My long trip home to Tanzania

I have heard of people sitting on the tarmac for hours in the plane at an airport but now I empathize with them. I am now one of them.  It was only  three and one half hours but I thought we might have to stay the night at the airport or go through unloading, loading again, and then wait again.  Well, we did have to refuel since we used up a lot of fuel and I was really hunger when they finally gave us a snack of cold, and I mean cold ,like ice . . . wraps with a cookie.  I had opted to not eat in the airport knowing that we would get a hot meal on the flight.  I was really hunger and wondered how the rest of the flight would be.

 Really, after we started, the flight was long but uneventful. We did have to wear our seatbelts alot, even though I wear mine all the time anyway.  We had turbulance quite abit of the flight.

 I had a lady across the aisle who was not well and was needing a friend.  I hope I gave her good advice and gave her some hope.  She was going to miss her connecting flight to Bangladesh.  She was from the city where my sending church is from, Gainesville, Virginia.  We had lots to talk about and I had opportunities to share my faith.  She said she would write me an email when she arrived home.  Paveer is her name.  Pray that she will accept the hope of Christ.  She is truly a needy soul. 

I have been able to shower, eat, get some strong coffee, freshen up, and catch up on emails during this time in Qatar.  I still have a trip of 5 hours to  Nairobi and then 5 more hours to Tanzania by car.   Long trip!!

 It has been a good trip though very long.  I am glad most of it is over though, although I still have four hours of waiting for my next plane.  Oh, well!!  I need to make my "to do" list for Arusha for my arrival at HOME.

 Thank you , Lord, for your provision and protection of the last few months and last few days!  I am keeping my guardian angels busy! 

Newsletter June 2011

Dear faithful praying friends, May/June 2011


As I write, I am getting ready to return to Tanzania after a busy, but rewarding 3 ½ month furlough. I have traveled over 8000 miles by car and have visited many of my supporting churches in Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Louisiana, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and a few new churches. God has been so faithful to keep me safe as I traveled by car and one trip by plane to Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Thank you for your prayers!!! I will be leaving from Kansas City, Missouri on June 16 and traveling to Tanzania. Pray that my trip will be blessed and that I will arrive safely.

During my furlough, my twins graduated from Baptist Bible College Springfield. Nathan, my youngest son, received his B.A. in Missions and Bible, Megan received her B.A. in Missions and Bible with an Associate in Business, and my daughter in law, Tiffany, received her B.A. in Missions and Bible with a minor in Elem. Ed. I am so proud of them and pray that God will continue to bless them in their ministries in the future. Nathan and his wife, Tiffany, were approved as missionaries with the BBFI and have started their deputation for the field of Tanzania. To contact them for a meeting, call 804-370-1396 or visit their website Foltzwagen.com. Megan, my daughter, was married on May 14th to Jeff Jones, who is a youth pastor. She will be joining her husband for ministry in Arkansas as they serve the Lord together. I am pleased and blessed to have children who love the Lord and want to serve Him. 3 John says that “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” God is faithful!!

The ministries in Tanzania are gearing up for youth camp in June. We are having three youth camps back to back with a total of 1500 young people from high schools in Arusha/Moshi area, the central area around Morogoro, and from the capital city, Dar es Salaam. Pray that many young people will come to know that they need a Savior and that they will respond to the Gospel given at camp (pictured at right). Last year we saw 200 get saved at our December camps. This year we are having camps in June and December for unsaved highschoolers.

My car has arrived!! I thank the Lord for His provision of a newer (used) reconditioned vehicle for me. It was ordered from Japan just before the tsunami. It arrived safely at port in Dar es Salaam and was delivered by my teammates to Arusha. Thank you all for extra funds to pay for this “new” used vehicle! To God be the glory!!

Joanne Foltz

Almost done traveling for this furlough

I have been from MO to Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Arkansas, and back to Missouri.  I have one more trip to Rhode Island and Massachusetts and then back to Missouri.  I have driven over 8000 miles so far and I am not done yet.  Thank you all for the prayers because I know God has helped me keep alert and safe because of the faithful prayers.

I am with my family, most of them, in Missouri since this week is a whirlwind of activity.  My son and daughter in love are getting approved by the BBFI as short term missionaries to Tanzania on Wednesday.  Thursday, my twins and Nathan's wife are graduating from Baptist Bible College with parties afterwards with extended families and friends.  Friday is my daughter's wedding rehearsal with a flurry of activity.  Saturday is the big day for Megan and Jeff Jones.  They are getting married here in Springfield MO and they will be living in Arkansas where Jeff is a youth pastor in a church in Springdale. 

I praise the Lord for His provision and His guidance over the last few months.  I miss my ministries and the people in Tanzania and know that He will continue to strengthen me as I go back on June 16th. 

My sweet grandson, Trevor

Click on the picture to go to the blogsite above.  Joanne

Mission Revival

I have just been in a tremendous missions conference in Florida.  The pastor had already preached and taught his people about missions, their responsibilies, and about faith promise.  The conference was all about us; the winning of the lost to Christ.  The mission conference was really a revival to encourage more giving, going and praying.  We each had a night to share our ministries and our hearts.  It was a great week!  The people were excited and ready for us.  They had been praying for this week and looking forward to the missions week.  We had great attendance each night and we increased from Wednesday night to Friday! ( Most meetings actually go down in attendance.)  Part of the reason is that each night the ladies of the church brought different ethic foods and we all enjoyed Mexican, Italian, and Chinese (which was mostly bought through a local restaurant).  During this time, the people talked to us missionaries and asked great questions and got to really know us. 

God truly blessed and on Sunday morning, Faith Promise Sunday, the goal was almost met and now, it will go over and above the goal!!  This is an area that has lots of retired persons on fixed incomes in a bad economy.  Go figure.  God has blessed them and they are trusting God for the future not the stock market. 

I am still on the road but with meetings like this; it is a joy!  Keep praying for me as I travel and make my way down the road to more meetings in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Missouri. 

Newsletter March 2011

Dear friends and supporters, March 2011




Thank you so much for all of the prayers for me the last few months. I am in the states now on a short three month furlough. I was privileged to go to the Philippines for the BBFI global meetings in Cebu City. I was blessed by the ministries at Bible Baptist Church in Cebu. I had nine unbelievable days being ministered to and ministering to others. God has truly blessed the faithfulness of the BBFI missionaries and the national pastors/Christians in this truly remarkable church lead by a national pastor since the late 60’s. I was able to be part of their visitation ministry, taught a Sunday School class, talked with many Bible College students about their futures on the mission field, counseled several young ladies, and prayed with several about Tanzania as their future mission field. God truly blessed all of the fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ in Cebu. Thank you to those who helped me go to Cebu, for the ones who prayed for my travels to the Philippines and then to the states for furlough. I return to TZ in June.



I am in Florida at this time and will be in supporting churches until the first part of April. In April, I make my way to Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan for the whole month of May. The first part of May, I will be traveling to Missouri for Fellowship Week when my youngest son and his wife will be approved as TEAM missionaries to Tanzania through the BBFI. Then in the same week, Megan, Nathan and Tiffany, Nathan’s new wife, will be graduating from Baptist Bible College. And if that is not enough, on Saturday after graduation, Megan is getting married to Jeff Jones, who is a 2009 graduate of BBC Springfield.



God has given safety on the road, provision in my needs, and a peace that guides me daily from His Word and His Spirit. I appreciate your prayers as I continue this short, but intense furlough. This is the first time for me to travel by car alone without Tom. I know that some drivers may think I am talking to myself when they pass me in the car, but the Lord and I are having lots of good conversations as I travel down all the highways. My dad always said, “There is no love on these roads, but only the love of the Good Lord.” I agree.



Joanne Foltz

Missionary to Tanzania since 1997

P O Box 191, Springfield, MO 65801

On the Road Again, Furlough

In the past, Tom drove the long miles of deputation and then furloughs.  As he drove,  I talked, watched for signs, looked up things on the map (before the days of GPS) , and would give him a break from driving so he could take a nap.  I now appreciate his willingness to drive more than ever since now I am doing the same but without him.  I have driven from Missouri to Louisiana and now I am driving around Florida.  Long miles with the radio, gospel CDs, and the Lord to keep me company.  I talk to the Lord out loud now days more than ever.  I am sure some drivers think I am talking to myself but I keep an "open line" of communication going with the Lord.  Since most states frown on cell phones being used when driving, I try to keep that to a minimum but they cannot stop me from talking to the Lord!