Thank you to all that have donated generously to get food to so many in the Mbuguni, Tanzania area after the destructive flooding. The Next Life staff and some of our students have done a great job identifying those in critical need and delivering necessities.
Your prayers have been heard by our bountiful God in many ways for our friends in East Africa. As of yet, the locusts have not become a problem in the area and our dear friend and leader in Tanzania, Laurence, recovered completely after suffering with Covid-19.
Some strange and unprecedented events have been thrown at us the past few months. It’s taken everyone by surprise but it hasn’t knocked God off his throne or caught him off guard. He is still with us. “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” (2 Peter 1:3) He has put us where we are, in this time, “for such a time as this”. As uncomfortable, or comfortable, as we may be, we can always find those Christian brothers and sisters who are suffering great hardships. As our last correspondence described, there has been much distress in the Mbuguni, Tanzania area due to the devastating flooding. Next Life Foundation has supplied many, many pounds of corn, beans and cooking oil to our students and their families that were affected by the floods and countless neighbors. This was possible due to the generosity of so many friends of Next Life. There are still some people we’d like to help further by rebuilding their homes. We have enough money to build one of the three homes and we’re recruiting our carpentry alumni to help with labor but we need help financially to get all three built and to fund our operating expenses when July rolls around. (We’ve been concentrating on disaster relief and know God will be faithful.) So many lost their dwellings in the floods but some seem more desperate than others. Please read their stories below.
(A safer place to be than their own house)
Mama Linda
A boy and a girl blessed the marriage of Mama Linda and her husband but the family continually faces the difficulty of both children being handicapped and unable to walk. This was too much to bear for Linda’s husband so he abandoned the family long ago. During the heavy rains and flooding in April and May, about half of their house was washed away. Tarps and old sheet metal are being used to try to remedy the loss but the situation is very tough.
Mama Nikol
65 year old Mama Nikol is the sole caretaker of her three grandchildren. Her husband passed away a few weeks before the heavy rains. The floodwater carried her house completely away. They stay outside now but found a piece of a mattress to sleep on at night. The dangers of snakes, pneumonia and other diseases are a real threat.
Mama Neema
Another home that was completely lost in the flooding was Mama Neema’s. She is 63 years old and lives alone. Her husband died years ago and she hasn’t heard from two of her three daughters for a very long time. Her only surviving daughter lives in horrible conditions but Neema’s been forced to stay with her.
Due to the continued spread of Covid-19 Next Life Foundation is not holding classes for our carpentry students or our tailoring students. Our instructors and a few students come to our site every day to help those who need assistance. The carpenters are fixing windows, chairs, tables, etc that have been damaged in the flooding and the tailors have been busy making masks. The Tanzanian Board of Directors anticipates resuming regular classes on July 1st.
Please give what you can
Next Life Foundation 