Here's what's happening

First I want to let you know that I will be taking a break from my doctrine posts for a couple of weeks. This coming Sunday in class the kids are taking their first test which will be on the first 8 statements of faith. The next Sunday is Easter with no class so the next class will be on the 30th. Unfortunately, Molly and I will miss that class as we will be attending another quilt retreat that weekend. I hope to post that week with the next statement anyway.

Next, I wanted to update you on how things are going with Tanzania. I know that things seem to be moving along slowly but first of all, we continue to remember that God's timing is perfect. God will have us there exactly when He wants us there. He will not send us too soon, before we are ready or before everything is in place for it to happen. It is important to remember too, that as slowly as things may seem to move in America, in Africa they usually move slower. The culture there is much more laid back. Schedules are fairly unimportant, a meeting set up for 10AM may not take place until 2PM, or maybe even the next day since many businesses and government offices close for the day very early in the afternoon.

Pastor Richard has made several trips to the area where the ministry was gifted land by the government. As I have stated in the past, the land lies across a channel from the main city of Mwanza and is accessed by a ferry. He was shown two different plots of land and given a choice. He says the land he chose is very beautiful and is located right on Lake Victoria. We have been told that it is approximately 30 acres. In Tanzania, the majority of people do not own property. Rather they find an empty spot to build and build. They are, in effect, squatters. In the year 2006, the Tanzanian government passed a law that says any entity taking ownership of property must reimburse those currently living on the land so they can rebuild elsewhere. The first number we were told was $1000 per acre. Pastor Richard has talked to someone who has lowered that down to $500 per acre. Pastor Richard is still negotiating with the powers that be over there for the property. What we have discovered is that free doesn't exactly mean free. So we continue to wait on the finalization of that.

In the meantime, End Time Glory Ministries has filed an application with a ministry here in the US that provides architectural and designing help for Christian organizations looking to start ministries overseas. If they approve us as someone they want to help, they would travel to the property possibly as early as this fall to look it over and come up with a culturally acceptable layout and architectural designs for the property. They would also provide cost estimates and fund raising brochures for the end project.

The directors and board of the ministry and Shannon and I are currently thinking that we could be looking at a move sometime in 2009, possibly as early as spring. We are all aware that there is a lot to be done before we could move including selling our home and fund raising and of course the exact move date would be affected by those factors as well. None of us feel comfortable putting too much else into process until the details of the land get worked out.

All of this to say, we need prayer. Please pray for the property, for the approval from the other ministry that may help us and the other details involved. We so appreciate all of you who just continue to pray with us for God's will in this entire project and we look forward to seeing how God continues to work.