

And they are off...

December Update

Christmas 2013

Dear family and praying friends, we are thankful to God for giving us another year to serve him on this earth. This may be the year Christ returns to take us to be with him! Let us work while it is still day, because the night is coming when no one can work (John 9:4).

The Holidays

Our family was able to celebrate Christmas in Burundi with Luke's parents and 2 brothers, Jesse & Danny, and their families. We enjoyed our time together, although some of the travel plans had to be changed due to a flu that we passed around generously. We returned to Kigoma, Tanzania for the New Year and are now looking ahead to more ministry.

Ministry

On Sunday, Jan. 5, Luke & Esther went to the village of Songambele along with some of our Tanzanian brothers and sisters. They baptized two new believers, a young man and a young woman. Afterwards we were able to meet with the leaders of the church and of the different ministries and help them to evaluate how things are going, and see where the needs are that we can help out with. It was a good time of discussion and we thank the Lord for their growth so far. 

On Friday, Jan. 10, Luke was able to sit down and discuss plans with Peter Yamungu (one of the deacons) for starting a discipleship course for the youth. The discussion went very well and we hope to include others in this planning stage. Please pray with us that God would clearly guide in each decision, and that His perfect will would be accomplished in and through us. Pray for protection from the attacks of the Enemy who will no doubt oppose this endeavor, and for unity of purpose and vision among us.

Next week Luke plans to go by boat with his Dad to the village of Kigalye for follow up on the evangelism done twice last year.

Family

In December Gina and I celebrated 8 years of marriage, and Esther completed 7 years of life. We praise the Lord for his kindness to our family. Gina continues to homeschool Esther, who is in the first grade. Esther especially loves the books and stories that they read for school. Emily loves to play with Esther and also with her brother, but is often bored when Esther is in school. Aaron is eating solids now but has not yet attempted to crawl from his sitting position.

Furlough

Praise: We were able to purchase tickets for our furlough this summer. Please pray for us as we attempt to make a schedule for our time there. We look forward to seeing many of you during that time as the Lord permits.

It is our prayer that we will each serve our King and Savior faithfully in this new year.

With Christian love,

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily, and Aaron Johnson

Aaron's first Christmas

"Drummer boy"

October Update

Dear praying friends and family, we trust each one of you is doing well, and growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Ministry

In the past month I (Luke) finished the Wednesday Bible teaching of Ezra & Nehemia. Then I had to prepare to teach a course on Eschatology for 2 weeks at a Bible College in the village of Sunuka. This College, called Grace Bible College, was started this year by the initiative of a local elder in that village. He has seen the need for village church leaders and pastors to receive nearly free Bible training as most cannot afford to attend Bible institutes in the big cities. There is no cell phone communication in that village but I was able to return on Friday and spend the weekend with my family before returning on Monday morning to teach. Unfortunately a big rain, a flat tire, and a long delay at the ferry crossing caused me to be late for classes on Monday. We made up for part of the first day and the students were still able to complete their exams on Friday, on schedule.

Family

Upon returning my first time I found out that Esther had had malaria and had gotten medicine right away and had recovered fairly quickly. Also, baby Aaron had learned how to sit up by himself! During my 2nd week of teaching Aaron got an ear infection resulting in a ruptured ear drum. He is still taking antibiotics for that. Gina managed the household like a champ and didn't even miss a day of school with Esther! We are very happy now to be back together again as a family. These village teaching endeavors are somewhat difficult for us but through your prayers and by God's strength we were enabled.

Aaron sitting up.

Aaron and Esther at the beach.

Emily bobbin' for apples.

Upcoming 

Now we would like to begin concentrating on preparing to start some sort of discipleship program, with the youth first, and then possibly with others in the town church and beyond. We don't know what God will do but please pray that as we begin making plans that God would guide and provide in everything, and that it would first and foremost be according to His will and plan. There are also various Christmas celebrations and preparations.

Another upcoming event is our tentative plans for a furlough in the U.S. from end of May through the end of August of next year. We are looking for tickets. Pray that we would be able to get "cheap" ones. Also please pray for the scheduling of our time there and whom we should visit, that we would have wisdom to balance ministry and the need for rest. 

As always we thank you for your prayers and we remember you as well with thanksgiving before our God.

Blessings,

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily and Aaron Johnson

Motorbike trip

Luke has been teaching for the past week in a southern village (Sunuka). He graciously took the motorbike this time so I would have the use of the car. We were very happy to have him back home for the weekend. This morning he packed again and put everything under plastic for the 2 hr drive in the rain. Unfortunately, he had a flat tire on the way down so that delayed him for teaching his class this afternoon. Lord willing, he will finish teaching this course on Eschatology, and give the test on Friday to the 8 some students before coming back. His weekend home was not so restful since he was busy preparing for the 2nd week of teaching. There is no electricity at the village so he needed to have the tests printed and most of his notes ready for teaching. Please pray that he'll finish this week well and also stay in good health and that the students will learn and enjoy this study on the End Times.

All packed and ready to drive down for his first week.

All packed and driving in the rain.

September Update

Dear praying friends and family, we are thankful to God for you, and for His work in each of us.

Last month we mentioned we would be having a visit from Mark & Carol Mattix (Gina's parents). They did come and go and we very much enjoyed our time with them, although much of the time was spent in the car traveling to Mwanza (a 13 hr. drive) to pick them up and drop them off again. We visited some of the believers on our trip back down to Kigoma and attended the Gungu town church on Sunday. We also managed to squeeze in a visit to the Katavi National Park about 8 hrs. south of us and see some of the wildlife there.

Grandpa and Grandma with baby Aaron.

Girls traveling long hours in the car.

Hippo at Katavi National Park in Tanzania.

Posing in front of the hotel.

After returning to Mwanza to drop off Mark & Carol we stayed there for about a week so that Luke could get a root canal done on a tooth that has been bothering him. We visited with the Pasiansi saints on Sunday and also visited several times with another missionary family who have 3 small kids. Luke prepared notes for his upcoming seminar.

The group of believers meeting in Pasiansi, Mwanza.

While there we also got news of a robbery at our house. The perpetrator kicked open the locked door and made off with a stereo, a portable DVD player, Luke's boots & a shaver. He broke our locked office desk drawers, but was not able to get into the top one, which had money in it. We are thankful to the Lord that it was just one man and that he was in a hurry and did not take much.

On Saturday we headed back to Kigoma and stopped at Keza, the mission station where we did our cultural immersion after language school. On Sunday we fellowshipped with the Kasanda church, and the Kazilamihunda believers who had also been invited. On Monday and Tuesday Luke taught several seminars all day, both days (the church, love, and marriage).

Esther and Eva at Keza.

On Saturday we went to the wedding of a friend in the village of Songambele. We left at 8 AM and didn't get back to the house until 9 PM.

Japhet and Sofia's wedding in Songambele.

Luke continues to prepare for his Wednesday afternoon Bible teaching on Nehemiah and will be finishing up in the next 3 weeks. Luke has also agreed to teach Eschatology at a local level Bible school started up in the village of Sunuka, and is preparing for that as well.

Thank you for your interest and for standing with us in prayer.

Sincerely,

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily and Aaron Johnson

Family

Daddy with the 3 kids. 

Mommy with the 3 kids.

We love being with our kids!

August Update

Greetings in our Savior's name, dear family and praying friends. We do appreciate your prayers and remembrance of us before the Father. 

In our last newsletter we mentioned a ministry trip to Songambele. Gina and the kids ended up staying home and Luke went with a small team of 1 elder and 2 young people. We went down on Friday morning. The elder, one of the youth and myself were able to team teach a seminar on Friday afternoon, and Saturday, morning and afternoon. They absorbed the teaching on Christian marriage and had many questions for us. They also begged us to return and teach more in depth on this much neglected subject. The need for biblical teaching in the churches is great, but the workers are few. On Friday and Saturday night we showed evangelistic films and a crowd of 700 or so looked on with much interest. There were even a number of Muslims watching from the shadows at a distance (even though it was the end of Ramadan celebration). However there were no professions of faith that we know of, only the Lord knows. On Sunday morning there was an early baptism of 5 believers, followed by the church service, and then our return to town. Please continue to pray for lasting fruit from these efforts. 

On Sunday August 25th, we visited the small village church of Ilagala. They are a very small group of about 6 adults who are struggling to build a building, but more importantly they are not growing. Luke preached a message on evangelism drawn from Christ's example of compassion for the lost and his subsequent call to his disciples to pray for workers in God's harvest fields. The church there needs much prayer and encouragement in this area.

The family is doing well and Esther has started 1st grade at home. Gina is very busy taking care of a baby, homeschooling, cooking and doing laundry. Luke continues to prepare for and teach through the book of Nehemiah at the Wednesday church Bible study. Emily just turned 3 on Sept. 5 and is learning to play by herself during homeschool time, although she would much prefer playing with Esther. Aaron charms us with his smiles, when he's feeling good.

Emily, ready to blow her 3 candles. 

Esther and Aaron enjoying the beach.

Up next is the visit of Mark & Carol Mattix (Gina's parents) for the first time. We are very excited to see them and have them see where we work and live. Please pray for their travels and for their health while here.

In the Master's service,

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily & Aaron Johnson

July Update

Dear praying friends and family, we give thanks to our God for each of you and your partnership in the gospel and God's work in many different ways. May the Lord continue to fill you with his abundant power for every good work and may you increase in fruitfulness for Him.

Much of the month of July was taken up with family time. We took a 3-day car trip to Kenya, for Luke's youngest brother Steven's graduation from High School. While there all 7 of Harry & Ruth Johnson's kids were able to meet up, along with their respective families. It was a good time of spending together in sports, hikes, activities, shopping & cooking, cleaning up, babysitting, and having family devotions and singing. After graduation we made the long trip back to Kigoma, this time in 2 days. Then we spent 5 days at a privately owned beach. Again, it was a relaxing and much enjoyed break from the ministry.

Family at RVA graduation.

On Saturday, July 27 we attended a wedding of a young couple at the church in the village of Bukuba. The festivities were well enjoyed by all who attended, and the gifts were presented to the bride and groom with much dancing and exuberance (and stirring up of dust).

Wedding ceremony.

Speaking of dust, we are nearing the end of the dry season and most everything is brown and dusty. This is the time for respiratory problems. Luke has had a cough since the beginning of July. Esther and Emily both have coughs and runny noses, and Emily has pinkeye in both eyes to boot. So please pray for our health. Baby Aaron is doing fine and growing plump. He smiles a lot when he gets the attention he craves.

Next weekend we plan to visit the village of Songambele and show evangelistic films for 2 nights and do some teaching there. Please pray for our time there, that it would be fruitful.

In our Savior's care,

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily and Aaron Johnson

Prayers Answered

Dear praying friends and family,

The newest news here is that the little one has a passport! Looks like we're going to Kenya for "uncle" Steven's graduation. We hope to leave on our 3-day road trip as soon as we get the car loaded. Please pray for the Lord's protection on our trip.

The highlight of our last month was adjusting to having a newborn in the house, and the flus and stomach bugs we all made sure to share around. Please pray that we will all get completely better.

Our girls have been looking forward to this trip and we hope it will be both restful and enjoyable.

In our Savior's loving care,

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily and Aaron Johnson