Pitching Tents, Pit Toilets and Polygamists...It's a Marriage Seminar!

Soda, a package of socks, sides of a die, legs of an insect, strings of a guitar, and sides of a hexagon. How in the world could these relate to our marriage seminar you might ask? They all represent the number 6. Six also represents the number of wives of one of our marriage retreat attendees. Some men came with 3 wives, others came with two and some brought their only wife. KasiKasi (kah-see kah-see) was the winner with 6 wives tho! He didn’t actually bring all six with him. Interestingly enough, he brought the 6^th wife with him. She is a lovely young woman by the name of Mama Lepapa. Lepapa (leh-pah-pah) is the name of her first born son. I had the privilege of getting to know her better as we waited for our husbands to fix the puncture we experienced on the way to the seminar.

Six also represents the number of hours it took to get to the place of our seminar. Early Friday morning we loaded up our car with our tent, camping materials, food, necessary items for the seminar games, and the celebration cake I prepared in advance. We took Meg to school and headed out for what was to be one of the most memorable marriage seminars we’ve ever hosted.

Two hours later we arrived part way in the Masai village of Mairowa, also known as the “ big city” out in those remote parts. It’s “big” because it hosts a few rinky-dink shops, a central market, a clinic, school , church, a guest house and phone coverage in certain areas. It is also fairly easy to reach by car. We stopped in at our friend Kasi Kasi’s house to offer him a lift and to wait for our church planters Isaiah and Elizabeth from Matale C to come ride with us. After two hours of waiting and endless lessons in counting in Masai as well as various random vocabulary, it was apparent that Isaiah and Elizabeth were no shows. It was at this point we decided to walk to the large termite mound about 100 yards from us where we were told we could get phone coverage in the hope of calling them. Arriving there and discovering no service we then continued on to a boma further south. Word of mouth says you can get service there if the “winds are right.” Ha! Well that was a no-go. Someone then said over at the clinic we’ll have better luck. Oh dear! After making about a one mile-radius circle and holding our phone way up in the air it was evident we weren’t going to get any phone service in the great “metropolis” of Mairowa. With only an hour before the seminar was to start we decided we best leave for our host village of Enkeua, (En-kay-wah) and hope that Isaiah and Elizabeth would make it sometime later. (We found out later that they couldn’t come because their son was sick).

Enkeua is a lovely little village nestled in a valley, surrounded by breathtaking, rocky mountains. It hosts a small store, many Masai bomas, a school and most importantly… a great church led by our dear Masai friend, James Kukan. James was actually trained by CMF Kenya many years ago. He moved to the Enkeua area to begin church planting. He serves as our overseer for the church plants amongst the Masai. He’s an amazing man of God with bold leadership and a pastor’s heart. The committed devotion of the church members reflects the kind of solid leadership James provides.

It took us over an hour to reach Enkeua from Mairowa. It is a very rocky way resembling a road for about half the way. After that it looks more like a Jeep commercial, traversing though deep ruts, teetering over rocky outcroppings. It was at this point we discovered what we dreaded…. A flat tire! Kasi Kasi and Todd began the work of repairing the tire while Mama Lepapa and I bonded. (See pic of the two of us) She was amazed with my white skin. At one point she even put her leg up against mine commenting on how white I am. She then compared our arms, pointing out some of my moles. I noted some of her scars. I pointed to one and she said that was from a burn. I pointed to some long, cut-like scars on her other arm and asked if those were from burns as well. She then got real quiet and sheepishly informed me that her husband made those. Because she “carelessly” lost some of their cows he beat her with his stick. Trying to conceal my shock and dismay I then asked if he still beats her. She simply replied, “still.”

It became apparent to me this delay wasn’t about the flat tire at all. I truly believe God, Mama Lepapa’s precious Father, who loves her with an everlasting love, wanted me to have a greater understanding of what we were going to be facing and to prepare accordingly. The thirty minutes required for our husbands to change the flat tire allowed me insight into a century’s old stronghold of cultural disdain for their women. Like the woman at the well, God wanted to fill these dear Masai women with His Living Water so that they would never thirst again and at the same time open the eyes of their husbands to see from His Word just how precious their wives are!

We finally arrived at the church in Enkeua with everyone waiting. How exciting! We’ve hosted this seminar countless times, each time adding a little more based on what we learned from the previous one. Why I didn’t think in advance that we would be dealing with polygamists escapes me. Imagine my shock when starting the “get to know you ice breaker” game only to hear, “Which wife?” Ha! One man brought 3 of his wives. Overcoming my surprise I responded, “Well, we’ll be playing several games at this retreat so for the first game play with your first wife. For the 2^nd game play with your 2^nd wife and so on.” Ha! What a hoot! The games offered so much laughter as you can see in one of the pictures. They also served to relax people before introducing some "taboo" issues like intimacy in marriage, treatment of women, etc.

God’s presence was palpable in that little dirt-floored church. Incidentally, this is the building that CMF helped build. It’s not completed, lacking windows, floor and cosmetic things but it served us well for the seminar! We hit some really hard issues as we opened the Word of God to hear His plan for marriage, husbands and wives. We discussed cultural traditions surrounding marriage and women and compared them with scripture. Most were surprised that the Bible has so much to say about marriage. Perhaps the most astonishing revelation for them was to read for themselves God’s design for women…equal with men and how women were to be loved and cherished…”as Christ loves the church…”

Addressing cultural issues and comparing them with Word is like pealing back layers of an onion. We receive revelation into one only to peal that back to reveal yet another. It’s a process of healing and learning to walk out that new found freedom and revelation. We truly only touched the surface with this seminar but this I know... seeds have been planted and we have full confidence in the Holy Spirit to cultivate those seeds. Our Heavenly Father loves His children and longs for them to know His ways… better ways…safer and more blessed ways to live. No one… not even humble pastoralists living at what seems like the “end of the world” are beyond the scope of His love. For all the women at the seminar I know God showed Himself as “El Roi,” “The God who sees me..” Their precious Father showed them that He not only sees them but He loves and cherishes them, will never leave nor forsake them. He has a better life for them. If that was all we accomplished in that weekend then I’m satisfied. But I know God did so much more in them and in us. We truly went not exactly knowing what to expect. Yet true to His Word…our God did “immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine” because of His love for marriage and His great love for His children, the Masai people of Tanzania.

Small business idea provides big dreams for 16 local orphans!

Our God truly does way more than we can ever ask or imagine! This is a truth that God often calls to my memory and He often uses the "least of these" to show it to me. Two days ago was no different. Who would have thought that 8 women living below the poverty level, would avail themselves to the Lord, step out in faith to support 16 orphans to go to school? But that is what they did! We're talking about women who struggle to meet the needs of their own family, emboldened by the love of their Savior to be His hands and feet to the "fatherless."

A group of 8 women led by Elinipa and Esther (see picture), formed a CHE group with the big dream of transforming their community. CHE stands for Community Health Evangelism. They gather each week to learn lessons in Word of God as well as preventative disease, micro-enterprise, appropriate technology and much more. It's at these lessons that God began to stir their hearts to mobilize their passions and training to make a difference in the lives of the orphans in their village.

Education is viewed very differently here in Tanzania. In the United States education is free and every child is ensured the right to attend. For Tanzanian children education is not a right but a privilege eluded by the majority of children here. A major obstacle for attending school is the cost. Students are required to pay tuition, uniforms, food and even any materials that may be used. In some areas schools are sparce requiring students to live far away from their parents and pay boarding fees as well. The average cost of a primary student is about $40 a year but even that is an insurmountable hurdle for many of the villagers to afford. You can understand why the $400-$800 a year for secondary remains nothing but an unfulfilled dream for most.

Undaunted by the numbers the CHE group of Ekenywa set out to find a solution for the 16 orphans God laid on their hearts. They decided to start a micro-enterprise selling nutritionally boosted porridge. Most porridge is simply made out of maize and lacks any body-boosting support. Coupled with the desire to support orphans as well as offer a nutritionally enhanced product, they came up with a recipe that power-packs the common porridge offered in the local stores.

Together these 8 ladies purchase all the ingredients from the local market: corn, soy beans, peanuts, rice, flour and have have them transported by bulk to the local mill. Their they pay extra fees to have it all ground to a fine powder. After that they pay more transport to have it brought to a small room they rent to be used as their "assembly factory" as well as their shop. (see pic of Esther and her son, Freddy packaging the porridge and putting on labels). On any given day you may find few or all of the 8 ladies gathered around making the bags to hold the porridge, filling the bags, sealing and labeling the bags. Yes, to cut costs even the bags hosting the porridge are folded and made by hand. The glue holding them together is made from the porridge they are selling. :-) Talk about resourceful! "Micro-enterprise" seems a misnomer at times, doesn't it? For although it may be a small business for eight seemingly simple women, it provides big dreams for 16 children who were left with almost no hope. Our God truly does immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine when we avail ourselves to Him!

This particular day that I was visiting their shop I noticed it was full of nearly 9 bags full of porridge. That was almost 1800 lbs of porridge. I learned the Lord had convicted the ladies hearts to respond to hungry people in the bush left devastated by the most recent drought; the worst drought this country has seen in decades. Over the past week these ladies have given countless hours, resources and energy to making and packaging almost a ton of porridge to bless those in most desperate need. I was in awe. Esther doesn't always have enough to even support her own family but that doesn't waver her faith nor her compassion to reach out to the "least of these." I was in humbled awe and silence.

Would you please remember to pray for these dear ladies? We're trusting God to open every door for the success of their enterprise of love. May He increase His favor and creative abundance over them. Please pray for Elinipa (the one wearing the hat), as she oversees several different CHE groups that she has formed in the area. May God increase to her all wisdom and spiritual discernment, as well as energy and compassion. She's truly a remarkable woman of God. I'm blessed to come alongside and partner with her in this marvelous ministry to the women of our surrounding neighborhoods.

Another wonderful blessing that came from that visit was Nempiris. (Her name means Grace in the masai language. She's in the photo with Elinipa and Esther). She was passing by as we were taking pictures of Esther and all the bags. Upon greeting her we discovered she's been suffering from eye problems. I asked her if we could pray for her. After sharing with her that I brought prayer oil with me and explaining it's purpose she said, "Well in that case pour it all over me because my back hurts,my head hurts, my legs and feet hurt.." What faith!! We prayed believing God for her healing and sure enough, He heard the cries of this dear, sweet child of His, overlooked by most of the world. He healed her right there on the spot! She jumped up and down praising God saying, "And to think I woke up this morning thinking I was just going to go to the field to get corn for my cows. But I got healed instead!"

"Eye has not seen, ear has not heard and mind can not even imagine what God has for those who love Him.."

Nempiris asked that we not forget her but continue to pray for her. I've kept that promise. She left healed that day and I know I will never be the same again either!

My family went to the African Bush and all we got was....this amazing life-changing experience!!!!

"It's not our differences that divide us. It is our ability to recognize, accept and celebrate those differences." (Audre Lorde)

How true that is! Who would have imagined how "at home" we would feel and how welcomed we would be by our brothers and sisters out in Masailand. But...that is exactly how we felt! Imagine sleeping in a place with no electricity and nothing on the walls, just beds in the room. The "toilet" was a whole in floor. The shower, a small room with 3 walls, a door and a bucket of water. The evening dinner consisted of beans, rice and some greens cooked over an open fire in a "kitchen" made of sticks and thatch, situated about 20 feet behind the main house. Everyone spoke a completely different language..masai language. Todd and I only know Swahili and tho we speak that well it was of little help out in the Masai bushland. Yet even with all these differences it was amazing to feel so welcomed, so embraced and so loved.

We arrived Saturday, mid-afternoon. Our host, Joseph, a Masai himself, was late to join us. He was stuck in Arusha waiting on the mechanic to finish the repairs on his vehicle. So there we were..all 12 of us, 8 guests and our family of four... waiting! Joseph's wife welcomed us into their home in Mairowa. There we had chai. Out in Masailand chai has quite a different taste than at home in Arusha. It's mostly milk and tea with a strong, smoky taste. I understand that is from the way it is made. The smoke from the open fire mixed with the charcoal lined gourd the milk is collected in, all combine to make the chai have a unique, smoky flavor.

Daniel, a new pastor and Peter Kukan, one of our first church planters we trained happened to join us for chai. We asked him for suggestions for things to do while we waited for Joseph's arrival. He suggested we attend a celebration for a ceremony of some boys who were recently circumcised. Normally we would not be allowed into such a private, cultural celebration. However, because Daniel knew the owners of the boma who hosted the celebration, we were allowed to attend. I was a little apprehensive at first, not certain if it was a good idea or not. Yet after seeing Peter's eagerness to go we agreed. What a great decision that was!

Our group arrived long after the circumcision took place. By this point the festivities had begun. Our hosts, the owners of the boma, Mama and Baba Isaiah, were so gracious to us! They welcomed us joyfully into their boma. The church choir was just congregating to begin their procession of singing and dancing. It's nearly impossible to describe the amazing sights and sounds of such an event. Our western heritage lacks the appropriate experiences from which to draw to begin to describe such an adventure. Beads, dangles, songs, dance, laughter, smoke, chants, spears, smells, fear, excitement, wonder and most of all, awe. I was in awe of something so common place to the Masai was astoundingly profound for us westerners.

I believe God allowed our "temporal plans" to be "interrupted" to open our eyes to the diversity of those whom He calls His children. How profoundly awestruck I was to be standing there amidst all the "strange" sites, sounds and smells only to find that deep down inside we're not that different. Tho we come from such different backgrounds, we mamas still share the same concerns: children, husbands, food, education for our kids, etc. On the flip side, worship to them means dancing, singing, and jumping. Food consists of blood, milk and occasional meat. Yet all in all, what amazes me most is the one thing that draws us all together and makes our hearts one.. the blood of Jesus. Awesome!!

The biggest blessing I received from that whole experience was the privilege to pray for Mama Isaiah, our host. She is a Christian married to a man who is not. She graciously invited us all back to her hut to share in a soda that in total costs her over a day's wage in this country. She explained how the two trees temporarily affixed to the side of her hut represent the two young boys inside healing from the circumcision they received earlier in the day. She explained how difficult it is being married to a non-Christian man and asked us to pray over her and her family. We were all so humbled. Words can't describe the somber feeling we all felt as we left the celebration to go back to Joseph's house. Please join us in praying for Mama Isaiah and her family.

The next day, Sunday we all went to one of our 11 new church plants out in Masailand. Joseph oversees this church in a village called Loserian. Once again we were so blessed by their exuberant joy and love for the Lord. The church building was already too small so we all sat on the ground or on benches made of fallen limbs.Our American guests had opportunity to introduce themselves and Brian even preached. After three hours we finished and as we left they adorned us all with hand made, beaded cross necklaces and warm embraces.

Before heading home to reminisce on all our experiences with our new Masai friends, we were escorted up the hill to the boma of one of the church members. They welcomed us to enjoy a roasted goat with them. What a luxury and blessing! It was raining as we all crowded into the stick and thatch cook house. Huddled around the smoky embers of the cooking fire, I smiled to see a small glimpse of what heaven must look like. Shoulder to shoulder, people of every race, color and language, all standing around the All Consuming Fire...our God! Wow!!!

What God Has Joined Together...Let NOTHING Seperate!

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow! Another marriage seminar week is under our belt! What a week it was! Four Masai couples, one Baraguyu couple (similar to masai) and one couple from the costal tribe of the Digo. So, we had pastoralists as well as farmers and fishermen. It just goes to show you that Kingdom culture transcends all earthly cultures when we allow His truths to saturate our lives!

Masai culture is a particularly difficult culture to penetrate with the truth of God's design for marriage. For instance, introducing them to the truth that God created men and women equally, both from His image, and that He has given each of them His divine destiny...whew! This a completely foreign concept for a tribe that for centuries has treated their women as property. Many of the men in our seminar confessed that in their tribe women are beaten for "misbehaving" in front of the men. When asked what they meant by "misbehaving" some responses were, "If a woman looks into a man's eyes when talking to him." Woman are simply not allowed to do this in this man's culture for its sexual implications.

Another one mentioned, "If she gives birth to girls and no boys, we can take her out to tie her to a tree and beat her." (side note here... let me tell you how shocked they were to learn that it's actually the man's "seed" that determines the gender of the baby. It's the Truth and only the Truth that is setting these men AND women free)!

Words can not begin to describe the incredible impact the Truth of God has in these marriage seminars. I'm always in awe of the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit as He is guiding us into all Truth...the Truth that will set them free and release their women into the destiny God has for them.

In these seminars we stress the importance of playing and having fun together as a couple. Believe me when I say this is completely a foreign subject with them. For the rural, African woman her day consists of work. She wakes up before the sun to prepare her donkey for the long journey of finding water. For the ladies in our seminar, they said they have to walk 8 hours round trip just to find an efficient water source. They return home to find a hungry husband. She then preps the fire, cooks the meal, cleans up the meal. It's now time to gather firewood. She sets out on this detail. Upon returning it's time to do laundry. By the time this is finished she finds yet again it's time to fix a meal for her family. She preps the fire, cooks the meal. She feeds her husband, then her children. She eats what is left. She cleans up the dinner mess. By now the children are tired and cranky. She bathes them and puts them to bed. She's now ready for bed herself, only to wake up and repeat this for the next day.

So.. as you can see... helping them to realize that building a little fun into their day..however that translates culturally, is ever so important. To help them realize this we had them participate in some rather western style games to prove the point that "laughter is indeed good medicine." They all enjoyed the games and agreed that, "A cheerful heart lifts a man/woman up!" Their homework was then to think of ways they can play together in their own homes. Fun!

The last thing we do on Friday of that week to culminate the end of our seminar is to host a wedding, offering them the opportunity to re-new their vows... vows established in Godly truths they learned from the seminar. Friday morning, after having a nitty gritty session with just the ladies, I realized they weren't ready yet. They couldn't renew vows they weren't committed to following yet. They openly admitted that they wanted to follow these truths. They believe the truths. But, the power of their culture and traditions is so great they just don't know they can follow them. My heart broke. We postponed the wedding till later in the afternoon to afford us a time to bring them all together..men and women.. and pray! God has given us the warfare we need to tear down EVERY demonic stronghold. We needed to get into the presence of God, take up our sword of the Spirit and tear down strongholds. It became apparent to me as we prayed that God wanted the men to read aloud from Ex 34 and 20 about the "iniquities of the father being passed down from generation to generation and extending to the 3rd and 4th generation." The Holy Spirit made it clear that these cultural traditions of hatred on their women have been passed down to them. But God, in His mercy, has plucked them out of their tribes to be the ones to tear down those strongholds of hatred and bondage over their women and be the generation to bring "blessing to the 1000th generation." We had the men stand up while our dear Tanzanian co-worker, Loymayani, prayed for them. Immediately men began to fall to the floor, sobbing, repenting for past generations and asking God's forgiveness and blessing for them and their future generations. When things settled we then asked the men to stand behind their wives. We had them gently hold their wives head in their hands and pray for the blood of Jesus to wash their minds clean of all the lies the enemy has told them for centuries. Wow!! It was nothing short of AMAZING! The presence of God in the room was so great we were all in tears. NOW we were ready for a wedding!!!

Tearing down strongholds and breaking off bondages over marriages in these rural, African tribes is like peeling back layers of an onion. You peel back one only to expose another. It's a process. Yes, there is instant freedom in many areas. But, when they return to their villages to live out these truths, they will face temptation to return to the bondages they've just been released from. Please stand with these courageous men and women of God. They need our prayers to help them contend for these freedoms! I often tell them it's a rippling affect. By their example they will affect and influence those around them. It's not easy tho. Please remember to pray for them by name: Philipo and Noolasho

Luka and Sara

Musa and Agnes

Mattaio and Ana

Philemon and Deborah

Yakobo and Eva

These are the world changers God has chosen for the Maasai, Barabuyu and Digo tribes! Let's stand with them in prayer, holding up their hands in battle! Together, with our prayers, they are more than conquerors in Jesus' Name!

Christ in us... our Hope of Glory!

Praise be to the Lord, our God for His indescribable gift in Jesus Christ! What a wonderful hope of heaven we have, one that our friend, Tomas knows full well. Tomas and his wife, Neema were students of ours a couple years back. After graduating they went back to their home to live and serve their own people of the Barabaiq tribe. It was within this last year it was discovered that Tomas was suffering with throat cancer. After receiving radiation treatment he returned home to live out his remaining days with his family. When asked if he was sad or afraid he responded, "How could I be? If God chooses to heal me here on earth then what an amazing testimony I will have. If he chooses to wait and heal me on the other side of heaven then all the better. I will be with my Savior!"

Last week, Palm Sunday, Tomas won his battle for cancer... on the other side of heaven. He is now home with His Savior, complete, whole and celebrating Resurrection Sunday with the angels in heaven. His funeral drew hundreds of people. It was the first ever.. Christian funeral amongst the Barabaiq tribe. A time of refreshing has come to this remote group of people. These people living in darkness have seen a great Light. That Light radiated from Tomas resulting in God being glorified...even in death!!! Christ in us.. our Hope of glory...victory over hell and eath itself!! Blessed be His Name!!

Please remember to pray for his wife, Neema, (pronounced Neh-eh-mah) and their 5 children. The way our courses are designed trains both the husbands and wives. So Neema will carry on in the work that she and Tomas so dearly loved. Their heart is to see all the Barabaiq come to know their Savior, Jesus Christ.

In the full swing of it all!

Six new families have come to join us for this round of training. Four are Maasai, one couple is from the Baraguyu tribe and the last couple is from the Digo tribe. The Maasai and Baraguyu are all pastoralists but the Digo (as seen in picture) are farmers and fishermen who live on the east coast of the country. It always fascinates me to see just who God is going to bring our way. His passionate pursuit for the lost is displayed in the hearts of each of these new students. They all come to us with a passion to reach their own people with the truth of God's amazing love and sacrifice.

The students have been in session for over a month learning preventative medicine, Farming God's Way, in addition to Christian growth and discipleship. They bring with them 12 bright-eyed, eager to learn children. Olias is doing a bang up job with this energetic group. :-) (see picture of Olias and his students)

April 16th will find all our students eager to return to their home villages where they will begin 3 weeks of practicum, applying all that they have learned as well as gathering ideas and questions to bring back with them for their second half of training. It's an exciting time indeed. Light has entered into these remote areas and we praise God for this! "Eye has not seen, ear has not heard nor can our minds imagine what God has prepared for those He loves!" Blessed be His Name!

We ask that you please be in prayer for our new students by name:

1. Digo tribe: Yakobo and Eva

2. Baraguyu tribe: Philemon and Debora

3. Maasai Tribe: Mataio and Anna

4. Maasai Tribe: Musa and Agnes

5. Maasai Tribe: Philipo and Naalasho

6. Maasa Tribe: Luka and Sara

Until next time! Be blessed!