During this
transition of closing out our work here in East Africa, we are tempted to look
back and wonder, "Have we accomplished the task? Have we done our best?
Have we been faithful to Christ's call on our lives?"And although we can
obviously see that we certainly didn't finish the great task of training
leaders, or that we could have done it differently or more effectively, we have
tried to be faithful to the leading of the Spirit throughout these four years.
We readily admit we have only started to give tools, to plant seeds, to cast
vision of the harvest.
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| Joe leading the weekly class of leaders of Morogoro Mennonite Church |
We have
tried to challenge our leaders in the Mennonite churches of Tanzania and Kenya
to the task of Teaching, Making Disciples, and Going Out to the ends of the
earth. A primary goal we had was to provide affordable study materials from an
Anabaptist perspective and to train local leaders to use those materials. We
have also felt the need of, and put some effort into, discipling leaders into a
deeper relationship with Christ and then living out of that relationship. We
hear many local pastors express concern about the condition of the church, and
sense that it (and other churches) is at a crossroad of change and new
direction. We only pray for the leaders to be sensitive and obedient to the
Spirit's guidance and leading. We are confident that the work of God's kingdom
in East Africa will continue as faithful people are called and enabled by the Holy
Spirit.
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| Gloria meeting with the women leaders in Morogoro. |
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| We presented certificates to the leaders who attended the weekly classes in Morogoro. |
So we leave
behind what has been, and move toward what God has for us in the next chapter
of our lives, as we move into something called retirement. It is not without uncertainty that we enter
this phase! Transition of living conditions, community, and meaningful
involvement all loom over us like a big question mark. But we are also aware of
God’s protection and provision as we have traveled many miles and met with many
leaders over the past 4 years. We trust God's continued leading and blessing as
we again step out in faith, keeping our eyes on the goal for the prize of our
heavenly call in Christ Jesus. Our goal has been the same all along – to live
worthy of our spiritual inheritance and to give God glory. And we trust God for
strength to continue “running the race” in whatever way and wherever God has
called.
