I need to be honest, I have struggled to get this blog written. For about 4 days now I have tried to write it and so many ideas, thoughts and examples burst out it just seems like gibberish and I am unable to fix it. So another attempt which will hopefully take so I don’t have to discard this idea for a blog I can actually write.

Panoramic shot of classrooms and new office building

I mentioned about two weeks ago I had been given a big compliment from the pastor associated with Mwika Integrity School and Orphanage about how I don’t talk a lot but I get a lot done. I think everyone would find that a compliment. But for me it was a big compliment. Most of my regulars know I grew up on a small family farm in Fountain Inn, SC and that right out of high school I joined the military. In both of those parts of my life the phrase “Actions speak louder than words” was important. I preferred to be a get the job done kind of guy. I tried to let my work speak for me as often as possible.

When I first started the journey back to being a Christian (my journey not God’s as he was right there the whole time waiting on me), I enjoyed mission work early on. So much so that I had a friend from my military days ask if I thought I would get to heaven by making up for all my sins with good work. I hope all Christians know that is not the way it works. You can never do enough good to earn your way to God, you just need accept the grace given you by Jesus sacrifice. My answer to him threw him off kilter a little though. I told him what I just said but added that I thought God may have given me chances to help others or to participate in helping others so I could start to forgive myself.

On that first mission trip to Tanzania, I fell into a familiar role. Both the Tanzanian counterpart and the American on the trip with me talked about things they wanted to do to help others non stop. I mean they talked non stop. They both had good intentions and they did some good things along the way, but 99.9% of the things they talked about never made it past the talking about stage. I was fortunate in that when I got back I was asked to speak to a lot of groups which I was more than willing to do and had the ability to put on a nice powerpoint slide show but I also focused on the one item on my list to accomplish-a rainwater harvesting tank over 100,000 Liters in size for a medical clinic with no well and no reliable water source closer than 3/4 of mile away. Because I focused on one item we got it funded and built in less than a year.

Over the years I went to different places and eventually helped start Mauldin Methodist’s Peru Mission Team and later the Tanzania Mission Team. We focused on letting the people we were going to serve tell us what they needed and where they needed. That can only be done if you stop talking about what you want to do long enough to hear them. We built a lot of things and did a lot of great work with kids who normally don’t get a lot of chances to see how much God loves them until a group comes to shower them with that love. I was again blessed to be the face of those teams many times and to show people what actions we accomplished for God. In fact it was a common discussion with our hosts in Peru about how our coming back every year to work with and build things for street boys who had spent their entire life hearing about God’s fatherly love for them, but every father figure they knew until Scripture Union and teams like ours had shown them everything but love. We participated with our host organization to show through actions God’s actual fatherly love for them.

I am in my 13th year here in Tanzania. My 25th year of international mission work since that first trip to Tanzania. My 10th year working alongside Blessed2BlessU Ministries and my church to provide actions in showing God’s love to the children of Tanzania. That is what this school is about. 2 meals a day. A quality educational foundation for these kids to be the best they can. Playgrounds to have kid like fun. Christmas gifts because people love them. A solid understanding of the Bible and God’s love for them through school studies and teams that come and hug them and play with them and show them that love. I continue to be blessed as the face for the organization and work both in the states and here in Tanzania.

What does that mean? Somebody asked once what I really do here and that is difficult to answer in a single sentence. Yes, I build buildings and facilities for the school. I get to go to other schools and see there needs and ask for help. I get to hang out with our kids and celebrate their achievements. I get to hug them when they are sad or hurt. I drive them to the hospital if it is really bad. I teach them how to love God’s creature of a puppy sometimes so they understand how to show that love to others. I have tied shoes for hours (mainly because they kept untying them so they could come back). I evaluate finances and grades and do my best not to scream when things are not going my way. But mainly I am the one they think does everything because I am the one they know here doing things. I am only a part of that. You are the ones who get these things done by supporting our ministries, by supporting me, by supporting our children and what they need like 2 meals a day.

George Scott, a pastor at Mauldin Methodist for many years (retired but still goes there) used to repeat a quote often attributed to but not confirmed St. Francis of Assisi which goes “Spread the word of God and if necessary use words.” I like that. I prefer to be a man of action.

James 2:18 says “Suppose someone disagrees and says, “It is possible to have faith without doing kind deeds.” I would answer, “Prove that you have faith without doing kind deeds, and I will prove that I have faith by doing them.” CEV translation. One of my favorite verses because it fits so well with who I want to be.

Part of that visit to Mwika Integrity included them providing recognition for what we have accomplished at their school. I am fortunate to represent all of you in accepting their gratittude.

Remember our class 4 last year excelled on the government exams to the point our school was recognized by the region and district for having an Average of A. The class actually asked the teachers and myself to come down for them to give us gifts they had bought themselves. For the teachers it was sodas and for me they had drawn a portrait of me. They did this on their own without teacher or staff help. They recognized what each of you has done for them over the years supporting our ministry and the school that helped them achieve such a high standard.

People always say they hope to hear God greet them into heaven by saying “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I want him to complain about how loudly I spoke with my actions.

Update on the office building. The roof is on and we have installed the window security guarfds. The septic system has been dug out and about half built.