John Zephania

Mavuno has recently received a new off-campus child named John Zephaniah. He was discovered at a bus wreck site near Magu, and one of the surviving passengers took him to the police station the following day. Social Welfare requested that Mavuno take care of him until his family could be located. He was placed with a wonderful couple in the Magu district.

John is around the age of two and his new parents had the pleasure of naming him because no known name was found. He cannot talk, is not potty trained, but can walk.

Social Welfare could not find his biological parents so he now legally belongs to Mavuno. We praise God that he can grow up in a good Christian home.

Rainy Season Arrives!

Helena and Mariam go for a run

The rains have finally come! We are enjoying the humidity and the green scenery. The villagers’ gardens are doing well and there is fresh grass for the cows. With the rains the animals are emerging in abundance. The chameleons, hedgehogs, snakes, scorpions, and bugs frequently enter our houses. This, too, provides newfound excitement for rainy season!

Carter enjoys a hedgehog

Please pray that it would continue to rain so that the villagers’ newly planted crops can grow well this year, after a long period of little harvesting.

Several weeks ago Manyashi Mbugua, the oldest on-campus child, became a Christian. Here is his testimony in his own words:

It was Friday, August 26 around 11 am. I was having a rest near a water tank and socializing with my daddy and my younger brother Michael. I asked my daddy a question, “There are people who are saved and keep sinning and there are people who are not saved but do good actions, so who will go to heaven when Jesus comes back?” My daddy answered, “Only the one who is saved by accepting and believing Jesus as his Savior. Which means Jesus died for his sins. We are not saved by our works but by accepting Christ.”

My daddy asked me, “Are you saved?” I said no. Then he asked me, “Do you want to be saved?” I said yes! I accepted Christ as my Savior and that he died for my sins. I prayed and after my prayer, my daddy also prayed.

Since that day I am peaceful and happy in my heart. When I go back to school I will ask my friends to accept Christ.

From John:

I told Manyashi that believing is accepting without doubt that Christ died for your sins. And this means that he died for all of your sins that you have committed and the ones that you will do tomorrow. I quoted Eph. 2:8-9 that we are not saved by works but by grace, through faith in Jesus. So believers will sin even though they are saved, and go to heaven. Unbelievers will go to hell even though they are doing good works. He was silent for a few minutes and then asked, “How can I be sure if Christ will take me when he comes?”

I told Manyashi about Romans 10:9,10. If you confess Christ and believe in your heart that he died for your sins you will be saved. I asked him, “Do you want to believe in him?” He asked if he had to wait until Sunday at the church. I told him no, you can do it now. He said he was ready. He asked Chrsit to come in his heart and after praying, you could see joy in his face. He said, “Next Sunday I want to stand before the church and tell them.” I told him, “Sure, you can do it!” The next Sunday he stood before the church and everybody was happy.

Before he went back to school, he asked me to write those verses out so that he could memorize them and use them to tell his friends about the Gospel.

Container Culmination

Recently we were able to unload a container shipped from Bozeman. It contained many supplies such as solar freezers, quilts, diapers, a four-wheeler, medical supplies, and numerous other useful materials.

"Is it a car?" is the favorite question of those who see it. :)

Sammy with his quilt. His favorite things are bugs!

The newest Mbugua children were thankful to receive the new quilts that were sent.

There were several problems getting the container to its destination and clearing it through customs. In the end, it all had to be carted on the trailer from Mwanza to Mavuno. But it made it!

We praise God that the container arrived safely with all of its treasured items! And we are so thankful for the many people who made it possible!

Cows

Last night our staff, along with some Mavuno friends, met together in the evening to butcher one of our bulls. Those who helped with the process took home Tanzanian delicacies such as the stomach and intestines.

Checking out just how much grass the cow actually ate that day

The meat collected from the bull will provide clean, tender beef for the on-campus families and staff at the local price, but it will be much easier to obtain and of much better quality! It will be stowed in the solar freezer in the newly designed Mavuno Store.

Mavuno is in the process of improving the dairy program. To increase milk production, the cows are being fed more grass and remaining in their pens to be fed instead of grazing all over Mavuno land.

Jake and Carter helping out with the head

The only steer in the herd is in the process of being fattened for another butchering in the near future. Butchering this bull is one of our efforts to make our herd more manageable and cost-effective.

Hanging in the new store (check out the solar freezer in the back!)

Below, Megan Helsby oversees the meat cutting operation

Sammy and Mavuno Store

4 year old Sammy joined the Mbugua family on July 20^th. He is the tenth child on campus with John and Milka. His siblings were overjoyed to welcome him into the family, helping him adjust quickly.

The four Mbugua boys

Sammy came from Forever Angels, where he has lived since shortly after his birth. Sammy has some special needs, yet is almost always happy and loves to be held. We’re so thankful that God has brought him to us!

Sammy with his new blanket

Sammy with his mommy

Seth Powell, a volunteer here, recently cut windows and a door in one of the 40 ft. containers that will serve as the Mavuno store.

The beginnings of the Mavuno store

The Mavuno families will be able to grow food and sell it here as well as buying flour, sugar, and other necessities. This will save huge amounts of time shopping for goods in Mwanza (an hour away)! One of the solar freezers sent in the latest container will be used here to refrigerate meat and other frozen foods that will be sold to Mavuno staff and families.

Shelving was made for part of the container while the other half was blocked off to store excess food.

Camp Week!

Mavuno Camp started on June 25th for all the off-campus children and their siblings. 40 youths aged 11-20 arrived Sunday afternoon, tired from their long travels on public transportation, but looking forward to the week.

The first day was spent attending orientation and getting settled in. The girls were placed in the almost completed Family House 3, while the boys slept in the Team House attic and guest room.

Each morning began with exercises, chai, and sessions. After breakfast, the morning was filled with drama practice and personal devotions along with a few games and sessions.

The sessions were about sexual purity, salvation, creation, AIDS/HIV, Bible youths, and other various topics that applied to the kid’s lives. The speakers were several staff and board members, as well as the camp counselors.

The kids were divided into four teams of blue, green, red, and yellow. The blue team was the winner at the end of camp week because they memorized the most verses, and had the best behavior and attitudes during the games.

Three of the kids memorized 40 verses and were awarded a prize for their accomplishments. Joseph Malelo and Naomi Motomoto were given soccer balls for having the most Christ-like attitudes during the camp week.

Charlie and Jen Mann, Elliot Heumier, and Shaina, Seth and Tate Powell were present during the camp and organized the games. They also developed strong relationships with many of the kids. Each day they had a total of three hours a day to play outside games with the camp members. The youths learned many new games and also thoroughly enjoyed the water balloons provided by the team from Montana.

A dental group arrived mid-week to inspect all of the kids’ teeth. They pulled a few but most of the kids were in tip-top shape. Unlike a typical dental office, they had a great view of the lake from the Helsby’s back porch. The rest of the youths made various beaded creations while they waited to be examined.

The mealtimes were held at Family House 3 and consisted mostly of rice, beans, meat, ugali (thick, boiled maize), daaga (small fish cooked whole), and fruit. The boys hungrily devoured a great portion of the food at every meal.

The team also provided shirts for the kids to decorate and there were many creative ideas.

The last night of camp, a large bonfire was lit at the beach and the kids gathered to sing before a lengthy discussion led by John Mbugua and Dan Tanner. Each kid was given a stick to put on the fire to make it blaze brightly. This symbolized that, with the help of every child, Mavuno could shine as a bright light in Tanzania.

On the day of departure the kids packed their belongings and were driven out to the main road where they would take their various transports back home. Tearfully, they said goodbye to their newfound friends and the Mavuno campus, with renewed energy and commitment to God.