March 6, 2008

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We've been in Africa for a little more than a month now. It has been pretty much what I had expected and we are glad to be here. We've seen eight inch, black millipedes with red legs, gigantic baobab trees, and a cobra only seven feet from the front door of our apartment. We've endured long bus rides, trips into town, scorching heat, and the same food day after day. Julie and I have also endured bouts with malaria. Julie was first. It totally wiped her out for a week and she was still very weak even after the second week. I still have malaria. This is only my fourth day. I feel very weak and very tired, so this may be a short update.

As you can see, Africa really has been what we expected. But I don't want you to get the wrong impression. What a joy it is to be where God wants you to be, even though there are trials and some sufferings. And why are we here? Isn't it to bring East African people into a joyful, loving relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ, and share the Gospel with them so that they might enter into His glorious kingdom? Yes, that is why we are here.

So, let me tell you that there has already been this kind of fruit produced in the month that we have been here. But it hasn't been my fruit, it has been Julie's. She's been talking with a young man at the language school. His name is Edward. He has been very aware of his sinful condition, but thought he had to be a "good" person and a "good" Christian in order to come to Christ. Julie spent much time sharing with him that our sinful condition could only be dealt with through the mercy, grace, and shed blood of Jesus; that he could never be "good enough" to come in faith to Jesus, but that neither would he ever be "bad enough" that Jesus couldn't save him. After a week of discussions over the Bible and the Gospel, Edward trusted in Christ as his Savior! As you can guess, Julie was very excited (and so was I) over these first fruits for Christ. We praise the Holy Spirit of God for His working in Edward's heart, for we know that apart from His quickening power there is no conversion or salvation in a sinner's heart. We pray Edward is the first of many, many souls that are won for the glory of Christ in East Africa. We know that many have come to Christ through the Anderson's and Radford's ministry. We pray it will continue with the Tate's ministry as well.

In closing, language school is going well. Emily, Julie, and I are deep into learning Swahili. We have about three more months here in Tanzania, learning the language, before prayerfully heading to Kenya. We have learned much, but it still seems hopeless that we will learn this language. The only thing that gives me hope is that others have learned it before us and so we should be able to learn it, too. Pray for the grace that we need in order to properly communicate with the people we want to minister to with the Gospel of Christ.

May God's peace and joy be with you,

Roger and Julie Tate (and Emily, Amy & Josiah)