Missionary Musings

2012-01-30T17:10:00.001+03:00

Tomorrow will be a very busy day. Edina was gone all day due to a funeral and has a lot of catching up to do since her helper has also been out for a funeral. John and Shaban are leaving at 7:00 am to take a filter to a missionary in Bweri on the way to Musoma, then John has to get to a big meeting at Juason. While John's doing that, Shaban will get Fabiani enrolled in the vocational school back at Bweri. Shaban also has to pick up some blood pressure medication for me at the Coptic Hospital and get a check cashed. Then they both have to get back here to work on a five filter project. Karen is still getting her strength back from this weekend. I had a very nice visit with Trevor (Samantha Archer's father). She is close to giving birth so they are all leaving on Wednesday to go to Nairobi to have the baby. When her family comes back to Bunda, it will be a family of seven. When we got here, we were the only three non-Africans in Bunda. That number is about to jump to ten. We are praying for a safe flight and a healthy baby for Sam and her family. We are also working on getting all the documents together to get John's residence permit ($550 USD--must be American money) renewed in the next three weeks. They are good for two years at a time. That's about all I'm good for--two years at a time. Don't plan much beyond that. Leaving things to God takes a lot of pressure off.

2012-01-29T18:42:00.002+03:00

This is a long one, but I think you will be rewarded by reading it. Sometimes what seems like the worst thing in the world that could happen to--turns out to be a very good thing. I have had this told to me by quadriplegics and men serving life without parole for the same reason. Without that bad thing happening to them, they would never have found Christ and peace. This is my story. If you send me an email, I will give you the actual names of the people involved because it is all true. Back in 1976 while living in Los Angeles, I helped form Mobile Medical Industries, a mobile doctor's office, lab, and x-ray unit using gutted Winnebagos. I became partners with two guys who at the time were the corporate attorneys for Caesar's Palace and holdings in Vegas. They ran around with a bunch of guys who rode in black limos and had names that all ended in vowels. I put in $30,000 and they put in $250,000. The deal was that we would go to facilities (mental, alcohol, juvenile detention, etc.) who by law had to have physicals on every patient every year, but since almost all of them were on MediCal (MedicAid), no local docs wanted to see them. I would get them to sign an exclusive contract and once a year or more often if necessary we would roll into the facility and spend a day or two doing all the physicals. The docs loved it: a forty hour week, no on call, and nothing serious usually. If something serious happened, I had deals with local hospitals. We started with one unit and by 1978, we had five units (radio connected) covering five counties. We were grossing over $6,000 per day per unit. I had always been told since it was my idea that we would go non-profit. Never have attorneys for partners. I was Vice-President and a member of the board and was making very good money, but in December of 1978, they fired me, kicked me off the board, and set the par value of my shares of stock (I bought in at $5,000 a share) at $1.00 per share--six bucks. All completely legal of course. Then they offered me a $20,000 severance check if I would sign that I would never sue them. I took the check (you know me, I spent more than I made and was in debt) and the back of the check was covered with legalese. One of the partners took me to the bank to watch me sign and witness my endorsement. I never heard from them again. It was one of the worst Christmases of my life. A few months later I graduated with my Master's in English from Cal Poly and then that summer of 1981, moved to Arkansas to do a Ph.D. in English. Here's where it gets really interesting. Late in September, 1981, I was teaching at the U of A, and a federal marshall appeared in the doorway of my class. In front of the class, he gave me a subpoena to go back to L.A. and testify against my former partners. He had airline tickets, a hotel reservation, and spending money that he gave me right then. I called the U.S. attorney in L.A. to find out what was going on. It seemed my partners had been double billing for x-rays, lab tests, doing something funky with the medications, and laundering money. I laughed and asked her if now was the time to talk about witness protection and she said yes. I hung up and went nuts. Went home and told Karen and she went nuts. I was not a Christian at this time or even going to church. My next door neighbor was a criminal attorney who agreed to call the U.S. attorney on my behalf. We worked out that I would only testify if I was needed to put the nail in their coffin (and mine). I sweated blood for three weeks waiting to hear. Then one day at home, the U.S. marshall showed up to take back the airline tickets, hotel reservation, and spending money. The bad guys had copped a plea and there would be no trial. They were disbarred and had to serve six years in a federal penitentiary. If they hadn't fired me, I would have been right there with them. Talk about losing your job as being one of the best things that ever happened in your life. Who knew? Well, I should have, but it was a thrill to have the money and fly to Vegas on the Caesar's jet every now and then. Hardly worth it, they were just using my integrity and contacts in the mental health field to get everything set up. Once it was, they didn't need me anymore, thank God. God only works in mysterious ways from our perspective, not His. Over twenty years later, I still don't laugh about it, but I wouldn't be here if I hadn't kept insisting on going non-profit. Dodged a howitzer shell that time. Makes diabetes look a little pale in comparison, eh? Praise God for His taking care of me while I was still running from Him, but it wasn't long before I turned around and found Him waiting to hold me in His arms.

2012-01-28T18:13:00.000+03:00

We had two very good days of meetings and everyone is happy and excited about the future of the church. The ministers who stayed here last night had their own meeting at Martha's Place since they don't get to see each other very often. It was a great meeting, too. Today, Presiding Bishop Monto led the Annual Conference meeting. At last our fight with the Kenya church is over. They finally took the advice I gave them at the court meeting in Magu last year and have renamed their church. We are the Methodist Church in Tanzania and are evangelical in theology. They have named their church the Tanzania Methodist Church (not much of a change, but it fixes everything) and they are pentecostal in theology. They elected our old rogue pastor, Leopold, from Tireme as their bishop and will confine their evangelism and church building from Mwanza south to Shinyanga and Dodoma not challenging anyplace where we have churches. The last court case was decided in our favor in Musoma on Tuesday. Rev. Leopold is still living in the parsonage in Tireme that belongs to our church, so he will be moving out next month and heading south. The new Kenya church is meeting in our church building in Magu, and the District Commissioner will order that they vacate that building next week. After that, we can focus our attention of what we have been called to do. If the board of the One Book Foundation votes to send money for bicycles, Bibles, and sewing machines among other things it will be a really good kick start to our new expansion. Karen was tired but she finished her sewing seminars today (see pictures at right) and told Bishop Monto she would do more for any church that wanted to have them. We are all tired and I can't seem to get my glucose level tester working properly after sticking my finger six times today. Maybe someone in the U.S. knows of a new and better way to do this and can get the stuff to me--it would make me very happy. I am full of love for Christ and His church right now and angry that I don't have the energy to do more than I can, but that will come. I am already a lot better than I was six weeks ago. Keep on praying for our churches, our mission, and our family. We love you all.

2012-01-27T18:21:00.004+03:00

We have twelve pastors staying here today. They got lunch and dinner and six are staying with us here tonight. Tomorrow, there will be a meeting of all the churches and I will pay for the food and drinks for them. It's a funny group, they expect me to pay for all this and not a single one ever says "Thank you." They even say bad things about me if the food isn't to their liking or the sodas run out. It's a different culture and a different way to thinking. It doesn't matter how much I do, it is never enough, and they get angry if their every need isn't paid for by me. It is hard for me to get used to, but I have to. I have never lived in abject poverty or anything near their level. Everything they do for the church, they do for free. Some get some food from their churches, but none gets any money, yet they go on preaching and bringing souls to Christ, and starting new churches. I guess a few bruised feelings is a small price to pay. God didn't call me here so I could be thanked and praised, that will come later in a different place (if Karen dies first and puts in a good word for me, anyway). I seem to recall both a Beatitude about blessed are you when you are persecuted in my name, and in other places to pray for enemies. I continue to pray for these brave men and women who have given so much to serve the church. Their children die of malaria and many suffer from malnutrition. I doubt I would have the strength and intestinal fortitude to do what they do. The load is on their backs and not mine and the praise will be theirs as it should. I have given all I have and more always shows up when I need it, so I don't worry. Please pray for the ministers and lay pastors of the Methodist Church in Tanzania for they are changing the face of Christianity in Africa. I just do what I can and I couldn't even do that if it wasn't for all those who have supported and continue to support our mission. Consider this the thank you from the churches here, they don't really know how, but I do. And I thank you and God thanks you. May God fill you with His grace and comfort, for we all need it. God bless you.

2012-01-26T18:31:00.002+03:00

Had a meeting with Bwana Masele to get ready for the meetings starting tomorrow. Tomorrow it's just the ministers and then Saturday it's for all the churches and I'm expected to provide food, drink, and lodging--and I will. If they made me bishop just so I'd do this, well that's no problem for me. I've already sent the board a list of requests, but after Saturday, I know I'll have another list. John taught his students all day today which always makes him happy. Karen had Juliana get all the knots our of her hair and braided it and it looks good. I'm feeling a little better and am sleeping less which is good. Andrew John's mother in law died and he's off till Monday because that's they way they do things here. Paid for Amos's kids (2) school fees and new tires and tubes for Bwana Masele's bicycle. We will be getting Juliana's son in school on Monday. After Karen, John, and I paying 180,000 Tsh for the school there was another 50,000 Tsh necessary for uniform, shoes, and such and Shaban paid for that out of his pocket. I'll pay him back after we get our monthly money next month, but wasn't that a nice gesture. Also found out today that our security guards (who take care of the generator) didn't know that gasoline would evaporate and never had tight seals on the containers. I guess our carbon footprint is bigger than it should be, but we are fixing that. It's always something. Keep us in your prayers and pray for the One Book Foundation board meeting on Saturday. God bless you all.

2012-01-25T18:35:00.002+03:00

Shaban had malaria but worked anyway today. Shaban is our driver/handyman/helper/translator/paperwork advisor and a few other things. I met him in 2003, and he has been working with us ever since. He has saved my life twice by getting me to the right doctor at the right time and I had no idea what to do. Juliana cooks lunch and dinner and cleans our room and does our laundry as well as the shopping every day. Lusi cooks breakfast, washes John's clothes, cleans the house, and does all the ironing. Everything needs to be ironed to kill parasites, so there's a lot of ironing. Amos and Francis are our security guards, Edina does all the other building cleaning and landscaping with the help of Andrew John, who is new. Neema cooks for the school and works as a teacher's aide, and Bwana Masele teaches at the school. I know you've been seeing these names without knowing exactly who they were so save this as a reference. Karen is still working on her final sewing workshop this Saturday and John is getting ready for his class tomorrow of students who bus down from Mwanza. We are in the middle of summer here, and it is hot. In Swahili they say "jua mkali" which means "fierce sun" and boy are they right. Nobody does much work from one o'clock to three because of the heat. Happily, our thick walls and thatched roof keeps us fairly cool inside. We also have fans which are very nice. God bless whoever invented them.

2012-01-24T21:57:00.002+03:00

It was a good news/bad news kind of day. The good news is that while I will still need medication that makes me sick for my diabetes, I will not have to have insulin injections. The medication had brought me down to a high normal reading. The bad news is I still have to take the medication and stay sick for some time to come. My anemia is better thanks to taking vitamins and eating liver twice a week, but I still have a ways to go. John found a glucose level tester in a little shop in Musoma. Brand new and unbelievable. We bought a fan for Karen as this is one of the hottest summers we've had. John had a high level meeting with the head guys at TTCL (the national phone company) and Bunda should be getting 3G service next month (for those who know what that means). I was wiped out after we got back and especially sad to discover that the second ingredient in ketchup is sugar. John also found the equivalent of Sweet and Low at a local store and bought all they had, so I can have iced tea with a sugar taste at least. John spent the evening tonight at the Australian missionaries house. About once a month they invite him over for dinner and to play board games--he loves it. I've got a lot of emailing and writing to do, but seldom feel good enough to do it, still you do what you gotta. God give me strength.

2012-01-23T18:40:00.003+03:00

Tomorrow, I go the Coptic Christian Hospital in Musoma to find out if I'm going to need insulin injections from now on, or maybe they'll try the medications for another month--just don't know. Have to go to Social Security for a meeting after their inspection last week. John will be teaching at Juason, and we need to buy another fan. Nothing lasts forever. We can buy one that will last for just one month and then the next one (just like it) will last three years (a mystery to me). We are also getting Juliana's son, Fabiani, into a vocational school for electricians. We're paying for the first half, and if he does well, we will keep paying. Today was fan cleaning day. Almost every room has one or more fans because of the heat, and because we have no glass in our windows, the dirt piles up quickly. John is going to try to get glass in some of his windows, but it may raise the heat level too much. We will see. Charlini was singing a little song today and as I listened, she was singing about her far away friend, Samantha. Samantha is from Fayetteville, AR, and was here for a week last August. She and Charlini formed a bond quickly. You never know how far a little caring and love will go--so keep on caring.

2012-01-22T22:51:00.003+03:00

Karen was exhausted from yesterday's workshop and I was just exhausted, so it was a day of rest for us and John got to play video games undisturbed. Prayers went up and out.

2012-01-21T18:34:00.001+03:00

Last week only the head teacher and one other woman showed up from Lamadi (St. Wiggins Academy) for Karen's workshop, so they pleaded with her to do it again this Saturday. Karen is teaching the same thing that Ruth Matthews taught several years ago. Today eight women and four men showed up (with children, of course). Karen has been working all week to get this ready and got the last thing in place at 6:00 pm last night, so she was ready. They loved it, ate it up. Almost every teacher has had that experience when the light bulb turns on in a student's head and they get so excited that they see the connection between what they're learning and what that really means to them. Today that happened to every single person who showed up. Karen wore herself out, teaching all day, and after more pleading and begging, agreed to do another next week so they can finish up the project which Karen will raffle off to one of the students, but the main thing is that they now have the skills to use the sewing machine the group from South Carolina gave them. They also learned that they can do many things with what others throw away--no investment in supplies. We can do this for almost every church as long as Karen's health holds up or we train one of the Lamadi ladies to teach as well. The sewing machines are about $200 (treadle powered) but that's such a small investment for so much return. John took a bunch of pictures so click on the one at the right to see all of them with captions. Did I tell you that Karen is my hero even if it took four men to get her back up off the ground where she was setting. Guess God's not through with us yet.

2012-01-20T16:01:00.000+03:00

We had men from the National Social Security Foundation come to the mission today. They interviewed every worker as well as myself to make sure all are paying their shares. They also took pictures of each worker because they are going to make identity cards for everyone this year which is a good thing, but it scared our staff. Shaban was in court trying to get paid for an Android phone some guys stole. They hired an attorney which is going to cost them more than replacing the phone would have. Go figure. Karen had a short walk this morning, but she was out of the house which is good. John is experimenting with ginger chicken for dinner tonight. He usually comes up winners. Me, just more of the same.

2012-01-19T17:49:00.000+03:00

Karen and John went on their neighborhood walk again this morning. This is helping Karen immensely. John has been very good about getting up early and getting her going. Every day she walks, she has a good day, so we hope it continues. Our charity money has run out for this month and we are still getting requests for travel money to a funeral, school fees, and other good causes. All I can tell them is to wait till our social security is wired to us and maybe we can help in week or two. Having to say no is very difficult although they accept it with no anger or resentment. They are also just as thankful when we can only give them half of what they were asking. We can only do what we have the resources to do. When I think of how wasteful I was when I was living in the States--oh well, no point in that, I was just doing what everyone else was. Still, school started yesterday and the kids and the teachers were very happy, and we have seven new filters to make and deliver. Next week, I go back to the hospital in Musoma to see how the meds have been doing. We will pray for good results.

2012-01-18T18:20:00.003+03:00

Karen was strong enough today to work with the school kids and to get stuff ready for her seminar on Saturday. The walks are definitely helping. I got in touch with a friend I haven't seen in over thirty years and we picked up just like we had been together last week. It was quite a lift. Samantha Archer's father, Trevor, came over for a visit yesterday which was also a shot in the arm. I really like him. This is his third trip to Tanzania, but his daughter keeps having babies, so he keeps coming. Shaban made in back and brought the medicine to us today which I wasn't expecting but am rather pleased about it. Karen is making me liver and onions twice a week to fight the anemia and it's great because I love it--it is also very cheap here, but they don't understand why I don't want the heart as well. We have been watching the DVD collection of "Northern Exposure" once a week for the last two years and watched the last one last night. We will wait about six months and then start over because by then we won't remember what happened at the beginning. There are some perks to old age.

2012-01-17T14:21:00.004+03:00

Shaban made it to Nairobi okay and has the meds. He is spending an extra day visiting friends and will be back here on Thursday which means we won't need another trip to Nairobi until September which is nice. My son, Chris, sent John some video games that they can play together over the internet. John already does that with his brother Keith, in Springdale. Oh yes, we are going to be grandparents again. A third child is on the way to Keith and Adriel. We are sort of hoping for a boy because the Wiggins name stops with Keith. Guess it won't matter much to the universe, but it would be nice to know the name continues for a while. We are just praying for a healthy baby and a safe pregnancy for Adriel, and would like your prayers, too. I have had many positive comments about Niebuhr's prayer, so I am leaving it up for another day. Karen walked all the way into town today, had to take a taxi back, but that's my girl. I have yet to leave the house except to go the hospital in Musoma or Mwanza and it's been that way for months. I am down but not out. I will serve as long as I am breathing. A member of a church I of which I was an associate pastor is starting a five month mission in Uganda. God bless all who answer, "Here am I, send me." Keep her in your prayers.

2012-01-16T15:25:00.000+03:00

Shaban left for Nairobi today--it's a twelve hour bus ride, but he should be back on Wednesday with another six months supply of meds. God bless him for twenty-four hours of bus riding just to help us out. There are really nice people here. Karen has had a teacher out sick for several weeks now and hired a new one today who was trained in Kenya and speaks English really well. She and Shaban went into town this morning for supplies for her seminar next Saturday. Because of the high prices that are hurting everyone (us as well) the government is giving out free 50 lb. sacks of corn to everyone. So, one by one, all our staff took off to go get some. We, like many, are living on a fixed income that hasn't changed in seven years, but a sack of cement when we came here was 11,000 Tsh--it is now 22,000 Tsh. Diesel has made the same changes except it is almost 23,000 Tsh a liter today. Sugar was 500 Tsh a kilo when we got here. It is now 2,500 to 3,000 Tsh when you can get it. Rice has gone from 750 Tsh a kilo to 2,000 Tsh a kilo. Wages have not risen at all in seven years for the people who work and live here, yet food is two to three times as much as it was. This means many are starving and even more are malnourished. It also means our giving two cups of hot uji (porridge) to the 200 orphans at St. Wiggins Academy is even more important. We will do without many things before we have to alter that, although in another three or four months it may cost $300 a month instead of $200 to buy the same stuff. This is not something we can change, only suffer with as they do. Keep us all in your prayers.

2012-01-15T16:26:00.002+03:00

John made blueberry muffins with some mix sent from South Carolina. Karen and John loved them--the diabetic didn't get any, of course. Still, fairly ill from the medications and sleeping a lot from the anemia, but have been eating liver twice a week and taking a lot of vitamins, so hopefully that will improve. John read the Bible reading from the missionary fellowship yesterday to Karen and me this morning. It's amazing how much and how often we need to hear the Word. It was, so to speak, heaven sent.

2012-01-14T18:45:00.002+03:00

Big day. Karen had a sewing machine seminar for the ladies from Lamadi, but all couldn't come, so she is doing another one next week. Collins, the head teacher is going to the district office in Magu to get St. Wiggins Academy legally registered with a number and everything. John baked homemade bread yesterday that was fantastic. He went to the Missionary Fellowship today and had a great time, as well as selling six new biosand filters. I was too ill to do much, but did meet with the General Secretary of the church to help get ready for our fourth court appearance in Musoma on Monday. We are still being sued by the Methodist Church of Kenya, however when Rev. Makena found out if he lost he would be personally responsible for all court costs, he retired. The Kenya church quickly replaced him with the other rogue pastor from Tireme (has already lost a court case there) Rev. Leopold who should be court on Monday. We should win easily, paying our attorney is another matter, but that's in the hands of God. Pray for all those who think suing each other is the way Christians should behave. It saddens me deeply. I also miss sugar and stuff. We have no diet drinks here, no sugar substitutes. My beverage choices are unsweetened tea and water. Some of this diabetes stuff really sucks. Keep me in your prayers.

2012-01-13T22:16:00.002+03:00

I tried to cash a check yesterday only to have Shaban text me that it was some kind of national holiday and the bank was closed. Therefore, I really needed money from the bank today (we have no bank in Bunda), so I sent Shaban back to get the money needed to pay for Karen's heart medication. Shaban will travel to Nairobi next week to pick up and pay for the meds and bring them back. I was too sick to go with him, so just sent a check. Shaban was back around noon because I had put 2011 instead of 2012 for the date so they wouldn't cash it. I wrote a new check and he went back but texted me that there were around 300 people in the bank. He arrived back in Bunda at 6 pm with the money. Ten hours to cash one check plus four hours riding back and forth to the bank. He's leaving Monday to go to Nairobi, but the next time you think the person in front of you is taking too long--consider driving over 240 miles getting nothing the first day and taking ten hours the next day to do the same thing. TIA (this is Africa). Patience is an absolute necessity for anyone living here or wherever for that matter. Slow down, what needs to happen will happen, just not always on your schedule.

2012-01-12T16:51:00.000+03:00

Even though today was a national holiday (I have no idea what one) John's students rode the bus down and spent the day learning. They are like sponges around him and think he knows everything. I can remember having professors like that. Karen is having a seminar to teach how to use treadle sewing machines this Saturday for the ladies from Lamadi. Shaban got his son, Hamish, into Standard Three which is about second grade by American standards and was excited about that. Tomorrow we get the official forms for Juliana's son to get into vocational school in Bweri (boarding school) but it is between here and Musoma so he won't be so far from home. We hope to get him enrolled next week. Sometime next week, Shaban will do a quick bus trip to Nairobi to get Karen's heart meds and my blood pressure meds renewed. The medicine isn't available here in Tanzania. It will cost $1,000 but that's for two people, so $500 each, and that's for six months, so about $85 a month per person. We've paid a lot more in the states with insurance but it's still a lot of money for us fixed income folks. Oh, and way to go Hogs!

2012-01-11T15:29:00.003+03:00

Another neighborhood death today--it is always present. We are getting the forms to get Juliana's son in vocational school and will pay for the first term. If he works at it, we will pay for the second term as well for he needs to be able to get work and with no training (it's a two year program), there's no work. John and Karen are going on walks around the neighborhood every morning at seven. They've done three straight days and it is helping Karen a lot. I still don't have the energy to join them, but maybe soon. We have been disappointed again by neighbors whom we've helped who are complaining about us. We give funeral money, free water from our well, and John will soon have his free phone charging project working. It is disappointing, but it does not change anything. All our gifts are just that--we expect no thanks and understand that some will even complain and abuse us verbally. Still, we continue to give because that was our commandment. It does happen that every now and then a student will come back to thank Karen, or a scholarship student will come by to visit and thank us. That is always a big lift, but we never expect it. The people who know us best are very appreciative of all we've done and let us know. The rest is small stuff--you know--don't sweat the small stuff. Do what God asks you to do and don't expect to the showered with thanks--at least not here. Thanks are coming, Jesus just didn't say when exactly. Besides, doing what you know to be good and right is a good feeling.

2012-01-10T18:29:00.001+03:00

Every member of our staff of eight has lost one or more members of their immediate families to death in the last two years. We have had nine members of neighbors' families lose at least one member in the last year. Malaria is the big killer with AIDS close behind. Widows with small children are the ones that bother me the most. Sometimes I am too emotional to do this kind of work, but maybe that's not such a bad thing. I would hate to be callous or fatalistic about the death and suffering because I would be unlikely to work to change things if I was. There are times when we weep as a family which bothers the staff because the culture here is not to cry. Crying watching "Bambi" really confuses them. It is better that we mourn whether vicariously or for real because Christ said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." I will be happy when that comfort comes, in the meantime we just do every day what we have been called to do--you do, too. God bless all who try, who struggle to make a difference. Without you, nothing changes, and that is unacceptable. Help those who need you even if it is emotionally painful--God sees all and loves you all the more for your suffering. Thanks be to God.

2012-01-09T18:15:00.002+03:00

A child was killed by a bus right here in Bunda this morning and the bus didn't even stop--just sped away. It was found with the driver missing and the riders all standing around a few miles outside of Bunda. A little girl on her way to school. It's not like it's bad enough with malaria, cholera, typhoid, and malnutrition, but traffic is just as lethal. Because there is so little real traffic, children are not brought up to fear cars or crossing streets like American kids are. It's part of the reason Karen, John, and myself no longer drive and haven't for several years. Each time I get in the car I pray that no one suffers because of our driving. January 9th and we've already given away over a thousand dollars in school fees to every member of the staff, pastors, lay pastors, and the occasional neighbor. No one person gets over a hundred dollars, mostly twenty or forty, but they don't believe school in the U.S. is free--and that there are people who don't go even when it's free. In a fit of generosity, Karen promised the Director of Education an iPad for three of the new libraries. God does provide, but sometimes you got to get off your tuchis and raise the money yourself. Karen blamed me for making her generous. Not a bad compliment if you ask me.

2012-01-08T21:57:00.001+03:00

Had a much better day, but I don't like missing church. Watched both NFL wildcard games live just because I could from 2 am to 7am. Then slept through church. It was interesting watching American football. Wish I could get a DVD of the Cotton Bowl, that would make my year. So far, 2012 is working out just fine, just keep your eyes on the prize.

2012-01-07T21:38:00.001+03:00

It's officially the start of the new term in schools here, but none of them are free. The gov't schools are 20,000 tsh a year for primary and 50,000 Tsh for secondary. I had forgotten how many pastors, lay pastors, and staff children for which we pay the school fees. Seven different people came by today to get what amounts to $15 to $40 per child. We can only help two children from each family, but I think we are paying for 22 children to go to school. Always comes in January and August--you'd think I'd plan for that, but everyone's getting their school fees paid anyway. Next month is car registration and insurance payments. Sounds similar doesn't it? Still, we are happy and wouldn't be anywhere else.

2012-01-06T22:21:00.003+03:00

Feeling better today and Karen's great news is on the website under "Karen's Corner". Just click on the "website button above and then click on Karen's corner. It's great news about the library here and new libraries being built in Musoma for the books shipped here from Arkansas. It also looks like we will be making almost 50 new filters for the Musoma schools. I lie here sick in bed and Karen changes education in Tanzania. Well, she has me has a cheerleader even from bed. God bless all who helped with the books.

2012-01-05T22:46:00.002+03:00

Sorry, again too ill. John will help tomorrow, so there will be lots of stuff to read and lots of pictures.

2012-01-04T22:21:00.002+03:00

Sorry, medications made me too ill to work today. Watch tomorrow.

2012-01-03T21:48:00.002+03:00

Karen had a fantastic day in Musoma. So fantastic, that we will do a special page for our website and let you know as soon as it is posted. My day didn't go so well. The doctor had bad news. The diabetes is fairly advanced and we will try a combination of the most powerful drugs for it for a month, but it looks like it will be daily insulin injections for me, but we still have a month to try the medication. I'm kinda bummed out, but what can you do? I will work here until God calls me home, whatever the obstacle.

2012-01-02T21:32:00.001+03:00

Quite day. Almost everyone is healthy or getting there. I have to go back to the Coptic Hospital in Musoma for blood sugar and anemia tests tomorrow to see if there has been any change. Sure hope so. John and Shaban got the free phone charger ready. Our whole family is chipping in to help Juliana's son get into a vocational training school several hundred kilometers from here to get him away from his bad crowd (total cost for one year $200--not bad). We're still working on getting Karen her heart medications before they run out in a couple of months. Shaban will have to ride the bus to Nairobi, buy them and bring them back, but he's done that before for us. Some people are just good people.

2012-01-01T22:15:00.003+03:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-12-31T18:00:00.001+03:00

The best way to review 2011 for us and our mission is to read our new website http://web.me.com/revwigg/Wiggins_Mission_in_Tanzania/Welcome.html and the last few blog entries. We've had four sessions of school, John has taught for two semester, most everyone is healthy or getting that way. We are very happy to be here looking forward to another year of expanding God's Kingdom and helping God's children. There is no other place we would rather be. Our three groups, one from South Carolina, one from Louisiana, and one from Germany gave us a big boost and helped us do a lot of good both spiritually and helping our health and education projects. Have a happy new year and keep it Christ centered. You are all in our prayers and thankful and grateful thoughts for all you do and have done for us. God bless you.

2011-12-30T17:52:00.003+03:00

All the staff has been tested and only John has Typhoid. Edina is still out with malaria, and bless her heart, she has no one at home to take care of her. Her husband and one child have died and one son is in Dar Es Salaam working and her daughter Paulina is in a school near Geita. We took her medications and she looked a little better. Charlini also has malaria. You would never know here that the a new year is coming, every day is pretty much the same. Almost everyone here has cell phones but virtually no one has power at their home to charge the batteries. There are shops that charge them to do it but only when the shop is open and there is a cost. John figured out a way to set up a battery of battery chargers that we can offer to the neighbors for free. We hang it inside the fence every morning and bring it in every night. It's protected from the rain and I think it's just gol darn cool. Pictures at right. A little ingenuity and need sometimes go hand in hand.

2011-12-29T15:38:00.000+03:00

We received good and bad tidings together today. A husband and wife, John and Sarah Haw, who are dear friends sent us their annual Christmas letter (which is the only way we hear--they don't do electronic stuff). I performed their wedding in North Carolina over twenty years ago. We haven't seen each other in at least that long but our relationship is as strong as if we see them every day. We learned that the wife had undergone breast cancer surgery, chemo and the whole shooting match. She has survived and she and her husband can be seen in matching pink at Breast Cancer Awareness events. They have two wonderful children (which circumstances have kept us from ever seeing) but we know them and love them through their Christmas letters. We were deeply saddened and yet joyful she survived. It's funny how emotionally connected you can be with friends you haven't seen for years, yet we weep with them and share their joy. John Haw has always been one of my best friends and the intervening years have done nothing to change it. Pray for all those friends, I know you have them, too, that you don't often see but carry in your heart every day. Don't let God forget you love them.

2011-12-29T07:46:00.003+03:00

No typhoid for malaria for Karen and me. Karen got meds for her cough. But for those who keep up with these things, my fasting blood sugar was 208 on one scale and 11.6 on another --makes me a diabetic. Neither made the doctor happy. Immediate dietary change and meds for anemia. It seems this has been the cause of most of my problems--AND IT'S FIXABLE. Who knew the little hospital in Musoma could do those tests? God is good.

2011-12-27T18:03:00.002+03:00

John has typhoid, malaria, bronchitis, and something else I can't pronounce. He's pretty sick, but he's here at the house. We have to have everybody tested, Karen and I go to the hospital tomorrow for our tests. We are sending all our staff, some went today, some went tomorrow and of course we are paying for the testing. John's never had malaria before, so this is a first for him after six years. I've got some other problems, but I don't know if they can even test for them much less have the medications. It's time for more medication for Karen in Nairobi and we have some friends going, but we just don't have the money, they are very expensive and impossible to get in Tanzania. We have enough for another month or so, so maybe we'll get a miracle. Everything is gray and dreary because of the rains. The flooding has gone down in Musoma at least, but it is still at the torrential rainfall rate. Thanks to everyone who thought of us this Christmas. We always enjoy being remembered, even if it just in Facebook or Google+ post. May all God's blessings come your way and may you see the coming year through more Christlike eyes.

2011-12-26T18:47:00.001+03:00

John is sick, going to the hospital tomorrow. Juliana is out sick. I fell during the night and smashed up my good knee, so I'm cool. Had a wonderful visit from Trever Cutmore, our Australian missionary's father, and Sam herself who is expecting in couple of weeks. They are such a wonderful family. Ought to be a book written about their experiences--and they've had a ton of 'em. Still have our tree up, it's one of only two in all of Bunda. I pray that all your Christmas wishes came true.

2011-12-25T17:30:00.000+03:00

Had a wonderful Christmas including a live midnight mass (by satellite), Handel's Messiah (by DVD), and watching our granddaughters open their presents (by Google+). Technology is a wonderful thing when you live in the African bush. Thankfully, God so loved the world . . .

2011-12-24T13:49:00.002+03:00

It's officially Christmas Eve here, but you wouldn't know it. Just another day. Tonight, we celebrate the anniversary of a tiny baby who was to suffer much, heal much, give hope to all, and change the world. It is enough to say, "Peace on earth, good will to all humankind." May we one day achieve it.

2011-12-23T18:44:00.002+03:00

When we first moved in we wanted to be as "green" as possible, so we built a grey-water system to use the water that overflows from sinks, wash tubs, etc., so we could use it to irrigate our garden. It never worked. First we forgot about building a lid to keep children from falling in an then made one out of wood that rotted frequently. The water stunk and made everyone around us unhappy. Then we didn't have a way of getting it out of the cistern except by hauling buckets on ropes which was very inefficient. Our first improvement was to put a metal cover on it and that only took four years. Still, we had to empty it when the smell became too intense. Today, John found a foot pump for about about $150 that works wonders, it works fast, it delivers high pressure and we can irrigate the whole garden. We have stopped putting water with soap in it because that was killing the vegetables, but we get enough rain water and rinse water from the clothes to keep it full. It worked so well, the whole staff wanted to work it. John sees it as a way to help our churches that can benefit from a pump with a shallow draft -- about sixteen feet. We will try to put in one a month as we find churches that can benefit. They also have a hand version that will work better than the one we are currently using for our community well, so that's the next project. Anything you can do here to help feed the people, provide safe water, and protect pregnant mothers and babies from malaria is a very good thing. We are doing all those things and more. John even has a project to get people to contribute for these pumps through PayPal. It's a good thing when you can combine a good heart with ingenuity.

2011-12-22T15:11:00.002+03:00

Today was spent mostly in repair work. Still have a bit to do to get the solar lights on the house up and running. The rest are doing well. Still have to spend quite a bit of money to get the computers all up and running, but the ones in the house are doing fine. Charlini had her fifth birthday and a friend in the states sent her some stuff. We she proud! I doesn't seem like five years since her fifteen year old mother died, but I know it happened because I was there. Charlini is such a joy. We had a staff meeting and everyone seemed to be happy, but we have to remind them not to talk about what goes on in the mission. If they mention they saw a lot of money--even if it was for church construction--we could have robbers thinking about ripping us off. Of course, the fence, the armed security guard, and the three dogs to a good job of keeping us safe. Still raining some every day and no Christmas decorations or any other sign that it's Christmas except in our house. We have a little tree. It works just fine.

2011-12-21T17:04:00.002+03:00

We are much happier now that all the experts have come and examined all our electrical damage. I thought the repair costs would be in the thousands of dollars, but the solar just needed some new wire and three new bulbs for a cost of about $40 plus the $10 for the bus fare for the solar guy. The computers fared fairly well, too. We got a new antenna at no charge, but we did burn up two Apple components. One is $180 and one is $100 which is not bad. The problem is that we can't get them here. We did find out that DHL will deliver to Mwanza which is almost here and keeps customs from stealing stuff. There is an Apple store in Dar Es Salaam and we can replace them there for 800,000 Tsh which is about $600, much faster, no customs problems, and Shaban can ride the bus down and back and stay with friends, so that 800,000 Tsh includes transportation and room and board, so as soon as we can get our hands on an extra 800,000 Tsh, we can be back up and running. We have internet here in the house, but without those components, John can't use his computer lab, so as some would say, just a minor inconvenience--albeit a very, very loud one. No one died and no one's house burned, so we got off pretty lucky. Just seems like all the extra stuff we need always comes three weeks before Christmas--maybe next year we can plan for it. Still, we got the goats for the family here and we got gifts to all the family we have back in the States already delivered. Way to go, Amazon.com. I'm sleeping almost sixteen hours to eighteen hours a day and that just don't seem right, but everything else seems okay. Just old and tired I guess. Keep us in your prayers, we keep you in ours.

2011-12-20T16:45:00.000+03:00

Another big graduation day. Cakes and sodas, new songs for the parents and the students decided to wear all red for the special day. It was a whopping success. Neema, Bwana Masele, Mwalimu Terance, and Mama Africa were all there and got to hear thank you songs sung to each one of them. They got carried away and sang thank you songs to me (Magesa Mamba) and to Brother Johni as well, even though we didn't have much to do with it. John as least took pictures and baked the cake. There were no leftover pieces of cake, that was for sure. The students love our/their school and don't want to leave. Next term, Karen is going to experiment with younger children (a year younger than these) and I think she will have just as much success. This school has been a blessing to all it's touched, and there is quite a waiting list. Thank each of you who has contributed to make this school the success it is. It costs $280 a month to operate or about $3,000 a year and the result is just priceless. Thank you for your faith in us.

2011-12-19T14:16:00.001+03:00

Okay, Joseph couldn't find a room, but it all worked out. We're hoping for the same. We got hit by lightning Saturday night--wiped out all the solar lights, the internet antenna, two routers, and lots of other damage. Cost to repair will be in the thousands and may take a month or more. We trust in God and that God will provide. We're glad we got the goats when we did--that was more important. Keep us in your prayers and pray that parts won't be too far away. We still have "Polar Express" we can watch on DVD. Watched Disney's "Christmas Carol" with Jim Carrey and were just blown away. Wow. If you haven't seen it, watch it--it's great. Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, and a big name cast. Our prayers are with you, don't forget us. Costs about $5 for five minutes of internet and no Skype on Christmas day.

2011-12-17T15:13:00.000+03:00

The picture at right was taken on June 5, 1965. We have changed a bit (me more than Karen), but every time I look at Karen the image at right is the one that forms in my mind. We are coming up on our 46th Christmas together. We have missed other dates: I remember an anniversary where I had to call her from Geneva and a birthday when I was in Iquitos, Peru. It's hard to make all the important dates work out, but we have never missed a Christmas together. We had one in a cabin in Mammoth, California, with just siblings and a Christmas stick since there were no trees to be had. We've had them with one or the other set of parents (or both--ouch), and only one with no parents or siblings in California in the seventies, but we have had the great blessing of waking up next to each other every single Christmas since we were married. I've had to wake up with male roommates on spiritual retreats, mission trips, and the occasional revival, but I have never awakened with any other woman next to me other than my wife. It's a record of which I am especially proud. By all rights, she should have left me several times, especially when we were in California, but she says she spoke with God and God told her I was just a little crazy at times but to stick with me because He had plans. He was right and she was right. I regret ever giving her pain, but I treasure every moment she has been with me. This is just one of my gifts to her this Christmas. I could never have accomplished what I have done without her constant support and love. She has always been there for me, when I was writing in Hollywood, making a career of graduate school, or serving the church for twenty-five years--a sort of morality mirror that sometimes reflected what I didn't want to see but what I needed to see. Now, every day, in her pain, she asks if there is something she can do for me. She will struggle with arthritic pain in her hips and pain from fibromyalgia to get up to fix me some hot chocolate. I am all too aware of the sacrifices she has made for me. Priceless and undeserved, but she has taught me what unconditional love is all about. Plus, she still laughs at my jokes and thinks I am handsome, proving that her hearing and eyesight are failing, but making me feel good about myself all the same. There are soul mates out there and I was blessed to find mine. Met her at a church party in college and she didn't mention Africa then. Wouldn't have put me off if she did. She is the light of my life. Karen, I love you now and forever. May we always be together.

2011-12-16T14:37:00.002+03:00

We've had a lot of fun learning about goats. We can buy a kid (baby goat) for just $25, so if anyone wants to enjoy what we've been enjoying, it doesn't take a lot of money. We were able to buy a breeding pair with a pregnant female but the prices have been going up as Christmas nears, so we couldn't buy the 50 lbs. of corn. Still, a mother with four children and a husband recently dead from AIDS was in bad shape. AIDS still carries a stigma here so that extended family refuses to help. This family was on its last legs as you can see from the smiles when they got the goats. They have no idea who bought them except that it was Christians who wanted them to know that God still loved them. Do click on the picture at right so you can see the other shots. I don't think we've ever felt this good about doing something that only Shaban knew about. We don't even know the name of the family, but it doesn't matter. We were able to give them a future. There's something wonderful and very Christian about that. We are happy.

2011-12-15T17:06:00.003+03:00

This line from Lord Darlington in "Lady Windemere's Fan" by Oscar Wilde describes too many of us: "A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." This is true of many of us as we go into debt year after year to buy gifts that are frequently unwanted, unappreciated, and for whom the receiver is ungrateful, yet we do it over and over. Long after my weight had soared quite a bit (I married a woman who had been cooking for four people for years and continued to do it after we wed. I came from a family that was taught to eat every bite on the plate because of the starving children in China. Well, you can see the train wreck coming from that kind of cooking and eating. Anyway, I gained quite a bit of weight, yet every year my mother-in-law would buy me a small size shirt l thinking it would goad me into doing something about my weight. I never wore a single one of those shirts and never lost much weight either. One year, we got a full-sized, very ugly chicken gravy boat. Most Christmases, our gifts went the way of swap meets and yard sales like the chicken gravy boat. Yet my wife, each of my siblings, and all my sons have given me truly thoughtful gifts that I have in Africa today, on display. Ralph Waldo Emerson said that a diamond was an excuse for a gift (eat your heart out, DeBeers) because the only true gift was one that contained part of you in it. God gave us a gift on that first Christmas that fit Emerson's criteria completely. One of the best examples of this is a country and western song by Johnny Cash called "Christmas As I Knew It". I repeat the lyrics here for it is a better sermon than many I have preached:

One day near Christmas when I was just a child
Mama called us together and mama tried to smile
She said you know the cotton crop hasn't been too good this year
There's just no spending money and well at least we're all here
I hope you won't expect a lot of Christmas presents
Just be thankful that there is plenty to eat
That's quite a blessing that'll make things a little more pleasant
And us kids got to thinking how really blessed we were
At least we were all healthy and best of all we had her
Roy cut down a pigapple tree and we drug it home Jack and me
Daddy killed a squirrel and Louise made the bread
Reba decorated the tree with popcorn strings before we went to bed
Mama and daddy sacrificed cause this Christmas was lean
But after all there was the babies Tom and Joanne babies need a few things
I whittled a whistle for my brother Jack and though we fought now and then
When I gave Jack that whistle he knew I thought the world of him
Mama made the girl's dresses out of flower sacks
And when she ironed them down you couldn't tell that they hadn't come from town
A sharecropped family across the road didn't have it as good as us
They didn't even have a light and it was way past dusk
And mama said well I bet they don't even have coaloil or beans to boil
A log apples cranges and such
Me and Jack took a jar of coaloil nd some hickernuts we'd found
We walked to the sharecropper's porch and set 'em down
A poor old ragged lady eased open the door
She picked up the coaloil and hickernuts and said
I sure do thank ye and quickly closed the door
We started back home me and Jack and about halfway we stopped looked back
And in the sharecropper's window at last was a light
So for one of the neighbors and for us it was a good Christmas night
Christmas came and Christmas went Christmas that year was heaven sent
Then daddy put on his gumboots waited for the thaw back home in Dyess Arkansas

Amen and God Bless You

2011-12-14T18:51:00.002+03:00

It seems the short rains are over. A sure sign is the number of people who start making bricks because more rain will just wash all their work away. Just when I thought I had all our money stuff in good order, we lost the battery that starts the generator. It only worked perfectly for four years, so I guess we got a good deal. New ones are expensive, though. We needed to help several with school fees I hadn't counted on, and we needed some concrete repair in several places. When we got here seven years ago a bag of cement was $10, now it's $22. The price of sugar has tripled, the price of rice has doubled and the little store that carried much of what we used here in Bunda went under, so we have to drive to Musoma (a $50 trip) or to Mwanza (a $100 trip), but we are still getting by. I remember thirty years ago in Fayetteville thinking that if we just had $500 more a month everything would work out. So when we got that extra $500 turned out we needed another $500 on top of that. I think most of you can identify with that and we brought it with us to Africa. Except that here we are tied to Social Security and retirement and they don't send us increases. The real culprit is me for not allowing extra money for emergencies and giving away more money than we should each month, but it is so hard to say no. We have been paying $350 a year for Edina's daughter, Paulina, to finish her college prep in Mwanza and she has finished that and came by to thank us. The smile on her face was all the thanks we needed. She is starting a diploma course in nursing in another week. Two years of that and then she wants to become a doctor. We have been disappointed by some we have helped, but that girl is something else. If she was a public stock, I would buy shares in her. We will continue to help her as best we can. Her mother, Edina, helped with the first building we erected here by carrying water to keep the cement wet. She worked harder than most of the men. Since the place had been a furrowed potato field, she came to me one day and asked if I would pay her to smooth out all the land for $15. I didn't think she could, but I agreed. She did it in three days and I paid her $40. She was the first one I offered a full time job here and she has been with us ever since. When groups come, she augments her pay by washing clothes for the group. A devout Christian, she only asks for time off to attend special church services. She is 56 years old and has successfully raised four children. Her husband died the first year she worked for us in 2005. She is one special lady and has done all the landscaping for the grounds. She is in the video that John did of the Mission Grounds on our website. I have posted a picture of her at right. You can see her joy.

2011-12-13T17:27:00.003+03:00

Christmas for Dummies: God sent His only son to be born in the most humble and lowly of ways as far from kinglike as possible. He had Jesus grow up in the home of a tradesman, a carpenter, who taught his son the trade. When Jesus was in his thirties (pretty old for that time), he preached for three years: preaching peace, love, forgiveness--a better to way to live in a world that was rotten. For this, He was crucified as a common criminal and regardless of your interpretation of what happened three days later, the world turned to Him and his message. Over 2,000 years later, Christianity is the largest religion on Earth, twice as big as the nearest, Islam. What did he bring to make this happen? In a word, hope. No matter how bad things were here on Earth, there was something better waiting for those who strove to make this world a better place for others, and if we truly loved unconditionally, we would know how heaven would feel right here. Of all the world's great religions, only Christianity is "other" centered. From the Ten Commandments, several of which were about how we treat each other, to the Golden Rule, to what Christ called His commandment that we love each other as He had loved us--the story is the same. Helen Steiner Rice may have said it best, "Bless us Lord, this Christmas, with quietness of mind; Teach us to be patient and always to be kind." Ah, if only we could, but we can try every day--then every day is Christmas. Even the atheist, Martin Willett writes: "Christmas is mostly a time of hope for peace, harmony and friendship. I feel no problems about joining in public and family celebrations of these values because peace, goodwill to all men is not just a Christian sentiment." We are called every day, and especially during this Christmas season to be obedient and available every day when God calls on us to love and to do no harm. My oldest son is a non-believer, yet he posts this on Google+: "I, too, am a try-my-very-best-to-be-moral, love-everybody-of-all-faiths, happy-to-wish-christians-"merry christmas" kinda atheist. I do wish those christians who get so very angry at us at christmas time would please cut it out and be nice to everyone instead ... like we all ought." My son didn't say it the way Jesus did when He said pretty much the same thing, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. There is no anger or war or hate in that thought--only love. It would change the world, and it would change you and me. We who take Jesus seriously, should work hard to bring peace and good will to all--and we don't do that with hate and angry words, the world is too full of those already. If Jesus could love even me, then I can love all--even those who do me ill.

2011-12-12T18:18:00.002+03:00

Juliana's son, Fabiani, is a free man today. Juliana paid the man whose things were stolen half of what he claimed they were worth. Today was the third court hearing and the man making the charges has to appear at each session. He didn't appear today, so all charges were dropped. The boy who stole the stuff and ran off to Shinyanga (about 300 kilometers away) has never been heard from since. The other boy had to serve two months in prison waiting for the court today, so he is free, too, although two months in a Tanzanian prison is a hard lesson. Juliana's son had to serve two weeks, but he is really wanting to get into vocational school next month, so maybe a lesson was learned there as well. I was in jail when I was 22 years old, convicted and got time served. It was enough of a lesson for me. I wouldn't even pass if the yellow line was in my lane and stopped at yellow traffic lights for years. It wore off, but enough stayed with me to keep me on the straight and narrow. Some lessons in life cannot be learned, they have to be experienced. Lucky you, if you learned from the mistakes of others and watching CSI. God forgives us for sins great and small, but our world will still punish us. There are men serving life sentences who are not devout Christians with nothing to gain from the courts here, but lots to gain from the Court Above. I truly believe there will be a judgement day, and there are a lot of shoes, many of them Christians, that I will be happy I am not standing in before the Throne. I will have enough trouble with my own. This is a long way of saying, don't be on the "naughty" side of the list.

2011-12-11T15:27:00.002+03:00

The sun appeared today after weeks of clouds, rains, and flooding. We were able to dry our clothes which is a nice thing if you don't have a dryer you can turn on. At 6:00 am, the gong of the Carmelite Convent began calling people to prayer. Later it was bells, and then singing. Many churches begin singing and don't stop till almost everyone is present. It is a beautiful way to honor the Sabbath Day. May we hear bells and singing in our hearts every Sunday morning, and if we awake with fear or hurt in our hearts, may the bells and singing help to drive them away. We set one day aside for God, but God sets every day aside for us. There is no time when you cannot speak to Him and He will not listen. You cannot go so far away that He is not still beside you. There is no sin He will not forgive. We are His beloved children; today we dress up for Him but no matter How we are dressed He is always there for us, arms open wide, a smile on His face, welcoming us into the warmth of His grace and love. All we have to do is accept it. You'd think we all would instantly, but if you're like me, you didn't think you deserved it, so you turned away. One day, you discover you can never deserve it, you can only accept it--and the world will never look the same to you again. If you haven't already, fall into those embracing arms today, as His child you are loved so very, very much. Let Him love you and look after you, you have enough to do. Amen.

2011-12-10T07:38:00.003+03:00

We all want to see the happy faces of the recipients when their presents are opened, so we can feel the love and gratitude. Sadly, it just doesn't turn out that way for many, many givers. People serving food at soup kitchens sometimes hear thank you's, but more often than not, it's just not the case. Presents sent from miles away are sometimes captured on film, but I've done enough insincere smiling over the years when the camera was on to know that that's not a good indicator either. We hope that what we give is gratefully and happily accepted, but we never really know. When I worked suicide hot lines in L.A., we never knew if we saved a life or not. I worked with the Arkansas Youth Suicide Prevention Commission for years (even producing a film played in several states), but we never knew if we were saving lives or not. I was one of many who helped found the NWA Crisis Center and served for years on the board. We knew how many calls we got, but we never knew if we saved even one life. I was interviewed on a local TV show and was asked why we did it. My answer was because we know the hurt, pain, and sorrow were out there and that thousands did indeed commit suicide, many of them teens, so how could we not try to do something. I think that's really the true meaning of Christmas, Christ came so that we would try. He never asked us to succeed, never put any quotas on what we did, just asked us to try to love each other and keep each other from harm. Isn't that enough? A true gift is one that you give and forget about it because there are so many more to give. I don't know what will happen with the goats we give, but that is not our calling. Our calling is to try to save souls and lives whenever and wherever we can. That's our promise to Christ this Christmas--we will keep on trying in His name to keep His commandments. May every Christmas gift, decoration, carol, and church service remind you to do the same. We have quite "freely received" so we must "freely give".

2011-12-08T18:10:00.002+03:00

Tomorrow is a national holiday, Tanzania's Fourth of July. We've given all the staff the day off but the security guard who was happy to receive double pay as was Lusi, so just two instead of eight. I'm going to Musoma to meet with the owner of a duke (shop) who wants to stock the kinds of stuff we've been having to drive to Mwanza to buy. If it works it will save us a lot just on diesel. Juliana sprained her ankle this afternoon, but we had ace bandages to patch it up and she gets to rest tomorrow anyway. We're still having a lot of trouble with our internet because it seems there is only one old man at TTCL (phone company) than knows how to throw the switch to reset everything. Shaban trained one of the female clerks today, so it may not be such a problem in the future. We had so many good feelings about giving the goats that Karen, John, and I agreed to pool the money we would spend on each other this Christmas and get a pair of goats for a poor family. There is a woman who lost eight of her family including her husband in a ferry sinking and has been really struggling since then. If we can work it out, she will get the goats doing it the same way with Shaban being the only one of us she sees. We are really excited about this. It's one thing to give a tie that won't be worn and quite another to give life to a family. The price difference isn't all that much either. I think this is what Christmas is supposed to be about.

2011-12-08T01:21:00.000+03:00

It took almost all day thanks to the iffy internet, but we now have modest gifts winging their way to all the members of our family back in the U.S. God bless Amazon.com for allowing us to participate in American Christmas. There are no trees up here, no tinsel, no caroling, no parties, thankfully no commercials, but we do miss the season of Christmas. Here it is a small family affair with no gift giving and only church services to commemorate it. In many ways, it is wonderful, but we do miss the cookies, the stockings, the mall Santas, and the Christmas carols on every radio station and in every store. Plus, there is no snow or even cold--just rain. Guess there are places in the U.S. like that but most of all we miss the Christmas eve candlelight services and singing "Silent Night" in English. Whenever you are with family this season, do lift a glass of egg nog to us--we'll appreciate it.

2011-12-06T15:21:00.001+03:00

Today, a family in Arkansas gave the gift of life to a family in Bunda, Tanzania. Widow Patrobo (whose husband was a dear friend of our family, a church member, and helped found over ten churches in our area) has been cast a pariah by her neighbors and fellow church members over superstition. She has been struggling over the past year to feed her three grown sons, two are trying to get into vocational school and the other is still in secondary school, but it has been difficult with no help from anyone. Shaban went to the goat market in Kiabakari and bought a pair of goats (male and female--female pregnant) and presented them to the family. Karen and I kept away because we didn't want to have a line of hundreds of people expecting goats outside our door plus it keeps the prices down if no white faces are visible. Shaban told the widow Patrobo that the goats were the gift of a loving family in Arkansas. She cried, laughed, and prayed. We also gave fifty pounds of corn so they wouldn't be tempted to eat the goats right away. There are several pictures you can get to by just clicking on the one on the right. I encourage you to see them, they will lift your spirits as they did ours. God bless the goat givers (never thought I'd say that)!

2011-12-06T05:12:00.002+03:00

Lusi was back today and we were all very happy. Unfortunately, Francis's four-year-old half brother died of malaria yesterday and Neema's father died as well. Again, life and death here are very real and a very active part of life. We will be buying goats tomorrow for the widow of Bwana Patrobo (some of you may remember him--he was only four feet tall). She has children and the family has blamed her for her husband's death and doesn't help her in any way. The woman we were originally going to help has a boyfriend with a good job that moved in with her. You have to know the whole story before you help if you don't want to waste resources. It is still raining every day and we have had to buy rubber boots for every member of the staff. Worst we can remember in seven years, but we will struggle on because God has never called anyone to give up.

2011-12-04T22:00:00.000+03:00

Lusi is better and should be back at work tomorrow. Luckily the scorpion was a big one and therefore not as venomous. The vet came back after church and gave Socky another injection, so hopefully she will recover fully as well. Other than that, just a sleepy, rainy day with only one power outage and the internet working all day. Almost a miracle. My hair is starting to grow back in around the skin cancer surgery, so I don't look quite as weird as I did.

2011-12-03T21:11:00.000+03:00

Lusi is still out with the scorpion sting and we hope she is better. We had sunshine almost all day which was confusing to us all. The vet came and will come again tomorrow for another injection. We are praying the dog will get better. I finished my web site and it is up and posted. Way too much for anyone to read at one time, but try a piece a day. Really tired now, that website was a lot of work, much of which was done late at night. Love to you all.

2011-12-02T17:47:00.000+03:00

Lusi had to go the hospital today with a very painful scorpion bite. It came out of the charcoal she was using to cook breakfast for her family and put her in tears. We hope to see her tomorrow. The rain seems to have abated a bit but our Australian missionary friend posted this:
Samantha Archer: Last night as I was driving home from Mwanza (in the dark around 7pm) it had been raining heaps and the road was covered with people - I said to the kids "Why are all these people on the road?" then we looked to the side and saw the water was more than 1/2 way up some of the houses and the high road was the only dry place for everyone in the town to be - unbelievable! When we got home Ezekiel prayed for all the people who were stuck on the road - it was very moving.
For my thirty or so faithful readers, I have created a website. It's not quite complete but you can check it out at:

http://web.me.com/revwigg/Wiggins_Mission_in_Tanzania/Welcome.html

Hope you like it

http://web.me.com/revwigg/Wiggins_Mission_in_Tanzania/Welcome.html

2011-12-02T00:59:00.001+03:00

Our internet antenna is laying on the ground awaiting parts, so only by iffy phone internet can we communicate. The rain and flooding continue. We have two sick dogs and can't locate the vet. We will spend all of tomorrow trying to get help for them. In the meantime, John does his teaching, the school continues and I am building a website for our mission. It is harder than it looks, or I'm just too old a dog to be learning these new tricks, but by next week it should be done. Continue to pray for those victims of the flooding who have lost everything.

2011-11-30T21:36:00.003+03:00

The rain and flooding continue. Just between Bunda and Musoma (a distance of about 65 kilometers), there are now over 81,000 homeless and figures are even worse around Mwanza. In a land suffering from a long famine, flooding is just the other side of that disaster coin. Please pray for all those who are suffering. There are far too many for us to help, but we have been able to help one or two which doesn't make us feel very good. On a more upbeat note, there will be about 70 orphans graduating from St. Wiggins Academy on December 16th. I hope Karen or I can make it to congratulate these exceptional students. Karen's school will be graduating a week from this coming Monday and they are excited as well. We can't do safaris into the Serengeti during rainy season, but as soon as the weather allows, this group will also get to see the animals that make their country famous. The major internet server here in Bunda at the phone company went down and John spent all day fixing it only to have a power outage knock it back out three hours later. He can't work on it tomorrow because he has students coming for all day classes, so we will just have to tough it out. Welcome to our world.

2011-11-30T01:17:00.000+03:00

Still having power and internet problems. Sending this over my phone which is veerryy slow. Made it to Mwanza and back and the flooding was evident everywhere. We didn't have to take any detours because we would have needed a boat to use them. A little nerve wracking, but we made it, got the medication and food (even found a honey-glazed ham for Christmas--only the second one we've seen in seven years). Made some minor car repairs--window washers are kind of necessary in the rainy season, but was back home by five pm too worn out to do much more than go to bed, especially since the internet was down and the power had just come back on. Thanks for the prayers. A man was killed by a bus about twenty minutes before we passed and the body was still on the road. It was gone by the time we returned, but the image stays with you.

2011-11-28T12:20:00.000+03:00

Juliana's son is out on bail and goes back to court in a couple of weeks, so that is still not decided. And still it rains. During the rainy season there are only three churches we can reach in our 4WD vehicle, but lately there has been only one and it's the one just outside our fence. If we go there every Sunday, they claim that it is our church and therefore should get more money and be more important than any other despite the fact that only about twenty people show up every Sunday, so we don't go every week. During rainy season there are only five or six people who come because there are no shutters on the windows and the rain just blows straight through the church. Still, we have churches meeting under tarps in the rain with no walls that still have fifty to eighty members show up every Sunday. Where the Spirit is alive and active, nothing will keep the people away. I remember in the U.S. that attendance always fell on rainy Sundays--you'd think it would go up since golf is no fun in the rain. It is more depressing here because of the loss of houses and the deaths, particularly of children. Not to mention the typhus and dysentery and cholera that comes from all the polluted water. We are praying for just a few days of sunshine to dry things out. They are working on the road between Mwanza and Musoma and for many kilometers you have to drive on dirt detours which wash out during the rain. Not much fun but always an adventure. I have to go to Mwanza tomorrow, so please keep Shaban and me in your prayers--it won't be an easy trip, but we need medication and food we can only get there. At least, we have the right kind of car for it. I once got it out of a rice paddy up to the hubs in water. I remember Amy Buckingham telling me what a good driver I was. I think that was because she didn't have to get out and push in the mud, but I appreciated it anyway.

2011-11-27T21:58:00.002+03:00

More rain, more power outages, more internet failures--in short--a typical day. Did get two students I am paying through Bible college their tuition for the next quarter and bus fare back to Shinyanga where the college is. One more quarter to go after that and next July, we will have two new pastors. One of our new workers has been out two weeks with typhoid and his wife came by concerned that he would lose his job. We gave her money for the doctor and medicine and assured her his job was safe. Sometimes a kind word and a little reassurance is all that is needed. We need to do more of that, more often, to more people. I think Jesus asked to do just that. Just sayin'.

2011-11-26T17:10:00.002+03:00

Had a long talk with Juliana this morning about her son's situation, and I think we made some progress. We'll find out more on Monday when she goes to court. Shaban is going with her and we are trying to get her son into a vocational school so he will have a marketable skill beginning in January. We'll just have to wait to see. The rain continues to fall and houses continue to collapse. A pickup truck full of passengers hit a motorbike killing the rider and injuring many in the back of the pick up. We used our car as an ambulance to get many of them to the hospital--like you do. Sorry about the Razorbacks, but a 10-2 season is pretty good especially since the two losses came from teams ranked number one in the nation at the time. Good season guys and sorry for the loss of the young tight end. I'm getting a little tired of the rain. The cold and rain keeps Karen asleep most of the day and I miss talking to her, but when she's asleep, she's not in pain and that's a good thing. We watched a movie called "Cowboys and Aliens" and actually really liked it. Didn't expect to, but who knew? Watch out for pepper spray when you're shopping this weekend. God bless you all. We love you and miss you.

2011-11-25T11:45:00.002+03:00

We are having torrential rains and flooding. All the stores are closed and the roads under water. Remember, 90% of the people here travel by foot or bicycle and maybe a small motorbike, all of which are wiped out by these rains. Musoma is even worse with Lake Victorian backing up into the city. It is still raining here and even though we have a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive, we are afraid to take it out. Many of the roads will be washed away and you won't be able to see it until the water goes down. It is wreaking havoc with the power and internet as well. We just got internet back since yesterday morning and don't know how long we'll have it. Juliana is out trying to get her son from serving time. If she will pay the man whose things were stolen, he won't insist on jail time, but he is asking for way too much. We can't help her and I don't know if we would if we could. If her young son thinks his mother can get him out whenever he gets into trouble, he will do it again. He has no job and hangs with a rough crowd. I'm afraid he will steal from his mother. I wish I knew what the right thing to do is, but all I know is about dividing the baby in half and that's been done. We are praying for her and reminding her that she has two daughters to think of as well. Life can get messy. God grant us the wisdom to make the right choices when our hearts and our heads are in conflict. Pray for all those who are losing their homes and whose children will die in the flood waters because it happens every time when people live in dirt houses and huts.

2011-11-23T15:30:00.000+03:00

We were told today not to get a breeding pair of goats but just two females. Seems there are a lot of male goats out there (me for one) and having two females means double the breeding. Lots of goats here have twins--our Australian missionary friends goat had twins just last night--so in four months there could be six goats instead of two. Since I am goat knowledge challenged, I'm going with what the people who raise them tell us. Still raining here. We bought three chickens for our Thanksgiving tomorrow, just hope the dogs leave all three alive till the morning--we do have them in the pikipiki shed-- (everything is free range here), and we never have to worry about how long to defrost.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. May your day be filled with family, food, thankfulness, and fun. And on Friday--Go Hogs!

2011-11-22T15:35:00.002+03:00

Another rainy day here which makes it difficult to do our outdoor repairs. We are always having to repaint and re-cement something or another. Good day for reading though, so I read a book a friend sent me on poverty in Africa. It was very upsetting because there is so much that can be done that isn't for political reasons both here and in America. They tried to end on a hopeful note, but they failed with me. Since I was upset, I read Andrea Bocelli's autobiography "The Music of Silence". It made me feel much better for here was a boy blind since he was twelve years old facing all kinds of obstacles and overcoming all of them. It WAS uplifting. Of course, Andrea Bocelli has the gift of a beautiful singing voice, and we all don't have those kinds of gifts. What we do all have, though, is skill sets. We are all good at something. Some are people persons, some creative, some artistic, some organizational, some hard working, and some unwilling to accept defeat. We have had all these kinds of people here and they have accomplished much. It's not so much about having one exceptional gift as it is using the skill set you have developed over the years to offer as your gift. I'm reminded of a little boy who could only play a drum, so that's what he played for the infant Christ. So, it appears that the difference in a Christianity that is only nominal and one that is truly lived, is the willingness to use your skill set to expand God's kingdom in whatever way offers itself to you. If you don't recognize your own skill set, just ask those around you because they will all know those things at which you excel. Ask, listen, and use what you can offer for God's purposes. It will change your life and those around you.

2011-11-21T17:53:00.002+03:00

Got a wonderful gift today. One of the board members of the One Book Foundation (the non-profit that helps support us) sent us some money. Not a lot, but enough to keep a family together and alive for years to come. They gave us enough to buy two breeding goats and enough food for the family for two months (to keep them from selling the goats for food money). This family are our neighbors and the husband got malaria and died in two days leaving behind a nine-months pregnant wife and two small children. There is no insurance money here, no help of any kind except what already poor neighbors and relatives can donate. We helped with the funeral expenses ($40 for an adult coffin) and the mother brought the baby for us to see when it was born a few weeks later. The whole family was destined for extreme poverty which meant no medicine when the children got sick, begging food from relatives, etc. Now, they will be able to breed goats to raise money for the family which means medicine, food, and school fees. It will give them life. The Heifer Project does this in many countries, but we have no access to anything like that here. We'll post pictures later for we hope to get this done next week. We have to travel out past Guta to get the goats and our car may smell for a while but well worth it. One of our favorite shows on the BBC is the Secret Millionaire, so thanks to the generosity of some friends in Gravette, Arkansas, we get to be like a secret millionaire for this family--for $300. What a gift--for the family, for us, and for the givers. Well done.

2011-11-20T16:20:00.003+03:00

You are approaching Thanksgiving, a holiday that is not observed here (or anywhere else execpt Canada in October). That doesn't keep us from thinking about all for which we are thankful. It was always my favorite holiday because it meant family, good food, and not having to go into debt to get presents that many didn't want or need. It was just a gathering of the clan made all the more special because the clans don't gather much in modern American society. I've seen many, many films about how horrible it can be because all families don't get along--still they are family. We had relatives we'd have wished stayed away from our Thanksgiving dinners, but it wouldn't have been the same without that crazy cousin or obnoxious uncle. Our family here is very isolated from all of my extended family and there are quite a lot of them. One aunt and uncle had twelve children, all grown now with children and grandchildren of their own. I have a mother, two wonderful brothers, a truly fabulous sister, a sister-in-law, a niece, a nephew, three sons, two daughters-in-law, two grandchildren, and on my wife's side, a brother and sister-in-law and a nephew, and I truly enjoy the company of all of them (really), but this Thanksgiving it will be (as it has for the last seven years) , just my wife and one son, yet the three of us--thanks to the internet--will be in touch with as many of our family as we can. Leaving family is the hardest part of being a missionary. We've only been back twice in seven years and that was just for a total of two months and we didn't get to see everyone. We can only pray that our family understands that we are where we have to be and that we are blessedly happy here. Of the sixteen in our immediate family only three have managed to come here to visit and we are very grateful for that. This Thanksgiving we are especially thankful for all our family--how they have touched us, shaped us, and helped make us who we are. We pray that know we would be there if we could and are there in spirit--all the time. We pray God's blessings on each and every one of them. We thank God they are in our lives. We love them.

2011-11-19T16:45:00.002+03:00

Pastor Festo came by for some help. His mother had died in Kenya and he needed fifty dollars to travel to the funeral, so I gave him enough to cover the costs and to buy some food for the folks that would be there. Then Bwana Masele came by to get some money to take his son to the Bugando Hospital in Mwanza. His total need was around thirty dollars. A hundred dollars for a trip to a family funeral and for a trip to a hospital to care for a son. Not much by our standards, but beyond the reach of theirs, and for what--a grieving son and a caring father trying to help his own son. We are the wealthy here. We were talking about that yesterday with Robi and Jono Vink, a missionary from Australia. We would all be below the poverty level in our respective countries, but here we can actually accomplish much with what wouldn't even be enough to live back home. I don't know about "third world" issues, but I certainly know about want and need. I know that we feed 200 orphans under six years of age every month for about $200 and will till the money runs out. We miss many things and have to do without a lot that others say they could never go without, yet we would rather be surrounded by need than greed. We would rather have our hearts broken than pampered, but that's just us. Each of us in the conversation yesterday admitted that we, too, were just as guilty of greed when we lived surrounded by it. Nobody's fault really, but sometimes you really have to get out of your comfort zone to find just where that comfort zone is within your heart. We get so many messages from people who have been here and miss it terribly, so we know that it is not because of where your body lives but where your heart lives. Didn't Jesus say that, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." A wise man, Jesus.

2011-11-18T16:54:00.000+03:00

One of the things with which we deal on a daily basis is what I call the "if" factor. We went to Musoma today to see about getting a new shirt for me "if" the tailor was there--he wasn't, he was in Nairobi. Shaban tried to get his new driver's license finished up (he had all the paperwork) "if" the man who needed the sign the papers was there--he wasn't. Went to the bank to get some money from the ATM machine having forgotten my checkbook "if" the ATM was working--it wasn't. Wherever we go, we have to factor "if" into the equation--it's not something Americans have to do. John was able to teach "if" his students were there--they were. We wanted to eat in the new missionary cafe "if" it was open--sometimes they close for funerals--but they were open today. We always find some things that work out even "if" many others don't. If you don't understand the "if" factor, you can be very frustrated and angry. Sometimes the stations have no diesel, sometimes the stores have no bread. A year here would probably keep many of you from getting ulcers--you have to relax or go mad. We choose to relax and let God guide. Not a bad way to live.

2011-11-17T16:11:00.004+03:00

The Hippocratic Oath for physicians was written in the Fifth Century B.C. The second line and the first describing rules for the profession: "I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone." (emphasis added)
In 1964, over two thousand five hundred years later, the oath was rewritten and "do no harm" was removed. The line " Above all, I must not play at God" was added. Hardly seems that line is used much today. Today's oath reads like a waiver of release from responsibility. In the 1700's, John Wesley, the founder of Methodism wrote what he called three simple rules for Christian living. The first was "Do no harm." The second was "Do good." The third was "Stay in love with God." I wonder what life would be like if we all adopted just the "Do no harm" rule. The two others are of great benefit as well, but I wish I had lived all of my life and not only the last few decades following that first rule. "Do no harm" was at the core of the message of Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. If we all lived by "Do no harm", would those coaches and officials at Penn State be suffering as it is? Would the Catholic Church have had to pay millions to the families of damaged children for the actions of some of its priests and bishops? And I don't mean to single out the Catholic church. How many would not have died in the name of God by Protestants and Muslims alike if that rule had been followed throughout history? How many wars would not have been fought? Would the recent economic collapse in the U.S. and the world have happened had those in power lived by those three words? How many bullied people would not have sought suicide or worse? How many children would not have died of starvation? Our doctors no longer say those words and many of our clergy certainly ignore them. If you read this, would you at least think about living by those three words? They should be a mantra for every missionary. They are for us.

2011-11-16T16:19:00.002+03:00

More rain today but a minor miracle occurred. During the rain, the power stayed on as did the internet. I think that's the first time that's that happened. I think it takes twice to make it a true miracle, but we're half way there. We are searching for turkeys for Thanksgiving but they are endangered species here. If anyone goes to Nairobi, we may be able to get them to bring one back. A fourteen pound turkey costs about $70, but it's worth it to us. We've been here seven years and have only had two. It's even hard finding big chickens since they are all free range. We'll figure out something. I wonder what Kori Bustard tastes like. Lots of those over in the Serengeti. Getting one may be a bit tricky. The game wardens are armed, after all. Oh well, canned corn and hard boiled eggs can be a feast if you make it one. When you are sitting down with family and friends having turkey, dressing, corn bread, and cranberry sauce--remember those of us who are with you in spirit--for we are. It is for you that we do what we do (not to mention God called us to do it, but he didn't remember about thanksgiving). We love you all and will be praying for you on that day when we remember our former life and all our family and friends. We have much to be thankful for and are truly blessed to be serving here.

2011-11-15T17:12:00.002+03:00

There is no way to adequately explain the relief we feel knowing that we have all our security lights on solar power. No matter what happens with the national power company or our generator (bad spark plug, out of petrol) we have lights that burn for fourteen hours every night. We turn them on before the sun goes down and don't have to turn them off till the sun is up the next day. It would be nice to have the whole compound like that but the cost is prohibitive. Not to mention that you have to have a propane refrigerator if you want it to be solar. Ovens and hot water heaters also pull so much power we'd need lots of solar panels. We are investigating passive solar water heaters (heaters that don't have to use electricity, but the water is just heated by the sun). There's an orphanage north of us that uses that and has for at least fifteen years with no problems. Prices have more than doubled since we moved here. It's bad for us but not nearly as bad as it is for the poor who are now paying two or three times the old price for rice, corn, sugar, and other staples. It's so bad in Kenya that Tanzanians are illegally smuggling sugar across the border because they can get so much more for it in Kenya--making it scarce here in Tanzania. Diesel is back to $11 a gallon, so it costs almost $200 to fill our car with it--and we don't get good mileage on these roads and having to use four-wheel drive. We're not complaining, we know how bad it is in the U.S. as well. Guess we just have to adapt. How does the Serenity Prayer go: "Give me the courage to change those things I can, the patience to accept those things I cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference." That may not be word for word, but it is the gist. Jesus didn't teach us to do much more than love and help each other and that's enough to keep us pretty busy, every day. Juliana's son has to remain in jail for at least another week and it kills us to see her tears, but there is nothing we can do except let her know that we love her and stand with her. There may be someone who needs you to stand with them--seek them out and offer your support. It can change lives.

2011-11-14T18:39:00.003+03:00

The only good thing about having a 67th birthday is that you only have to do it once. I spent my birthday (also Prince Charles's) driving to Musoma to order the hand-cranked wheel chair, to go by the bank, to try to find some cereal bowls (took almost an hour and trips to six different dukas (shops), and to pay Social Security for our workers. I had forgotten last month, so I had to pay for two months and a penalty. Found some medication they didn't have at the Coptic Hospital but that I needed. Also located a part we needed for the internet router. We also located a duka that occasionally imports broccoli and bought some--a big deal. Because of my health, I seldom leave the house, so this was a very busy and hard day for me. When I got back, I collapsed on the bed for a couple of hours. When I got up, I was taken by the hand and walked up to Martha's Place. Everywhere had been decorated with fresh flowers from the gate to the car park. I was sung all the way into Martha's Place by the staff who had decorated there with kangas and fresh flowers. They sang thank you songs, there was a cake that John had baked, and they danced and sang and clapped to thank God for me and Karen and John and what we have meant to them. It brought tears to my eyes but luckily there were no pictures of that. There were a lot of other pictures, though, so click on the one on the right to see them all. It made my day and made me completely forget about how tired I was. My two very best birthdays have been while serving as a missionary, once in the Peruvian Amazon, and now today. I'll never forget them. What a joy--not to mention all the good wishes on Facebook as well. You all know how to make an old man feel loved. Thank you.

2011-11-13T15:54:00.004+03:00

Robert Burns was a famous Scottish poet and one of my favorite poems of his is titled "To A Louse. On seeing one on a lady's bonnet at church." The story is that a woman who was richly dressed and "putting on airs" flounced into church and sat down where she could be seen by everybody. She was dressed to the nines, but what she didn't know was that a louse was crawling up her hat. She was unaware that everybody in the church could see the flaw in her finery. She would have been embarrassed beyond belief, but she continued acting the grand lady--even though everyone else knew that she wasn't. Then Burns says in Scottish: "O wad some Power the giftie gie us, To see oursels as ithers see us!" or in English: "O would some Power the gift to give us, To see ourselves as others see us!" This is as true today as it was when Burns wrote it, but I think it should be more apt to lift our self-esteem than to lower it. We can't love others as we love ourselves because we just don't love ourselves. We compare ourselves to all those who have better bodies, younger bodies, more money, more power, or who do more for others or the church, but this is just wrong. We are not to compare ourselves to anyone. Jesus never said life was a competition--he said to pray for others and help others. Oh if we could just see ourselves as He sees us--not as what we are but as what we could be. To an old farmer, the rusty junk heap of a car in his barn is just that, but to an antique car restorer it is a blue ribbon winning valuable classic--it just needs the master's touch. So do we. If we would stop worrying about what we look like and where our address is and put ourselves in the Master's hands--He will make miracles with us. If you are drowning and an ugly fat man is throwing you a life preserver, you don't tell him to go find someone who looks trim and fit and then come back--you take the lifeline thrown you and are grateful. You are beautiful to God no matter how you see yourself. When I taught in the ghetto in L.A. in the early seventies, one of my African-American students wore a shirt that said, "I Am Beautiful. God Didn't Make No Junk!" Amen.

2011-11-12T18:17:00.003+03:00

Abraham Lincoln said it first but with a few changes of my own, it applies here: The world will little note nor long remember my (our) passage through it, but that's not the point. Missionaries, teachers, nurses, and all who care for others are not here to achieve worldwide notoriety but just to do the little things on a day by day basis that change and touch the lives of those around us. There will always be those who need the world's recognition to feel that they are worthwhile, but that's just a touch sad. Many times it is just a touch, a pat on the back, a kind word, a smile, a small financial assist that changes lives forever and raises the self worth of that individual. Thoreau said that to improve the quality of another's day is to achieve the highest of the arts. Jesus said the same thing in a hundred different ways and in dozens of parables and in the way He lived His life. We are to do the same. To use the gifts God has given us to improve the lots of those around us. To comfort one who mourns, to stand by one who feels alone, to love one who feels unloved--these are the greatest gifts and worth more than all the wealth and fame the world has to offer. A man came by today who needed just $10 to buy medicine he could not afford for himself. My job was just to listen and help if I could. It took all of ten minutes to help him, but it may have saved his life. I don't know and you don't either when someone needs you for whatever you can offer. All too often, we compliment others behind their backs. Stop that. Tell the people you admire and respect that you do--not for thanks but for what it may do for them. Give the gift of life. Make someone's day. It doesn't cost much and yet it is priceless. God gave us His son. Surely, we can give a little of ourselves to make a difference in another's life. You will never regret it.

2011-11-11T18:20:00.002+03:00

We got a much needed and very generous gift of money from the U.S., and so we are now immediately putting it to use. I will be going to Musoma on Monday to order the hand-cranked wheelchair for our scholarship student, but even more exciting is that Karen is teaching a two-day seminar for the teachers at St. Wiggins Academy. Three came today and are spending the night and four more will be arriving tomorrow. We are feeding them and hosting them and paying for their transportation from Lamadi. Karen is teaching them her method of teaching English faster and more thorough that she learned teaching ESL in Springdale. It is the method we have been using here for our school for the past several years and all our students have done very well on the English tests in the public schools. She also holds seminars for the teachers from the Bunda Teachers College. The teachers from St. Wiggins Academy are eating it up, particularly since they were already doing part of it. This just reinforces what they were doing and gives them new tools to be better teachers. They are so very grateful. It's taking a lot out of Karen, but she insists she must do this. She's my hero and is helping hundreds of students in the process. You gotta love her.

2011-11-10T15:20:00.002+03:00

After talking with Bwana Masele, who is a judge, it seems that Juliana's son, Fabiani, has already been in jail over one month and will be there at least two months more until the trial. Bwana Masele says that he was caught with many stolen items in his possession and will likely get a minimum of six months and maybe one year. This of course prompted a discussion of parenting and how we can do all we can but our children will one day make decisions for themselves. We hope they make good ones but both of us remembered making some pretty bad ones of our own, yet we still love our children no matter what they do. Our unconditional love of our own even with disappointments and sorrow for what befalls them certainly must echo what our heavenly Father feels about us. He wants the very best for us, but we often let him down. What is so awesome is that Christ died for all of us, not just those who made good decisions. He loved the thief on the next cross as he was dying. We love our own and want to protect them from harm but the only way to do that for their whole life is to lock them in the house and that is not loving. Juliana has been praying for her son and asking prayers for him and we have been doing just that, but we have also been praying for her. That's what we do. We pray for all as Christ commanded us--not just those who love us, but those who hurt us, sometimes repeatedly. It's what sets us apart from all other religions. Pure love.

2011-11-09T18:16:00.002+03:00

More rain again. We did get the short in the wiring fixed so the rains don't cause any more trouble than the power cut off every time lightning strikes, but we are used to that. Juliana claims that her son is innocent and is in jail because his friend said that he helped him. I don't know the truth, so I will accept Juliana's version. He gets out next week. She has to take food to him. Food is not provided in prisons here and if you have no family or friends--you just starve. Harsh, but food isn't provided in hospitals either, so I guess everyone knows how to work around it. Can you imagine having to take three meals a day to a loved one in the hospital? Life is hard here, in ways we often don't even know about. We have solid walls that don't collapse with a heavy rain, a metal roof that doesn't leak, a cement floor that doesn't flood, and awnings to keep the rain from coming in the windows--we are blessed. We also have nothing to fear from tornados or earthquakes which are really scary--to me at least. We rode out a 7.2 quake in L.A. in 1971 that left people dead and roads collapsed as well as a hospital destroyed. I don't like earthquakes. Karen said, "If you can't trust the ground, who can you trust?" I guess we must trust God and learn from every experience. God gives us lots of opportunities to manifest His love to those around us. Blessings on all who think of others first.

2011-11-08T16:10:00.002+03:00

In one of the packages Brenda sent us was a book for Charlini. It's a fold-out counting book using African animals. It was very thoughtful of Brenda, but she didn't realize that every day when Charlini gets here--she gets the book and then comes and grabs my hand and leads me to the kitchen table where we go through every page of that book twice. She would do it forever, but I make her stop at twice. Her counting in English is very good and her smile as she reaches for my hand would melt the heart of the Marquis de Sade. All missionaries struggle with depression at one time or another, but they don't have a little girl reaching for their hand every day. What joy a single child can bring if only we allow them. Jesus said all we had to do was offer them one cup of water in His name and heaven was ours. He didn't know about fold-out counting books because that works, too. If you see a child offering a hand--take it. Take it in His name. Show that child love and respect and the world will be a better place, for the child and for everyone else. God bless the children. May they lead us to that promised land.

2011-11-07T16:36:00.001+03:00

Hoo boy! Got three packages from the states today, mailed in early September, so pretty fast for Africa. I got a new hat (Lusi accidentally washed my previous Panama hat and ruined it), John got computer stuff (a Samsung tablet), Karen got support hose for her legs and patterns and a watch, and we got new DVD's. An all around wonderful day. Sort of like Christmas. We know it takes a long time for packages to get here, but as long as we know that something is on the way, we are happy because it will get here. None of that overnight delivery stuff here, but patience is a virtue we have had to relearn and it is a good one. Christianity is like that, you know. You do what you are asked by Christ to do and that should be enough because you know that heaven is coming--one day. It's like that old sermon from Easter when the pastor says, "We know it's the dark of Friday night, but we are not dismayed--because Sunday is coming!" Thanks to all of those who send packages, great and small, because we love to be remembered. Hopefully, we all live so that Christ will remember us as well.

2011-11-06T18:40:00.002+03:00

Sunday is a good time to get in touch with God. Not that it is the only time, but we were asked to set a day aside and make it special. We are the ones who decide to make it special, and we do that by going to church, praying, praising, singing, meditating, and spending time with other Christians who inspire us or need us. This does not change, no matter your age. I remember going to church with my mother and father from as soon as I could remember. I remember dressing up and Dad's terrible singing voice which did not discourage him in any way from belting out his favorite hymns. I remember coming home from church and Dad barbecuing chicken on the patio. Somehow, according to him, the livers always fell through the grates into the coals. Sometimes, he would let me help and I caught him eating the livers. To this day, I love chicken livers--I think because they remind me of my dad more than anything else. That's why we take one day and make it special--to remind us of our Father who loves us in spite of ourselves. So, in some ways, every Sunday is Father's Day if we make it so. I do and I hope you do, too. God bless all of you reading this. Thank you for caring about us.

2011-11-05T18:36:00.000+03:00

A quiet day. It rained again (it is the season of the "short rains") and we discovered we had a short in with wiring between Martha's Place (assembly hall) and Jeremy's Place (guest cottage) which kept tripping the circuit breakers. The electrician is a Seventh Day Adventist, so we did a band-aid kind of thing, and he will come tomorrow to dig up the wire and fix it properly. Charlini was here today and she is still under the weather but more from cold and sore throat. As she left she scratched out a quiet "I love you" which melted my heart yet again.

2011-11-04T18:10:00.003+03:00

Whew! What a day. John taught in Musoma today, and I went with him so the doctor could check my head wound (which was okay). I spent two hours at the bank to get our ATM cards (new ones) and then the heavens opened. While Shaban was driving, the horn honked by itself and died and the wipers went nuts and then they died. We decided we needed to service the battery (no sealed-no maintenance batteries here) but the alternator blew up before we could get there. Waited till the rain shifted from torrential to just mildly hard and pushed the car to a shade-tree garage. When the rain stopped, the guys got out a blanket, spread it out on the ground and then proceeded to rebuild the alternator. They would need a tool they didn't have, so one of the guys would ride off on a bicycle and return fairly quickly with a borrowed wrench. Finally, they gave up and said we needed a new one, but there were no new ones available and if there were it would be more than I could afford. One young man rode off and returned a little later with a used alternator from a different model Toyota, but it worked. I asked no questions since I was afraid someone else now needed a new alternator. Got it going but it failed before we got back to the road. Back to the mechanics (fundi's here) and they found a loose wire and then all was hunky dory. Luckily, John had a lot to do at Juason besides his teaching, so he was just ready to go when we showed up. We got home and heard the sound of the generator as we got out of the car. Welcome to our world.

2011-11-03T16:17:00.002+03:00

John had students that rode the bus down from Musoma who spent the day with him. He was exhausted but happy--as were they. Charlini was back to her old self this afternoon. Hard to believe she was so sick just last Friday, but malaria and typhoid are like that. If you get to them quickly with the right medications, you can beat them. If you don't--you just die. Very sad because it happens to so many around here. They don't go to get help because of the cost until it is too late for the help to help them. We are having free range chicken tonight. Of course, all the animals here are free range from cattle to elephants. There is a large chicken processing plant in Mwanza, but we don't get their chicken here. Here, they come on the back of a bicycle in a wicker cages, still clucking. Karen slipped on a freshly mopped floor this morning and fell pretty hard and banged her head. No blood and no concussion, but she is pretty sore and will be more so tomorrow. We should wear inside shoes on the concrete floor, but it is easy to forget. I don't think she will forget again.

2011-11-02T15:21:00.002+03:00

Charlini was back at school today. It's hard to believe how sick she was last Friday because she is almost her old self today. Thanks be to God and all those who prayed for her. Thank you, thank you. She is such a part of why we are here and a constant reminder that we are of some benefit to the people here. Paid for food for another month for 200 orphans at St. Wiggins Academy (they are all under six years of age). It only cost about $200 to feed that many of Christ's little ones for a month. It's pouring down rain now, but we managed to get several repairs done today and to get some ice cream from a Muslim woman who keeps a freezer going (most of the time). It's just a hobby for her, and the little store is closed more than it's open, but we are thankful. Sometimes, it has melted and refrozen (yuk) but we eat it anyway. Last night John got very creative and managed to make us tostados (not Taco Bell, but close). They were downright heavenly. Nice to have a really good cook in the family. My sister got him a French cookbook when he was little and he's never lost the flair. Thanks, Penny.

2011-11-01T14:06:00.002+03:00

Charlini is here at the house and feeling better. She had both malaria and typhoid and is currently having to take a boatload of medicines. She had an injection yesterday and is having another this afternoon. She is trying to play, but she is obviously tired and not up to her usual perkiness. Shaban arrived late today after seeing the doctor again this morning for another blood test. He was forgiven, of course, both because of the doctor's appointment and because he showed up with two kilos (4.6 lbs) of popcorn as we had run out. John has a number of projects for him as do I, but we will have to wait for his health and strength to return. Pastor Festo came in from Karikakari just to check on me which was really nice of him. Tomorrow, Collins (the head teacher), from St. Wiggins Academy will come to get the money to pay for one more month's food for two hundred orphans. Sometimes I wonder if that's all I'm good for, but whatever I can do to serve--I will do. There is certainly no greater cause so easily met.

2011-10-31T15:52:00.000+03:00

Charlini is still quite sick. We took her to a new doctor who put her on some new medication that at least has stopped her vomiting. Also found out that Juliana had not given her all of the medicine thinking she should save some for later. Told her we would pay for all medication and how important it is to follow the doctor's orders. Shaban is here today after spending most of the weekend in the hospital. It is not his appendix--it is an ulcer that can be treated with medication. The doctor fussed at him for waiting to get it treated, and I think he made a believer out of him. Juliana's son, Fabiani, was arrested for stealing some TV stuff and will spend 14 days in jail. He will return the stuff or he would spend six months inside and Tanzanian prisons are not nice places to be. We are afraid he will start stealing from his mother but what can you do. Juliana has cried a lot today and that is rare for Tanzanians. She is under a lot of strain. We are doing everything we can for Charlini, but she needs prayers and lots of them. I don't know what I'd do if we lost her. She is the light in out darkness here.

2011-10-30T18:47:00.002+03:00

Charlini is still sick but a bit better. She is going back to the hospital tomorrow morning if her fever doesn't break tonight, but we are hopeful because she is very strong. Power was off all day today, but it is 75 degrees here, so nothing like those poor folks in the Northeast where the power outage may cause people to die--freezing to death. We are praying for them. Power here is a luxury, anyway, and not necessary for life. Only 11% of Tanzanians even have access to power; it is the businesses that are hurt the most by power outages. My wound is not yet completely healed, so no hair washing for another couple of days. John made pasta with butter and garlic tonight. That boy can cook! Tonight we watch British DVD's. Every Sunday night, first the Vicar of Dibley, then As Time Goes By, and then Midsommer Murders. We always look forward to Sunday nights. We have already seen all of the these at least once and some three times, but at our age we don't remember what happened, so it's like it was new. In fact, at our age life gets newer every day. Not a bad perk for losing organs and painful joints. We just keep going and serving like that Energizer bunny. God bless all who serve.

2011-10-29T13:15:00.003+03:00

Charlini has malaria, again. It is dangerous for anyone under five, but she will be five this December, so she should do all right. She seems much better today (she is here). Our new helper for Edina, Andrew John, is sick and out for a couple of days. Edina is gone today for a church function. That's the way it goes around here--on any one day half of the staff is either sick or out for funerals or church. Everything here has to be done by hand: no washing machine, no dishwasher, no vacuum, and all the food has to be cleaned and washed before we eat it. Not to mention that we have to shop every day but Sunday. Remember, we have no glass in the windows, no heating, and no air conditioning. Not complaining, just reminding that life is harder here than most places, but we love it anyway. Still very cool with the rain and no sun for a couple of days. Everyone is wearing jackets and double clothes because the temperature is in the mid 60's F which is very cold here. I accidentally banged my head where my wound is on the bathroom door and am in a little pain today. My body doesn't remember that I no longer wear size 14 shirts and doesn't allow enough room for me to go through doors--plus there may be a little memory loss, but what was I saying? Anyway, just another routine day here with only two requests for help which we could do. Blessings on all of you and especially our friend, Samantha, from Wiggins UMC who is still struggling with medical problems. We are all praying for her on this side of the Atlantic. Help us out, please, and you pray for her, too.

2011-10-28T18:05:00.003+03:00

An impossibly rainy day today. Shaban showed up very late after spending the night in the hospital in Musoma with stomach cramps. We sent him back home to rest and are praying it isn't his appendix. They did an X-ray and said everything looked okay, but this is still bush medicine. Charlini was sick and Juliana spent the day with her at the hospital here in Bunda. Hopefully, she will be okay tomorrow. John was unable to go to Musoma since Shaban was sick, so he worked here since the internet was up and working. The power played hide and seek with the lightning all day, but we only had to run the generator for an hour or so. I get to wash my hair for the first time in weeks tomorrow and am really looking forward to it. Had to wait till the wound was completely healed since the water is not bacteria free. Had a visit from the local immigration officer, but he was just looking for a little cash to buy diesel for his car. I gave him some and sent him on his way. It can't hurt to help government officials every now and then. Just sayin'. Thanks to all the people who prayed and who wrote or posted on Facebook et al. Sometimes, just reading one or two words of encouragement can make a world of difference. Thanks again. Our Australian missionary friend, Samantha, who is pregnant with her fifth child, is in Nairobi this weekend, so please pray that she is spared from any of the violence there.

2011-10-27T17:30:00.000+03:00

Back home again, and it feels really good. Had a bit of a disappointment when I went to the store for Europeans in Mwanza where we buy luxuries like cheese, butter, bacon, and American cereal. Sign on the door said, "Closed until further notice by Tanzanian Revenue Authority (IRS to you)". Seems they weren't paying taxes or giving receipts. We do hope they get things sorted out because we don't know what we would do without those occasional foods that remind us of America. Poured down rain all the way home and then all day here in Bunda. Cold for us, too, around 65 degrees and wet and windy. John wanted to build a fire in the living room, but we have no fireplace. So, coats and sweaters all around. John had students here all day today and he really comes alive when he is teaching. It is wonderful to watch.

2011-10-26T17:51:00.000+03:00

Stitches are out, everything is healing nicely. Will need medications from Nairobi for prostate, but not really a big problem--whew. Ran into our Australian missionary friends from Bunda here in Mwanza today. They had come to the dentist. Am checking out a new bathtub for Karen (current one has three holes not designed by manufacturer) and they have ordered one. When it comes in, we will have to find someone who knows what they are doing to put it in. Thanks for all the prayers. We and me have needed them.

2011-10-25T18:50:00.000+03:00

Our German group is out in the Serengeti on safari. They were very excited about it. They return to Germany on Thursday as different people. Tomorrow, Shaban will drive me to Mwanza to have my stitches removed and to have an ultrasound for the prostate problem. The doctor can't see me until late in the afternoon, so we will have to spend the night. We have some shopping to do while we are there, so we will fill in the time productively. God bless all of you who pray for our mission.

2011-10-24T13:59:00.001+03:00

Today is the first free day our German group has had in three weeks and they are enjoying every minute of it. Some walked into town, some just showered and slept, and some are going to climb the hills that separate us from the Serengeti. Tomorrow, they leave on their safari and are hoping to see animals. I think they will. We have been blessed by having them. It is always nice to have passionate Christians here who understand about mission. They give us a shot in the arm as well. Thanks to our friend, Daniel, in Germany who recommended they stay with us. We wish God's blessings on them all.

2011-10-23T18:18:00.001+03:00

Our German friends did an all day church day today. Some left here at 7:30 am and the rest a little later not to return till late this afternoon. It was a long day for them, but tomorrow is a free day and then Tuesday they leave on a safari and then back to Germany three days later. Some of the men told me they have already been changed and will never see the world the same way again. That is what happens to many of our guests and it is why we have stayed and continue to serve here. God blesses us in many ways, but we don't always see them that way. Christians need only to be obedient and available for God every day. Doesn't sound like much, but it can be very hard to do. Remember to keep this group in your prayers as they travel.

2011-10-22T18:27:00.000+03:00

Our German group is here and they are absolutely delightful. Almost all just love Tanzania and can't wait to come back. One or two really don't like it, but that's life. This group came here because our German missionary friend, Daniel (who is back in Germany now) recommended us. Thank you, Daniel, for allowing me to meet these wonderful Christians. They will just be with us for three days, then a safari, then back to Germany. They are working with the Africa Inland Church which is quite big here and in Tanzania in general. They are all fluent English speakers and it is very nice to be able to speak English with them. I will post some pictures tomorrow. Keep all of them in your prayers for Africa is changing them as it does so many. They are certainly lifting our spirits.

2011-10-21T16:06:00.005+03:00

Was able to get to the bank and to get my dressing changed this morning. Doc says it's still infected but better than it was--so keeping taking the prescribed antibiotics (like I was gonna quit). Then we went by the new Anglican missionary sponsored cafe in Musoma on the Anglican cathedral grounds. It's open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and all the profits go to help the poor women of the parish. John took a few pictures which we posted for you to see at the right--just click on the picture to see more. It was wonderful. The food was good, John loved the Espresso and they served me a brownie the size of New Zealand. The bill was for about eighteen dollars for the three of us for lunch, so we gave them forty dollars (it's a good cause). John is trying to switch his Tuesday teaching to Friday, so he can spend some quiet time at the cafe which also has fast internet--a real draw for John. Karen and crew are getting ready for our German guests tomorrow. There was no bread available in Bunda yesterday and today, nor was there any in Musoma. The one bakery had an equipment failure and there will be no bread till someone goes to Kenya or Mwanza and brings it back. I don't think any of you can imagine not being able to buy bread--you can get all you want 24 hours a day, but TIA (this is Africa) and we live in a different reality. I hope we can get some tomorrow cause our guests will be expecting toast for breakfast. Just one more thing to which we have to adapt. If you can't be flexible, you have no business being a missionary.

2011-10-20T16:46:00.000+03:00

John had students today from Musoma. They ride the bus down and back and spend all day learning from John. Power was off last night for about six hours and again today for about eight hours. Of course, it's rainy season, so whenever we get lightning, the power goes off for a couple of hours just for that. Karen is planning menus and things for our guests arriving Saturday. They will be here three days, but they have their own agenda so we just feed and house them. I go back to Musoma tomorrow to have the Coptic doctor change my dressing and check on the infection again. The stitches will get removed when I go back to Mwanza next Wednesday after our guests have left. I will also have an ultrasound for my prostate problem at the same time. Will have to spend the night since the doctor can't see me until after four in the afternoon. You don't drive the highways at night here--just not safe. Hopefully, will soon be back up and running at full speed again. We had some very heavy rains last night, and I asked Lusi if her floor got wet. She laughed and told me she doesn't have a floor. How easy it is to forget what life is like for the people who live here. She bailed water out of her house this morning and called and said she'd be late because of the water. How blessed we are and how often we forget.