Kusini Congregation 2009

Here is a recently taken picture of our congregation just shortly before the departure of our beloved local missionaries Scott and July Freedlun. Behind you can see the extendable kingdom hall in all its glory.

We hope to bring you coverage of the dedication of the kingdom hall before long.

Since we’ve been in Arusha Kusini we’ve seen spectacular growth. In November 2006 shortly before we joined their ranks there were just 38 publishers, but recently the figure rose as high as 75, with many new publishers from the field swelling our numbers.

Goodbye Charles and Sonya

Charles and Sonya have been with us for nearly two years during two stints with us here in Arusha. We were very sad to say goodbye to them in July – indeed, the whole congregation was sorry to see them go.

Both Sonya and Charles worked hard with the Swahili language during their time here, and both of them conducted many bible studies with interested people. Charles was very busy too in the congregation – after Scott and July Freedlun left for California in March, Charles began serving as the coordinator of Kusini’s body of elders.

But more than these things we became very close to them as friends, especially when they moved into Kusini congregation and into a house not far from ours. They showed warm hospitality and gave me a lot of training as an elder. We had some marvellous conversations about spiritual things.

We’ll miss your pizza and your bolognese, and your smiles.

We hope dearly that you’ll be invited to Gilead school before long and that perhaps, just perhaps, you’ll be assigned here to Arusha!

Missionary Home Progress

Perhaps you were aware that our extendable kingdom hall was on a plot rather larger than the hall itself.

The Governing Body decided some time ago that the space was to be used to construct a home for Arusha’s missionaries. Since the spring Tony and Ann Porter, our friends from South Africa, as well as two couples from Wales, Glen and Jo Cole and Dan and Kim Bath, have been with us helping with the construction work.

The work has been moving on apace. When we left in May for Blighty the foundations were nearly complete. When we returned the walls were nearly complete.

Now the roof is complete, the walls have been drylined and painted and they’ve started first-fix electrical installation and tiling. The house is straightforward in its design but built to a very high standard. Each missionary couple will have a room about six metres square which includes an en suite bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe. There’s a laundry, a large open plan public area used as a dining room and living room, with the kitchen facilities at one end. There’s a large generator for power outages and water storage facilities for when the water gets cut off.

Tony, project overseer, shows the Muxlows what they’ll be missing out on since they were reassigned to Moshi

The unfinished kitchen

 

Tiffany Karshnick keeps a low profile

‘Choncho’

There’s also been some changes to the missionary team. Our circuit overseer Rick Stringer and his wife Malin have completed two years with our circuit now and they are staying for the moment. Mika and Hanna Santikko are still here, our Finnish friends who graduated from a recent Gilead class. Last month they were joined by Todd and Michelle Hodgins, whose acquaintances we renewed at the English Special Assembly Day.

Angela Wendy Dowds 1943-2009

Angela Wendy Dowds, my dear mother, died yesterday evening (November 5) in her home. Feel free to email the family with any messages of condolence.

Pioneer School 2009

The Karshnick Family: all four invited to pioneer school; youngest, Kevin, only 14, already pioneering over 2 years.

Public transport witnessing – special training!

Lickle birdy wants spiritual food, but turned away due to dress code

Avril and I were thrilled to be invited to pioneer school in English in Dar es Salaam in the month of September. I only qualified on Avril’s coat-tails – I wouldn’t have qualified to attend a second time officially for another year, but there’s a special dispensation for married couples.

Eighteen pioneers were present, including ones from eleven different nations, all working hard in the ministry here in Tanzania. Most of them are based in Dar, with the exception of two Danish girls Helle and Charlotte, who are based in Moshi, 70 miles or so from Arusha.

The school was a very special opportunity to refresh ourselves, and attend a pioneer school that catered for the very special territory here in Tanzania, whilst also being able to follow in English. Such classes have been held only once before in Tanzania, so it was a really special privilege.

The two instructors are both circuit overseers here, both Gilead-trained missionaries serving in Dar with their wives. So it was quite inspiring to benefit from their experience of ministry here.

We managed to have fun too though! It wasn’t all serious. We had a ‘pioneer school beach day’ in the middle weekend, and stayed in the branch for a couple of nights also. At the end of the school Avril and I went to a quiet beach resort and set up our tent, camping for a couple of nights before returning home. There’s no beach in Arusha, 500 miles from the coast, so we have to seize the day!