DEOGRATIUS HAS LOST HIS MOTHER

Deogratious’ Mother passed away on Monday, September 22, 2008. Deogratius was baptized in 2007 during an LST program. It is hardly a month ago when we mourned the departure of Anna Dhudha from our Midst.

Deogratius’ parents divorced when he was very young. Both got married to spouses who would not show love and acceptance to him. The only person that loved him was his aunt who was living and working in Moshi. She would support Deo some, but largely a priest of a catholic church enrolled Deo at their centre, where he still lives and trains in masonry. This has not been the best year for Deo. Earlier in June, his aunt got killed in a road accident in Moshi.

He was able to attend his mother’s burial which is being done today in Morogoro. Deo was convicted by the scriptures and being inquisitive as to practices that stood against the clear teachings of scripture. He took the risk of being baptized by immersion and placing his membership with the Church of Christ. He is prompt and regular at Church and leads in giving and Lord’s table. He is also one of the leaders of our youth ministry.

Please pray for Deo as he comes to terms with the lose of a mother.

Thanks to the Winyo Church of Christ, Kenya

We want to thank the Winyo Church of Christ in Kenya for supporting two leaders from their church to attend the burial of Anna Dhudha, Paul Dhudha’s daughter who passed on last week. Zechariah Ngoje performed the burial. Zechariah is one of the elders of the Winyo Church in Kenya. He is also the father to brothers Charles and Ken Ngoje who are working here with us. He came in the company of their minister brother Jacob Randiek. Jacob gave a moving sermon at a service before the burial. Jacob is so evangelistic that even at this burial he gave an invitation. Two people responded. This made Zechariah to express a wish that a congregation of the Lord’s Church be established there. He went back to Kenya with that in mind. We know Winyo Church can be able to send part time evangelists there to plant a Church of Christ. That is our prayer and wish. This area despite being in Tanzania has the same culture and language as the Winyo community. This is luo-land too. The coming of the two leaders from Kenya was a big encouragement to us. The Church also expressed their sympathy with Paul and Mirriam in kind. We thank God for such net-working.

DEATH HAS NOT A STING!

DEATH HAS NOT A STING!
By Charles Ngoje
–Minister Moshi Town Church of Christ
Delivered at the Funeral Service of Anna Paul
On Sunday 31st August, 2008
Text: 1 Corinthians 15:55
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On the 27th August, 2008, a separation between the body and the soul of Anna occurred. That separation left a dead body but a living soul went to heaven to join with God and His angles. The Anna that lives now is not physical Anna but a spiritual Anna. The spiritual lives on but the Physical is dead.

Today, we are gathered here for the sake of the physical, which is dead. We are gathered here to bid farewell to the body of the one we loved, and cherished. The body will be transported to her home in Sirati where it will be buried on Tuesday 2nd September, 2008.

The parents of Anna described her life as ‘a miracle’

Anna was diagnosed with sickle cell anaemia when she was only six months. The doctors predicted that the longest she could live was 6 years. And it is true that it is hard for a sickler to live beyond six years and at most to live beyond 12 years.

Anna lived to be 34! Anna was able to finish her primary school education, her high school education and her college. She got employed and was a faithful worker, full of life and enthusiasm. She went against the odds.

But her medical condition kept on pulling her down. Anna knew what pain is. She knew what it means to be bed-ridden. She knew what it means to be on medication. But

She also knew what it means to pray without ceasing. She knew what it means to hope in the Lord when hoping does not seem rational. She knew what it means to cast your burdens unto Jesus. She knew what it means to rejoice in the Lord always. She knew what it means to be happy in tribulations.

She knew a lot of things. The things she knew by experience prepared her to be an effective witness of the Gospel of Christ.

Anna never let the Church down. Anna never let the Lord down. She spoke effectively of the Church. She was proud of salvation and was never ashamed of sharing the gospel. She was a walking sermon. She was a good letter from God that people read.

In 2004, I took the youth of this church for a picnic at a water fall in Rau. At that time Anna had developed a complication with her heart. Her lungs were not strong enough either. She enrolled to go. I was scared and tried to deter her from taking the risk. Going to the waterfall involved a long hike on a wet and slippery terrain. Oxygen is not plentiful up there. I had to deter Anna from going. I feared for her life. But it wasn’t easy deterring Anna. She had a strong determination and nothing would deter her from doing what she had set her heart to doing. With the help of others, she made it to the top! And enjoyed her self at the top of the cliff and played in the pool of water flowing off the water fall.

I was moved by this gesture and it was then I started to know and to appreciate Anna. Anna was stubborn in the face of discouragement. You can’t discourage her. The mountain did not discourage her.
I learnt of the pain she would always go through and even that pain would not deter her. She was unstoppable. She walked to Church every Sunday and walked back when it was hot and nothing would discourage her. By her action she taught all of us a few lessons: That…

Anna is in front row to the extreme right, raising her right hand in victory at the waterfallSickle cell anaemia, stroke and heart problem sound scary and surely they will affect your body and mind. They will give you sleepless nights but they have not power to affect your Spirit unless you let them.

Sickle cell like any other disease will weaken your body, but your spirit can remain strong and defy all the odds, unless you let down your spirit.

Sickle cell anaemia like any other disease will deny you of adequate blood supply, but the blood of Jesus will always be abundant for you to swim in it. That’s the blood that Anna swum in for 34 years when her own blood was inadequate. The blood of Jesus kept Anna’s spirit alive, fresh and nourished.

Sickle cell anaemia like any other disease may deny you opportunity to marry as it did for Anna. But her heart was married to Christ and she served him faithfully. The Church (a body of believers) is the bride of Christ. This is the marriage that goes beyond death into eternity. Anna was faithful to a lasting relationship with the Lord. Since Wednesday she has been enjoying that close company of her Lord.

As she braved the heights and the depths to get to the water fall on top of Kilimanjaro, Anna has braved the valleys and the hills of this life. She has braved pain and sickness and loneliness to reach the mountain tops of heaven where she will relax and enjoy herself for millions of years.

And so we echo the true words of Apostle Paul that are now true to Anna and soon will be true to us that:

‘Anna has fought the good fight, She has finished the course, She has kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for her the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to her at that day; and not to her only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing.’ 2 Timothy 4; 7-8

Anna sustained a good warfare against Satan. She ran a good race. She kept the faith and now she is being crowned in glory with Christ.

She has a new body. The pain is gone. The pure blood of Christ is running through her veins. She is happy. She is new. She is sparkling as of GOLD.

And so we ask death: ‘Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?’ 1 Corinthians 15: 55. Death can only glorify the children of God. Will you be glorified in death?

As a church we thank God for the years she gave us Anna. She was a wonderful sister in the LORD!
God bless you! God bless your journey to Sirati. Thank you!

PAUL DHUDHA'S DAUGHTER PASSED ON

ANNA DHUDHA, BORN 1974 DIED 27TH AUGUST 2008

Anna Dhudha LOVED the LORD.

She died yesterday at noon at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center. Anna died at a young age of 34. Her life was a miracle as her parents describe it.

Anna was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia at a tender age of 6 months only. The doctors predicted that the longest she could live was six years. Needless to say, the Lord sailed her through.

Four years ago she developed a heart problem. She was to be done for heart surgery but her anemic condition complicated such procedure. ‘It would be fetal’, one visiting doctor from the US said to Mirriam.

In 2006 Anna suffered a stroke that robbed her of the power to speak. She was able to comprehend speech of others and would smile but she was not able to talk.

She was with us at Church this last Sunday and attended youth/singles meeting immediately after church. But that night, she suffered excruciating pain so she was rushed to hospital where she breathed her last.

Kindly let Paul and Mirriam Dhudha know that you are with them during this trying moment. Paul Dhudha is one of the pillars of the Moshi Town Church of Christ. He coordinates WBS program in Tanzania. He is my co-presenter for our radio program.

Plans are underway, but looks like Anna will be laid to rest at their home in Mwanza on either Monday or Sunday this week. Messages sent to him may be copied to me and he will read them before he travels to Mwanza. His e-mail is: dhudhapa@yahoo.com
His phone number is +255-754-829448.

Thank you!
Charles

Justus Mollel - elder elect, WBS follow up

Justus Mollel's Family

Justus and his wife Aurelia and children –Rickson (in a tie) is a college student of finance and banking, Victor and Brown (not in the picture) have been committed members of the Church since 2001. Justus was brought to the Lord through Ryan Hammit.

Ryan was a dedicated missionary who had strong faith in the people he came to serve and to reach them for Christ

After Ryan was involved in a critical car wreck, he was flown back to the USA and was not able to come back to work. A year later, Godbless Saul, who bridged Ryan with Justus, passed on. Justus remained alone but Ryan had made a permanent impact in his heart. Now his heart craved for the pure Word of God –a craving that would change him radically. Even before he would be immersed, Justus dropped his ‘lucrative’ bar business that made him one of the wealthy people in Moshi and choose to live a simple life, a life that knows want. For the first time he would struggle to make ends meet for his family but he would not look back. In faith he continued doing the right thing while trusting in God.

When we started formal leadership training through NGCS’ extension Program, Justus enrolled. He enrolled to learn more from the Bible and to gain skills in New Testament Church leadership. Having been brought up as a Lutheran, he had a lot to learn concerning the simple leadership style of the New Testament. He desires to serve the Church as an elder. He desires a good thing and the church is committed to equipping him for that responsibility.

At community level, Justus is a dependable leader and a representative of Tanzania’s ruling party for a cluster of more than 10 homes. He is thus involved in constant counselling of families, settling of disputes and ensuring that his cluster is peaceful. Non believers look up to him already.

But more than that Justus’ sense of mercy moved him to establish a community based organisation that takes care of needy children and or orphaned children in Moshi.

During the 2006 famine that hit most parts of Africa, Justus managed a 900-dollar relief fund that was donated by the Ankeny Church of Christ and distributed relief food to over 120 people in rural Moshi district.

Our prayer is with this family, that their children will be as dedicated to the Lord and his church as their parents. That God who holds our future will give them a promising future both in this life and in the life to come. And as for Justus and Aurelia we pray for their committed faith and dedicated witnessing.

Charles and Florence Ngoje -missionary

Charles Ngoje: Missionary –New Testament Churches of Christ

Charles is a missionary from Kenya. He has served this Church as minister since 2004. Charles comes from the Winyo Community Church of Christ. He is the second born child to Zachariah and Rebecca Ngoje. Zachariah is one of the elders of the Winyo Church.

Charles has been involved in Church planting and leadership training in Kenya. He has helped establish two Christian schools in Kenya. Between 2002 and .late 2004, Charles served as the director of the Nairobi Great Commission School’s Extension program.

Currently Charles serves as the director and chairman to the board of directors of the Winyo Christian Academy. He is a board member of the Nairobi Great Commission School.

His mission in Tanzania is to help train national evangelists who will in turn be sent out to plant New Testament Churches in the interior parts of Tanzania. Charles believes that Africans are in a better position to evangelize their continent and that western experts should concentrate in the empowering Africans by way of training. The need for missionary doctors, missionary teachers, missionary agriculturalists and other experts in the field of social gospel is something Charles constantly advocates for.

When Charles moved back to Moshi in 2005, he sought to complete a work of getting a second registration of the Church of Christ; a work that his predecessors in the persons of Ken Bolden and Philip Palmer started. He is now a missionary under this new registration –‘The New Testament Churches of Christ.’

Towards the end of this year 2008, the first crop of leaders of the Moshi Church will be graduating with basic certificates in Bible from the Nairobi Great Commission School –Extension Training Program. At which time, Moshi will have fully ordained elders and a minister. This development will enable Charles to concentrate further in leadership training and in the establishment of an academic school for Moshi.

Charles is married with three beautiful daughters, Anne (10), Shana (7) and Margaret (2).

Samuel and Lilian Kasumila -Evangelist

Samuel Kasumila: Evangelist –Moshi Town Church of Christ

Samuel was converted in 2000 from the Mennonite Church. He was immersed and immediately after met a chagga lady –Lillian Mbuya, who stole his heart and in the same year they held the first wedding at the Moshi Town Church of Christ. A few months before the wedding, Ken Bolden baptized Lillian at a river.

Samuel was a committed Christian from the beginning and quickly grew to be a great preacher and evangelist. In 2005, he became full time evangelist for the Church.

Jonnas Juma Ndege then a member of the Church, referred to Samuel as one who is 100% Church of Christ, baptized by the Church of Christ. His wife also baptized by the Church of Christ and wedded in the Church of Christ. Then both of his children were named after the missionaries of the Church of Christ. Though sceptical, Jonnas was right, Samuel’s family is 100% Church of Christ. They are dedicated to it 100%

Samuel is currently undergoing training through the Nairobi Great Commission School’s Extension Program. Upon his graduation this year, he will take over from Charles as the minister of the Church.

Both Samuel and Lillian are a very hospitable family. They are wonderful parents to their two children. Lynda(8), was named after Lynda Hammit and Charles(5), was named after Charles Ngoje.

This is a highly dependable Tanzanian family who have a sense of ownership of the Church. With them we can see a future family of an elder of the Church. Our prayer is that wherever we will plant churches that we will find men and women like Samuel and Lillian.