Nobody left!

A whole week where nobody left! wooohooo... in fact, three families arrived! Well: one returned from a week working hard to prepare the new operational Base up in Arusha, one returned from a week away sorting out necessary medical requirements for their Australian visa application and the third family returned from Home Assignment, ready for their final leg here in Tanzania. The latter two live about 10 minutes walk away and the former are here for a final week to pack up from 6 yrs of serving here with MAF.

An incoming international flight whilst awaiting to taxi onto the same runway

This week saw more interviews and decision makings for Arusha... and for the handover of our Dodoma hanger, stock and a few faithful staff to a local chap, our excellent ex-Chief Engineer - a wonderful legacy for MAF to leave Dodoma with :o) A couple of planes continue to be worked on by the remaining talented MAF crew

Below:discussions on the runway before loading OPE for its final flight out from Tanzania, the first picture showed it leaving.

On the subject of leaving: we've been asked a few times about our plans - we're pretty sure we won't be going to Arusha, the Base is too small to need programme managing. At the end of September we are due for a brief visit to the UK at a conference with other p.m.'s plus some medical check-up and a church to share with in Crawley Down, nicely coinciding with a special young man's 21st Birthday :o) It is at that time we shall be considering the next step - we've farrrrr too much to think about just now and aren't in any hurry to make plans: I think YWAM trained us well! Moreover a Wonderfully wise Person tells us "do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself; today has enough concerns of its own" Matthew 6:34

Hope all is well in your part of the world.... we're certainly praying for the peace of Jerusalem at this time ... and for Arusha too where you may have seen the BBC report on a couple of grenade attacks this past week injuring several civilians, following unrest just across the northern border into Kenya where 1500 armed 'peace keepers' took to the streets.

A mother in Jerusalem, protecting her toddler

We'll say Shabbat Shalom and Salaam and Salamu at this Ramadan season.
J+C xx

Safina

We're getting ready to welcome Amanda Reeves, a lovely friend (whom we used to take to Crusaders each week with Oli and Asher, many years ago!), now grown into a beautiful woman of God, just completing her nurse training and who is arriving next weekend from the UK to stay with us for a couple of weeks, to volunteer with SAFINA STREET KIDS!

Meet Andrea, our next door neighbour on the compound here; she runs the Safina work, with a team of 8 local volunteers

Here are some photos of the area and precious children, many of whom have been sleeping on the streets, perhaps "working" on the rubbish tip, often with no parents or perhaps none that will/are able to offer them care, some with nowhere to call home - they are offered food, a bed and somewhere safe with "foster parents" whilst a more permanent solution is found.

A local "beauty spot"?

Makeshift home for some youngsters

Look at this precious little one, amidst all the rubbish, living there with others, some as young as 3 or 4 years old

They sort through rubbish in order to sell, hoping to make enough for a meal...what an existence!

What can't be scraped up and sold is burned, polluting the air with acrid smoke

Each week Andrea and Safina Street Kids team of volunteers go onto the dump to share the Good News

Many are happy to receive expressions of love and attention

They listen to Bible teaching and peoples' personal stories.. and pray to their Heavenly Father who knows and Loves them

What's talk without action:worthless - they need food! The New Testament says Faith without deeds is dead. Here's Andrea: regularly she and the volunteers go onto the streets, easily finding those who are hungry and invite them to eat

Andrea serves with AIM (African Inland Mission) ... sometimes donations are given to Safina for concrete or paint to brighten the bare floors and walls, for the foster home/orphanage or their school room, but money designated for food isn't forthcoming and there's no assistance from the Government whatsoever. If you'd like to help Andrea and her team to be able to give food to some of the 160 they're currently feeding and clothing then please drop me a line: c99oaj@gmail.com. Now we know what to do with all the bananas our many trees are laden with :o)

Sometimes the Police drop them off, other children have been invited in from the streets/dump for food, clothing and shelter






We're so pleased to be able to help and know Amanda will be an e.nor.mous blessing to them when she arrives next weekend. With such vast areas/distances and often dreadful roads in Tanzania we're combining the trip to collect her whilst helping re-locate south to Mbeya our final international MAF family from the compound here. Whilst in the area we're also taking the opportunity to meet with one of SIL/MAF's pilot's who works with Wycliffe Bible translators in that district, to see the amazing work they do down there. So we won't be here to blog next week. See you in August!

Staircase up to Jez's office, adjacent to the hanger, here on the compound

I was challenged this week by reading some words from Jackie Pullinger who has worked (since the year Jez was born) with drug addicts, prostitutes, gang members, etc., in Hong Kong and China and will close with this: ‘God wants us to have soft hearts and hard feet. The trouble with so many of us is that we have hard hearts and soft feet.’

Over and out
Jez and Carina xx

4th July

I suspect this applies to many of us at this time ...... we're seeing so many changes around here, we're putting our trust in God not in people or plans or ideas, not in organisations or anyone's hopes/dreams... you too maybe.

With our recently acquired HR hats it has been good working together, with a number of interviewees here for the new finance/admin post up in Arusha. We have had some additional visitors:

Flightlink, one of a growing number of small commercial airlines in Tanzania, had a punctured tire on one of its (Government-offical carrying) planes and was blocking the runway (first picture above) so it limped into our hanger for repair - an uncommon sight... then two other visitors made a "flying" stop! Picture opposite saw them on the tarmac outside the MAF hanger.








Apart from those and the 3 minarets nearby, blaring out call to prayer 5 times a day, seemingly louder during this Ramadan season, things have been mighty quiet around here this week: we miss these lovely, lively youngsters:

With the departure of nearly 100 people Jez feels he has finally got down to ticking off some lists and has had the wherewith all to consider tackling the paper mountains/bulging inbox, with several more months of tasks to accomplish. Here in our garden I managed to 'catch' more yummie ripening bananas, this time before the birds helped themselves: this feels tragic to see the waste when we have friends/neighbours literally starving for lack of food. More on SAFINA STREET KIDS MINISTRY later, when I'm braver...

Actually many of the birds are absolutely gorgeous, iridescent colours, beautiful song and usually a welcome sight! Someone who made us feel welcome is Margaret, an ex-neighbour on the compound, now living out in the "thick of it" serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators and who treated us with a tasty meal:

Margaret in her kitchen... maybe you can spot the secret ingredient :o)

Well we're sending this early to wish a happy 4th July to our much appreciate American friends. Happy weekend one and all,
Jez and Carina xx