And then there were 4!

Michael Alan Johnson

DOB: 2/15/1015

Weight: 3.5 kg (7 lbs. 11 oz)

Just hours old.

Emily holding Michael for the fist time.

Michael, Esther, Aaron and Emily.

10 months later ... *sigh*

And the countdown begins ....

Gina past the "due date".

January Update

Hello dear family and praying friends. This newsletter is long overdue. We’ll begin by wishing you a happy new year (although it’s already February). 

Ministry

These past 2 months have gone by quickly. We finished our 2nd term of the discipleship course on Dec. 19, so up to that point we were busy with that 3 times a week. Then Christmas was upon us with its different celebrations. In January I (Luke) have been meeting with the other discipleship teachers (Peter & Japhet) to plan for the 3rd and last term of the discipleship program. Luke has also attended some church leader meetings, trying to sort out some problems. That, along with the many requests we get daily in this needy part of the world, has taken up much of our time.

Opening gifts.

Family

Over Christmas week Luke’s Uncle Ken & Aunt Melli + their 10 kids drove down to Kigoma from Burundi for a little break. Then at the beginning of January Luke’s sister Annette & her husband and 2 boys drove down from Kenya, to spend a couple of days with us. We were pleased to see them and catch up on their news. Besides that, Gina has been busy homeschooling Esther, along with the multitude of other tasks that need to be done daily to keep our family going. As a family we all eagerly await the arrival of the next baby, Lord willing, in the next few weeks. Please pray for special strength for Gina in these last days, and for a safe birth for both mother and child. We would also appreciate prayer for Luke’s mother, Ruth Johnson, who is currently in the US and is scheduled to have corrective heart surgery on Feb. 13. Please pray that it would go well and that she would have a quick and smooth recovery, and that God would be glorified.

Upcoming

The 3rd term of the discipleship course begins tomorrow (Monday, Feb. 2). It will continue for 3 1/2 months, 3 times a week. Please pray for God’s wisdom, health & strength for the teachers, and for personal growth & faithfulness in the life of the students. We have added practical ministry for them this time and will be visiting 7 village churches throughout the course. We hope to give them opportunities to discover, and use their spiritual gifts, as well as share what they are learning in the classroom. We want to build in them a vision for serving the Lord and helping with the many needs in the village churches. We also pray that the churches will be encouraged as we visit and minister to them. 

We are so thankful to God for each and every one of you who prays for us faithfully. May God strengthen you more and more in your inner man to pray more fervently than ever. We sincerely believe that this is where the battle is won, in the spiritual realm, through the prayers of God’s people. And pray for us, that a door of opportunity would be opened to us, for effective and fruitful service.

Blessings in Christ,

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily, Aaron & ???? Johnson

November Update

Dear praying friends and family, we are rejoicing in the hope of our eternal inheritance which we have in Christ. We have received more blessings from God our Father than we could ever count. We trust you are thanking the Lord as well during this thanksgiving season.

Women's Retreat

In mid-November, Gina had the opportunity to attend a conference in the big city with 50+ other women. Luke and the kids managed just fine without her cooking and cleaning for 5 days while Gina enjoyed fellowship, great teaching and pampering at a fancy hotel. The team that hosted the retreat were very encouraging and generous. Here is a a link to their ministry website: http://www.purejoyinternational.org

Trip to Burundi and Kibondo

A couple hours after picking Gina up from the airport we went on a 3 day trip to Burundi to visit one of Luke's childhood friends, Davidi, whom he had not seen for 15 years. We had a nice time with Davidi and his new bride, as well as with relatives (Luke's brother and uncle and their families). On our way back to Tanzania we took a different route and border crossing we had not tried before, in order to visit a new church plant in the town of Kibondo. We stayed with them for 3 full days, with 2 days of seminars and the Sunday meeting with them. We returned on Monday Nov. 24, very tired, but glad to be home.

Visiting Nyakarago with Davidi and Melissa.

Ladies busy cooking the meal.

Small children being prayed for in the church.

Discipleship Course

We continue faithfully with the discipleship course although 1 more student has traveled, so that leaves only four. We have one more module (Old Testament Survey) for 3 weeks and then our 2nd term will be over. Pray for wisdom for us leaders as to how to proceed next term and in the future as well. We want to be as effective as possible, and pursue God's purpose for us. 

Christmas

There are several things going on for Christmas. The northern churches and the southern churches are each separately getting ready for a 3 day conference; a time for fellowship and encouragement. The youth in the town church plan to lead the church service next week, followed by a year-end celebration to God for having brought us through another year. The following Sunday will be a special Sunday School program service. 

Family

At the moment Gina and all 3 kids have nasty colds and coughs, and Aaron has tummy trouble as well. Please pray for healing for them, and that we would grow in grace and in faith through the many challenges we face. 

We are so thankful to God for those of you who stand together with us in prayer and giving. One day you will receive your reward from the all-knowing Master. Your labor of love will not be forgotten.

In His grace,

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily, and Aaron Johnson

October Update

Dear praying friends and family, we thank you for your prayers for us. Here are a few highlights from the past 2 months.

Ministry
We got the discipleship course up and running soon after our return. We still have 5 young students who meet 3 times a week for 2 hours to study God's Word. After class we get to play some sports. We were able to make some volleyball posts and now we have another sport to play besides soccer (or football for those who live outside the U.S.)
The first 2 weeks of October Luke went to the village of Sunuka to teach at the local Bible College (Grace Bible College). He taught on the doctrine of salvation, 4 hours a day. We are thankful for God's protection and help when Luke fell over on his motorcycle due to the bad road (i.e. rocks and loose gravel). He scraped up his right palm and sprained his right ankle. Fortunately, as God would have it, this happened directly opposite a new dispensary and Luke was able to walk there and get his wounds cleaned and bandaged before continuing on his way.
Beginning tomorrow (Mon. Oct. 27) Luke will begin teaching a 3 week course on the doctrine of salvation to the discipleship students here in Kigoma town. Please pray that God would be glorified in that.

Family
Our family is happy to be back home in Kigoma. Gina continues to homeschool Esther every week day (2nd grade). Esther and Emily enjoy playing with our neighbor's girls, Reagan and Sarah. Little Aaron loves to tag along with his sisters and is showing more and more of his personality. He still doesn't talk much but he makes up for it with a wide range of noises. Lord willing we will welcome another child into our family in February. Please pray for Gina as she will be entering the uncomfortable and tiresome months.
Harry and Ruth Johnson (Luke's parents and our co-workers) have traveled to the U.S. so that Ruth's heart condition can be checked out by the doctors. Please pray for them, that the doctors would have wisdom as to how best to help her. Please pray for us as we hold the fort here with some added responsibilities.

Aaron is all ready for bed.

Emily as she catches flying termites.

Thanks for joining with us in this ministry and spiritual battle. Pray that we would be bold and pursue our calling with wisdom and zeal.

With love in our Savior's name,

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily and Aaron Johnson

September Update

Greetings from Kigoma, Tanzania.

Our family has been home for a month now and we're feeling more settled in. Emily and Luke both celebrated birthdays this past month. Esther has begun 2nd grade in homeschooling, and Emily keeps Aaron entertained during the school hours. However, the favorite past time for the girls is to play with their neighbor friends.

Emily on her 4th birthday.

The discipleship course at the local church is in its 4th week with two faithful brothers (Japhet and Peter) teaching the first two modules. Luke is up for teaching next, but before that, he's teaching Soteriology at Grace Bible College for two weeks. He drove the motorbike down to the village this morning and plans to stay until Friday, teaching 4 hours every afternoon. He hadn't quite made it to the village when he called to say he'd been in a small accident. He was being treated at a health clinic for his bruised ankle and sore hand. Now he's arrived at his destination and teaching the students. We pray he'll make it thru the end of the week and that he'll heal fast and have strength to do it all over again next week.

Thank you for your prayers for us and the Lord's ministry in eastern Africa.

Blessings in Christ,
Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily and Aaron Johnson

August Update

Dear praying friends and family,

The time for our return to Tanzania has come. As I write this the car is all loaded up with our luggage for our trip to Seattle and then our flight Monday morning. It has been a great furlough of seeing lots of chapel friends and many family members as well.

Since our last newsletter we visited Luke's uncle Don Tinder and his son Derek and his family in the San Francisco area. We had a great time with them and got to share about the work at Sun Valley Bible Chapel. We enjoyed the train ride there and back.

With the cousins in California

As soon as we got back we helped out with a week of Day Camp (like a VBS) at the Tieton Drive Bible Chapel in Yakima, WA. We did the journey through the Bible and it was a wonderful outreach to the kids of the community. The children really enjoyed acting out parts of the Bible as well as all the teaching, activities, crafts and singing. Please pray for lasting fruit from this effort. Since then we have been getting stuff we need and packing for our return to Tanzania, and now it has come. 

Our Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) in Tanzania is 7:30 AM, Wed. Aug. 27, 2014 (Local Time). In the meantime, and for the next few months we will be awaiting another arrival. The ETA for his/her arrival is February 2015.

Aaron has no idea what this is all about!

When we get to Tanzania we'll still have a 3 day drive to our home in Kigoma, then we will begin unpacking and settling in. The discipleship course will be starting up soon after that. Please keep all these things in mind as you pray for us. Thanks.

May God's peace be with you,

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily, Aaron & ????? Johnson

June and July Update

Dear praying friends and family,

We are State-side this summer and enjoying our time in the Northwest. More than half of our furlough is over already, so we are taking a look at our "to do" list to make sure we are ready to return to Tanzania the end of August.

Some highlights of our furlough have been with family. Gina and the kids spent a few days at Lakeside Bible Camp with Jesse and Janel and the kids enjoyed playing together, which helped with adjusting to the new time zone. A week after arriving we attended the wedding for Ben and Breana Johnson in Phoenix and also enjoyed seeing some of Luke's siblings and their growing families. A couple of weekends were spent at the farm in Oregon with a chance to see Grandma Nelson and also attend the Memorial Service for Grandpa David Nelson. (pictured below: us girls with Grandma Nelson in OR) There were two other family weddings in June and July, and it was fun to see so many aunts and uncles and cousins after many years.

With Grandma Nelson in Forest Grove, OR.

Upon arrival, Luke stayed in Chicago to then catch a ride to Dubuque and attend the Iron Sharpens Ironconference at Emmaus Bible College. We also spent a week at Family camp this time at Shiloh Bible Camp, where Luke and Mark Mattix shared the chapel sessions. Luke has also shared about the work in Tanzania and will do so again a couple more times.

Another highlight has been our time with our chapel family, Tieton Drive Bible Chapel. Dave and Heather Cole have blessed us by sharing their living space with our family of 5. Their house has a feeling of "home" for our kids whenever we come back from a weekend trip. (pictured below: Thomas and Lincoln Cole with Emily and Esther near Mt. Rainier) In August we will help out with Day Camp that the chapel is hosting and looking forward to having some 100 kids for that week.

Kiddos on a little hike.

Our kids have adjusted well to the many changes and the lack of routine. The next adventure will be our train ride to the San Francisco Bay area to visit family and a couple of churches.

Thank you for your support and prayers.

Blessings in Christ,

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily and Aaron Johnson

Many more furlough photos!

April Update

Dear praying friends and family, it has been quite a month since the last time we wrote. We thank you all for your prayers for us and the work here. 

We were once again reminded that our only secure treasure and inheritance is laid up for us in heaven where no one can touch it. On Sat. April 19, while we had gone to the beach for a few hours our house was broken into. The robber(s) cut through some metal bars on the bathroom window and entered the house. They took our computer, iPad, a projector for the film ministry belonging to Luke’s Dad, an external DVD drive, Luke’s cell phone and a backpack. We are thankful that they did not take anything else.

We are also thankful that we have all our computer’s information backed up on an external hard drive which was not taken. We are thankful that some other missionaries have lent us a computer for the time being. And we have so much else to be thankful for. Afterwards we did try and make the windows harder to break into by welding thicker metal bars on the outside. 

Welding stronger rebar on the windows.

The week following the robbery Luke taught a course on Youth Ministry at a Christian College in town, 5 hours a day for 5 days. The following week Luke continued to attend the discipleship course, on Monday, Tuesday and Friday afternoons, to see how things were going as Peter taught the first part of Old Testament Survey. 

We were able to take a quick 2 day (1 night) trip as a family to Matyazo Mission, where Aaron was born. We went on a hike to see a waterfall and swim & relax by the river. 

The following week Gina & Esther worked hard to finish school by Friday (and succeeded!) and Luke prepared to teach a 3 day seminar and show Christian films at the village of Nkungwe. On Thursday Luke left for Nkungwe and co-taught with Peter a seminar for youth in the mornings. In the afternoons the church held outdoor evangelistic meetings, complete with many choirs and a guest evangelist. In the evenings we showed Christian films. It seems the enemy sought to oppose our efforts as Thursday Peter got a bad sore throat, stuffy nose, and sinus headache which lasted the whole time there. On Friday night Luke did not sleep well, as he woke up multiple times with nausea and achy joints. Saturday morning he was still unwell so Peter taught the first session while Luke rested, then Luke taught a short 2nd session before going home early. 

Outdoor Evangelistic meetings

Once home, Luke rested (as best as he could with three kids who were very happy to have their Daddy back) and began to take malaria medicine.  We thank God that today, Sunday, Luke is feeling quite a bit better, though not yet back to full strength. We are thankful that Aaron is also all better from his sickness with malaria this week.

Please pray for us as we seem to have too much to do before we leave on Thursday morning for the 3 day drive to the coast, Dar Es Salaam, where we catch our plane the following Tuesday for our 3 month furlough in the States. 

Thank you for your prayers for us at this busy time.

Blessings in our Savior’s name, Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily and Aaron Johnson

March Update

Dear praying friends and family, grace & peace to you from God our Father. We are encouraged when we consider that many of you pray for us. We thank the Lord for your partnership in what He is doing here in Kigoma, Tanzania.

Upon our return both Luke's motorbike and the family car took turns in the shop getting significant repairs done. We are thankful for these means of transport that the Lord has provided for us and are especially thankful that both are now being used again (things always seem to take longer to get fixed here in Tanzania as parts are hard to come by).

The discipleship course continues. We have 6 people who attend. Japhet just finished his teaching on the Christian life, and Luke begins teaching on Monday about personal Bible Study Methods. In class we continue to do Bible memorization together and at home they are required to read a chapter of the Bible each day and comment on it in a notebook. Please pray with us that they will develop habits that will last a lifetime and that will bring about progressive spiritual growth and change in their lives.

We are currently corresponding with people in the U.S. as we make plans and preparations for our upcoming furlough (end of May through end of August). Lord willing we hope to see many of you. Pray that we will finish well with what we are doing here, and that the Lord would go before us and make our paths straight for our time in the U.S.

Gina is trying to finish homeschool with Esther (in 1st grade). Emily plays with Esther when she can and when she can't she plays with Aaron. Aaron continues to explore the whole house on all fours, and get into things he shouldn't. Emily makes sure to say, "Mom, Aaron getting into twubble" whenever he is doing something he shouldn't.

Finally may we all fix our hope on the glory and reward that is to be revealed when our Lord appears. That is our true motivation for service.

Sincerely,

Luke, Gina, Esther, Emily and Aaron Johnson

Peter and Emineli diligently taking notes.

Japhet teaching the Discipleship Course students.

Playing soccer after class.