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Christian Missionary FellowshipPrivate BagMorogoro, TanzaniaAfrica

CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY FELLOWSHIP

February, 1987

Often in our work with the Baraguyu and Maasai of East Africa, we have taughtthat God accepts people the way they are. We have had to do this because manymissions have made it appear that to become a Christian means to change: toquit wearing beads, to adopt Western clothing or to give up tobacco.

We have tried to exhibit God's love for the Baraguyu by involving ourselves intheir traditional culture, drinking their sour milk, and eating whatever theyoffer us. At times we so wholeheartedly embrace their way of life, that ittakes something extraordinary to remind us that God does, indeed, intend tochange some aspects of Baraguyu culture.

Last week, we knew something had happened because our neighbor. Ng'oto Ng'aepersisted in hanging around, even though we had climbed under our sleepingnets to avoid the inosquitos that come out at dusk during this season. I wentout to see what she wanted, going through the formalities of zouting n<imbefore finding out why she had come. She seemed a little embarrassed, as ifshe were about to ask for something. Instead, she unloaded some hardnews--one of our neighbor's young wives had tried to kill herself by drinkingconcentrated cattle dip, a medicine used to kill ticks.

Immediately, I recalled the twelve-year-old girl who had committed suicide inthe same way just before Christmas. She had done it because she had recentlybeen made to marry a man easily old enough to be her grandfather. Wcu thJj>n(u,gkboA, oi dying? I asked. » 711/

Early the next morning, another lady, Ng'otoPaano, came by and I asked her if there wasany news of the woman. She did not know butsaid that she planned to go later to hervillage to inquire.

Ng'oto Paano and child

Whif did -6fie imnt to IzJM, koA^zti? I asked. The replygiven to me was, H(LA. hiuband tb a dAankaAd and hz ^n^tUtzdkzA. and VLQjxttd kQ,A. (la/uhly^ i Maybe -ikz had bc,zn cuA^ed.(Uko know^?

I thought for a minute and spoke. !I

Ng'oto PaanOt tvhzn pnopZz h<tA,z bzZitvQ, In Je^LL6 and ^oltou)Hhn, tkQ.n hiubancU uj^ctC Zovz thOAA. and iiitue6 uUZZtovt thzAjL hx^band^, I havz 4eert it happzn mtk tkn Maa^aiin Kzni/a.

But, she protested, tko. onJbj pzopZo, aAoiind kviz uho wanttkz. chuAck oAe mmzn. Thz mzn hatz it,

I answered her, So did tht men in (Cznya. Bat God i^6tA.ong, Wkzn Hii Spi^Ut LOOA.I16 in tkziA. kzoAt-ii, tkz mznkoAZ mZt bzlizvz ax-60. Givz tt6 timz,

Voug Loitt feeep visiting uMXk tkz mzn and gzt to know tkom.We know tkzy o^^ume tkz chuAck it onJbj womzn anddhildJizn, Thzy think that i^ tkzy join thz chuAch thoj^witt havz to qvJX ahzwing tobacco, dunking blood oxdivoAct thziA, mo^t xzcznt oocue^. That ib not what wzbztlzvz, and whzn thz mzn hzxz ixndvu,tand that, thzn many0^ thzm wiZX, bztizvz and (^oZiow Je-6iu.

Ng'oto Paano was not entirely convinced thatwhat I said could possibly be true. Shewanted to believe that the bad things could .change for the better, that husbands and \wives could love each other. But, I believea spark of hope had been 1it In her. And, Awe are convinced that God will not

There's a world to winl

fLolhf^

Robyn and Doug Priest,Nicole and Andrea

Nicole and a month-old Baraguyu baby

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TANZANIA

DOUG and ROBYN PRIEST, Jr.

DENNIS and MARY REID

PERRY and CONNIE SHUART

CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY FELLOWSHIP, PRIVATE BAG, MOROGORO, TANZANIA, AFRICA

Season's Greetings

from the Tanzania team

Dennis and Mary Reid, Perry and Connie Shuart, Phillip and Tim,Doug and Robyn Priest, Nicole and Andrea

Praise be to the Lord because He has come and has redeemed us.While we celebrate Christmas, help us remember the reason for ourcelebration. May we share the Good News like the angels, worshiplike the shepherds, and follow like the wise men.

CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY FELLOWSHIP

[PRA^^ES )

WE THANK GOD:

• for your partnership with us inlove to the Baraguyu,• for the Perry Shuart family's ^afe arrival and their contribu

tion to the team,

•for interest shown in Twatwatv^a (Doug Priest's family'sarea) to initial teaching,•for good health.

opening the door of Christian

REQUESTS

• Remember Tim and Phil Shuarl who are in the 7th and 10th

grades at boarding school in KeriVa.• Pray for the Dave Gustin famjiy's expected arrival in early

1988.

• Ask God to bless the Dan CrLjifn family as they continue support raising in Indiana for a Sprji

• Pray for receptivity in Kambaly has located.

• Remember the Doug Priest, Jteach in Twatwatwa.

• Ask God's blessings on the Grfurlough, preparing for a summe

ng, 1988, departure.rk where the Dennis Reid fami-

family as they continue to

4g Johnson family who are onr 1988 arrival.

Doug and Robyn Priest, Jr. ^Porru anH r.nnnio .QhnartPerry and Connie Shuart

Dennis and

12/87

CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY FELLOWSHIPP.O. BOX 26306, 5664 CAITO DRIVE

INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46226

ADDRESS CORRECTON REQUESTED

Mary ReidO

MISSION SERVICESEDITORIAL OEPTP 0 BOX 2427

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAID

Permit No. 2975

Indianapolis, Indiana

KMOXVILLE Tf^ 3X901