After working here in Tanzania for more than 12 years now together, and particularly working in support roles which are more "behind the scenes" of Bible translation, it can be easy to get caught up in what we're doing from day to day and not see the big picture of the translation and literacy work that our colleagues are doing, and the impact it is making on local communities.

Liz Thomson, director of our Uganda-Tanzania Branch (UTB), sent out an e-mail in December containing a summary of the progress our colleagues have made in Bible translation in Tanzania and Uganda during 2011. Here are some of the highlights from that message:

TANZANIA

In 2011 we celebrated with the Sangu and Ndali language communities of Mbeya Region as they dedicated the Gospel of Mark, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon and the books of Ruth and Jonah. We also celebrated with the Ikoma-Nata-Isenye, Kabwa and Zanaki language communities of Mara Region as they received and dedicated the Gospel of Luke.

2011 saw the publication of Genesis in Rangi and Burunge, the Gospel of Mark in Temi, and the Gospel of Luke in Ikizu. These are just the published portions of Scripture, there has been a lot more Scripture drafted, checked and ready for publication.

UGANDA

A number of the teams in Uganda are getting very close to finishing the New Testament, and Bwisi has completed 71% of the New Testament and has just the gospels of John and Matthew to complete. In total our translation consultants checked 17,276 verses!

TANZANIA AND UGANDA

Our literacy and Scripture Use teams continue to produce new local language publications, including locally authored story books, Bible-based reading materials, and basic health and development booklets. 108 new publications were produced in fiscal year 2011 and the number of sales, which we use as an indicator of use of local language materials, has increased by over a third (15,700 to 25,000), which is very encouraging.

Many local language literacy classes have been held throughout the year. As a result close to 20,000 community members have learned how to read and write their own language. Scripture Use events have also taken place, with around 15,000 people attending various local language Scripture use events.

Throughout the year there have been a number of training events which various colleagues have attended or taught at, and there have also been a number who have completed graduate study programs. Foundational linguistics and orthography (alphabet) development work is proceeding in a number of our projects, including Mbugwe and Ik. This year linguistic work will be started in 3 new languages to the south east of Mbeya: Pangwa, Manda and Kisi, as well as 4 others in the new Katavi Cluster project.

Our consultants and support teams have worked hard over the year in the areas of finance, project funding, operations, IT support, communications, printing and publishing, Swahili translation, consulting, training, member care, children’s education, and human resources, including personnel and immigration.

It’s good to look back and thank God for the past year and His continued faithfulness to us as a branch and our work here in Tanzania. A lot has been accomplished in the past year! Thank you, Lord!

If you'd like more information about the specific Bible translation and literacy projects going on in Uganda and Tanzania, go to our branch website: www.thetask.net

There is nothing conventional about a Star Wars starship. This includes a four year old's Saturday afternoon creation -- with a little help from dad and older brother consultants.

Although there are many challenges in living cross-culturally, there are a lot of things we like about living overseas. We are experiencing new cultures, seeing new places, getting to know not only new African friends, but friends from countries all around the world. It's probably not surprising that we relate the best to and build the closest friendships with those who are living like we are, missionaries and other expatriate workers who understand the joys and challenges of life in a foreign land. That's probably why one of the most difficult parts of this life is feeling like we are always saying goodbyes, and that our relationships are in constant transition. Here in Dar es Salaam, the largest city in Tanzania, there are quite a few Westerners, many of them missionaries like us, others who are aid workers, diplomats or employees in foreign embassies, business people, etc. At our kids' school, Haven of Peace Academy, there are children from more than 30 countries represented. Living and working in this kind of community, it often seems like there is always someone leaving, someone else to say goodbye to. Some of them have come as short-term helpers, for anywhere from a few weeks to 1-2 years, so we know from the start that they won't be here long. Others had planned to be here long-term, but for various reasons--such as health issues for themselves or family members back home, financial reasons, educational issues--have to return to their home countries sooner than they expected. It's tough to keep saying goodbyes, and it can make it harder to want to put forth effort to make new friends and invest in new relationships, wondering how long it will be before we have to say goodbye to them too.

Zachary and his buddy Asher who moved back to the US last year.

This past year we have had to say goodbye to many families, some of whom were merely acquaintances we greeted at various school events, and others who were closer friends. Our kids also had to say goodbye to some of their best buddies. Some of them left in the middle of the year, others at the end of the school year last June. Several of the mothers who were involved in a Friday morning play group I've been going to for the past couple of years left in June as well. Already this school year our son Zachary has had to say goodbye to two of his best friends from his kindergarten class, one moving away for good, and one leaving with his family for a 6-month break in the US.

Timothy, Ernest, and Zachary ready for the school Christmas program

Yet at the same time God has brought new friends--some new to missionary work, others who have moved to Dar es Salaam after working in other parts of the country, and still others who are returning from furlough/home assignments in their home countries. Two families arrived last April, both of whom have children the same ages as our boys, and we have really enjoyed having them become part of our lives and our kids' lives. Several other families arrived closer to the beginning of the school term in August, and it's been good to get to know some of them as well. During the exodus last June, I somehow inherited the role of "coordinator" for our weekly preschool play group. In that role I've especially been watching for new families with small children, to invite them and their mothers to our group. I know what an encouragement the group has been for me, having a chance for the kids to play together and just to visit with other moms who are dealing with the same things that I am. We have welcomed several mothers and their kids to our group over the past months, and it's been fun to watch the new group dynamics develop among the children and the mothers.

Fun with the Foster boys

Goodbyes are difficult, but they are a part of life, and especially a part of the life that we are leading here in Tanzania. I am thankful that God blesses us with new friends, and even as I invest in these friendships and realize that one day I will be saying goodbye to them as well, I'm looking forward more and more to heaven, where there will be no more goodbyes!

Electricity. It's something that we rely on every day. It runs our lights, fans, refrigerator, freezer, computers, and other machines we use to accomplish important tasks. We don't think all that much about it, until we don't have it. Here in Tanzania, there have long been issues with the electricity, problems with generating enough for the increasing demand in the country, keeping equipment maintained, and things like that. Around 71% of the country's electricity is produced by a hydroelectric dam in south-central Tanzania, and if there is not enough rain during the year to fill the reservoir, there is not enough water to generate adequate power for the country. When there is not enough electricity to go around, the power company institutes "load shedding," or power rationing. This means that the power is off in one section of the city  (or country) for a period of time, and later it is switched on and another area is switched off. When we first moved to Dar es Salaam in 2006, there was a pretty severe drought in central Tanzania, and the water in the dam was very low. For about 4 months we had consistent power cuts, and for several weeks at the end the power was off every day from 6 am to 6 pm. Thankfully the rain eventually came in December, and another gas-run power plant came online, so after that we had power every day. For the past few years we have had pretty consistent electricity, with occasional faults and other issues that cause temporary power cuts, but those usually last for a few hours and are finished when the problem is fixed. This past November the power company started power rationing again, and over the days and weeks the story came out about a severe shortage of power in the country, due to several different factors, one being lack of rain. In the beginning we had power cuts about every other day for 6-10 hours. These kinds of cuts are frustrating when we rely on electricity for so many things, but fortunately they started with a semi-predictable schedule, so we could generally plan to get things done while the power was on, and find ways to do things differently when it was off. We have a gas stove and oven, for which I am very thankful, so we can do the cooking we need at any time (as long as the tanks of propane gas are available!). Our small chest freezer stays closed when the power's off, so generally things stay frozen, and we try to limit opening the fridge when we can to keep it cool inside. We can run our laptop on battery power, and use candles, lanterns, headlamps and flashlights when the power is off in the evening. There are times when it's almost nice to have the power off, to remind us and our kids of all the things we can do without being plugged in to electronics--family games of charades, Uno, and Go Fish are a few of the things we've enjoyed doing together during some evening power cuts. So for the most part, we were able to keep things going fairly well through those initial power cuts.

"Evening candlelight"

"Decorating our Christmas tree during a power cut"

The first rationing schedule continued for several weeks, then for the past couple of months we have had power cuts nearly every day, usually one day off from 8am to 6 pm, then next day off from 6 pm to 11 pm, then the next day off from 8 am to 6 pm again. That's a lot of time without power. On top of that, this is the hot season in Tanzania, beginning in mid-November and going through March/April, depending on when the rains come. Well, really, here in Dar es Salaam, it's more like the humid season. The temperatures are generally in the 80's and 90's, but the humidity is usually anywhere from 60-80% or more. It's the time of year when everyone is sweaty, our boys have heat rash, and everyone moves a little slower. Having fans running in every room makes life more bearable, and air conditioning is a wonderful relief when it's available. We have one air conditioner in our house, in our bedroom, and it is a refreshing place to retreat to in the evening. It helps us sleep better, which in turn helps us function better during the daytime. When the power is off in the evenings, it can be really hard to cool off and get a good night's rest, which affects daily life as well. Once it became apparent that these power cuts are going to be a way of life for a while, with no end in sight, we started to consider ways that we could make life more bearable and keep some basic things running while the power is off. One option was to buy a generator, which is noisy but can run quite a few things with the power that it generates. The machines themselves can be expensive, and require fuel, which is an ongoing added expense. Another option, which we had been looking at for a while, is a charger-inverter system, where a battery is charged when we receive electricity from the power company, then when the power is off the inverter supplies electricity from the battery through the house to select wall sockets and lights. This option costs about as much to set up as to purchase the generator, depending on the size of the system you choose, but once it's set up there is very little maintenance and no fuel required to operate it. We do pay slightly more for electricity as it charges up the battery but the amount is negligible.

"The charger-inverter"

Since we had received a few generous year-end gifts, we decided to go ahead and invest in a small 600 watt charger-inverter system for our home. It has been such a tremendous blessing in these past weeks since it was installed! It can't run the fridge, freezer, or air conditioner, but it runs fans, lights, and computers, and we can plug other small things into it as needed. It makes such a difference to be able to have a fan running in this tropical climate, or to be able to turn the lights on as we're getting the boys ready for bed in the evenings, and to get work done on the computer without having to worry about the battery dying after an hour or two. Everyone can settle down to sleep better, and it has really helped Dwight's mom be able to cope with the changes in climate since she has been here this past month (be sure to read about her trip here to Tanzania in "Grandma is my teacher!!!"). We are thankful for this resource that is helping us to function better and to keep on with life and work. Yet these power shortages are devastating to many of the small businesses in the country, who can't afford backup generators or inverter systems. They're losing their stock and can't operate their machinery, and the prices for food and other things are going up. It's causing serious economic hardship for people who were already just struggling to get by. Please pray for a solution to the power shortage--for rain, first of all, because that affects many other aspects of life for everyone as well, and also for the political, technical, and financial problems that need to be resolved in order to restore consistent electric power to the country.

Back in October, Zachary's beloved Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Graham, announced that she was expecting a baby (her 4th!), due in early April. With that joyful news came a plea for parents and friends of Haven of Peace Academy (HOPAC) to pray and help search for a replacement teacher, first to finish out this school year, and possibly to continue through the first half of next school year while Mrs. Graham is on maternity leave. Since it was already well into the school year at that point, many qualified teachers were already teaching other places and as the Personnel Coordinator followed up on a few initial leads, there were no strong possibilities for someone who could fill the position. Since Dwight's mom, Karen, a retired teacher, had come to visit us last year and spent six weeks volunteering in the Special Needs department at the school, I mentioned the situation to her in passing one evening as we were talking to her on the computer via Skype. Initially I just thought she would be interested to know what was going on. The next day I forwarded on to her the e-mail that the Personnel Coordinator had sent out about the need, and what the requirements would be for someone to come and fill the position. A week or so later we got an e-mail back from her saying "I just can't get that Kindergarten class out of my head!" She asked a few questions about some of the practical concerns for a retired teacher coming to teach a class of 22 five- and six-year olds in a hot, humid climate, so I talked to Mrs. Graham about some of her questions. Mrs. Graham assured me that the two very capable Tanzanian teacher assistants would be continuing on, and that the classroom is equipped with air conditioning (as long as the electricity is on!). She told me she would keep praying as I sent these answers back to my mother in law for her consideration. To make a long story short, after several weeks of prayer and correspondence going back and forth between Iowa and Dar es Salaam, Mrs. Hensler is here now to take over teaching the Kindergarten class at HOPAC for the remainder of this school year, which ends June 18th! The decision became final in early January, and when we told our boys that not only was Grandma coming to visit, but that she would be teaching Zachary's class, they were overjoyed! Zachary went around for days saying "Grandma's going to be my teacher!!" with a big grin on his face. It has been really encouraging to see how God has worked and answered prayers and brought everything together, from her husband being willing to let her go for almost five months, to getting a good price on a fairly last-minute plane ticket, to seeing her flights safely around the big snowstorm in the central US during the first week of February, and to helping her settle in to life in Dar es Salaam during the hot, humid part of the year. She arrived on February 2nd, and was able to spend a few days recovering from jet lag, settling into our guest room, then spent last week in the classroom with Mrs. Graham to begin to get to know the students and class routines. Today was her first full day of teaching the class on her own, and things seemed to go well. I know she'll have lots of adventures and stories to tell as the days and weeks go by!

"Grandma and Zachary"

We would appreciate your prayers for her as she's living here with us for the next four months, that she would stay healthy and be able to keep up with the busy Kindergarten class, and that she can have time to rest and regroup outside of school, even with three noisy, active grandsons around. Please pray too for Dwight's dad, who is still working and keeping the house running back in Iowa while his mom is here. Also, since she is only staying through June, there is still a need for someone to teach the first half of next year's Kindergarten class, from mid-August through December. Please pray with us for a teacher to come to fill that need, and these other vacant teaching positions at HOPAC for next year. If you're interested in finding out more, please let us know!

Looking back over recent entries to our blog, I've noticed how few and far between they have been. It's not because there aren't things to write about, but more that something breaks down between the thing to write about and the actual writing. :) Be watching this space in the days and weeks ahead as we commit ourselves to better communication and to keeping you updated on life with the Henslers here in Tanzania.

As we start a New Year I am reminded of how our God has been generous and gracious to our family in allowing us to serve Him in support of Bible Translation in Uganda and Tanzania. I wanted to share some of the highlights and progress that our branch has seen over the past year: New Cluster In her year end review, this is what our Branch Director, Liz Thomson, wrote about the new Katavi Cluster Project that was initiated in South West Tanzania. Note that it has been 11 years since the first languages were surveyed in this area!

It was some time in 1999 that the survey team traveled to South West Tanzania to survey languages in Mpanda District and the surrounding area. As a result it was clear that there was a desire for Bible translation in the languages surveyed. Since that time we have received a number of letters from a Bende pastor asking when we are going to come to start Bible translation. For several years our response was that we didn’t have the resources to start any work in the area. So, it has been really exciting to see the start of the new Katavi Cluster Project this year. Partnership exploration and language survey trips in March and August culminated in a consultation on 16th August with 23 Church leaders from ten churches. At the end of that meeting there was agreement to move forward with a Bible translation project for the Bende, Tongwe, Pimbwe and Rungwa communities. Linguistic and translation work will start in 2011 in two languages: Bende (which will also serve Tongwe) and Pimbwe (which will also serve Rungwa). It has been encouraging to see the enthusiasm of the church leaders to the project. They have already formed an Advisory Committee to guide the new Katavi Cluster Project and an Executive Committee of local level church leaders to be involved in project implementation.

Scripture Production An ever increasing number of Scripture portions have been typeset, published and/or dedicated. In the past 12 months branch translation consultants have approved a total of 11,750 verses. Here is a list of languages that saw books of the Bible completed:

• Gospel of Mark in Kinga, Malila, Nyiha, Sangu and Ndali
• 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon in Malila, Kinga, Nyiha, Burunge and Lugungu
• 1 & 2 Thessalonians in Lugungu
• Ruth and Jonah in Malila, Kinga and Nyiha
• Acts in Lugwere, Lunyole and Burunge;
• James and Revelation in Burunge

Scripture Audio

Not only have Scripture verses been written, but many have gone on to be recorded:

• Scripture portions were recorded in Malila, Kinga, Nyiha, Burunge and Sandawe languages and distributed by, MP3 player, audio CDs and audio tapes (Yes, some people around the world still use audio tape!).
• Radio programs have been broadcast regularly from the town of Mbeya in the south of Tanzania.
• The Luke Video is also being produced in Sandawe. Some sections were recently shown in three Sandawe villages with an estimated audience of over a thousand people!

Literacy and Scripture Use

The process of Bible translation is not complete if the speakers can not read the written word. In 2010, across Uganda and Tanzania there were significant increases in the number of literacy and Scripture Use (SU) publications (75 new literacy titles and 16 new SU titles) and sales compared to last year. There was also a significant increase in the number of community members who have learned how to read and write their own language through transition literacy classes (over 5,800). In the area of Scripture Use over 10,600 people have attended various Scripture Use events involving the use of the mother tongue and over 1,800 have been trained in mother tongue Scripture Use.

Orthography Status

Orthography is a method of representing the sounds of a language by written or printed symbols. Developing an orthography is an important foundational step in the translation process. Progress continued this year in this area of linguistics, with four languages in Uganda achieving established orthography status.

Training

Our training department is alive and kicking! Many employed staff and Wycliffe missionaries have attended one or more of 15+ different training events as they increase their skills to be more effective in their different roles.

Support Team

The support teams that Tracy and I work with to assist in the translation process have worked hard over the year in the areas of finance, purchasing, computer support, communications (including printing and publishing), children’s education, and human resources (including Wycliffe missionaries and employed staff). Each one of you that has joined our partnership team through prayer and financial support play a part in this work in Uganda and Tanzania. Our branch has a strong team that works together to see our goals accomplished and Tracy and I are privileged to be a part of this team. Thank you all for your partnership! Please pray that our efforts would continue to produce good results. As we look forward to the next year we ask that you would consider how you might be a part of our support team. Tracy and I have worked in Tanzania together for over 10 years now and our family and financial needs have grown. Pray with us that our needs would be met in order for us to continue in the work that serves our God and fellow Tanzanians and Ugandans.

Merry Christmas!!!

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. - Isaiah 7:14

Christmas greetings from Tanzania. Another Christmas season is almost gone. As we reflect back over the past month a highlight for Tracy and I this season was the opportunity to have our boys participate in advent readings each evening after supper leading up to Christmas day. They loved learning about the events that led up to the birth of Christ and looked forward to tearing off a link in the paper chain each evening. Tracy and I are proud to have the opportunity to build this foundation in their lives. We pray that you too have had a meaningful Christmas season with family and friends and that Christ is the center of your celebration.

Fifteen years ago when Tracy arrived in East Africa, in 1995, SIL had a handful of projects in the beginning stages in Tanzania and Uganda. Tracy was involved in a language survey team in Tanzania to help determine where future translations needed to take place. Now, in 2010, our branch staff are working with 26 languages in Tanzania and 6 languages in Uganda, with a majority of these projects having been started in the last 10 years. Our branch is blazing new trails as we are working in cluster projects and actively seeking ways we can partner with other organizations and churches to see God's word translated into local languages (for more details about the work see our branch website).

With that, we would like to introduce our colleagues to you. Click on the left picture below to see a collage of the current Wycliffe missionary families working in Uganda and Tanzania. These colleagues come from Wycliffe organizations representing Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Kenyan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, Uganda, United Kingdom and United States. Click on the right picture to see these Wycliffe missionaries together with employed staff working in Uganda and Tanzania.

[caption id="attachment_578" align="aligncenter" width="211" caption="Wycliffe Members and Families working in Uganda and Tanzania"] [/caption]

[caption id="attachment_570" align="aligncenter" width="211" caption="Uganda-Tanzania Branch Staff by Project"] [/caption]

As you can see, our branch size has increased quite substantially over the years, but what's more exciting is that our national colleagues have multiplied to 100+ employed staff members as well, and in the translation projects most of the Wycliffe missionaries are serving as trainers, consultants, and advisors while Ugandan and Tanzanian translators and literacy workers are working together to translate and promote the use of the Bible into their own languages.

Thank you to all of you who help to support us in our work here in Uganda and Tanzania and your partnership with us and all our colleagues to bring the word of God to as many people as possible!

Last month we packed up our kids and plenty of clothes and swimming gear and headed north to the coast of Kenya for our annual Uganda/Tanzania Branch Member Retreat and Conference. Many of you reading this will know that every year we get together with our colleagues who are working across Tanzania and Uganda for a week of fellowship and meetings. Kenya started out as the logical halfway meeting place between the two countries, and even though it's a long trip for most of us, there is a beautiful hotel outside of Malindi which gives us the best rates around for an all-inclusive stay, so we keep going back there.

2010 Uganda-Tanzania Branch Member Retreat and Conference (we're right in the middle, sitting in the very front)

As usual, we were looking forward to the chance to get away for a week or so, enjoy good food and times of worship, teaching, and fellowship with friends that we don't see often--many of them we only see at conference time each year. Our kids were looking forward to swimming in the pool and playing on the beach and going to "Kids' Club", the Vacation Bible School and child care program put on by volunteers from the US during the week. We were not disappointed in any of these expectations, and our boys were especially excited to hear that the Kids' Club theme for the week was "The Armor of God"--great lessons for our three little warriors.

Our theme for this particular conference was celebrating the 10-year anniversary of our branch.  SIL's work in Tanzania and Uganda began in the early 90's, and was grouped together with a few other countries under the Eastern Africa Group, with the administration based in Nairobi, Kenya.  For various reasons, in 2000 the decision was made to take the work in Uganda and Tanzania and create a new branch, the Uganda-Tanzania branch. Our administration was spread out in various locations within the two countries, but committed to working together to see God's word going out in as many languages as possible. It has not always been an easy road, but God has blessed the work in these countries, and it has been so encouraging to look back and remember what He has done.

Photo of me with a teammate and friends in my early days in Tanzania

When I arrived in 1995, SIL had two Bible translation projects that were in the beginning stages in Tanzania, and I was involved in a language survey team to help determine where future translations needed to take place. Now, in 2010, members of our branch are working with 26 languages in Tanzania and 6 languages in Uganda. Our branch is blazing new trails as we are working in cluster projects and actively seeking ways we can partner with other organizations and churches to get God's word translated into local languages (for more details about the work see our branch website). Our branch membership has increased over the years, but what's more exciting is that our national colleagues have multiplied to 100+ staff members as well, and in the translation projects most of the missionaries are serving as trainers, consultants, and advisors while local translators and literacy workers are working together to translate the Bible into their own languages. During the week our theme song for worship was We Will Remember,

a song that was new to me and one that I thought really captured the essence of what we were celebrating and remembering. The chorus goes:

We will remember, we will remember We will remember the works of Your hands We will stop and give you praise For great is Thy faithfulness

During the course of the week there were several presentations looking back over the past 10 years, and having been a part of this group for 15 years (I can't believe it's been that long!) I have many of my own memories of things that have happened during my time in Tanzania. There are lots of good memories and some difficult memories too, not the least of which is the car accident in August 1996 in which one of my teammates died and I was also thrown from the vehicle. I was mulling over all these things during the week, but it wasn't until the last day, during our communion service, when it finally all came together as a clear thought in my mind. As we were singing about remembering the works of His hands and His faithfulness, I was reminded that but for His grace it could easily have been me that died in that accident, in which case my husband would likely have not come to East Africa, and my children would not be here. I also would not have been able to be involved in the initial surveys for several of the language groups which are now receiving portions of Scripture and are well into the Bible translation process. I know I am not indispensable and that God will accomplish His purposes with or without me, but I am so honored to be able to serve Him in this small way, and to be able to serve my husband and work together with him to raise our three sons to know and serve God. It's good to remember what God has done and to praise Him for His faithfulness. We came home from the conference encouraged by what He has done and inspired by what He is doing now to press on to be a part of what He is going to do in the days ahead.