Changing Hearts

by Rita Langeland

The construction of the 6 outhouses at the Maasai Primary School in Esilalei Tanzania has been completed. This project has had great impact. The local Maasai leaders have been so encouraged by HWC’s investment into the children of the community. The hearts of the people have been deeply touched by this effort to provide sanitary facilities for the school. Sometimes it takes years to gain the trust of a native community where suspicion of foreigners and their motives has been the standard operating procedure. But God has used this simple but vital construction project to speak volumes about the true heart of Hidden With Christ Ministries for the Maasai people. One person told our native pastor, “We have never seen love like this before!” The village Chairman is now a strong advocate for our work in the community and has become an important ally for HWCM in the local government.

During the construction process, the local senior witchdoctor - whose real name is Olemapi - (which in Maasai means “son of Mapi”) was so delighted that the outhouses were actually under construction that he sent a goat from his flock to be slaughtered and roasted to feed the construction crew! This man’s heart has been softening toward the Gospel tremendously. He recently told the young warriors in his boma (homestead) that they should all “follow” Pastor Zablon (the local Maasai Pastor) and attend his church. (The young men did so immediately and were in church the very next Sunday!) He also told them that he himself would come to church “when the white Mama returns from America” and listen to her talk about God. This is a MAJOR breakthrough. So I ask you to PRAY for Olemapi - for his health and his protection - so that when I return to Tanzania in early July - he will be truly ready to hear about the love of God.

Since I believe with all of my heart that our witchdoctor friend is about to become the FORMER WITCHDOCTOR...we want to go prepared to help him grow in his new relationship with God. With most people, we would give them a Bible in their language, but in this case, this man and most of his family cannot read. Yet we know that being able to HEAR the Word of God is what builds up a person’s faith and knowledge of God (according to Romans 10:17). So we have found an amazing answer to this dilemma. There now exists a solar powered digital audio Bible! This unit, which fits in the palm of your hand, has a built in solar panel with rechargeable batteries. It is available in the Maasai language. It has a powerful speaker and it is designed for a group of people to be able to sit around this small device and listen as the Bible is being read to them in their native language! It is available from an organization called WORLD MISSION. They offer these devices to other missionary organizations at their cost of $40 each. They have named this device (quite appropriately) THE TREASURE. We want to order a minimum of 10 of these devices - a cost of $400 - and bring them with us in July to Tanzania.

The TREASURE (pictured left) will hold the entire audio NEW TESTAMENT plus a compilation of Old Testament Stories and summation of the Gospel called GOD’S STORY in the Maasai language. We will present one to our friend Olemapi and call his entire homestead together for a demonstration of the device. (sounds like the perfect thing to do around the evening campfire!) The other TREASURES will be distributed in other Maasai homesteads in which Pastor Zablon has been evangelizing.

If you would like to purchase a TREASURE for the Maasai tribe, please send your gift of $40 to HWCM. To donate online follow button below.