Final Update

Hello everyone,We are so sorry that we have not been able to update you, but we have been without the internet. I believe that we were on the way to Safari when I tried to send you an update by texting. So here is the latest up date. Today is our last day and we will be visiting with Andrew and Ester Mukasa.
Yesterday we saw a vision unfold before our very eyes. Over 100 people that included workers, neighbors, visiting pastors and several family members came over and celebrated the home restoration project. They were over joyed and many cried as they were given a tour of the home. Kevin had invited a few people to speak and through each speaker the gospel of Jesus was proclaimed to the entire area. Mama Timba, the woman who led Geofrey to Christ was there and she wept as she realized that by her sharing the salvation with one man, {that act} had led to a day that it was shared with over a 100 people. On the 7th month, 1st day at exactly 10 min. after 12:00 p.m. the main front door was hung. It was as if a chapter had been closed and a new one opened. Many of the workers brought their wives and their children, and they had never been apart of anything like this in their entire life. They were honored by us taking time to recognize their efforts.
God has given the Masanju family newness in life. Within their family God has already began to restore and reunite sisters and brothers because of the gathering and the openness of the celebration. Here is list of everything we saw finished: windows, doors, electrical, ceilings, tiled bathroom and shower room, floors, plastered walls and the front of the house plastered and finished, landscaped court yard. It is an absolute miracle what took place here and it would not have been possible if all of you had not come together to make it happen. They will forever thank you and we have listed everyone's name on a sheet of card board for them to be able to pray over all of you.

There was money donated to buy specific gifts that would help the family tremendously. List: New motorcycle, bicycle, stove with an oven, washing machine, toilet, shower assembly and spray nozzle, pedestal sink with faucet, and heavy duty interior door locks.

We will be leaving at 10:45 tonight and will arrive in Atlanta on Friday 1:40 p.m. Georgia time. We can't wait to share all the videos and pictures with all of you. We are sad to leave this family because we have all become close through this time of restoration. We love you and thank you for partnering with us to change the lives of another family in Africa. Love and God bless,Kevin, Sherry and Ricky


(***because of sporadic internet access, this update is a day late..p.lett)

Trying to Update

Sherry tried to text an update earlier in the week about their safari. However most of the texts were garbled or broken. The one thing that came through was that they learned not to take bananas with them on safari. Animals will chase after them (I think the text said elephants to be specific....)

edited by Paula Lett

Thursday Update

Hello everyone,Today all the windows were put in place and they look great. The concrete starts at 7:30 in the morning for them to pour all the floors. These men work so hard but don't make a lot of money. We pay them a fair price for a day's wage. They tote concrete blocks like sacks of potatoes. Most of them always have a smile on their faces. This project has changed the lives and hearts of so many families. Everyone is so excited that a home is actually being completed. They work with great skill and dedication that you would think it was theie personal home.

Ricky went to David Mucasa's home last night and they put him on the radio to speak. He and David put together a song along with Ricky reciting the Lord's Generation from Damon Thompson from the Ramp. The Ramp has come to Africa.

Kevin and I went to our friends Bahati's home because she prepared several things for us to try. Ladies, we ate boiled pumpkin leaf mixed with nuts.(not recommended), homemade rolls, some kind of meat with a great tasting sauce, fried bananas, fresh cucumbers, beans, and water to drink. Her home was up on a very hilly region and = what a view of the city. We had to use a 4wheel drive to get down to her property and we walked/hiked down and up some ditches to get to the house. We took her children a ball and I played ball for a long time with them. We prayed over her and her home. Her husband spends alot of time away, trying to start a business. We were blessed by her giving. We spent a lot of time in the car because of major traffic jams, because there are no driving rules here. Rebecca made me a great cd and that is what we listen to everyday in the car.

When we visited the school on last Saturday we were introduced to a little crippled girl name Dao. Her legs were different sizes and she scooted around on her bottom and wobbling. They asked us to buy her a bicycle. Today we went to two factories looking for a special bike. We discovered they were very expensive. So we decided to buy an original kind with a place for her to sit on the back. Her family lives in a one room hut and are very poor. The bike can be used for other transportation also. Sometime tomorrow or Friday we will take it to her.

We want to go to safari this Friday. However, we went shopping today and what an adventure that was. We went to what they call the major market and the prices are low. Africa has improved in the last two years because they have paved many roads, added traffic lights(which we noticed no one really adheres to) They have even built a small mall almost like home( except for the security guards in every store). The prices are higher but they had just about anything you could want. At the market today we enjoyed looking at all the incredible art and handmade things.

Tell Andrew that Kevin looked for a djembe drum but was bombarded by about 15 men trying to sell him everything at once. They would not leave him alone and we actually had to hide inside a store and they kept banging all the drums at one time trying to convince Kevin theirs was better.

We are all doing well and miss you all, and will see you in a few days. Love Kevin, Sherry and Ricky

Tuesday update

Hello everyone. It is Tuesday here at 9:41 am. Kevin is gone with Geofrey to the bank and to get more supplies. Ricky and I are at the house. The neighbor brought his lap top over for me to use and rRcky was shoveling but is now getting ready to go with Joseph, Geofreys son to the Tanzania Z00. The wind is blowing but it is still hot here and muggy. Sweat becomes a part of the daily routine. The roof has been completed and it looks great. Today they are working on putting the metal bars in the window frames and they will put the screen over them last. All the door frames are complete and in their place. It is hard understanding everything they do and say but somehow we communicate with the ones who do not speak English. David, the young man that came over and spoke at the church is coming over and going with Ricky. Women , be very thankful for your stoves and washing machines. Just ask Ricky about having to do laundry from buckets and a lot of hand work.
They cook on a little Cole burner for all their meals. One meal can take several hours to prepare. I have gone to the markets twice to help get food. I realized Agnes needs a small cart to carry all the food. I even picked out live chickens or Choco in Tanzanian. We are learning more words and meeting more people. Bahati a woman from the Women's conference in 2007 came by and told me that her niece that I prayed for then who had aids and was pregnant was doing good. She is now healed and her baby that she was going to abort is alive and well. God is a miracle working God. We are just allowing our bodies to be the vessels that God is working from.
It builds my faith to see how these people walk for miles to get to a church. There is a local open front church on the main street by Geofreys home that have street church on Sundays. They are having a 10 year dedication this weekend and the man had not filled the guest speaker's spot, because he felt like God said he would send the speaker. He stopped by Geofreys home, just to see what was going on and met Kevin at the gate. Now Kevin will be the guest speaker for Sunday afternoon. We will be going to another church on Sunday morning for all of us to minister and pray for people.

The plumbers have arrived with the pipes to finish more of the water lines. This is all for now.

Greetings from Tanzania

This is the first time we have been able {to update everyone}. This is a quick update on the past three days. Our flight was long and very tiring, but we had good seat partners. I talked to a Korean girl who had almost been in a bad car wreck, but God spared her life on her way to the airport. I talked to her about the importance of her walk with God and how God was not finished with her. She thanked me and told me that I made it easy for her to talk about how she was hurt in church. Her name is Beth.
Geofrey picked us up at airport and we spent the night sleeping under a fan. We are sleeping very good and Agnes makes sure we eat good. We have eaten good meals like rice, english peas and green beans cooked with coconut. I went to the market yesterday and I picked out the chickens we would eat for supper. The smell was awful but the people are laughing and smiling at me as I try to learn their language.

Kevin and Ricky went with Geofrey to find wood and supplies. Everything is different here because when you order it has to be made the day you order. The wood arrived about 7;30 at night and it took about an hour to unload. We have been going to bed very late and yet it is all very good. It is very hot but the Indian ocean supplies a breeze. We somehow left one of my suitcases at home that contained most of my clothes, but God is supplying what I need. Agnes gave me a beautiful dress and a dress maker came by last night and measured me for another skirt outfit(!) I do have pants but only 1 skirt for church services.

I watched as the men took off the existing roof and waited on Geofrey to come back. Kevin and Ricky went to the Indian ocean and shopped while they waited on the wood to be prepared. Ricky says to tell everyone hello and that he loves and misses all of you. He is having a good time although it is a much slower pace than he is used to. Here we call it "African time", because people get to it when they get to it.

There are so many crippled people and they are taught from an early age to beg for stuff so that they can survive. I gave away a ball yesterday to a neighbor of Geofreys. He was 3 and named Moses. His sisters were 1 year old Anna and 7 year old Miriam. I saw him this morning and he was still playing with his ball. I also gave a ball to my dress maker named Bahati. I met her in 07 when we were here before. She is a very powerful woman of God.

Ricky has made friends with the local children. He played soccer!(football) with them on Wed. and plans on playing this afternoon! He has been asked to speak at the Dar es Sallem College next week. We will go Sat. to speak to the children. That is 2 hours away and several miles off the main road. We have to have a 4 wheel drive to make it there. The men working on the house are very nice and eager to learn. Kevin brought tools and they are very thankful. Geofreys sister Juliet is coming over to help with cooking and washing dishes. They are hard workers. She stands and bends the whole time she is cooking.

We love all of you and we are taking lots of pictures. Tell Bean that they pray over his picture every night and they say thank you to everyone who has helped. Agnes just cried and she asked God why He chose them over others she feels need things also. She knows she is being blessed. I will update again as soon as I can. Keep praying and know that we love each of you and we feel you are here with us. Blessings from the African house builders,Kevin, Sherry and Ricky ( posted by Paula Lett for the Rickles)