Dear Cherished Interested’s,

“There are, so far, fewer legal hurdles here. I remain unemployed here but for the free work that the world sees no value in. If it did, everyone would be doing it. It is that important.”

The above words from eleven days ago.

Five days ago I was called to bring my passport to an office on campus. There I was faced with irritated questioning by three TZ immigration representatives. They informed me that I have been doing nothing correctly. When informed by them that God’s call is all well and good but in their view not as over-archingly important as their interpretation of TZ law and regulations, I stopped talking, closed my eyes and started to pray.

Scripture demands that we strive to respect and follow the local authorities of our world. Without those local authorities we would likely have more chaos to contend with. We are blessed in the U.S. to have regular opportunity to change who bears local authority. Every place is different. God isn’t.

As of two days ago I was directed to refrain from any activities other than those in Nkoaranga at the Children’s Village. That leaves the Children at Silverleaf Academy without me. That allegedly leaves requests to preach at local pulpits to be forsaken.

Did you notice that I indicated that the Silverleaf Academy Children would be without me?

No one has told Hilda to change anything. She is a cute little Bibi(grandmother) who is simply a science teacher teaching local teachers how to teach laboratory science.

She has been a Sunday School Teacher far longer than a science teacher. The Silverleaf Children will have Hilda tomorrow, Thursday, for bible study and praise time. Sunday the Silverleaf Children will have Hilda for Sunday School/Worship time, and hopefully our local polyglot teenage helpers too.

I preached the two Sundays following Bishop Kitoi at the Cathedral. Last Sunday we sang almost the entire service time foregoing sermon as planned by the church. I will forsake no request. Local Pastors I have preached for have been informed of what’s going on. They assure that no one can touch me.

TZ authorities have unfortunately threatened the work of those around me. As if feeding and educating children was anything less than necessary everywhere. Patience, patience, patience..

There are three local women who work with Hilda.

Again it reads like a stupid joke from years ago. A Catholic woman, an Assemblies of God woman, and a Pentecostal woman got together to save the ministry of a Lutheran woman with Catholic and Presbyterian roots and her husband also a Lutheran with Presbyterian roots. This they did quietly championed by their Jewish boss.

Do we remember that all of us Christians serve a Jewish boss, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ chose to be born to Jewish people, be raised a Jew, be buried as a Jew. Jesus is infinitely more but was he also a Jew when He was raised? What would Joseph, his mother and followers say? Forgive the tangent.

I don’t know enough yet. Two of those three wonderful women intend to take me to their Pastors so I can be locally accepted as a Received International Missionary serving here. I don’t know anything of any process of any church or government agency yet but may be serving as a received missionary perhaps under a non-lutheran local Church authority. We will see. Hilda is still solid. I am the problem.

Pray please..

For Hilda to stay invisible.. and at work..

That I stay quiet and out of sight, when, I am supposed to be quiet and out of sight. That we both be prepared for whatever God wants for and from us.

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Also please continue to Pray for:

Our armed forces families, our leadership, our people, whole world round, all of Gods kids -

All the tough and blessing expressed above –

The love of folks –

Whatever is on your hearts and minds for us –

For our children and grand-children who miss us.. we miss them too.. for the family of a beloved rescued greyhound who is so dearly missed but no longer suffering..

I continue to be under much harsh spiritual attack concerning my sense of self-worth and those many things I have yet to get to, please, only as you are comfortable, remember me, indeed us.. the world doesn’t like what we are doing out of love we don’t own.. yet have none the less -

For Makumira Secondary School looking to share stories and partner in some way with a foreign school, Great leaders, teachers, students, programs, strong backs, minds, and hearts –

For our health to stay ahead of whatever is before us –

For a way for us to invest with our experience and even financially in support of local industrious people so we can afford to stay and continue to make a difference one face at a time –

For those who have braved the donate button to discover Kajun Crofton, our daughter who helps getting each one of your donations to us and every blogpost to where you can read it –

For you who find other ways to uplift and support us -

For each and every one of you –

Each and every one of your prayers, your precious conversations with God –

Prayers, Your Prayer, Even groaning prayers make all the difference..

Vern W

May Life be as Music to your Heart - May Music be as Heart to your Life 

- May Heart be as Life to your Music -