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My timing for this trip was aimed to arrive before birth or our first baby after Ashkey, whose mother & my last wife died after birth, to help my wife get her visa approved, get a US passport for our baby, and oversee the start of building our Comenius School of Godly Leadership starting with high-school in rural Kenya, where my partners contributed property and knowledge of the area.

Our baby, Victoria Chazaq Greg, was born, 7 lbs 11 oz (3.5 kg) as I traveled to see her birth, from our rural building area. When I saw a call from my wife’s phone & talked to a lady, I thought it was a nurse who said the baby was born, a girl, and the birth was very good. But it was my very happy, thankful, wife, sounding like a different person. She delivered just 3:25 hours after labor began at 1 am. She was standing and happy when I arrived about 7 hrs. later. We left in the same taxi that brought us from down-town. It was a good first birth!

The greatest blessing is being together as a family, increased by a very nice apartment provided by God through the sister of my deceased wife. All of our goals have been started. None have gotten very far. But God’s goals have been greatly accomplished!

We are building foundations! In every area. It is significant to me that we are literally starting at the foundation level with our building, but made the most progress on preparing to dig and drive a well. The real foundation of Kingdom work is the church (called out community) working as a team with common vision. Though all of us expected to do more building, we all agreed that we had greatly built our relationships, had two baby girls, Victorina, and Victoria, both called Victor through two of our building partners marriages, and that God seemed to be most concerned (by His provision) with our families & time for prayer and fellowship.

As far as the school building, we agreed on an improved location, got our government approved architect’s approval of our unusual method of construction (in Kenya), found local material sources and good prices for a framed building, found well driving problem solutions, and bought most of the needed well materials and well driver parts that match the 1 ¼ inch well screen and point that I brought. I had just finished organizing my tools and materials that I brought & we bought & packing to be ready to leave for my baby’s birth, when Racheal went into labor about 2 hours later, so we got up, last minute packed, called a taxi & traveled with my building site host & partner back to Nairobi hospital where they were ready to check out when we arrived.

Foundation conclusion:

The vision God has given me is to greatly contribute to discipling nations (ethnos) by producing godly spirit led leaders who take the principles and Holy Spirit guidance, provision, and power to every mountain of influence in a culture. The Kingdom is all about relationship. “Like oil (spiritual anointing) it is, upon the beard, when brothers dwell in unity.” There is unity of purpose and method in my family. Likewise among our school partner corporation board (3 owners) with much improved understanding and respect, as well as humility for our common strengths and weaknesses. All three of us are so much alike, in leadership, accomplishment, and sometimes impatience & mistakes. We all made mistakes that set back our plans, but there is no point in starting a school, before we have full agreement and humble unity. So God has done what we needed most and used our mistakes to give us the foundation of the Kingdom, which is love & humility.

Recent understanding that I have never heard taught by others:

As a close observer of the characteristics of great ministries, a friend of very gifted people who have surprisingly limited ministry, and my experience in renting rooms and living with people, as well as my wide knowledge of world history and cultures, I have made this conclusion, I have never heard any other teach:

Responsible (not looking to or blaming others) consistent effort to make improvements, produces productive lives who are and spread happiness to others.

Those who blame and look to others for causes and solutions, do not overcome carnal behavior, do not mature emotionally or spiritually, and spread misery to others.

These things are true of both believers and non-believers! The most unhappy and possibly dangerous people blame, accuse, and envy others. They spread misery and unwilling suffering to others. This applies at every level from the ghettos to the leaders of nations and religious groups.

It is the difference between the last Adam, Jesus, and the first, Adam! Adam blamed the women, who listened to the serpent who blamed God. They did not accept responsibility! Jesus did not blame others, accepted His troubles as “For to this I was appointed.” and He said, “Work while it is still day.” and He did it.

To embrace the cross is to work when you don’t feel like it, humble yourself when you don’t want to, do what you don’t want to, and to accept responsibility for the circumstances that you are in or to thank God, because He works all things for good. Ironically, voluntary suffering (self-discipline) produces improvement for all. Lack of responsibility (self-discipline) produces suffering and misery for all including yourself!

The greatest need to improve societies are loving self-disciplined fathers who instruct their children with discipline to be responsible, diligent, productive members of society. Women are important, but fathers are the key. “Listen to the teaching of your mother, and obey the commandments of your father.”  Read more... (1599 words, 28 images, estimated 6:24 mins reading time)

9:02 AM (1 hour ago)

Composed on my smartphone for lack of computer modem coverage at our rural school building site. The photos mostly have my Feb 2011, Rwandan born daughter, Ashkey with Faith, Faith’s father & my first Kenyan partner, Patrick, Ashkey’s Rwandan Uncle Erick, my very pregnant wife, Racheal, and I holding Ashkey.

Ashkey was so happy to see me/Daddy/Baba that tears ran down her face as she laughed & smiled at the airport with Mommy, Racheal, & Patrick meeting me. I was so focused on my family that I forgot I had 1 more unusual 12 * 48 inch cardboard cement pillar form/tube packed full of building tools, newborn diapers, baby clothes, towels, etc., shallow well screen/driving point, roofing self-sealing screws, and cordless tool batteries. 32 kg picked up 2-3 days later!

We were so happy! After 4-5 hotel nights and hotel agreed storage of building things, we, with Racheal’s sister Brenda, traveled to Ashkey’s Rwandan aunt’s apartment with a Rwandan cousin’s family and ended up in a nice apartment with bright ceiling lights, furnished, two burner gas stove, kitchen cabinets and working sink, and a hot shower! A first for me in Africa.

After shopping with Patrick & buying well pipe & couplings to match the screen and point I brought, Patrick & Erick traveled with me to our building site in rural Kenya where I write this on my phone now. We agreed Racheal would stay with Ashkey and sister Brenda in the nice two bedroom apartment because she has to get a DNA test , and after results, interview for her US Visa at the Embassy with our new baby’s US citizenship and his/her presence with mom and dad. Plus we found a very good, but low cost hospital for birth through Ashkey’s Aunt. So I am with Patrick’s brother, building contractor, and 1/4 th owner of our future school, but increased by Patrick & and some buy-out money to include the current Nairobi 700 student school and a 1/3rd interest in another more lucrative (for Kingdom expansion) school. I am 50% Chairman/owner of all that with Racheal authorized to act with my veto capable vote in my absence.

Cement floor materials, digging cost, buy-out of other board members, added well costs, apartment, etc. have consumed most building money, but we did get approval of my design by a Kenya approved Architect and worked through 3 partner debate to build in accordance with the unique, but fine quality Godly leader education.

I’m staying away from my family till the corrected location and foundation is, at least marked out to dig correctly and the well is finished or till Racheal is in labor for our baby. Henry took two ten foot pipes on his cycle to the nearest town for threading where we got our manual well driver welded from a steel rod and scrap truck gear yesterday. I plan to finish assembling my recumbent bicycle that Erick brought for me from Rwanda with the great new tough front tire and tubes that I brought in my 290 pounds/ 132 kg of Missionary ticket Luggage.

Great things usually start slow and with difficulty, requiring persistence. A family and Ministry from another continent are not easy, but I feel un-deservingly blessed and honored by God to have and lead them both!

He who weeps with love and perhaps..
The father of nations through whom the world will be blessed. If so, it is all because of Jesus my first Love!

9 images coming soon!

My family is growing (Racheal said everyone knew she was pregnant at 4 months or less, but 7 mos. now)

My household is growing even more-I have 5 adult room renters with 3 children, 3 cats, and a dog, & we get all get along very well! We had church at the table after dinner tonight.

My strength is growing-I learned a new, more effective way to exercise using less time for more rapid condition.

My property is growing more pleasant & useful-I have independent room heat in 5 bedrooms and two bathrooms (the coldest ones) and house-hold members and contract labor have cleaned & organized where I didn’t take time to do. I even have a renter who is growing ground cover starts for my previously weedful flower bed.

Our ministry of training leaders and planting house churches is growing in Africa, especially in Tanzania, and Uganda.

My income & business ventures are diversifying. The room rent income is paying house expenses, even some food, since we often eat together & I am now the chairman of a for profit Christian school in Kenya, with the funds delivered to build the foundation and first floor (of two); A slab floor, with plumbing planned for two showers, two toilets, and a kitchen on both first and 2nd floors.

I even found a Christian architect to do detailed drawings with changes to suit me, in digital form to email to my building partners in Kenya, who accepted my offer of $150 for his work!

My education is increasing. I’m on my 3rd 4 hr class toward my History/Business degree and reading several really good books related to nation changing principles for the expansion of the Kingdom of God.

All this is happening while I do installations and service calls for my HVAC business between study exercise, shopping, building design, house and van improvements & the new role of pastoring my believing, but not so mature, household!

Needless to say, this explains the lack frequent news-letters from me.

God arranged all of this, provided for it, and gave me the grace to be ready to play my part.

My thoughts:

The best part is all about relationship. My marriage is really wonderful & was the 5 months before we parted for the last three to be almost 5.

I have a real house mom (a renter) here who prays and cooperates with me in all household concerns and respects & listens to my counsel. She’s a natural mom for any age person.

My already good relationship with my Kenya partner has grown over a big obstacle with persistence on my part in debating his political views. After some firey debate, in person & by email, he said, “Your persistence in speaking truth has won me over! I will listen to your teaching in any area.”

I copy all significant emails to my wife, who said she reads them, loves them, & “I’m disappointed if I don’t see any mails in my in-box from you.”

The 4 oldest house members all praise the Lord when someone we love is in good shape or recovered, etc.

Many of my customers say they call me, because of my bold advertising of “Making Jesus Disciples in 5 African countries” and most are really pleased with my fast service, which is not hard because my wife is caring for Ashkey in Uganda, and most meals are cooked by others in my home, and my online class is on my own schedule, if I stay ahead. By having a local service business and enough money for stocking basics (like food) I use my service, sales, or installation travels to take me near my favorite stores. The flexibility of having my own business with no employees results in me exercising and taking a bath (while I listen to good teaching, usually), at any time of the day, whenever I need a break from computer work or to get ready for a work day, etc.

I don’t really deserve all this blessing. It is so much to be thankful for, but I am a little tired of being away from my wonderful love relationship with my pregnant wife. But there is a time for everything. I have devoted my life to pleasing the Lord and as it has been said, “You take care of God’s business and he will take care of yours.”

Our current travel, building, and residence plans.

I will arrive to Nairobi just after Christmas or New Year, but it’s not set just yet. But I have two paid for tickets. This is to arrive before our baby is born, but a late as possible to earn money, before I come. My wife surprised me today, that she preferred arrival 3-4 Jan, because traveling on Christmas & the next day is difficult & more expensive by bus for her.

Our baby is due estimated Jan 6 by me, or 21 by one doctor:)

If our baby is still on hold:) we will all travel to Kitale, for me to start building our 40 X 40 ft school with a 2nd floor home with 4 large bedrooms, 1.5 bath/toilets, kitchen, den, & big great room. The school floor with have 2 showers, 2 toilets, kitchen, 2 classrooms, and one multi-purpose room, plus small office. For fun we will have a rope climb & sliding pole inside instead of indoor stairs.

The foundation and first floor should be done by my arrival. I will shortly send detailed digital drawings and materials list, courtesy of a Christian architect who accepted a small stipend.

I am packing a well point to drive a shallow well, a small generator, cordless power tools, and some light-weight but hard-to-find in Kenya materials, a bread-maker, & lot’s of other things:)  Read more... (1268 words, estimated 5:04 mins reading time)

God has made me an early adopter of new ideas, concepts, and products. I don’t get the good ideas or teaching from scratch, but I put them to practice long before they are commonly known.

This year, 2012, I’m putting to practice steps to train others in a new, to most of us, bible based concept. It was 20 years ago that I was really impacted by good teaching on the Passionate, romantic heart of God, at a conference in Kansas City. That same year, 1992, I began to read Rick Joyner’s writing & may have gone to my first MorningStar conference (led by him). I was exposed to the teacher, Mike Bickle, on God’s passionate heart in 1990, but not that teaching until 92. Like-wise, I was exposed to a teacher of the 7 Mountain Mandate in 2010, 20 yrs later, but it has sunk into a plan for practical application in 2012.

I’m just pointing out the 20 year patterns. 20 years before 92, was my first major step after salvation & growth in deliberately memorizing scripture, which laid the foundation for memorizing the Song of Solomon after 92.

I feel that learning about the 7 mountains of influence in nations (cultures) the school we will start building to produce godly leaders that transform the 7 mountains & therefore nations, & combining these ideas together is building to world-changing participation in restoring the earth to the rule of righteous men or the Gospel of the Kingdom.

The 7 Mountain revelation of mountains of influence in culture were given as a list of 7 items to 3 great Christian leaders independently at the same time in 1975. Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade, Loren Cunningham (happens to have my name) the main founder of YWAM (Youth With a Mission) both had notes given by God in their pockets to share with each other, while Francis Schafer was sharing the same revelation. The point is that we are called to disciple nations, not only make disciples. To do that we need to invade and conquer, like Israel did the 7 stronger nations, the 7 mountains God showed, which are:

Family
Religion (Church & mission)
Education
Celebration (Arts, Entertainment, & Sports)
Media
Economy (business, science, technology)
Government

I am reading two great books on this, “The Book that Transforms Nation” by Loren Cunningham, “The Seven Mountain Prophecy” by Johnny Enlow, & because we are called to invade (war) an conquer, I am reading “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu.

These will be a great foundation for our first nation changing school in Kitale Kenya.

All of you; Please open your minds to the fact that we are called to preach the gospel of the Kingdom & to disciple nations & ask the Lord to give you understanding of how to expand your current vision & practice to obey His call.

For Jesus & His Kingdom, because He is my master & husband for all eternity,

Your fellow servant and bond-servant and lover of Christ

Though very thankful, I was not very inspired in Rwanda, until the end (I write outside, our 2nd day back to Uganda, while my wife gets a police certificate for her US visa interview). But the last 4 days were great for my wife & I, with good news of many new believers and a blind man healed from our Tanzania partner! He wrote below with my comments in blue:

Greg

Can I get the monthly support in your account tomorrow so that I can spend some to my family support while am away for ministry trip this week? (I usually don’t include $ talk, but I recently agreed to support David at $150/mo, as he has been faithful, has learned so much, & is producing good fruit, as you see below. If some of you could donate to help him, even $5 or $10/mo, which is easy by online automatic payment, it would benefit you to share the heavenly reward of our work!) Will travel on Wednesday morning to Dodoma for 4 days for a JESUS FILM ministry trip ,and after will connect 3 days to Singida to visit some house churches in order to strengthen them, especially leaders.

Last month we did house to house evangelism and showed the Jesus film (DVD), We had 326 people come to the Lord..We prayed for the sick and one blind man was healed, He had HIV. Now he is under teaching to get to know the bible.

Asante sana

DAVID

David used a video projector that I sent him years ago, because I got a $500 donation & loud-speakers, that I got with a later $500 donation from a home church leader in Austin, when I was there, because another good leader hired me to replace his heating & cooling systems (I have 4 HVAC licenses) to help support me. In rural Tanzania, or most 3rd-world countries, those who often have no electricity & certainly no TV or DVD player will gladly come to watch any video! David has the Jesus Film on DVD, that can be played in 8 common East Africa languages. After showing it He preaches the gospel prays for the sick, casts out demons (we did that together twice) lead people to Jesus, & starts house churches in new homes. Then for very little support from me until recently, has gone back to do it more & train/encourage new leaders!

Good news for Racheal & I:

She had the sometimes normal pregnancy nausea (Americans call it morning sickness) but also felt very weak more than ½ of the time. She likes to work, but for the last several weeks, she only had occasional bursts of energy & was hungry, but was nauseated just to see food. She has a Uganda wireless that receives calls for free from Ugandan friends. Unlike me, she leaves it on at night. Sunday, the first, a friend woke us at 2 am and only said, “I have something to tell you after you get up. I’ll call later.” She was aggravated to be wakened for that, but for the first time in many weeks she woke up full of energy, able to eat, and felt like hand washing (normal here) our many dirty clothes (we do have a baby crawling on quickly dirtied floors & sometimes the dirt yard). So I went alone, to my first house-church meeting (with a young man I met & became acquainted with), while Racheal stayed to wash & hang dry our many dirty clothes. I’ll do the wash in America with our clothes washer & gas drier:).

We both had a great time that morning!

I had a wonderful time teaching by asking questions in a group of 8 adults & a wonderful mountain motorcycle ride in the cool, sunny morning beauty. She was very happily scrubbing away outside in the same morning sun when I got back after a long walk with my English speaking friend to save money, but happily, for good conversation. She told me, her friend, Kitibwa, called again & said she had been praying for Racheal & the Lord showed her that the devil did not like our marriage & particularly did not want us to have children or what leads to them. He had caused Racheal’s raised level of nausea, weakness, & wanted to destroy our relationship, but he didn’t make any progress at all! That very night, Racheal’s praying friend, bound his work. Racheal was so happy, as was I, for her & my experience, the rest of the day. After she finished hanging & pressing some of the clothes, we decided to walk to a nearby restaurant we had found, for a nice meal while Mama watched Ashkey. We had such a nice conversation about many things. I was thinking, “This is a day I should remember.” So, in thinking what was the date, I remembered, “It’s your birthday!” She was so happy & thankful that I remembered. She said, “This is the first time I have forgotten my own birthday.” She was so pleased that her new husband remembered it! When we got home, she told me, “I knew my mother could find me herbs to help, and I was more miserable than I could tell anyone, so I decided I should go alone back to Uganda, & meet you when we intended to travel to Kenya for my visa interview. But every time, I wanted to tell you, the Lord would not let me!” Then she showed me that our small carry-on luggage was already packed for her trip that never took place!

Thankfully her visa interview was delayed by poor communication, until she was feeling well enough to travel with me to & in Uganda, getting police certificates (required-we’re in a police office now, when I wrote this, with a friend she remembered she had getting the first).  Read more... (4003 words, estimated 16:01 mins reading time)

our new baby in kenya short travel news and family photos Greg Lia kwa Mapenzi/Cunningham

11:12 AM (28 minutes ago)

to bcc: me

Now I finally feel inspired to write. My wife is pregnant & we are both very happy! She had been feeling weak, with strange appetites, so I said maybe you are pregnant. So we went to the local hospital, the pharmacy ($1.80 self test), back to see a doctor ($7.50), then got an Echo-gram (Ultra-sound for $11) and I could see the heart of our tiny baby beating, but he/she was so small that my estimate based on knowing more than the technician (his guess was impossible) is our baby was 6-7 weeks old in the womb a week ago. The doctor’s charge is much less if you have Rwanda national health insurance. I hope Racheal qualifies for the Health Indiana plan that I have, but I have a daughter that is certified to assist natural childbirth in Indiana.

Written 6 wks ago:

None of us really know all that God is doing in us, but if we have a little wisdom we know that He is doing things beyond our expectations & perhaps we are wise enough to know His goal is more focused on our character than the things we think are important to accomplish. But He does have good works prepared for us to walk in. But with Kingdom work experience you know that He likes to do things in ways we do not expect &/or at times we can’t know.

This is what I perceive He is doing with us:
He is building foundations in my new family.
First is our marriage:

We pray about every area of our shared life. EVERYTHING!

We talk about everything, even our past mistakes & weaknesses.

We read & discuss great books together.

We help each other & try to work in the same room. (e.g. She irons clothes on the bed, while I lean against luggage typing on the floor)–At this moment (weeks, ago) we are in her sister’s home in the capital, sitting together using our two computers, on the nice bed with Ashkey playing with us on the bed.

We help each other with “our” daughter.

Second is building relationship with our Rwanda extended family, which is actually building a team for Kingdom work, as the connection is most fruitful where it is spiritual.

Racheal is confirming my observations of my youngest full Rwandan brother-in-law (by deceased wife). He is amazingly mature for his age, with such a good heart!

We are both amazed by the childish excitement of my first cousin-in-law, because he has discovered in me a man who has the same revelation of grace that rescued him when he chose to give it all up, because he could not be righteous, & he was on his way to even give up his bible, when God spoke, “I will never leave even one of those for whom I died, unless they choose to leave me!” I shared with his neighbors, “Everything comes through faith in the work of Jesus. It never changes no matter what we have done. But we can choose to leave Him.”

We are currently (Early May) with my wife’s sister (actually a first cousin she spent some growing school years with) 4 hours from my in-laws, in the capital, having a wonderful time in a really nice home. Once again there is a divine connection for the Kingdom work to which I or we are called! Fortunately, her sister & husband both speak English, Luganda, French, and the first national language, Kinyarwanda, very well, and our expenses are small for them, with better cooking (Ugandan beans beat Rwandan beans hands down). The head of the house, Geoffrey, loves talking with me & has taken me to his expensive private school job, to do two things: To help me apply to teach there (for very good pay; thus his nice house). Second to help me connect with leaders in gov’t, because of my desire to bring the kingdom of God to the government and culture of Rwanda, but sharing economic & sociological truth that can prepare the nation for a greater work of God & avoid the sociological and economic mistakes of declining westernized nations.

This might sound strange, but wasn’t it strange when, I wrote down the goal of helping to lead more than 100 churches when I was leading no Christian group? & I wrote down to go to a third-world country to find a good wife. Both of them happened far beyond what I could have even dreamed of. Thousands of churches in 6 countries, and 2 wonderful marriages, with no lasting problems other than illness & death of the first.

So now I have this crazy desire to change a nation, based on my knowledge and high aptitude for economics, and all the social sciences, plus knowing the Lord & His word. I met, through my new brother/cousin-in-law, a member of the Rwanda parliament & shared my knowledge of what produced the strong economies of USA & Japan, what destroys economies, like Europe, and the same in terms of society (good society is based on marriage of men to one women!). That was one of the three reasons we came to the capital, & ended up spending two weeks with two of her sister/cousins. I also contacted the head of Migration about obtaining Rwanda citizenship by my 3+ yr marriage to a Rwandan (I need his help because my wife died) .  Read more... (1925 words, estimated 7:42 mins reading time)

Photo Gallery at end of post

After a seemingly perfect honeymoon (I don’t want to devalue the word’s literal (flawless) meaning, though it seemed perfect to us) we slept late at our pastor/host’s home where Ashkey had stayed & were tired the Sunday at her pastor’s church.. It was a 10 hour church day! I did come down with a bad cough/sore throat which didn’t spoil our wonderful, restful honeymoon, but after packing for our early morning bus trip out of town, our night was very short & the 3+ hr trip was very hot. I got a sleep deprived head-ache before we took our first 3 man motorcycle taxi ride to our first teaching meeting. I took a total of 8 extra-strength Anacin (I seem to be immune to low doses or toxic doses:) & still had some pain, but how blessed we were to run across her new-born again father & to see him arrive for our first meeting! Even though the group wasn’t ready or enough adults to warrant my planned seminar on the Song of Solomon, my father-in-law, Sylvester asked great questions when I invited them. Racheal confirmed that God really lead my sharing (I turned the direction to answering questions). We traveled to two more teaching stops outside homes, both with sore throats, headaches & some stomach pain part of the time. Her father came to every meeting & we figured out that he could best understand my Swahili, & I his English.

Physically the trip to her home-town was miserable, but how my wife is a treasure!! The first day I was just trying to think about other things on the last long ride to the hotel, to avoid throwing up on the back of the 4 person motorcycle (Racheal held Ashkey) in front of me on the back. My headache was getting worse. I collapsed on the bed, of course, making sure Ashkey was taken care of. Then Racheal massaged my back, my scalp, & my feet! She had a sore throat, some head-ache & occasional stomach pains, but I am so blessed! She never complained & rejoiced with me for everyone that was blessed by our travels, including her father’s avid questions & hugs for me! We never got enough rest for 3 days & it was too hot for a North Indiana American to be comfortable, but the response of the people & her father, in particular, was great! I also learned a lot about the unusual endurance and maturity of my young wife. To me it seemed like the most miserable 4 days I could remember, but it was only 3! But we’re both glad we went. Racheal told me, she was telling those who asked, that Ashkey was her first-born. Truly, Ashkey cries if Racheal won’t hold her, even when she first sees me after a few days of travel!

We returned all the way to our host/pastor’s home to get a decent nights sleep, but left the next day to visit my original apostolic, evangelistic, church planting network leader with whom I traveled last year until I met Racheal. That four day trip was really wonderful!

We stayed in a house with a private bedroom & bath that was more comfortable than the last $16/night hotel. Our bachelor host spoke excellent English & loved talking to me (typical in Africa).

We visited 3-4 house churches for each of 3 days, with great discussion teachings.

One day, our 2nd stop had 3 ladies who said they wanted to get saved! Unbeknownst to me, I was sharing about the real gospel to people who really were ready! After leading them in prayer & explaining the importance of baptism, 2 more men wanted to be saved!

At the next home we found “A worthy man.” Matt 10:5 who was waiting to be saved! He had invited his best friend who with his wife also received the Lord as both Savior & Lord! Fortunately, he spoke English & loves to read good books & I had brought about 200 good books, which I said, I’d leave with our pastor/host for a library for English readers!

Our “worthy man”, John, came with us for the basic teaching discussion, that is my nature when we eat & travel together. He was well-to-do, businessman, so he drove us the next day & to the home traditional church of my great leader contact on Sunday.

Our new bachelor host, stayed the last two days at a friends house, so we had another honey-moon cottage & both got good rest & made progress against the real nasty colds we shared.

Of course we got more rest, because Ashkey & our host’s family were so happy together that we left her with them those 4 days, but we were both glad we took her to see Racheal’s family, who had never seen my baby before, except in photos.

We postponed our travel to Tuesday night, so we had time to start packing Sunday evening plus time to teach a disciple-ship group on Monday.

I taught new subjects with no use of my computer for notes Sunday & Monday, & was so blessed at how it all came together to teach about the churches needed expectation of great influence & it’s responsibility to bring the kingdom beyond salvation to business, education, & government. I taught the responsibility of all believers to both make disciples & to build the church, which requires destruction of false ideas & methods of evangelism (like bring them to buildings:) before you can build!

Two things have impressed me in my experience with a marriage/ministry partner in Africa this second time:  Read more... (3127 words, 52 images, estimated 12:30 mins reading time)

Wow! Our two wedding ceremonies, on March 17 were more fun than I imagined, with more Christian inspiration from Racheal’s two fathers & a young friend named Racheal than either of us had imagined.

First the Inspiration

In the first traditional “Introduction” ceremony at Racheal’s real father’s front yard, I picked him out, though I’d never seen him before., & saw that he didn’t have his 5th wife with him & didn’t smile very much, though I got a quick smile out of him. His background in brief:

After many years of smoking, drinking, womanizing & being somewhat wealthy & stingy, with Racheal & others praying for him the womanizing dropped off, of course he was about 68 at that time 10 yrs ago, then he stopped smoking & drinking, so Racheal thought God is answering my prayers bit by bit.

Sometime after he amazingly agreed that we could marry with no dowry requested, around October, he called his large family together to tell them something. He said, “Last night I had a dream. I was given a pair of spectacles. When I put them on, I saw the light. I saw a man preaching the good news of the cross of Jesus for salvation. When he finished he said, “Why don’t you give your life to Jesus. He will carry your burdens.”” Racheal said, “Daddy, do you want to receive Jesus, now?” He said, “Yes.” His whole family was stunned when their stingy father soon said, “I am going to give 1 milllion shillings (approx. $400) toward the celebration of Racheal & Greg’s marriage.”

He has changed greatly. He asked Racheal for a bible. He couldn’t read the small print, so he said, “I’ll go get reading glasses.” He traveled to the other side of the country to go to a Christian conference. He won’t let Racheal leave from a visit, until she prays with him. He recently told her, “I don’t intend to do for your sisters, what I did for you. You have my favor, because my spirit is one with yours!” Bear in mind that he is a new brother in Christ, but he is showing his oneness with those who are disciples of Jesus. When I talked to him twice on Racheal’s phone from the USA he was so happy to hear my voice as his future son-in-law.

During the first ceremony, I noticed when Racheal walked in a line of sisters by her father, he gave her a big broad smile, of great happiness! When the ceremony required that I give something to him I told him “Nashukuru!” which means I thank you from my heart. Then I hugged him. The whole crowd Oooohhed, because he grabbed me in a bear hug & swung us back and forth from right to left until I could hardly keep us on our feet! That video was too large to email.

He also gave a speech thanking all for coming and clearly saying that this joy was from Jesus and all the credit belongs to him!

In the Christian church style wedding, in the step-father & mother’s front yard (where I first met her) her step-father took the mic & gave us his advice in three short points:

“The first key to a our good marriage is love. After that,

We are patient with one-another,

When we do wrong, we forgive each other quickly.”

Racheal & I were both surprised & amazed, because she is praying for her him & her mother to know Jesus, as they are part of a religious, but not gospel-preaching, Anglican church. I thought that was the best sermon, I’ve heard on marriage, because it is biblical & I can easily remember it:)

Then a young lady friend/spiritual daughter of Racheal’s with the same spelled name read a poem she had written about marriage, with advice, mostly to me. It was really good! In short, she said, “Many other (suitors) tried, but you have won. You have found beautiful rose. She is a flower that must be cared for. The thorns may hurt, but you must care for your rose.”

I & my best man wore three different colorful African suits (I had to pay to be made) Racheal wore two & the wedding dress that my 30 yr old daughter helped me find at 40% off and bring in one of my 6 checked boxes/bags (I only paid $200 for extra bags, because my Christian travel agent got us a missionary ticket with 4 checked free & up to 51 lbs in my two carry-ons [Ashkey & I]). I literally took 800 lbs of luggage. Most of the weight was books, 8 computers, & 1 laser duplexing printer.

Custom, also required numerous gifts to father, mother, aunts, uncles, the group (1 cow, sugar, salt, soda, etc.) & special clothes for most of them. I was a little peeved at all the expenses for the traditions of her culture, but both parental families paid many of the expenses and did not require the traditional dowry. But I take my aggravation back, because the ceremony had beautiful lines of dancing walks of aunts, brothers, sisters, brides-maids, all in beautiful matching dress, great advice, memorable African suits & a large crowd rejoicing & laughing at my dancing, & her father’s joyful embrace of me among other things. It was way more fun than I had imagined!

Also my new Android phone was used by my Rwandan brother-in-law, by my deceased wife, to take nice quality photos & videos which I’ll attach to this email. My really great Kenyan (in USA) secretary bought me 2 long life batteries for my computer & 2 extra batteries for my new phone/camera/internet phone. I was so busy I forgot the nice $62 video camera we bought for the wedding, but we hired a man for $122 & he did a really good job, which will give us a DVD of wedding video & photos for another $61! Besides all that, I was amazed that all the key people & businesses could talk with me in good English, more than any other Africa country I have been in.  Read more... (3048 words, estimated 12:12 mins reading time)

My fiancee’s dress sizes are shoulder to foot “Height”: 57” (not her, but dress height), Bust: 34”, Waist: 27”, Hip: 36”, Ugandan English “Caber” is outside of shoulder-shoulder: 16”.  They are all in inches straight from metric Africa. We were given one for the wedding to my deceased Rwandan wife in 2008. Now we (a different we) need another that we can alter. Call/text my cell 574 295 9696 or reply to ship to my address at the bottom of this.

Below is a great report from Tanzania about 32 mostly new churches, deliverances & healings! (Edited for readability with Dave’s approval)

GREG

We thank God for His love, and the blessing that He is doing and working through us. We are happy that God is multiplying disciples here. As He takes us step by step, we are growing. By now we have grown from 7 House churches in Dar es salaam to 30 more in other cities in the country After long bus trips from east to west we planted 10 house churches in Mwanza, the town located at lake Victoria in the west of the country. We also planted 5 house churches in Singida the town located close to Arusha. Our  37  house churches are growing fast.

Here is the testimony of our brother AMANI, from our house church in Singida. “People are amazed to realize how the small church can make true family in Christ more than the traditional churches. I feel loved and belonging to the church more now than in the big church I used to attend, cause in small churches I can ask questions. We are free to meet the deacons, and almost everybody is a minister. We sing songs together, and we pray for each other.”

Also, we thank God many people are healed, demons are cast out and people are set free from many kind of oppressions during our Jesus film crusades. Hallelujah! Jesus Films have been a wonderful ministry to win & touch people’s lives. Jesus Film ministry is helping us to rapidly plant and grow House churches and many are receiving healing from Jesus.

During a Jesus Film crusade there was a woman who had a fibrous tumor. We laid on hands and prayed for her. Then the demon manifested. After she vomited she could not feel any pain in her stomach. We told her to go to the doctor for medical checkup. The doctor verified that she had no tumor. She is free! The Lord set her free! Halleluiah! She told us the stomach pain from the tumor was gone! This happened during Jesus Film crusades in villages. Many people attended the crusades. We thank GOD that through Jesus Film crusades the house churches near Singida have multiplied from 5 to 15 now . I want to go back to help train new leaders and plant more house churches. They are in the rural area. It takes an 18 hour bus ride from Dar. It is a rough road, from the city of Singida to the rural area.

Your Tanzania New Wave Ministry partner, David

David has persisted in being faithful to use the Jesus Film DVDs I sent, the DVD projector sent after a big donation, & the speakers he bought with another big US donation. He has had very occasional success selling computers for me for profit, but has never had enough for ministry trips without great sacrifice. But he wants to make disciples for Jesus & he managed to go with what he has & occasional small help from me. He is a good pastor of leaders (he always encourages me) & he is committed to bringing the Kingdom of God to people who have not heard or seen what Jesus can do for them.

He needs four types of donations. I only remember one $100 donation that I got this year (not counting my own gifts).

1. $150 round trip fares to return to train leaders & help them plant more churches.
2. $100 for training materials
3. $350 to print a book he wrote (about choosing a marriage partner) that people want to buy (he has orders) to support his travels.
4. Monthly support for his family & ministry travels. He has looked for jobs & buyers for computers, but his most fruitful efforts have been preaching the gospel, teaching, & traveling for Jesus. I suggest $30-$50/mo, but if you have online banking like most people your bank can send any amount every month at no cost to you in time or postage. I make several donations from just $7-15/mo to other ministries using repeating online bill payments.

Summary of miraculous blessings (#3 is the best amazing answer to prayer):  Read more... (4337 words, estimated 17:21 mins reading time)

1. After over 3.5 years of marriage with no birth-control, my ministry leader-wife died in the final stage of AIDs (she told no one) 11 days after our first daughter was born in the 8^th month, because Provi was unconscious that day. I got my 3^rd HIV test 9 mos. after exposure, late Oct. I tested negative I’m & stronger than ever! My first two tests were before the 90 day risk period had ended. The Christian health staff lady confirmed my baby Ashkey’s passed test, by observation that she was way too healthy to be an HIV positive baby! She was treated to stop HIV transmission, successfully & tested in Rwanda at 7 wks of age.

This is my/our testimony, but I also attached & recommend “The Weightiest Matter” MorningstarMinistries.org Prophetic Bulletin.  It’s one of many great free bulletins & this one relates to the whole reason for romance & marriage.  The writings by Rick Joyner have radically impacted my life along with Watchmen Nee & “Reise Howells Intercessor” by Norman Grubb & audio teaching by Mike Bickle of www.ihop.org.

Our 2007-Provi’s promotion to heaven marriage:

This is a great testimony of how “…eye has not seen & ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him.” 2 Cor. 2:9 & Luke 18:29-30 “…there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of who will not receive many times as much at this time & in the age to come eternal life.”

Although I suffered most of the time for 30 years, since I was married at the age of 19 to a wife who was angry with me most of the time, because she couldn’t succeed at changing the source of her fears (my family leadership, provision & some mistakes, of course) & who, 13 years later, after she had experienced a dramatic deliverance, which came partially through my fasting for her, told me she was backslidden when I married her.  After her deliverance we had a few  wonderful months (at least I thought so) but she seemed to get even worse for the last five years, often saying, “I wish I could kill you.” and choosing to sleep alone for the last three years.  She is happily remarried and likely, greatly improved by now with many admirable qualities, which I have many times spoken well of.

God answered my prayer & accomplished my written goals to find a good wife in a 3^rd-world country & to help me lead hundreds of churches, though I had no Christian leadership position when I wrote those goals in the spring of 04.

Providence, called Provi, who I called Du (short for Dusabe) & I, had a fabulous relationship, after I arrived Oct 10, 07 & married her the 14^th.

I wrote a long list of qualities I desired in a wife, like radical for Jesus, loving to pray, not afraid of men, a hard worker, intelligent, & disciplined.  I saw these qualities, by phone & email, & by the testimony of my partners, after we really started communicating about 8 weeks after I met her.  But she was beyond my list of requests, as my partners told me she was so zealous, nearly always passionately affectionate, & amazingly humble & teachable, although I understand her personality well, since we are both independent, functioning like 3^rd- born children of the same sex, intelligent, & often opinionated, because of our natural gifts.  I never dreamed I would find a wife of her age who would love me so much & who is willing to change rapidly to please me.

She begged me to tell her if she “made a mistake” so she could change.  There wasn’t anything significant that I didn’t like, so after some pondering, I told her, although it wasn’t a big issue, I would prefer that she not drink soda-pop (which is common even among the very poor) because it’s not good for you at all & is a waste of money you can use for the kingdom of God.  She said, “Drinking soda is finished.”  Although I have seen her drink it when given it, she told me she has stopped drinking soda-pop.

 I’m still increasing my physical strength.  I’ve also challenged her & all of you as well to avoid things made with sugar or white flour, since most common western diseases are caused by refined foods with those ingredients.  You can get a great supplement, “Healthy Advantage” at www.DrDavidWilliams.com.

I encouraged my wife & all of you that we must be like children to enter the kingdom of God, & children are open to new ideas, quick to change & learn, & happy when they don’t have much of anything, as long as they are loved.  She & I didn’t have much financially, & we had to work hard & even sell our prized possessions (like the computer I sent her) to earn some income, but we had so much love for each other & so much by our Father & Bridegroom, Jesus. We were like happy children, always learning & eager to please our Father, one-another, & our bridegroom, Jesus.

Although I knew she was devoted first to Jesus, she treated me like Him & said, “You are my life.”  “You are my schedule.” “I have no schedule of my own.” & I know that I must be first devoted to Jesus, but by loving & sacrificing for her, I was loving Him, as He said, “Whatever you have done to the least of these, my brethren, you have done it to me.”

I was quite amazed by the perfection of our relationship in areas I never dreamed to expect.  Of course, I know that there’s times when it seems the honeymoon is over & you find something you don’t like, but except for illness our earthly honeymoon never ended.

 We still had a honeymoon for 41 months and grew strong in our relationship through various shared trials, including our longest separation for 7 months before my only 2010 trip.  We survived, together a rolled-bus accident 24, April, 09, and she made it through another illness with 6 weeks of head-aches with no known natural cause later that year.  When she found out she was pregnant September 2010 she was so happy she cried. Neither of us knew that she would still not have her US visa after I applied Dec. of 07.  But our marriage was solid as a rock, after the normal challenges of early marriage passed.  Read more... (1623 words, estimated 6:30 mins reading time)