Democratic Republic of the Congo | Tanzania | 27 October 15
We are finally back in Tanzania after a great adventure for the kingdom in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Traveling with our small team has made this adventure all the better. Each of the guys on the team is a seasoned traveler, counted the cost of going to a difficult place, did an excellent job of storying the message, and displayed a rugged determination to take the gospel to the Congolese Taabwa.
Traveling with guys who love venturing to the ragged edge is a privilege. Each of the guys on the team had a the-tougher-the-better attitude. Sleeping in tents, walking long distances, eating fish caught out of Lake Tanganyika, no showers — no problem for the guys on the team. These guys have what it takes to peel back each layer of difficulty involved in taking the good news to hard places.
Once we crossed Lake Tanganyika and returned to Tanzania, we traveled two days to spend time with our friends from the Safwa tribe. We had a season of prayer and study with the Safwa men and women who have become our valued partners in the gospel over the past eight years. There was no better way to end our time in Africa than by spending it in the company of friends.
I had the privilege of leading a day-long study of 2 Corinthians 6 and facilitating discussion on what Paul experienced as a servant of Christ. The Safwa easily related to the hardships that the great apostle described in his second letter to the church at Corinth. Each of the Safwa men and women are familiar with hardships, challenges, difficulties, opposition, and push-back from the forces of darkness.
I am grateful for our partnership with the Safwa. Over the past eight years we have worked together to take the gospel to the Bungu and Taabwa tribes of southwestern Tanzania. Our journey to visit the Taabwa on the Congolese side of the lake was a first for them. These dear friends will continue to follow-up on those who came to faith in Christ in Kivubwe. They will ensure that others who live in villages along that side of the lake continue to have opportunities to hear about Jesus.
Because God has opened a door of opportunity for us, we are committed to returning to the hard places we visited. Our hearts are strongly knitted together with the hearts of our Safwa friends. God has used our partnership over the years to strengthen the work in a place filled with challenges and hardships. We are grateful to call the Safwa our friends. They continue to teach us what it means to go beyond for the kingdom of God.
Go Beyond 
“O” Thank you for sending me this article about your travels to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Right now we are enjoying our time that we split between two churches. Our son Scott’s church is a mega church in the Indianapolis area and we have gone to our first two prayer meetings there. We did not know what to expect in a prayer meeting with over 500 people in attendance and we were pleasantly surprised to find out that we could truly spend meaningful time in prayer. The pastor, Dave Rodriguez has been putting an emphasis on praying big, praying for miracles. His definition of a miracle is where man’s impotence meets God’s omnipotence. It was a joy at both prayer meetings to spend the majority of the two hours in actual prayer for so many big things and also have a time of worship and praise. Right now this church, Grace Church, is in the process of starting three new works, one in London England, one in Bloomington, Indiana, and another work in Indianapolis, plus expanding their ministries out of Grace. Again thanks for keeping us up to date on your travels and ministry.
KC
By: Kerry Colip on November 11, 2015
at 6:24 PM
Thanks, KC. Always good to hear from you and to know you are doing well. Regards to the family. Thanks for your faithful service to the kingdom.
By: Omar C. Garcia on November 11, 2015
at 6:26 PM