Sunday -- A Blessed Day Indeed!

Downed tree

We got a very early start--leaving the house at 6 am for our 5 hr. trip. Our vehicle was loaded. There were 11 people plus the personal belongings of the 8 that had been at the pastor training for 2 weeks.   We dropped off one pastor on the way and then visited the congregations of two other pastors that were "kind of on our way" for a "quick hello" and to bring greetings to their congregations. We were treated with warm welcomes--singing and dancing, handshakes and smiles. Then we were finally on our way to our destination--Nsanje--where the roads kept narrowing and getting rougher as we neared this southern mountain village. We were within about 30 min. of being at the village when we encountered a huge tree that had fallen across the road. We were able to clear a path--chopping down a small tree and clearing away brush just wide enough for the vehicle to pass (up around to the left in the picture).

We were a little late getting there but found members from several "area" Church of Gods (some coming from as far as 50 kilometers--31 miles--on foot) as well as some other denominations in the local area, all singing and waiting under a HUGE Mango tree. We were seated at the front (in chairs) and greeted with everyone coming by to shake our hands and/or curtsey.
Then they took their seats on the ground around the base of the tree and the sloping hillside. During the introductions we were told we were the first white people to ever put foot in their village. [Wow! Kind of makes one feel like a "pioneer"--making a road where there isn't one--setting foot where "one of our kind" never has been... :)]

Prayer time

Some choirs sang and then Art shared a message that was translated by a delightful young man, Emmanuel, then a time of prayer for various needs.

Art preaching, Emmanuel translating

"Shaker" - Instrument

Again we were greeted again by adults and children alike, all filing by with a handshake/curtsey, then fed a meal and were on our way back to Tammie's home in Blantyre. There were some men working on the big tree across the road when we came back through and wish you could have seen the looks on their faces when we just went up and around on the path we had cut earlier in the day. ! ? :)  As we all chatted in the vehicle going home, we all agreed, it was a VERY GOOD day and we all were VERY BLESSED by the day!

Guitar

First Day in Malawi

Suetta with Missionary, Tammie Tregellas

Today we spent with Tammie and 20 pastors at the last day of a two-week training  They are the Regional, District and National leaders. This time of training is a time not only for learning and discussing about theology and the Bible but also family and relationship issues. We were very encouraged and blessed to hear their vision and plans for the church throughout the country of Malawi. They were a great group with 18 men and 2 women present. Art brought greetings and during their worship time they had the speaker share in English so we would understand and a fellow pastor translate in one of their five major dialects, Chichewa for them! How thoughtful! And that just seems to be the spirit of this group. Tomorrow we will spend some time in a couple of villages and this week we will see the property they have purchased to build a training center and where building is already underway.

Landed in Africa

We've had a long travel day and at this writing we are sitting in the airport in Lilongwe, Malawi with a 4 hr layover and then just one more hour on a plane to our destination--Blantyre. We are two suitcases lighter :(   Our large suitcase with all the goodies for the missionaries and Suetta's personal suitcase did not make it to this destination--however we know they are on this continent and hopefully will show up in a day or two... Pray! We are 7 hours ahead of you in the US (EST) so we've had a looong day with very little sleep.

On Our Way

We are in the airport awaiting our 13 hour flight to Ethiopia where we will then catch another 4 hour flight to Malawi with another 1 hr flight after that and then Tammie Tregellas will pick us up. There will be some layover time too which will probably make it close to 24 hrs  of travel time. Please do keep us in your prayers and "stay tuned'...

The Lions are HUGE!!

This is "Art being Art..." You've heard the saying, "He's got the tiger by the tail"... Well this is "Art's version" of that... (it's not real--but would it surprise you  if it were?)
At this posting he's on the third leg of his 24 hr journey home -- Babati, Tanzania to Kisumu to Nairobi, Kenya to Kilimanjaro, to Amsterdam then Detroit, MI and finally Erie, PA. I'll meet up with him in Detroit tomorrow (7/29) between 11a-noon and we'll be on the same flight (sitting next to each other) from there to Erie and then we'll find our way home. "Stay tuned" for more adventures...

Children of Promise sign in Babati, Tanzania.  There are 845 children sponsored here and it is the largest of the all the Children of Promise programs in the world.

Art and Bob Edwards, Director of Global Missions have been in Tanzania this week, meeting with National Leaders of the Church of God. Meetings went well and Art ran into Eliazer Mdobi, a former National Leader of the Church of God and an alum of Warner University!  

Beginning our Africa Adventure - July 2011

Art arrived in Africa July 18th with Bob Edwards, the Director of Global Missions for the Church of God, and will be attending the Board meetings for KIST (Kima International School of Theology) and their graduation of this year's students.  While there, they will also be meeting with the missionaries on the ground and national leaders and then traveling to Tanzania to do the same.
There have been "technical challenges" with Art's phone and email service and this is the only picture he's been able to get out to me. So, when more is available, I'll update you. (Technology is great WHEN it works!)
We will continue to live in Lake Wales, FL and Art will "commute" to Africa as needed. We anticipate he will make 3-4 more trips to Africa this year and I (Suetta) hope to be on the next one with him when he plans to visit each of the 7 countries where we have missionary presence.
Please be praying with and for us as we need God's wisdom and insight as we "fill-in" for Global Missions while they seek a Regional Coordinator for Africa this next year.