We’ve Moved!
Friday, July 30, 2021 was moving day. The sewing machines were packed up, the carpentry tools were loaded and truckload after truckload were carried across the rough, dusty road to Next Life Foundation’s new campus. It was exhausting but exhilarating. Thank you to all the students, staff and everyone else who helped with the hard work. Our biggest thanks and praise to God who blesses us beyond what we could ever imagine!
Where We’ve Been
There was a young man, Laurence, in Eastern Africa, in a village called Mbuguni, who was dealing with people constantly coming to him asking for handouts. He knew there was a better way to help his fellow Tanzanians. He thought, if only we could help them start their own businesses. But they had no education, no training. His idea was to give them vocational training.
Along came this American, Patti. He asked her if she’d be interested in starting a Christian Vocational Training Center. Did they realize all this was God inspired and He was going to bless this ministry beyond what they could imagine in such a short time?
In February 2016 the first twenty tailoring students began their studies in a small building on a village leader’s home property. After nine months the school moved to a larger site and added carpentry. Friday, July 30th Next Life Foundation moved to its own 3 acre site with a 2-room classroom building, restroom facility and a guard house. Phase I of the campus building project, provided by your generous donations, has been completed with an expenditure of $41,960. All of these project costs have come in below budget because of the great leadership provided by Humphrey, our construction site manager. Phase II including construction of three open air classrooms for our carpentry class and future welding and mechanics classes, a security wall around the premises, and a well are the next needs to make things much easier for those attending school and serving the students. Phase II estimates are as follows:
Open Air Classrooms (3) $40,000
Perimeter Security Wall $40,200
Well & Water System $20,500
In December when the board received the January 2021 budget request of $4000, we didn’t have the full amount to send. But as usual, our amazing teachers and staff found ways to make it work by making children’s clothes and repurposing used clothing for sewing and the carpentry students made smaller furniture. They are amazing at being able to make do with what we are able to send! Since January God has used our wonderful donors to meet all of the school operating budget needs AND build our new campus to a point where we moved out of our leased site, just as the harassment from the landlord that they had experienced was becoming unbearable. Praise be to our God who lavishes us with His blessings.
A ministry like Next Life requires a lot of prayer. The culture, terminology, way things are done, in fact everything is SO different from America that we, as an American board, constantly need the Lord’s direction as we trust Him to lead our decisions. We are in awe at what the Lord has done in Mbuguni!
Our staff has worked diligently in very tough circumstances but Christ has sustained them. The work crews have put in long hard hours to complete these buildings in a timely manner through adverse conditions.
Keep in mind, everything is done by hand. There is no electricity at our new campus … yet. What has been accomplished by our African friends is beyond American understanding.
Classes continued and our students thrive in their studies. The tailoring students have been working on their own fashion designs and making suits while the carpenters are making dining tables, door frames and TV stands.
ANNUAL BANQUET
Please join us Thursday, September 9th for our annual Next Life Foundation Banquet. We’ll celebrate God’s abundant blessings by sharing a meal and what’s happened over the last year at the Maser Monarch Lodge next to the Nature Center in Okoboji, IA (22785 Nature Center Road)
Social Time 6:00 – 6:30
Dinner 6:30 – 7:15
Program 7:15 – 8:00
Please RSVP how many will attend to: NextLifeFound@gmail.com or Text (712)330-7031 to help us know how much food we will need.
Short Term Mission Trip
Join us as we take a team to work with our students in Mbuguni December 27 through January 7. Participants will have the opportunity to develop relationships with our students while making items that will benefit the community. We’ll also get to take part in their devotional time with Pastor Elia. (What a treat!) The trip will include a 2-day safari to two different national parks to view the amazing animals God created. (This is a worshipful experience on its own.) Contact Patti at NextLifeFound@gmail.com if interested. Spots are filling up fast so don’t delay!
Next Life Foundation 