Seymour gets baptized at 88 years old

So I man I have known for years got baptized on last week into the family of God. I was so excited to hear about it that I ran upstairs to tell my wife weeping with joy....why?

I met him years ago while serving as an assistant at a church in CT. His friends would bring him to church and he would walk up for a blessing during communion, see he was Jewish but came each week to hear of Jesus and experience His love through His people. One Sunday he walked right up to me as I was handing out the bread, looked me in the eye and said "I want one of those". "I'm sorry" I told him, "but you can't Seymor, you need to be Christian" (I knew him well and he didn't believe in Jesus at the time)..."so God doesn't want me?" he replied. "Oh no, he wants you desperately" I told him.

So for the next year he would come to church looking for peace. He had lost his wife (the good woman) years ago and he didn't understand why and was in deep pain. She had suffered an long illness...they were good people, he had done good, he was an industry leader in the NY garment industry...and now he was alone, trying to fill a void and numb the confussion. He gave tirelessly to the poor and broken...and he would listen over and over.

One Sunday he walked up to me during the service and said "I don't believe what you believe but I want to... But I can see that you really believe it with all you have"...."is that enough?" For now, I told him...and he went back to his pew.

We would meet for lunch time and again and talk about the good woman and Jesus over burgers at Fridays' in the mall...and always the sadness would remain. He loved me (as he always said) and adored my wife and daughter...and I loved him as only a person who has walked through deep sadness personally can....

I left that parish yet kept in touch. And this morning I heard that last Sunday he got baptized. The priest had walked up to him during brunch after the first service and told him he had been thinking that he should be baptized...ok, he said. Great, let's get together and discuss it! No, let's do it today! Sure, next service! No, how why not now?

So upstairs they went, with a witness...and my friend Seymour walked away from a world of pain and hurt into the open loving healing arms of Jesus. And I weep and shake as I write this. I can still see his face across from mine over so many burgers...the why's, the pain, the why would a God like that want a man like me?

I cannot wait to see him as soon as I can, this new creation friend of mine. I am so grateful for his friends that brought him to church and told him of Jesus..and I am so grateful for God that He gave his best for this man...and that this man walked away from all he knew into a new faith and the arms of Christ....at 88 years old...praise God

One month and counting

So this morning I was in prayer about why the Lord has sent me to Tabora...and I kept getting the sense that was to simply talk about Jesus, buy nets and help bring food and water. So when I started working this morning there was a message telling me of a wonderful new donation for just such work!

This morning I purchased an ingenious irrigation system from Chaplin Living Water Ministries. There are two drip systems; one uses a trash can the other a five gallon bucket (neither included!) and a flat irrigation tape, connectors and a nail. By raising the container a specific height and spacing the holes in the tape, it is possible to make horrible land fertile! The entire weight is 16lbs so I will have to trim my bags way down but that's ok....

So it's been a good day...God clearly spoke in prayer, and answered! And I found a way to help people not only conserve water, but increase their harvest!

Keep ya posted, keep praying!
Blessings
b

Tanzania 2010 updat from the clinic

Plans are well underway! We have raised funds to:

1. cover my travel to and in Tanzania
2. build the cistern in Tura
3. purchase nearly 400 nets!

Keep praying as hearts are moved and funds roll in! Here is the latest update from the clinic (don't mind the spelling as Ruth has a broken keyboard)

 

Reg Mwakashindye : don't worry about spelling: I spell it wrong all the time.... Reg cistern or well: they are having a lot of input from government suddenly and been give 'a lot of money' (!!!) to build a zahanati , water, etc. o We think they are trying to phase us out maybe, but there are so many places to go that are waiting for us that we are quite grateful.

We are hoping to build a small 'familia moja community'  on th farm for socially, or 'medicALLY' OUTCAST /needy PEOPLE. We are hoping to build two first houses this summer and we have  no clean water there. So maybe building a rainwater cistern there would be something that people want to support?

God bless you wherever you are. Love from here

Ruth

So we wi