One step closer to TZ- Update 10Jun21
/The past month has brought a number of changes and developments that we can’t wait to share with you! But first, as is my tradition, the PRUF:
-Please pray for our continued growth in language- as we continue to build our foundation of grammar and vocabulary, being able to quickly construct sentences and ESPECIALLY to have an ear to hearing conversational Swahili is a crucial next step.
-Please pray God would provide housing in TZ- our team-mates are looking for housing for us in TZ, which is the next major step in moving to Kigoma. We are praying for a house with a good yard close to the hospital and our team-mates!
-Please pray for “A” and “O”, two Muslim men I’ve had the chance to develop a relationship with who seem open to the Gospel.
It’s been a busy month! God continues to bless our time here in Nairobi beyond measure!
Ministry updates:
Thanks for praying- our teammates were granted work permits for TZ! On Friday, June 4, we helped the McDonalds pack up their vehicles and on Saturday they made the 3 day drive to Kigoma. Now most of our team is in place, and they have started to look for housing for both of these large families! This is one step closer to putting our hands to the plow in the place God has called us!
I(Josh) got the chance to preach at a local church a couple week ago. The experience was honoring and humbling! I preached in English, and while most of the members speak English, sometimes getting used to an American accent is difficult for Kenyans. Before I began, the pastor(a dear friend) told his congregation(in Swahili), “Even if you don’t understand what he is saying, say Amen! and Praise God!”
On the way home we were reminded that safety standards are a little different here: this guy picture below was hitching a ride on a matutu(local bus) on the biggest highway in the city! He was going 80-90kph(50-55mph). But don’t panic- he WAS wearing his facemask(these are required in all public places in Kenya, including while rollerblading on the highway).
Family updates:
On May 28 Rebekah and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary! God has been so faithful and good to us throughout our marriage! Our team leaders here graciously watched the boys for us overnight and we were able to get away for some sweet time together.
That same weekend we were also able to watch the McDonald boys so Eric and Heather could get some alone time. For 24 hours or so we had 10 boys in our 3 bedroom apt, and the expected craziness ensued! Our kids get along great- yet another picture of God’s goodness during our transition here in Africa!
In the middle of May Ezekiel fell off a bunkbed ladder and fractured his right humerus(upper arm bone) just below the shoulder. He’s handled the splint/sling like a champ, and as you can see, it hasn’t slowed him down much!
The other boys continue to love living here for as long as it lasts! They are enjoying friendships with the other kids here and we continue to press forward with homeschool.
The last thing I wanted to update you on is our desire for the glory of God to be proclaimed among the nations. It is our conviction that God has always been about His glory among the nations, and Jesus solidified that this mission is a responsibility of all believers in the Great Commission in Matthew 28. Obedience to the Great Commission is NOT optional. If you are a Christ-follower, you will be a fisher of people. This is our identity as believers. We encourage all our brothers and sisters to be asking God what obedience to the Great Commission looks like for you. Perhaps, like He did for us, God is calling you to go to another culture to proclaim the Gospel. Perhaps He is calling you to send and support those who go. Perhaps he is calling you to be a part of a local church plant. One thing is certain, He is calling you to obedience to His word. Our prayer for each of you is that the Holy Spirit will be working in your life to show you God’s calling with greater clarity.
If you feel called to cross-cultural missions, consider applying with the International Mission Board. The IMB has a goal to place an additional 500 missionaries on the field by 2025. Will you be one of them? Only God knows, but we encourage you to seek His will for you through prayer, study of the Word, and fellowship/discipleship in your local church. To God be the glory!!!
How to support us:
Prayer
We are grateful that so many of you have expressed a desire to support our family in this adventure! The most important way you can support us is through your prayers. James 5 tells us that the prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective- we need you to regularly pray for our family, our team, our people groups, and the accomplishment of the Great Commission!
Some helpful resources we’ve found:
-The Joshua Project gives prayer prompts for the Unreached People Group of the day.
-The IMB Pray app gives you a variety of prompts for regular prayer for missions
-The PrayerMate app is designed to help you keep and schedule customized prayer cards
Giving
We are 100% supported by the International Mission Board, the missions agency of the Southern Baptist Convention. Thank you to the millions of Baptists worldwide who give generously to support the Great Commission!
If you would like to give to support our work, and the work of the 3000+ IMB cross cultural missionaries around the world, you can do so here: www.imb.org/give. 100% of gifts to the Lottie Moon Fund go to missionaries and the people they serve.
If you would like to directly support our work in Tanzania, you can:
-help us create an endowment to enable a self-sustaining hospital in Kigoma
-give directly to the effort to reach 55 UPGs(Unreached People Group) in SubSaharan Africa in the next 5 years: 55 in 5
Partner
If your church doesn’t have a connection to missions and would like to partner with our team(through regular prayer, communication, and more), send us an email at m28StoreyFam@gmail.com discuss further
Visit
Short term missions trips, when properly planned and executed, can do much to enhance the work of a team on the field. If you are interested in coming to Kigoma to work alongside us, send us an email at m28StoreyFam@gmail.com to discuss further.