My precious and giving Savior, have I ever truly thanked You for something as simple as underwear? There are so many things I take for granted each day. Just a couple of weeks ago, Mary, the director at Next Life Foundation, purchased underwear for many of the students. It makes me stop and think—how many people in this world go without things I barely give a second thought to, things I simply expect to have?
Forgive me, Lord, for taking these practical blessings for granted and for my lack of gratitude. Your Word in Matthew 6:8 reminds me that You, Father, know what I need before I even ask. Thank You for allowing me to be part of Next Life, where You work through others and through me to provide for the needs of students and staff.
Please continue to grant wisdom to the staff and leadership so they can reveal who Jesus is through their words and actions. Open my eyes and ears to recognize the needs of the people around me. Give me a heart that is generous, compassionate, and willing to give as You have given to me.
Dear Lord, I come before You today with a grateful heart. What often feels like an inconvenience – dust, dirt, and crumbs on my floors, is a reminder that in Tanzania and many places around the world, the floors themselves are dirt. I thank You for the blessing of finished floors and for the ability to clean and maintain them, rather than sweeping the earth beneath my feet as so many do each day.
Lord, cleanse me so that I may be pleasing and presentable to You. Through Your Word, You prune and purify me, as You remind us in John 15:3. Give me a deeper hunger to know You more through reading and studying Scripture. Your Word is a gift that is so accessible to me, yet unavailable or difficult to obtain for many in Tanzania and around the world.
You have given me so much, Lord, and for all of it I praise and thank You.
“Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!” (Psalm 34:3)
What an honor, Lord, to join Your children in worship. Whether at Arusha Community Church among people from many nations, in a Maasai village where the language is not understood, or in a familiar home church, You are there. Your Holy Spirit is present and fills every welcoming place of worship.
You are exalted above every name. It is overwhelming that You love me so much that You came in human form to save me so I can live with You for eternity. I can never repay You, so I will respond with worship. Help me to love You more.
My precious and giving Savior, have I ever truly thanked You for something as simple as underwear? There are so many things I take for granted each day. Just a few weeks ago, Mary, the director at Next Life Foundation, purchased underwear for many of the students. It makes me stop and think—how many people in this world go without things I barely give a second thought to, things I simply expect to have?
Forgive me, Lord, for taking these practical blessings for granted and for my lack of gratitude. Your Word in Matthew 6:8 reminds me that You, Father, know what I need before I even ask. Thank You for allowing me to be part of Next Life, where You work through others and through me to provide for the needs of students and staff.
Please continue to grant wisdom to the staff and leadership so they can reveal who Jesus is through their words and actions. Open my eyes and ears to recognize the needs of the people around me. Give me a heart that is generous, compassionate, and willing to give as You have given to me.
Oh Lord, what a joy it is for Carolyn and Patti to spend time on the Next Life Foundation campus. The students are so content and eager to learn. This is their happy place—a place where they can set aside the struggles they face at home: lack of food, parents battling drunkenness, broken homes, abuse, and other hardships.
Thank You, Lord, for Your faithful provision for Next Life. Thank You for keeping the students safe as they travel to and from school. Continue to watch over them in their coming and going. Thank You for a staff that truly loves and cares for each student in a way many of them have never experienced in a school setting before.
Thank You for Pastor Elia and his willingness to come on Fridays to teach the Bible and lead worship with the students and staff. Soften the hearts of the students, especially those from Islamic backgrounds, so they may come to know the freedom found in Christ.
Lord, help me also to know You more deeply through Your Word, through prayer, through worship, and through the people You place in my life. Your Word reminds me that when I seek You first, You will provide all that I truly need (Matthew 6:33).
Heavenly Father, many people in the Mbuguni area have been affected by recent flooding. In the midst of this devastation, help them to see You—through those who are helping, through their own suffering, and in whatever way You choose to reach them.
Those on mission trips with Patti have observed that Mbuguni can feel marked by a lack of hope. Please use my support of Next Life Foundation to bring hope to all it touches—through the school, short-term ministry projects, and the daily interactions of staff and students in the community.
You are a God who works behind the scenes, as seen throughout Scripture in the lives of Moses, Joseph, Ruth, Job, and many others. Thank You for loving the people of Tanzania. Reveal Yourself to them through Next Life Foundation. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the medical care available to me. While it is not perfect, I recognize that it is a blessing far greater than what many people around the world experience. In Tanzania, many citizens cannot afford to see a doctor or receive medical attention. Even if an ambulance is called, it often cannot respond because there may not be enough money to keep fuel in the vehicle.
Lord, empower Carolyn and Patti as they begin first aid training with the Next Life students today and tomorrow, and then continue teaching the people of Mbuguni in the days ahead. What a wonderful opportunity You have given them—not only to help save lives through practical skills, but also to share the life-changing message of the Gospel. As they teach wound and burn care, ways to help a choking victim, and basic CPR, may the people listening understand clearly through the interpreter’s faithful translation. More importantly, may Your Holy Spirit speak to their hearts and draw them closer to You.
You are an amazing God who continually does far more than we could ask or imagine through Your children, just as You promise in Ephesians 3:20.
Holy Spirit, life in Tanzania is so different from what I know that I struggle to know how to pray. Even Patti, though she has been there many times, does not fully grasp the culture, challenges, and joys experienced there. Your Word says in Romans 8:26 that You intercede for us with groanings too deep for words when we do not know how to pray.
Please intercede for me now. Give Patti love, discernment, and wisdom as she works with the leadership of Next Life Foundation to make decisions. Continue to guide NLF in Your ways, that more people may come to know You and Your glory may be seen throughout Tanzania. In Jesus’ name, amen.
King of Majesty, You created the heavens in all their glory, each planet set in its place, the stars shining and established for Your praise. Everything is positioned with perfect purpose. Long before scientific discovery revealed the vastness of Your creation and Your Truth, David declared in Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” Help me to pause, to notice, and to take in the beauty around me as a witness to Your greatness.
Lord, is this a time for me to unplug and refocus my heart on You? As Patti and Carolyn begin their journey to Tanzania today, they leave behind much of the technology that fills everyday life. They’ll be in a place where internet is scarce and electricity uncertain; reliance shifts more fully toward You. Perhaps this is an invitation for me as well to set limits on distractions and seek You more intentionally.
Your Word reminds me in James 4:8, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” May this be a season of drawing closer, of quieting my heart, lifting my eyes, and fixing my attention on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Severe flooding has devastated the Mbuguni area, homes of the Next Life campus, destroying homes, washing away belongings, and intensifying the hardships faced by our students and staff. Many families are unable to return to their homes due to unsafe conditions and are currently sheltering outdoors or staying with neighbors as the rains continue.
Please continue to keep all of these individuals and families in your prayers.
Thanks to the generosity of donors, Next Life Foundation has been able to provide a small quantity of food and some financial assistance to help our students begin rebuilding their lives. Their needs remain urgent and will continue for quite some time. If you feel led to support these flood relief efforts, your generosity would be deeply appreciated. www.nextlifefound.org/donate Please indicate “flood victims”.
Mary, our director, along with Mr. Kaaya, our tailoring instructor, and Dominik, our carpentry teacher, all suffered significant losses in the flooding. Mary and Mr. Kaaya, who both rent homes in Mbuguni, have been displaced and have lost most of their belongings. Dominik lives on a small family compound, and floodwaters rushed through his home as well, damaging much of what little he had.
Dominik, a success story
Dominik, who now serves as our carpentry instructor, is a 2019 graduate of the Next Life Foundation carpentry program. In May 2023, he and two fellow graduates opened their own shop, Next Life Furniture Center, with the help of an interest-free loan from a generous donor. Their business is now thriving. Several carpentry graduates occasionally return to work alongside them, as well as a former instructor.
For over a year, Dominik has also been teaching our carpentry students and has done an excellent job. After classes, he joins his business partners at the shop, where they often welcome students to visit and learn. It is a joy to see how God continues to bring the Next Life community together—encouraging one another, praying together, and walking through life side by side.
Another Opportunity
We are excited to launch a beauty training program when funding becomes available. An experienced professional has visited the classroom space to provide guidance on its design and setup. To prepare the space, we will need to add electrical outlets, install plumbing, and complete some cosmetic improvements.
The community is eager for our organization to offer a third vocational track for its young people, and we are thrilled for the opportunity to reach even more individuals with the message of Jesus and His power to transform lives.
The beauty program will include training in hair care, lashes, nail care, and skincare. This vocation was intentionally chosen because it allows a young mother to work from home while caring for her child and still contribute to her family’s income. In many cases, once a child is too large to be carried on their mother’s back, they are left at home alone while parents work in the fields. This program offers a safer, more sustainable alternative for families. The students will also be trained to work in a shop with all the modern tools and conveniences.
God Provides Through His People
Next Life Foundation continually depends on your faithful support, and the most powerful way you can partner with us is through prayer. Please pray for the spiritual growth of our students, staff, and board members. May they grow closer to Jesus as they deal with their struggles of the flooding and everyday life. Pray for safety over those in Tanzania as they travel to and from school each day and go about their daily lives. Ask the Lord to soften the hearts of our Muslim students and their families, that they may come to know Christ as Lord and Savior and become a light within their communities. We also ask for prayer over our leadership, that God would grant wisdom and discernment for both present decisions and future direction.
There are several ways to support Next Life financially, along with a variety of meaningful projects you can be part of. Donations can be made through our website www.NextLifeFound.org, via Venmo, by check, or even in cash. As a 501(c)(3) organization, we are also able to receive charitable gifts made through Required Minimum Distributions for donors who qualify, as well as through Donor-Advised Funds, which offer additional tax-efficient giving options. For those in the Iowa Great Lakes area, Patti has Kwik Star car wash cards available; 10 washes for $36, with $16 directly supporting Next Life Foundation. She would be glad to meet for coffee and get a card to you.
We are ready to move ahead with building a women’s dormitory once the electric company finalizes decisions regarding the transformer currently located on the portion of our property designated for the dorm.
Many exciting opportunities are ahead, all unfolding in God’s perfect timing. As the saying goes, He has all the resources in the world, often placed in the hands of His people. We trust that when the time is right, He will provide.
The mission statement we follow at Next Life Foundation is: To share Christ with the people of Mbuguni, TZ through vocational education, while also demonstrating God’s love by providing funding, when available, for students and staff in life crisis situations.
I often say we are an evangelism and discipleship center that simply looks like a vocational school. Our goal is to reflect Jesus to those around us. Sometimes this includes medical help for our students or staff.
This note from Joshua, one of our tailoring students, was written to me as a representative of all who support the ministry through prayer, financial gifts, and encouragement. He needed surgery that was far beyond what his family could afford.
Thank you so much To Patti I greet you in the name of our living Lord Christ. Thank you very much for the medical help you gave me. I suffered a lot; I was sick for two years. I have nothing to pay you. Only God will repay you. May the God you serve take care of you and protect you. I am obedient, Joshua.
Carolyn Hansman and I will travel to Tanzania May 24–June 5. Carolyn first joined in traveling to Tanzania in 2024 for first aid training and quickly grew to love the students—this will be her third trip. Before retiring, she served as Director of Health Information and Compliance Officer at our local hospital. We’ve both renewed our CPR certification and look forward to sharing these skills. We appreciate your prayers. Updates will be shared in our e-newsletter and on our website. Please pray that God works through us as we teach students and community members in Mbuguni about Christ and basic first aid.
