Nov 2022 Update from Abel and Sarah

October and November were very exciting months. I got to go to the US to spend time at ABC and catch up with a lot of you. I was very encouraged to worship with you and to see what the Lord is doing there. I pray that the Lord will give leadership wisdom moving forward, and for the church as a whole to raise up, understanding their identity in Christ, and the ministry that each one of us had been given.

Reggie, Shannon, and I traveled together back to Tanzania, and encouraged our family for two weeks. They got a chance to see how we live and got a much better idea of the heart behind ministry, and the direction that the Lord is taking us as a team here. It was difficult to say goodbye, but we are excited to see how the Lord uses them in California at ABC.

Sarah’s mom arrived not long after they left. She spent a few weeks with us as well, enjoying time with her daughter 1 on 1 and overall encouraging our family and experiencing life with us here. We are thankful the time that the Lord gave us to spend together, and that she was able to get a clearer idea of what the Lord is doing here.

We also received as a team a group of ladies from Germany who may come to Tanzania to serve in the future. They visited us at the office and got to see first-hand the work that we do in developing curriculum for the local church.

Our company is slowly gaining more Swahili students. We are excited to be able to help other people who have left their home countries be able to speak and understand the Swahili language and be able to live and be involved here.

Andrew went and competed in a cross-country race in northern Tanzania. Not only did he win his age group, but his time was also better than all of the other competitors, in all age groups. On the same day, he played 3 full matches of ultimate frisbee in competition, and 3 games of volleyball. His ultimate frisbee team took 3rd place after 8 matches, and the volleyball team took a solid last place finish .

We celebrated Pacey’s birthday with 14-11 and 12 year-old girls and three adults.  Sarah and her mom did a great job getting them from the school to the beach and back to the house for tea and cake. It was a good time.

We sent a team to northern Tanzania to finish the Milele Hata Milele (Eternity to Eternity) course training of several Tanzanian pastors at the end of November and the challenge for them to teach their leaders first, and then together teach their congregations was taken up. In the other regions where the pastors have already finished, several of them have begun training their leaders, and some have already moved on to teaching their congregations.

Looking forward, I need to have surgery soon for my shoulder. While in California I was able to see a specialist, and he identified the problem as a torn rotator cuff that will not be able to repair itself. I hope to travel with the family back to the United States for the surgery within the next month during the kid’s school break. Please be praying for that to work out, Lord willing, and for safety in traveling again.

Early this month our company will also be having their 4th quarter directors meetings. Please be praying for us as we meet, assess the last quarter, and make future plans.

I was elected to be a member of the Board of Governors for the kids school. Please be praying as we work to keeping the school as one that teaches the truth, and represents the Gospel accurately to the student body.

Thank you for your prayers.

abel