October 2023
Handeni Training September 18-22
I want to start this newsletter by expressing my deep gratitude to all of you who gave toward, and prayed for the Story Cloth training event Carl Smith and I led in Handeni, Tanzania. In the picture above, Carl and I appear with, starting back left to right, Kelly Sager, Lazaro, Emmanuel Lazier, and Sinyati in front, the wife of Lazaro.
Handeni is in the Tanga Province of easter Tanzania. The Maasai we trained using the first Story Cloth have migrated there from the north of the country over the last decade. Their neighbors are of two tribes dominated by Islam. We wanted to train our Maasai brethren of that region not only in how to utilize the Story Cloth for evangelism, discipleship, and church planting among their own people, but also among those neighboring tribes.
Because of your giving to CRM, we were able to fly Alamadin from Uganda to participate. He was given several teaching sessions so he, as a scholar of the Quran and Bible, could explain how to share the Gospel of Jesus with their Muslim friends and neighbors. He was well received by everyone and had a great time of fellowship with our Tanzanian brethren.
This event was different from past trainings in that local leaders told more than half of the stories. They did an excellent job. Doing this in front of David afforded him the opportunity to coach the leaders in how to preface, tell, and end the stories in the best way. Special emphasis was placed on making sure attendees knew how to connect all the stories.
Sixteen of the 42 attendees were women. The ladies sent their thanks to the American ladies who prepared the materials used in learning how to make washable feminine products. They were taught how to make them by two Maasai women who attended the CRM training held in Arusha in March 2022.
As in March 2022, we were joined by believers who traveled from the Kigoma region, which is in the extreme west of the country, right on Lake Tanganyika. Kelly Sager is one of the IMB personnel assigned to that area, and he made the long and arduous two-day bus ride with 4 brothers. It was great for me to visit with my former colleague. He has promised to type up his evaluation of how CRM teams conduct their Story Cloth training. CRM has received an invitation from those brothers to hold a training for their people. It was thrilling to hear their reports of churches started and revived as they utilized what they were given in 2022. Their area is dominated by Islam.
Carl Smith once again did a great job with all his assignments. He is such an encouraging partner in the ministry. Emmanuel Lazier did a fantastic job handling the logistics for this trip.
Now we pray that the Maasai, as a near culture people to their neighbors, will use the training and resources CRM has provided them in effective outreach so that their Muslim friends and neighbors may hear the Gospel and believe.
Sudan
Because of your generous gifts to CRM, we continue to support the refugees who fled Sudan for Uganda. Adam and other leaders hold classes daily in which they teach them the Bible, and how to make disciples of MBBs. Most of them are also involved in English language classes. CRM has rented two houses in which they lodge, and we provide ongoing support for food, medical bills, and other necessities as they arise.
Several opportunities exist for purchasing items that could enable this community to work toward being self-supporting. A company in Uganda named Makiga Appropriate Technologies makes and sells interlocking brick making machines. The type required by this community cost approximately $1,350 each, and two are required. The other opportunity is to purchase a plot of land currently available in Arua. The land has already been cleared and its title is free and clear. It would make a suitable place for farming as a water source is located nearby. The cost of the plot is $7,500.
There is no end in sight at this juncture to the end of the war in Sudan. The civilian population is suffering greatly. We thank God that because of your giving, CRM was able to provide the funding needed to evacuate approximately 400 families within Darfur. However, those same families are suffering due to hunger, malaria and other water borne diseases. Please pray that CRM can discover opportunities for helping those believers through larger aid agencies which are set up for providing funding for food and medical aid. Currently no aid agencies can physically carry in relief items to the areas where our brethren evacuated.
CRM Board Meeting October 12, 2023
The second meeting in 2023 of CRM’s board will happen in Knoxville on October 12. Please pray for all involved as we work on taking the steps necessary to improve CRM’s ability to serve its local church partners in the USA, and its national field partners overseas. Many wide open doors exist for bringing God glory among the nations and our desire is to be in a position to fully respond as the Lord Jesus points the way.
7th Annual Round for Refugees
Golf Tournament
This Saturday, October 7 the Seventh Annual Round for Refugees Golf Tournament will take place at the Cherryville Country Club, starting at 4:00 p.m. The plan involves night golf and a catered meal at the turn. We want to extend our thanks to Travis and Betsy Dellinger and their team for once again heading up this wonderful fund-raising event.
As we are entering the final months of 2023, if your church, youth group, or small group would like to carry out a fundraiser on behalf of CRM, please contact David Crane about your idea and see how he might help. If the funding is made available, our desire is to help our national field partners acquire things which will help them become more self-sustaining. The more we empower them, we increase their potential to make their lives and churches healthier.
As always, I want to thank you for your support. Our God is at work in these last days in incredible ways. Our purpose at CRM is to tell His story, share His compassion, and serve His church on an expanding scale. Thanks for the role you play on our team.
David Crane