Sept. and Oct. Update

Dear praying friends, grace to you.

Disciples of Jesus School

We are nearing the end of our 1st term at the Disciples of Jesus school. For most of the term we have had 13 faithful students and now we have 14. They all seem eager to learn and we have a good mixture of adults and youth. I am currently teaching "Bible study methods and resources."

Property title deed - God answers prayer!

We are very excited and thankful to the Lord for answering our many prayers about getting the title deed for the 2nd property that was purchased for the Disciples of Jesus school. We were defrauded in the purchase of the first property, but we praise the Lord for helping with the second. Now with the title deed in hand we can begin to make plans to develop the land. We trust our great God to provide in His way and time.

Encouraging the village churches

"After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned … strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:21-22). God has laid it on our heart to try and get out more to the village assemblies to preach, teach, exhort and encourage the struggling disciples. We have been accompanied by the Kinlaws who would like to see and visit the village churches as well. It has been good to meet with the saints and also exhort them to celebrate the Lord's table weekly.

Crossing the river ferry to visit the new church at Kalinkungwe.

Visiting the village church in Bukuba that needs help with the building.

Moving house

We were given notice the middle of August that we would need to find another house to rent. So for 2.5 weeks we packed up our house and began searching for another one. The Lord provided a house to rent on the same compound as Harry and Ruth Johnson and John and Jenniffer Kinlaw. It needed to be fixed up and was worked on for much of September. I am still working on the kitchen cabinets and a few other things before we can move in. In the meantime God provided a house for us to stay in through the generosity of a missionary couple that is on furlough.

Family

Gina continues strong with homeschooling the 3 older kids and taking care of a baby, on top of everything else she does for our family! We enjoyed a family outing to a river for Emily's 9th. birthday. William, who is now 5 months old, has gotten very active and expressive and brings us much joy and laughter. Aaron (6) decided to see which was harder, his head or a rock at the beach, which resulted in a nice goose egg over his left eye. He also has malaria to boot. He is recovering.

Family life: some of the monotony and some of the fun.

Thank you so much for remembering us in prayer. Please remember to pray for God's church in the Kigoma region.

In Christ,

Luke and Gina Johnson

July and August Update

Dear friends, we are thankful to the Lord for his faithfulness and goodness to us. The last time we wrote was to announce William's safe arrival into our family. He is now 3 months old and enjoys the constant attention he gets from his older siblings.

In June there was an evangelistic conference and outreach at one of the churches about 7 hours south of Kigoma. My father and mother and a team of elders attended and helped with the ministry. After that we began in earnest to meet and plan for an even bigger conference in the village of Mwakizega, about 1 hour south of Kigoma. This conference had been proposed by the saints in Burundi, who ended up bringing at team of 65 or so to minister. There were seminar teachers, preachers and choirs. 

John Kinlaw and I (Luke), along with 3 young men from the church were busy for 2.5 weeks before the conference making a big stage that could be dismantled and transported to the site. A month and a half later I called the elders to see how the church is doing with follow-up. They have 4 new members and the rest of the people they visit keep telling them they will come, but they don't.

Choir performing during the afternoon conference in the main square of the village.

After the conference we made a trip to Burundi for a 3 day Johnson family reunion. Five out of seven of us kids were there with our families. It was an enjoyable time, although my father was quite sick with bronchitis. Then we traveled to Rwanda to attend a yearly interdenominational missionary conference. It was wonderful to be able to send our kids each morning to a kid's program and receive teaching from God's Word.

Unfortunately it was during this time that we heard of Lydia's sickness (my brother Danny's daughter). She went unconscious and started having seizures and have to be Medivac-ed to Nairobi Kenya for treatment. She came close to dying from cerebral malaria, but by God's grace she has mostly recovered. We are thankful for the many that were praying for her.

Johnson family reunion in Burundi.

Also my parents were not well during the conference as my father's bronchitis persisted and my mother fell and sprained her ankle. On top of all this they had very bad car trouble and had to be towed by us from the conference in Rwanda all the way to Burundi, up and down windy escarpments. We are so thankful for the Lord's protection and for the tow bar that a missionary couple lent us. 

Now we are back in Kigoma. Gina has started a new year of homeschool with 3 of the kids. Yesterday we began a new school year at the Disciples of Jesus school. We have 9 students so far and they seem eager to learn. I am teaching a survey of salvation history and enjoying it immensely. Pray that God would keep the students safe from the enemy's attacks.

We are thankful for the joy and eagerness of the new believers at the Kamala village church which we visited on Sunday. Pray for their spiritual growth and protection, and for Stanislaus who is attending our discipleship course.

The church at Kamala, on a Sunday morning.

Please also pray for us as we move from our current house in the next month.  Pray that we would be able to transition smoothly and that the kids wouldn't get too far behind in school.

Thank you so much for your support. By your prayers and gifts you are involved in the ministry and the lives of the people here. 

Blessings in Christ,

Luke and Gina Johnson

Project finished

The stage is all done!
So now, they load up the truck and send it to the town of Mwakizega, that's where the 3-day conference will be. The men will go with the truck and set up the stage at a soccer field near the center of town.

The truck arrives, an hour late...

All hands helping to load the "tables".

and then the legs that bolt onto the "tables" of the stage.

Don't forget the stairs... Luke finished them at 11 pm last night, just in time!

Progress on the project

These are what they have made so far!

The kids new playground!

Stage project

Luke and John, along with some young guys from church have been working on building a stage. There is a conference planned for July 5 - 7 in the village of Mwakizega. A team of 85 Burundians are coming to minister and preach at this evangelistic conference.
At first it looked like we'd be able to rent a stage, but when they heard it was out of town they were not willing to rent it to us. So Luke decided he'd build one. That began the long process of figuring out all the details of it: coming up with a portable design, figuring how many boards and bolts would be needed, making arrangements to buy boards and have them delivered, and even looking into buying a machine that can plane the hundreds of boards.
So it all finally came together and the five men have been working hard since Monday. Looks like they won't be getting a rest soon, this is a big project and the planing machine can only barely keep ahead of the eager crew.

Planing with the "new" machine.

Putting it together with bolts.

Testing how sturdy it is. This is only 1/10 of the size.

Lots and lots of boards!

Don't blink...

And just like that, William is 1 month old already!

Siblings

There's a baby in the house, and we're loving it!

He's here!

	We are happy to announce the birth of our son: William Kyle Johnson Born in Kigoma, Tanzania  on May 20th at 3:45 am weighing 3.16 kg. We praise God that the siblings are all adjusting well, little William is healthy  and mama is resting and recovering.  Thank you for your prayers on our behalf.  Blessings in Christ, Luke and Gina Johnson

Bringing William home.

April and May Update

Dear praying friends, thank you for your prayers for the graduation last Saturday. The ceremony was a joyous occasion. Please pray for the 6 graduates that they would continue to grow and learn and serve their Master. We are attaching a few photos of the graduation.

Teachers and graduates

Graduates after receiving wreaths and gifts.

Happy family and friends.

We praise the Lord for good attendance (almost 30 people) at the 2 day evangelism seminar. We went out in teams in the afternoons to put into practice what we learned. Pray for all of us to continue to be effective witnesses for Christ on a day to day basis.

John Kinlaw teaching at the evangelism seminar.

Pray for the Muslims in our community (and worldwide) during this month of Ramadan fasting. Pray for a genuine spiritual hunger for the truth. Pray for conviction, repentance and faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Also please continue to pray for Peter and Naomi who have gone to visit the unreached Wataturu tribe. They have just arrived at their destination and they will spend 5 days of ministry and friendship building there. It is Naomi's first time to meet this tribe. Pray for the Lord's leading for them as they feel called to be full time missionaries to this tribe.

Finally, please be in prayer for Gina and our baby as her due date approaches. Pray for a safe delivery for mother and child.

May the Lord bless you for your partnership in the gospel.

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily, Aaron and Michael Johnson

February and March Update

Dear praying friends, we trust you had a worshipful Easter. We have a wonderful Savior who was not only willing to die for us, but had the power to rise again.

We praise the Lord for each one of you and are thankful for your prayers and gifts that sustain us in our Master's service. 

Disciples of Jesus School

Today the students took their last exam (Church and Missions) and Lord willing we will celebrate their graduation next Saturday (May 4th). We will have 6 graduates. 2 men, 1 woman, 2 young men and 1 young lady. Please pray that they would continue on in the Lord's service and that He would guide their steps.

Luke teaching "Christ and the Holy Spirit" at the Disciples of Jesus School.

Land purchased for Disciples of Jesus school

The paperwork for the land that was purchased for our Bible school is moving along slowly but surely. There are many many requirements, but we think we are nearly done submitting everything in order to get the title deed. Please pray that the title deed would be issued without any more delays once the paperwork is submitted.

Evangelism Seminar

Tomorrow and the next day (Friday and Saturday Apr. 26-27) our fellow worker John Kinlaw will be teaching in Swahili. Please pray for him that the Holy Spirit would communicate clearly through him (in spite of language constraints). Pray also that the methods and illustrations presented would equip and inspire the believers as we go out in teams to preach Christ in the afternoons.

Peter and Naomi - Missionaries to the Wataturu tribe

On May 6 Peter (elder at our chapel) and his wife, Naomi plan to visit an unreached tribe. It will be Peter's 5th visit but Naomi's first. Pray for the Lord's protection over them and that our Savior God would open doors for His Word to continue to be sown. Peter shared a testimony that already 2 people have made professions of faith in Christ and 1 more is waiting for Peter to come and then he will make his decision. Pray for lasting fruit. Pray for the Lord's guidance for Peter and Naomi as to when and how they can move there full time. Pray for the Tanzanian churches to rise to the occasion of sending and supporting a full time missionary family. 

Peter and Naomi singing a special number at church.

Family Life

For the past 2 weeks our family has been fighting sickness. First it was a bad cold that made its rounds (only Esther was spared). Then it was worms that affected the 2 boys (so we all took worm medicine). That was followed by a flu which started with Aaron (vomiting and extreme weakness) and passed on to Michael (who is still recovering). Please pray for our health at this time, and especially for Gina to stay healthy in these last few weeks before delivery. We eagerly await the arrival of our 5th child, but please pray for safety for mother and child.

We know that our Almighty God will accomplish much for his glory as you labor with us in prayer.

Blessings and peace to you all, in our Savior's name

Luke, Gina and the kids