Truly, A Day Of Blessing...Teleios Africa 2007

Day 13…We Praise The Lord!


Halima, baptized by Floyd last summer, volunteered to say a prayer for him and his family.


Two girls walk down the road toward school.


One of Mpeli's twins stops for a chat with a friend.








This morning, I was greeted by the children at Daily Bread Life Ministries Children’s Home and Training Center. What a blessing and joy to be greeted with them singing, “Welcome.”

While waving green branches with great big smiles, they began to shake my hand and lay the branches at my feet. I was so overwhelmed that I did not take a picture.

The children were going to school to get their term reports. They waited to sing “We Praise The Lord,” then they sang in Swahili a new song they had written themselves about praising and glorifying the Lord because they were once orphans but now they have a family. The song was powerful and moving. (I hope to have the words translated by tomorrow’s blog.)

Halima, one of the children that I had baptized, volunteered to pray for me and my family – what a powerful blessing and moment for me. The children were asked if they remembered me, and they all said, “PAPA” — grandfather.” Mplei Mwaisumbe laughed letting me know that he had not coached them on what to say. The children are doing very good in school.

The Training Center work is under way. Some of the girls have begun quilting and learning to sew. I will be bringing a couple of comforters/quilts that they have made. Also, some of the children have been learning some basic aspects of carpentry.

We then visited Mpeli and Neema’s new home beside the Children’s Home. They have done a great job of working on the house and garden. Already, the children come over to their house with some spending the night from time to time. Neema cried as she prayed thanking God for the house.

Mpeli and I worked on some exciting new partnership opportunities involving a three-way partnership including Kenyan leaders. Also, we began working on new economic development possibilities to provide for the local support of the Children’s Home.

In the afternoon, I visited with Ann Mwaisumbe at her new kiosk business and then with Frank Mwaisumbe’s at his Stone Pity business at the Tumaini University. We spent the afternoon and evening talking about the need for new churches and leadership development of church leaders in Tanzania.

In all of this day, I found myself constantly thanking God for our partners in Tanzania as I watched the changed faces of the children, the joy of the staff, the tears of Mpeli and Neema, the vision of business as a calling that has captured Frank.

This was truly a day of blessing. If I ever wondered why Teleios, today gave me enough of an answer to last a lifetime.

Tomorrow, we travel to Kidetete School bearing chalkboards, crayons, chalk, balls, pictures, activity books, and many other things.


A mother walks with her daughter as they make their way to the school.


Students from the Children's Home are ready for school to start.


It was time for term reports, or more familiarly, "Report Card Time."


After a busy day, this first-grader heads home.