Dear Cherished Interested’s,                                                                                                     October 24^th 2024

Hilda has had over ten days of a bug.  Wisely she took antibiotic we acquired here where self-care is required and there are no legal impediments to such care.  She sounded not only better as she went to sleep Tuesday night Colorado, but very nearly great.  This at about 4 AM my time Tanzania.                  She has weathered well, in spite of illness, several long days and two very late evenings of Parent teacher conferences.  She met many parents, even a few she really needed to meet.

Thank You for the time and effort to pray for us.

One of our editor/translators is now in school.  She is in her thirties and this hoped for Music degree will be the second following History.  She is starting from zero with music except for a remarkable gift of pitch and sensitivity to parts in choral arrangement which pours out in her singing.  About an hour before dark last night she was here singing the TZ national anthem into my ear so I could get the tune and timing into my computer.  This for an assignment ahead. 

This is something you have done by praying too.  Thank you

-------------------------------------

Thank you all of you who have continued to give.  I am thankful.  We did not know what to plan for.  We only sought not to leave anything unused in what we have been brought into and through by God and your praying to use even people like us.  I know many of my fellows at home would not approve of the skin of our teeth serving wherever we are.

In fact, I don’t approve entirely either, but I am still learning.  Learning that tomorrow brings more than I can do and yet, God does everything I am supposed to be part of anyway.  I only get to participate and watch.

Like children’s choir at church..  Too many littles to count..  Not a single microphone among them and yet they filled the Cathedral with sound like the grown up choir often doesn’t.  Can’t wait until they come to English service again.

Like new local ones coming to English Service.  Young little ones coming with other young little ones and caring for younger little ones with them.  Somehow choosing not to be afraid of me, even without Hilda.  Then sitting in the same pew so I can help guide them through worship.

Right now just the simple goodness of fresh hot cooked food lovingly prepared by the same chef who three years ago would leave her kitchen, come outside and help me learn the various abbreviations of Swahili names for the books of the Bible.  Hilda told them I was supposed to be fat when I get back to America..  Most often, I don’t eat supper because no one is around and I have already eaten enough before Hilda’s minions depart.    

Like bringing the occasional literally starving student to eat with us during the day.

Your prayer does things like this too.  Thank you.

------------------------------------

Last messages are now within the capable efforts of the editor-translators.  Hoping to have the help of some of those desperate and fearful with regards printing house that supports servants of God’s people.  We’ll see. 

Also need help here with some other issues regarding funds owed this tyrant who trusted.  Hoping to turn those debts over to a more remote mountain church near to and related to the borrowers.  That church is striving to do entrepreneurial enterprise to feed widows, shut-ins, and support educations.

Please pray, I can’t take credit for success but must strive.  You do your part please, it is amazing how willing God is to hear you.  Thank you.

Closing Africa house and returning to Hilda I pray will be easy, no matter how impossibly hard.   Deserting the loved ones there/here is extremely painful.  Perhaps, with today’s tech, it won’t be as complete a desertion as it was in the past.  We’ll see if there is interest here for connection in the face of perceived rejection. 

Long way to go, still..  Your prayer deeply sought for this work too.  Thank You.

------------------------------------

Keep our feet to the fire, please.  Thank You!

We may live dangerously, but we are alive.  Thank you for praying us the courage to live this way, if dangerously.  We don’t see it that way.

-------------------------------

You who read and pray and suffer along with us.  Please believe what we get to see.  Thank you for praying our strength and guidance for each moment with each face.   Folks like you are beyond precious. 

vwilliamson@sprynet.com

Really blessed while deeply under attack..  all of it is spiritual..  I wish I could teach that to everyone so they could truly know it.  I didn’t know it for far too long. 

Please keep crumpling us up and throwing us at God.  That is where we need to be.  God will sort us out.

One day at a time.  Just like how you each live.  Just one day at a time. 

Thank you, each of you.

                -------------------------------------------------------

What 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?.. 

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 each and every one of you –

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

Prayers, Your Prayer, Even your groaning prayers makes 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

 Dear Cherished Interested’s,                                                                                                     October 10^th 2024

Carried gear for a returning theology student, with her, to her new rooming assignment on campus yesterday afternoon.  The weekend before, while filling hopefully one of the last commitments made by my huge hearted wife, had taken the stupid little truck, the two precious editor-translators and myself about 3 to 4 hours away, nearly Kenya again.  There we were close to this theologian’s home and church servicing so that we were able to pack her gear back here in the truck for her. 

Being on campus is something I avoid in the light of day, in respect of the disreputable who happen to have power and engender tremendous fear among those they are trusted to serve, with, among and to.  Large back-pack on, but only one strap of a large duffle because I am an elder who can’t carry anything, you know.  The other strap was being carried by the theologian herself.  Another large sack was in the capable hands of a daughter of the University Chaplain.  Shhhh..

Few were on campus but they are gathering.  I was greeted in Meru by the guard on duty and amazed by the students walking up to this outcast to shake my free hand with such earnest grace.  Those roots are being loosened all the time but nutrition is still lovingly getting through.

I walked myself home greeting people, working people not authority people, who want Hilda to be greeted.  The church world around needs its butt kicked.  Since Constantine converted to Christianity and shared authority structures from outside the church into the church, those authority structures are a double edged sword too often blunted on the side of those wielding power through them. 

Fear lets them.  Desperation lets them.  However, are those structures from Roman antiquity the authority that saves anyone of anything, ever?  Tired and self-oppressed beloved North America, what is our excuse?

More than the church world round needs its butt kicked, I need a good kick or two too.

So, pray for me please..  I don’t have that huge hearted wife with me here to share some of the oppression with.  The oppression born of that fear and desperation.  I look like the colonizers that were thrown out.  But seemingly everyone avoids the desert with God on the journey from enslavement to freedom; there is still addiction to desperation and fear and what colonizers used to bring that was beneficial. 

And as we have abused ourselves at home with our choice of leadership over the many years, the destructive consequence to our personal authorities and responsibilities manifest over those same many years; our diminishment at home has taken and continues to take lives here.  Who and how we are either serves the world we are part of or leaves it bereft of us and what life can build with us where we aren’t even aware.  70 times 7

-------------------------------------

Two weekends ago, was a trip to the mountain country almost due east of here.  There three days.  Day one travel, celebrate with a bride her send-off into marriage.  Day three, gather at the church for the wedding. 

Day two was insane.  Beautiful but insane.  I did all the driving.  From remote volcanic hot-springs to power damn to sunset canoe ride on waters between TZ and Kenya in sight of Hippopotamus plural.  Then goat trail in the dark up extremely steep and abusively washed out track to the one of the highest peaks, senseless drama at the top but eventually sleep. 

All the way, God was using those travelling with me to facilitate and challenge those allegedly serving us. 

I am forever proud of the Godly editor-translators who had this journey too. 

The region had lost both their hugely beloved hands-on Lutheran bishop and their Catholic bishop on the same day to two separate car accidents.  The Lutheran bishop leaves a young family at home and a larger one through the church.  Desperation and fear..  Shutting up and listening can help, even if that is not what some may want.  

Here in these more remote places I am still introduced as pastor.  Back in Usa river, I am now introduced as Evangelist by the desperate, fearful, and politically connected.  This is like being identified as Deacon or Elder or Trustee to keep one in their place.  Those roots are loosening but nutrition is lovingly getting out to some spiritual mycelial web in places. 

Your Prayers have protected along every step which was also prepared in response to your prayers. 

I can’t take credit for Guards securing vital power infrastructure asking for and getting prayer from me.  Nor can I take credit for spontaneous bush walks given freely by one of their number.  Or a young Maasai Shepherd deciding to walk alongside me for most of that bush walk, just to speak a little Swahili with something he has never seen before, get a fist bump and run off smiling huge.

Not one asked for money or gift.  Only prayer..  they can call me anything they want. 

-------------------------------------

Landlord’s wall seems fully erected, final pointing and coating with mortar underway.  The craftsmen wave and smile freely, enough interaction has occurred for them to know my hands have gotten dirty and striven like their own.  

Your prayer does things like this too.  Thank you.

------------------------------------

Last messages are now within the capable efforts of the editor-translators.  Hoping to have the help of some of those desperate and fearful with regards printing house that supports servants of God’s people.  We’ll see. 

Also need help here with some other issues regarding funds owed this tyrant who trusted.  Hoping to turn those debts over to a more remote mountain church near to and related to the borrowers.  That church is striving to do entrepreneurial enterprise to feed widows, shut-ins, and support educations.

Please pray, I can’t take credit for success but must strive.  You do your part please, it is amazing how willing God is to hear you.  Thank you.

Closing Africa house and returning to Hilda I pray will be easy, no matter how impossibly hard.   Deserting the loved ones there/here is extremely painful.  Perhaps, with today’s tech, it won’t be as complete a desertion as it was in the past.  We’ll see if there is interest here for connection in the face of perceived rejection. 

Long way to go, still..  Your prayer deeply sought for this work too.  Thank You.

------------------------------------

Keep our feet to the fire, please.  Thank You!

We may live dangerously, but we are alive.  Thank you for praying us the courage to live this way, if dangerously.  We don’t see it that way.

-------------------------------

You who read and pray and suffer along with us.  Please believe what we get to see.  Thank you for praying our strength and guidance for each moment with each face.   Folks like you are beyond precious. 

vwilliamson@sprynet.com

Really blessed while deeply under attack..  all of it is spiritual..  I wish I could teach that to everyone so they could truly know it.  I didn’t know it for far too long. 

Please keep crumpling us up and throwing us at God.  That is where we need to be.  God will sort us out.

One day at a time.  Just like how you each live.  Just one day at a time. 

Thank you, each of you.

                -------------------------------------------------------

What 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?.. 

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 each and every one of you –

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

Prayers, Your Prayer, Even your groaning prayers makes 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

 Dear Cherished Interested’s,                                                                                                     September 24^th 2024

Spoke with Hilda about 3:am as she was washing up after supper and heading for sleep.  Her day included checking up on young people watching out for her.  Two young people who work out at the Weld County Airport.  They are trying to fit in finishing high school while working the small restaurant there.  They work for a couple who are senior to both Hilda and I who run the kitchen, the young ones work front of house while ducking into the kitchen once in a while to help with piles of dishes. 

They message Hilda to check on her.  She went yesterday morning to check on them.   

Then off to a conservative Presbyterian church that no longer uses the Presbyterian name but calls itself a community church.  It was the eldest Presbyterian church in Greeley, over 100 years old.  Those folks have TZ missions connections already and Hilda has been there most Sundays since I left.  Who knows where or what when we are together again.  I am glad she has community that doesn’t look cross-eyed at her or runs away from communication that includes service so very far away right alongside their welcome of street people into worship and the fellowship hall.

I was wrong about the wall outside.  Only enough rock to become the base of the footing.  Then solid concrete block about 6 by 10 by 20 inches and about 2 meters tall.  Before the gentlemen got here to continue their work this morning, about a dozen monkeys in a troupe of all different sizes were lazing around here and strutting along the top of the wall there.  So there is now a rising monkey highway where once was shrub. 

About 4 to 10 dollars a day for sun-up to sun-down wall raising, depending upon age and responsibility for the mafundi, craftsmen.     

-------------------------------------

Went to a predominantly European enclave, south of Usa River, where wealthier folks gather for a kind of tailgate market.  I went to check on my pharmacist who had no order to bring me but has had life stuff that he trusts me to talk with.  People needing him were waiting for him.  So I walked a little and ended up helping a Malawi-ian woman selling baked goods..  Laugh now.. I helped her for about half a second with her Swahili.  And she was grateful.. HAHA! 

So, my pharmacist is tending his customers having brought orders out from Arusha and as this is Africa, he is also free to guide those coming with medical or psychological troubles on what to try next.  As soon as one leaves another one comes for help. 

As I wait in the truck a young little mountain woman carrying a well fed white baby filling her arms, detours slightly from following the baby’s mother to come to my window.  There she propped her burden on one hip to take my hand with one of hers and call me by my mountain name. 

I don’t know which church.  She knew who I was and was pleased to drop her English and rattle on with me in super-simple Swahili-Meru.  Prayer was wanted.  Prayer was given.  I still don’t know what we talked about.  Comprehension has not been gifted me.  Can you believe that I am seen as safe?  That’s crazy and may be proof that I am not seen at all.  That may be proof of amazingly accepting hearts of folks for whom Hilda and I may have been the only white faces ever to be in their church.  While leaving with her white employer she turned steeply around placing her hand, fingers all spread open, on the car window at her side, to look me in the eye with a guarded expression.  I returned as best I could with my pale raised one.  She looked as long as she could.  You never know.  Prayer given.       

-------------------------------------

The working people, guards from campus, send one of their number, one of the men, over at night while the wall is in process.  He walks through the working piles, turns to look into my window just once with a big thumbs up, then stops on or where the wall will be.  Moving around quietly some, but looking out away from the little house while hovering in front if it.  He is there until relieved.  They leave with daybreak.  No, I have never paid them anything.  Only shared the same printed message, with whoever is on duty, at the two gates to campus that the mama’s and children get each Sunday. 

Your prayer does this.  Thank you.

------------------------------------

The book of messages written from Tanzanian Lutheran Church lectionary in two languages is still in process but nearing completion.  I only have three lesser festivals for December to write.  Three more are already with Hilda for approval before moving on to the editor translators.  These messages are from the latest American Lutheran worship book, red, with readings as assigned there from the calendar therein.

Closing Africa house and returning to Hilda I pray will be easy, no matter how impossibly hard.   Deserting the loved ones there is extremely painful.  Perhaps, with today’s tech, it won’t be as complete a desertion as it was in the past.  We’ll see if there is interest here for connection in the face of perceived rejection. 

Long way to go, still..  Your prayer deeply sought for this work too.  Thank You.

------------------------------------

Keep our feet to the fire, please.  Thank You!

We may live dangerously, but we are alive.  Thank you for praying us the courage to live this way, if dangerously.  We don’t see it that way.

-------------------------------

You who read and pray and suffer along with us.  Please believe what we get to see.  Thank you for praying our strength and guidance for each moment with each face.   Folks like you are beyond precious. 

vwilliamson@sprynet.com

Really blessed while deeply under attack..  all of it is spiritual..  I wish I could teach that to everyone so they could truly know it.  I didn’t know it for far too long. 

Please keep crumpling us up and throwing us at God.  That is where we need to be.  God will sort us out.

One day at a time.  Just like how you each live.  Just one day at a time. 

Thank you, each of you.

                -------------------------------------------------------

What 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?.. 

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 each and every one of you –

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

Prayers, Your Prayer, Even your groaning prayers makes 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

Dear Cherished Interested’s,                                                                                           September 11^th 2024

I know and remember what today is.  I grew up with some of the survivors, and some who didn’t. 

Please, Prayer is life..  Life is worth Prayer..

Hilda is busy.  We communicate two or three times a day.  I work while she sleeps in Colorado.  She works while I sleep in Tanzania.  I am happy to be awakened as she gets a lunch break and again as she heads to bed.  A habit of communicating for communication’s sake that started before we were married continues.  The ability to communicate just as freely as we seemingly can, just twenty years after coming here without her and with no way to communicate at all, is mind blowing but only because I choose not to forget the before that today is built upon.                                                  

I pray that without being in the same room of the same house in the same region of the same country, same hemisphere, same day..  that I may still speak truthfully of her precious story too.

She is in her Apartment on the University of Northern Colorado, UNC, campus when not at work.

She has people checking on her throughout her week at school and out in the public.  They are not from any church, except for one contact by a local retired Pastor and wife. 

She has a fridge with leftover food from a catering event one local restaurant owner made sure she got.  People who have given their phone number to her, like three older guys from where I had to get a vehicle for her, as mass transit doesn’t run early enough to get her to school on time.

Our silly story brings out tremendous heart from unexpected places.  She is starting over financially without me, but she is not starting over alone.

-------------------------------------

Technology is great when it works, HAHA!  Access cards made with our faces as our Campus ID’s for UNC, University of Northern Colorado, even as replaced yesterday, still do not work to provide access into Lawrenson Hall where Hilda has an Apartment up on 16 looking west to the continental divide.  The building staff provide generic access cards that do work so Hilda can come and go as she needs. 

People taking extra steps to fill the failing of technology.  People are still needed.

Student comportment.  Like the culture that surrounds them, the children in Hilda’s classes are nearly universally ignorant of their overwhelming blessings.  Nor do they care to consider considering, those blessings.  A new school, with new tech, with supplies specifically for teaching them.  The oldest of these students are in 8^th grade.  Behavior to allow teaching is what Hilda spends most of her time teaching.  When there is a football or other game, for eighth graders or younger?, behavior degrades further with the distraction to education.            

This in continual contrast to the students where I am still, for a little longer, getting messages delivered. 

Last Friday I took one of my editor-translators and instead of walking, drove to the church secondary school in Makumira, which was built in the 1970’s.  This driving so that precious one, like her partner in helping me, can have a chance to drive the stupid little truck for a short way along the track where it is possible for a learner to do so. 

As we were passing the gardens maintained by the students to help feed themselves and staff, quickly two young women ran to the open truck window to greet my companion and stare into my eyes with truly open joy and love.. to ask all about Hilda, their hands still full of weeds or fresh vegetables gathered for dining hall meal prep.

These students close here, are fortunate and they know it.  They attend a church boarding school with a head master of reserved physical stature but whose heart and drive for his students seems endlessly energetic and taller than any building on campus. 

Unlike government schools, there is no caning nor striking of any student.  School uniforms would be seen as less than ideal in Greeley, but they are present here to allow young minds to focus not so overwhelmingly on appearance and more on each other and the learning they strive after with each other.  In a indescribably materially deprived environment that too, does not receive much care to consider considering.  Still, I do not receive snarky self-important arrogance from anyone but truly open joy and love.. and sincere longing after Hilda.

But that and many truths like it are things eyes full of material things seem endlessly unable to see. 

I wonder what logs are in my developed world eyes, ears and thinking that have kept me blind to things I am still unaware of. 

There is singing on campus.  Where I am not welcome without bribery to pave the way.  The roots of life here are getting loosened..  it is painful, but obedience doesn’t have to be easy.    

There has been drama that Hilda would have attended since my return.  The upshot has been conversation into that drama, naming and addressing it as drama, and then by adding another precious one in need to come, shop for, and prepare food three days a week.  That food to feed this little team of now four locals helping one foreign national seven days a week, as they are present.    

I come from a background of no excuses.  This brings me close to many living here and struggling knowing they are the only worldly hope for family to eat this morning, this evening, and maybe tomorrow.  This background built in me from the loving efforts to raise the young me made by those who survived global economic depression and war, and principally one of their parents from the 1890’s.

Is it any wonder that younger people nearly everywhere don’t get me?  The roots of life here are getting loosened..  it is painful, but obedience doesn’t have to be easy. 

A mother and pregnant daughter acquaintance of Hilda came last week to ask me to take the pregnant daughter and the child, after it is born, with me to America as I return to Hilda.  I had to explain that if it weren’t for the helpful, open, and diligently willing officials at the airport, after travelling all the way back here, whom I could speak with face to face, that I would have been denied re-entry into TZ. 

That even into the last hour before leaving Hilda in a parking lot in Colorado, I had been denied an honest entry visa into TZ by the on-line greater authority with endless demands for more documents that do not exist, more photos of my photos, and this after already accepting the required fees.  The roots of life here are getting loosened..  it is painful, yet obedience doesn’t have to be easy.

That young pregnant woman and her mother were unaware that as TZ treats people invisible to them on-line, except for money, so does our blessed nation at home, for good or ill. 

I have not heard from that desperate mother, and her mother since that visit.  I cannot willingly contribute to any culture of lies so I made no promises about anything after explaining the seeming impossibility of transporting Tanzanian citizens to the United States only on my own authority.  The roots of life here are getting loosened..  it is painful, yet obedience doesn’t have to be easy.

A broken down old logger, farmer, and garbage man daring to write about God?  Arrogance?  Or, proof?  Proof that God is in it, as no church or appropriate acceptable church sanctioned education can take credit for itself? 

I find that except for delivering messages to children, Sunday worship at the Cathedral and shopping on Saturday for the week, I may be hiding out here in the house working diligently to write my way through the last half of the church year’s lesser festivals for inclusion in a book that addresses no immediate needs.  No immediate life building, sustaining, maintaining needs yet may be the best and only work that can come through me for any willing to consider considering.  

Consider considering eternal blessings and truthful assured promises by.. living ultimate authority.  Not national authority.  Not cultural authority.  Not temporally confined familial authority.  Not church authority.  Living ultimate authority.

There is a conversation surrounding children that defines teaching about God that seems to forsake empty stomachs and wasted minds as child abuse.  That those who raise their children in faith for faith in God are in fact abusers of those children. 

But, what is more abusive?  Leaving God’s children ignorant of forever so they never discover ultimate authority and eternal value of faith with it?  Or, letting faith put the work, whatever that work may be before you and then shutting up and doing it.  Having faith that even one moment of an infant in the arms of a mother or grandmother, lets that infant see in the living image of God before them, questions and fulfilled promises that last longer than any lifetime on this earth.

-------------------------------------

Even as I hideout here working in this scribal endeavor, the hideout itself is torn open.  The living barrier all around the short row of little houses is being torn out by hand.  There are about eight workers outside all calling to each other as ‘brother’ diligently doing work that for them is blessing.  Blessing even as work like this could be done by me alone and in shorter time in the states with an excavator.  But that does not exist for regular folks here.  So machete and pick, shovel and sweat.  I’ve done that too in my ridiculous life of ridiculous ideas and doings.

The living wall is to be replaced with a rock one, a well footed barrier to animals both human and non-human, except for the ones who walk or climb on or over walls.  The landlord, another old one like me, who can usually be seen struggling to walk from campus to his property behind this little row of houses, was here yesterday standing up straight his eyes alight and eager with joy on a face normally strained.  His long suffering plans are coming together well.  I don’t think they are entirely plans that are his alone, not with that joyful expression on a brother’s face.

Shhh..  don’t tell anyone.. Even as campus authorities deny and slander, campus security who have been getting the same messages as the children a couple kilometers away, have promised landlord that they will watch out for his tenants while the hideout is torn open.  Torn open to let complete desperation that America no longer knows in any meaningful way at all, walk in to where they can see something that people have made in an attempt to bring order to a few square meters.

Order or Chaos, one step apart.  I’m not insisting stepping which way takes you to or from chaos or order, just that, here it is.  Just like for my beloved home culture and people a world away only it seems there, a world away, there is not care to consider considering it.  

Obedience is hard.  But, Hilda is smiling..

Your prayer again.  Thank you.

------------------------------------

The book of messages written from Tanzanian Lutheran Church lectionary in two languages is still in process but nearing completion. 

Closing Africa house and returning to Hilda I pray will be easy, no matter how impossibly hard.   Deserting the loved ones there is extremely painful.  Perhaps, with today’s tech, it won’t be as complete a desertion as it was in the past.  We’ll see if there is interest here for connection in the face of perceived rejection. 

Long way to go, still..  Your prayer deeply sought for this work too.  Thank You.

------------------------------------

Keep our feet to the fire, please.  Thank You!

We may live dangerously, but we are alive.  Thank you for praying us the courage to live this way, if dangerously.  We don’t see it that way.

-------------------------------

You who read and pray and suffer along with us.  Please believe what we get to see.  Thank you for praying our strength and guidance for each moment with each face.   Folks like you are beyond precious. 

vwilliamson@sprynet.com

Really blessed while deeply under attack..  all of it is spiritual..  I wish I could teach that to everyone so they could truly know it.  I didn’t know it for far too long. 

Please keep crumpling us up and throwing us at God.  That is where we need to be.  God will sort us out.

One day at a time.  Just like how you each live.  Just one day at a time. 

Thank you, each of you.

              -------------------------------------------------------

What 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?.. 

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 each and every one of you –

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

Prayers, Your Prayer, Even your groaning prayers makes 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

Dear Cherished interested's  25th of August 2024

This is Hilda.  I am well settled in Greeley Colorado with on campus housing, Campus police protection, and a vehicle we got two evenings ago..

Vern leaves to start the long journey back to TZ in about an hour.  Please Pray..  We have continuing VISA and re-entry issues into Tanzania for him to face as he arrives at the airport in Kilimanjaro..  I am doing all I can by e-mail with the TZ Government while he is on his way..  

The work awaiting his return is important.  No one else can do what he needs to do.  As willing please Pray..

No, he will be outside communication until he can get in country, TZ, there and put time on his phone..  But I am available..

Greeley Colorado is brave and has a big heart..  That is where I will be ..

Hilda, Bibi 

 Dear Cherished Interested’s,                                                                                           August 15^th 2024

Hilda has had children in class now since Monday.  Today is day three.  She is back into the deeply-spoiled North American educational context.  I suppose I should have said deeply-blessed, materially, North American educational context.

Hilda was chosen to be brought from the other side of the world, and other side of the equator, to be the first ever 8^th grade physical science teacher for this pre-engineering school in Greeley Colorado.  They had no 8^th grade at this new facility until this year. 

Culture shock for us both occurred when we walked into this high tech, high security, facility and we both felt like we were moving to “Eureka”.  Eureka was a science fiction TV Show about a community of scientist-engineers solving big problems and creating bigger ones, back when our kids were little. 

Hilda knows many of the children’s names already.  Of course, the agitators, mouthy, even openly hateful are the first to earn knowledge of who they are.  This is what she left when she left brick and mortar in the US, a few years back. 

Yet, wonderfully, Hilda feels supported here.  She has had teachers who had this bunch last year walk in to her class to openly affirm her and assure her that any problems can be sent to them.  Then write their name on the board for all the children to see.  Hilda has chosen to leave any name written there by any fellow educator. 

She still has no badge with security chip so we wait by the front door each morning for someone who does to come along.  Then she waits by her classroom for another one with badge to swipe and code her into her own classroom.  The badge is in process.  As are fingerprints which I am to take her for next week Monday.  

When this group said on line that they were hiring in faith.  In faith and without every nut and bolt, every security and background detail, neatly in place.  They truly meant it. 

She has hurdles to work with Colorado State accreditation, but they are trying to assist in that too.  Still, she has a classroom of young minds trusted to her with computers for every student and one for herself.  Two white boards, a smart board, document camera and all the audio visual aids and tech.  She has lab benches, counters and cabinets, working sinks and gas valves, and a hood for laboratory work and demonstrations.  They truly meant it.   

God has worked in hearts here.  In Washington she often was marginalized, even demonized, because of her age, heart for the students, and her faith.  Greeley has proven itself as open and accepting, even wanting a mother and grandmother Sunday school teacher who wrote laboratory science demonstrations for practical presentation in a third world context with nearly nothing, to students from pre-kindergarten to Teachers. 

We are confused but awed.  And grateful, even if overwhelmed some.    

Part of God working here can be seen in many of the local churches forgetting their common predilection for celebrating on their own name and kind of faith.  83 different languages are spoken here among the student body.  Over 70% of that same student body lives under the poverty line.  Many local churches have shared outreach ministries supporting the gleaning and provision of clothing and other home making necessities.

This has helped Hilda and I too.  She is now fully stocked up in North American professional teachers clothing saving us probably 600-1000 dollars.  Still, Africa has not left her.  She dresses professionally but with head scarf to cover and protect her hair, most often long skirt and sweater against the air-conditioning.  Her fellow teachers, her administrators, truly smile and love who they are discovering in her.

I can walk into the building now, as the front office staff just buzz me in smiling.  I walk in with my African repaired clothing and cross hanging around my neck.  Second day at this facility, last week, a young man made a joke of me bringing them some beer for after their training sessions.  I found out later that young man was the principal.  He thought he was making a joke. 

His requested beer, Root beer, both sugar free and sugared, is in the staff refrigerator in the staff room nearest Hilda’s classroom.  HA!  My joke, in return for his, is good enough to drink..

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So, local churches..

Found an Immanuel Lutheran Church, ELCA, on the way up the hill to the University.  The worker bees are awesome.  Hilda is visible everywhere but, I am completely invisible to the pastor who is paid full time by the church but gives half time to the university.  I may be most needed there.  In spite of not having credentialing that would make me visible.  Time will tell.

Found retired Wycliffe missionaries at an evangelical Presbyterian church and went to a service of sincere and scriptural message and singing with beautiful people and voices up front, but no Lord’s Prayer, no Creed, no real liturgy.  May be needed there but, not only is Hilda visible, I am too.

Hold onto your socks.  Only twenty years ago, both Hilda and I would have been denied Holy Communion at both the Missouri Synod and Wisconsin Synod Churches. 

There is a book on the dashboard of the rented truck written by a retired Missouri Synod pastor who spoke with me for over an hour in one parking lot, last week.  The book was written at the request of his son.  His son called and asked his pastor father, and former teacher, to help him explain heaven to his 4 year old son, the pastor’s grandson.  This was necessary, as that 4 year old boy had terminal cancer. 

I get trusted with hard stuff like that.   

I spent two hours with a Wisconsin Synod pastor on the patio of a coffee shop this week, and the conversation became me affirming another brother in Christ in his deep heart struggles too.  Both Hilda and I are welcome to share communion at that church too.

All Nations Church, non-denominational, was nearly empty on Sunday.  The new pastor was fresh back from Sturgis where he organized several Christian groups attending the motorcycle rally to serve any and all struggling and seeking in attendance.  He had spent over 6 hours every day singing while playing his acoustic guitar and mandolin.  He is a full white hair, and completely unafraid of me, while being open and welcoming.  Maybe I will be used there..

Where we are living is the motel, near the tracks and rendering plant, that houses alcoholics, drug addicts, home-less, mentally ill, and single moms with kids.  Hispanic ladies run this for a non-christian-absent-investor and take unbelievably loving, if need-fully rule abiding, care of everyone they house.

After two or three conversations with those housing, and those being housed, Hilda and I both knew we are where we need to be until long term housing for us opens up.

Along with conversations, some wordless as Spanish is not mine, I took children to school on their first day and helped locate one, who walked away from the school bus and single parent, on the second day.  

Your hearts and minds faithfully work miracles, your praying is part of that!

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About long-term housing, we completed leasing paperwork with a representative of the University last evening.  The University is a bureaucratic boondoggle but, we are hoping to have keys for Hilda’s, and mine, 16^th story, fully furnished, two bedroom apartment; looking predominantly west into the Rockies, by Friday. 

The top two floors, of the tallest building in northern Colorado, have been set aside for affordable long-term housing for professors and lecturers of the University; and now, teachers of the local school district. 

Hilda is again a first in this too, as it was only opened to her school district 1 ½ months ago.  We are the first to have been examined, background checked, security checked, and even with an unfillable and un-document-able hole of time devoted to Tanzania, which doesn’t communicate North American any more than North America communicates Tanzanian, now approved.

Hilda is smiling..  She hasn’t even seen a single apartment.  I have, it’s tiny and I will be walking sideways as usual.  But we will have room for any willing children and grandchildren to come visit G-ma-Hilda. 

I am happy because, not only Greeley police but also Campus police will be active and easy for her to call, while I am on the other side of the world, and equator.

Obedience is hard.  But, Hilda is smiling..

Your prayer again.  Thank you.

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The book of messages written from Tanzanian Lutheran Church lectionary in two languages is still in process but nearing completion. 

I wrote the final two messages for the book, to incorporate the lesser festivals of the global church, both in one day before leaving.  Hilda listened, read, and insisted they be translated and included.

I think more messages will need to be written when I return there..  We will see..

Hilda settled safely, seems to maybe be coming together.  Transportation still needs working out before I take the rental truck back to the airport and fly away for a while.

Closing Africa house and returning to Hilda I pray will be easy, no matter how impossibly hard.   Deserting the loved ones there is extremely painful.  Perhaps, with today’s tech, it won’t be as complete a desertion as it was in the past. 

Long way to go, still..  Your prayer deeply sought for this work too.  Thank You.

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Keep our feet to the fire, please.  Thank You!

We may live dangerously, but we are alive.  Thank you for praying us the courage to live this way, if dangerously.  We don’t see it that way.

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You who read and pray and suffer along with us.  Please believe what we get to see.  Thank you for praying our strength and guidance for each moment with each face.   Folks like you are beyond precious. 

vwilliamson@sprynet.com

Really blessed while deeply under attack..  all of it is spiritual..  I wish I could teach that to everyone so they could truly know it.  I didn’t know it for far too long. 

Please keep crumpling us up and throwing us at God.  That is where we need to be.  God will sort us out.

One day at a time.  Just like how you each live.  Just one day at a time. 

Thank you, each of you.

              -------------------------------------------------------

What 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?.. 

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 each and every one of you –

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

Prayers, Your Prayer, Even your groaning prayers makes 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

 

 Dear Cherished Interested’s,                                                                                           July 31^th 2024

We have been in Greeley Colorado since the night of July 29^th, so Hilda was here on time for her new teaching position at Tointon pre-engineering school.  4 flights, 5 airports, 3 countries, 3 states, a fair amount of driving to get to Greeley.  All safe, all with Angels given along the way. 

Most of the workers in Doha Qatar are Swahili speakers from Africa.  It is great to be able to affirm and thank them for their work.  Had a good long discussion with a young Kenyan mama working security at the flight to the US.  As seems unfortunately normal everywhere, the hardest working and least paid get the least affirmation and thanks.  I am thankful for the opportunity to remedy that even a little.

I wore my crucifix everywhere in that Muslim Airport and got nothing but bows, nods and smiles from the Qatari people.  No sharia police issues.

Flight from Doha to Philadelphia, 14 hours, had four strangers talking intensely outside the Restrooms mid-deck.  An amazing Hindi Nepali woman managing to educate over 200 children in Nepal and who wants Hilda and I to come, an American Muslim textile engineer born in Egypt, who wanted to talk about Jesus and what we were doing, an Arizonan who leads a free global medical services providing NGO, and me, a near penniless Christian missionary.  Sounds like a wind up for a joke, but it isn’t.  We have each-others contacts now.  More people to remember and pray for now..  what a wonderful problem to have!

In Philadelphia, Robert, a career musician for the Coasters, sky-capped for us.  It was a wonderful time through customs and immigration with both Robert and I, old guys, talking music and the Northeast USA where we are both from.  The customs inspector asked Hilda and I questions, reading us and Robert as we responded.  We were waved through with thanks for our work as missionaries from this young federal cop.  No physical inspection with the trunks just take them to the counter and watch Robert help the ticketing agents whisk them onto the flight to Dallas.

We were waved, by the elder boarding agent, onto the flight for Dallas before our Zone was called too.

Dallas was a survivable mess.  Musical gates but we got our flight to Colorado Springs. 

In Colorado Springs, it was the next day when we arrived, so we collected our rental truck, thanks to James at Budget Rental who stayed late to get it to us. 

Then Kenowa, at baggage claim, stayed late too, to use the baggage claim cart to pack our trunks outside and across the street to the truck in the rental parking.  These are all interesting conversations with people who want to have them.  We seem to give people permission to talk about things that are important to them, simply by being honest and open with who we are and what we choose to do with our lives.  And listening.  I don’t think anyone gets listened too, here at home in America, anymore. 

Hilda has been very well received at the Greeley School District 6.  No one has been afraid of this older African missionary chosen by them to come teach 8^th grade physical science in a two year old pre-engineering school.  Even top level school administrators here have spoken publicly during training this week about the importance of faith.

As far as the work goes so far, even with jet lag, Hilda is on top of it and adding to it well.

We have applied for an apartment on the University of Northern Colorado Campus.  This, available for teachers within the Greeley-Evans school district 6.  If we get it, Hilda will have relatively affordable housing with campus security for while I am gone from her, God willing.

Transportation hope are bus or local Uber.  We are avoiding permanent car expense as long as we can.  Rental now.  Hoping for none later until I return to find an affordable something to fix.

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Tanzania whats apps every day, several times, asking about Hilda..  They are diligently carrying on the work without me there with them.  Including the work of caring for those who have no family to assist their efforts towards a hoped for independence.  My heart explodes at their efforts with tremendous joy and love.  Just brilliant normal vulnerable women reflecting what we strove to do while with them.

I communicate when internet is available juggling two phones and computers at various locations.

Your hearts and minds faithfully work miracles, your praying is part of that!

-------------------------------------

Hilda is smiling..

Obedience is hard.  But, Hilda is smiling..

Your prayer again.  Thank you.

------------------------------------

The book of messages written from Tanzanian Lutheran Church lectionary in two languages is still in process but nearing completion. 

I wrote the final two messages for the book, to incorporate the lesser festivals of the global church, both in one day before leaving.  Hilda listened, read, and insisted they be translated and included.

Hilda settled safely.  Then she is booting me back to TZ, God willing to finish things and close Africa house.  Deserting the loved ones there is extremely painful.  Perhaps, with today’s tech, it won’t be as complete a desertion as it was in the past. 

Long way to go.  Your prayer deeply sought for this work too.  Thank You.

------------------------------------

We have been invited to church here in Greeley.  Immanuel Lutheran Church on the way up the hill to University Campus had a worker bee outside as I drove by and swung in.  Similar pattern, listen to people, help them pack their tools and be real, you become a safe place to speak their hearts. 

It is such an honor to be invited by such people.  People longing to be heard because the youngers’ seem to be only phone screen minded.  Ignoring each other is not good ministry, nor good humanity.  We need to work on this together, okay?

We may live dangerously, but we are alive.  Thank you for praying us the courage to live this way, if dangerously.  We don’t see it that way.

-------------------------------

You who read and pray and suffer along with us.  Please believe what we get to see.  Thank you for praying our strength and guidance for each moment with each face.   Folks like you are beyond precious. 

vwilliamson@sprynet.com

Really blessed while deeply under attack..  all of it is spiritual..  I wish I could teach that to everyone so they could truly know it.  I didn’t know it for far too long. 

Please keep crumpling us up and throwing us at God.  That is where we need to be.  God will sort us out.

One day at a time.  Just like how you each live.  Just one day at a time. 

Thank you, each of you.

              -------------------------------------------------------

What 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?.. 

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 each and every one of you –

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

Prayers, Your Prayer, Even your groaning prayers makes 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