December newsletter 2010

Dear Praying churches and friends, December 2010

I praise God for His provision to me over the years. God has allowed me to be a missionary since 1997 and He has provided so much for me. I count it a privilege to serve in Tanzania. Thank you for helping me minister here for these 13 years.

I am really busy with school activities at our Christian school as we get ready for a big day of Kindergarten graduation. We will be hosting 450 students and parents for this day. Our church will be full of parents, friends, students and staff of Bible Baptist Academy. The gospel will be given and we will take every opportunity to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are roasting three goats and we are having a “celebration” at our school for God’s provision over the year of 2010. Next year we will have over 200 students in our Christian school. Praise the Lord!

On Sunday, I visited a home in an Islamic area with a few church members. I was given a soda for refreshment and a lady joined us from a neighboring room. She was the wife of a new believer in Christ. The husband had told us that she was ready to hear the gospel. I presented the gospel to her and she prayed the prayer of repentance and received Jesus as Savior! This woman was an Islamic believer but now she is a child of God, born again! The husband, a new believer in Christ, rejoiced with us as we walked down the path back to my car. God is so faithful.

Continue to pray for Hafsa, my Islamic neighbor, who has just had a new baby. This is a tender time for her. She is afraid of her family and is reluctant to accept Christ. She has heard the Gospel and is still open to hearing. Two of our ladies from the church, one is a new believer and a former Islamic follower, are going to present the gospel to her this week. Pray for Hafsa that she will be softened to the Gospel and will decide to follow Christ.

I need to replace my car and I need to raise 7000 USD to add to the monies I have. Please consider helping me with a one-time gift of 100, 200 or 500 USD to help me pay this. The roads are rough here and I need a good car that is four-wheeled drive and high clearance. Please help me at this Christmas time. Thanks. God bless you and yours.

Your missionary in TZ since 1997,





Joanne Foltz

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

garbage in, garbage out!!

I saw in the news today that Haiti is having a terrible problem with garbage.  I am sure they have had garbage like this before, but the news people are appalled at it.  When asked, one man commented that they are used to it.  It is normal.  In most poor countries, they become immune to the garbage or the litter.

This is how sin is.  Little by little, garbage is allowed in.  One thing then another, until it is filthy and you don't even notice.  Here in Tanzania and in the states, filth in the media, magazines, billboards and on the streets,  is  becoming normal.  We get immune to it and don't even get shocked by it.  It becomes the norm.

Don't allow sin or bad influences in your life to become the "norm."  Keep the Word of God in your mouth, mind and in your life.  Keep your eyes from evil and your life from filth. 

Elections in Tanzania 2010

Here in Tanzania we are having national, regional, and local elections.  It has heated up but not too bad considering the "heat" from other neighboring countries.  Most of the problems are rhetoric.  Loud speakers going neighborhood to neighborhood, annoying messages on our phones, and heated discussions are usually the extent to the annoyance.  Today is the voting in the neighborhoods and most of the citizens will go to the area they are registered to vote.  Today is also Sunday.  Many churches debated about opening their doors.  Some closed their services for today.  We are having normal services and most of our people here in Arusha will go to the polls very early so they can come and hear the services.  Prayer has been the key for the last several weeks.  We have prayed that God will allow the persons in the offices to allow the gospel to continue to have free reign here in a country, where we have had the freedom to go into the public schools, street corners and almost anywhere, and give the true gospel to the Tanzanians. 

I pray today that there will be no violence at the polls or in the streets.  I pray that we will still have all the freedoms that we have enjoyed over the years.  There is change in the air.  I pray it will be for "good." 

Uhuru, or freedom has reigned here for many years.  Peace, or amani, has been the current and past legacy of the leadership here in TZ.  Unity or Umoja is on the lips of all here and has been the watchword for the past and present generations.  I pray that Tanzania will be a beacon to the rest of Africa as a place of peace, unity and freedom today.

October Newsletter from Tanzania

Dear Friends and supporting churches, October 2010


I am writing just back from the states. I went to the states to see my youngest son, Nathan, get married to a sweet, godly young lady, Tiffany Jasper. I had the privilege to travel to the US with the help of one of my faithful supporting churches in Virginia. God allowed me to be in attendance at the wedding in Louisiana. The ceremony honored the Lord and the couple was united in marriage by Pastor Isbel of Baptist Tabernacle in Shreveport, Louisiana. I thank the Lord that Nathan and Tiffany are dedicated to continue their Bible college education at BBC in Springfield, Missouri and then come to the mission field of Tanzania in the near future. The need is great here in Tanzania and with Nathan’s command of the Swahili language and the Tanzanian culture, he and Tiffany will be a tremendous help with Team Tanzania in East Africa. Souls won to Christ, young believers baptized and then discipled by trained disciplers: this does not just happen without the power of the Holy Spirit and the faithfulness of dedicated, trained Christians. As a “mentor” , I know the time it takes, the prayer, and the preparation of my heart and spirit. Nathan and Tiffany are greatly needed here to win souls, disciple, and plant churches in areas which have no or little true gospel.

When I returned, I had the privilege to lead a young lady to Christ. She is from an Islamic background and is a widow of an Islamic man. She was imprisoned by this life but after her husband died she moved close to our church in Oloirieni. She came with one of our faithful members and heard the gospel. She knew she needed a Savior. She knew she was lost going to Hell if she died. I had the privilege to show her from God’s Word the words of life and of salvation. She accepted the Lord that day and now wants to grow in her faith. Her name is Neema, which means grace. God has given her grace!

In my last newsletter, I told you of Mariamu, a young Islamic lady who needed to be saved. I want you to know that she was saved the week I returned to TZ!! She had heard the gospel many times and knew she needed Jesus as her Savior. She was lead to the Lord by my sweet friend, Mama Glory, who is a soul winner! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness to us!!

My teammates and I are praying for a piece of land to build a new church in the Arusha area. Pray with us to know where this new church will be planted. Many areas are without a good gospel preaching church. Pray that God will direct us in the area He wants us to plant this new church plant.

We have an opportunity to purchase an adjacent piece of property to the city church in Arusha. The owner wanted over 100,000 USD but now has asked 50,000 USD for the property with 5000 USD for a secure fence. Pray with us about this property and if you can help, send the funds to the BBFI mission office marked “property in Arusha.” Thank you in advance for your help.

In His service,

Joanne Foltz

Fear

"Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor fear the dangers of the day, nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.  Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.  But you will see it with your eyes; you will see how the wicked are punished."  Psalm 91: 5-8

Many here in TZ are living in fear.  Fear of death, fear of robberies, fear of hunger, fear of illness, fear of loss. . .  they are looking to neighbors and friends and the government for the answers.  Americans are living in fear of financial ruin, loss of power or jobs, fear of the leadership in Washington, fear that their children will fall into sin, fear of cancer, fear of many things. . . God tells us not to fear over 300 times in the Bible.  Why do we still fear? It is because we do not trust God really.  We say it.  We teach it.  We read it. But we don't believe it. 

Today Trust GOD.  Trust Him to watch over you and your family.  We can live in fear or we can choose to trust God fully.  Trust the One who can really do something for you and Who can be trusted. 

vying for position-pride

I came back to TZ and have been able to assimilate well.  Sometimes I come back (most of the time) to squabbles among the guards who watch my house.  This time is no different.  I have not heard any problems until two weeks in to my return. 

I give "refreshments" for the guards so they will not work on empty stomachs.  One of the guards is a lady who oversees the supplies for the guards and the dog.  She buys the things and prepares them.  One of the guards is jealous of her "position" with me and with the monies and the power she has to distribute these things.  I am having issues with two of the guards over margarine!!  of all things!!  One says he eats too much on his bread. 

It is amazing how the pride can enter our lives.  How we can feel justified in arguing over the smallest things.  How Satan can use even margarine to fight over when many are going to Hell without the gospel.  Both of these guards are leaders in their church.  How can we as Christians allow "a splinter" to cause such problems.  We need to not allow small distractions to cause division among Christians. 

Paul tells us in First Corinthians that we need to be unified in Christ.  1 Corinthians 1:10 says, "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

Going Home

Wednesday I board the plane here in Washington DC to start my long trip back to Tanzania.  I have made a big loop from Washington DC, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Rhode Island then back to VA.  It has been 6 weeks plus and now I am gearing up to start my next flight to Arusha, Tanzania.  I am anxious to return and continue the work in Tanzania.  Our school has started the third term and I need to return to lead the staff and students to finish well this school year.  I want to thank all the hosts and hostesses throughout my trip.  God has provided and allowed me to tell many people about the field of TZ.