The day after Pageri (Journal Entry)

10:25 am - Yesterday I got pretty tired so I didn’t write a lot of details about the day’s activities. I did have a good time and I thank God so much for filling me with His Spirit and speaking through me to the ladies. I can never tell for sure how the people here are receiving the Word while I am still teaching, but afterwards some of them will let you know. Pastor Tobias was very pleased and thankful. All I know is that my flesh is weak. I still feel tired/emotional like jet-lag and homesickness combined. I know it’s spiritual and I know the culture shock and stress of re-entering the field after being gone for several months is definitely a key factor, but I’m alone - no wife, no kids, no friends - and so it's more difficult because it’s just me and my flesh and I have to recognize it and crucify it and ask the Lord to continually fill me with His Spirit just to make it through a meal sometimes. Last night was a good example. After the long day and the ugali at Tobias’ tukul that I really didn’t care for, we finally made it back to Nimule to the compound. I really wanted some comfort food (like the Coke I had been craving all day) and was nervous to see what had been made for dinner (because typically it's rice, beans, and ugali). So I went to the dining area and lo and behold it was rice, beans, and ugali! It was emotionally deflating. I found some bread rolls left over from breakfast and some left over peanut butter from the visiting teams that were here and I made a couple of peanut butter rolls. When that got to the point where my mouth was sticking together too much, I put some rice and beans on a plate and covered them with salt, Tabasco, and a little ketchup (again, left over from the teams) and downed that. The only soda I could find was bitter lemon (tastes just like the name - made with quinine to be extra bitter) and I could only stand to drink about a quarter of that. I washed it all down with some water and went to my room with my taste buds depressed and my spirits a bit low. That’s when I wrote the last journal entry. This morning was better on the food front. There were “pancakes”. I only put them in quotes because the grain here is a bit different so the pancakes are thin, dense, and rubbery. Not that they're bad. They're actually quite good. I smothered two of them with Skippy Super Chunk peanut butter and Albertson’s fake maple syrup (thanks again to the recently departed team). It was just what the doctor ordered. A LITTLE VARIETY! I had chai (black tea with lots of sugar and cream - although there's no masala to put in it) with it and was very satisfied. It’s funny how a little bit of comfort food after the monotony of rice and beans can really brighten your day. Last night I never heard from Carrie and the kids, and then I finally got a text that she tried to call four times. I called her and told her the reception was bad and only spoke briefly. I miss her so much. Her and the kids mean so much to me and I just wish I could be with them. She had them yell “I love you” all at once. I need to be such a better father! I absolutely cannot believe what a terrible husband and father I became while staying in the U.S. the past several months.

God, please forgive me and cleanse me and change me and empower me by Your Spirit to be the best husband and father ever. Please Lord, I need Your grace in this area.

Now I have to study to teach tomorrow’s church service. I will be teaching from Philippians 4 about true, Biblical joy.

9:12 pm - I rested quite a bit today. I listened to music and prepared to teach the church service tomorrow. It was a relaxing day. Darn... They shut the generator off early and now all of the bugs have switched from the light bulb on the ceiling to my computer screen! Gotta go.

A day in Pageri, Southern Sudan (Journal Entry)

Today I went to Pageri with Lino (he drove), Gifti, Michael, Mikelina and her baby Judah (pronounced yoo-dah; he's terribly afraid of me), and one of the armed guards. We loaded up the remainder of the “Love Covers” bags and the t-shirts and left for Pageri at about 9:30 am. We grabbed a few "rolex" in town to eat on the way. No, it's not an edible watch. It's a nickname for a greasy fried egg rolled in a greasy chapati (a chapati is like a thick, somewhat greasy, flour tortilla). It took about an hour or so to reach the school in Pageri. The landscapes were beautiful.

On the Road from Nimule to Pageri

It's the rainy season now so everything is green. There are sharp hills and mountains that rise in different areas that make for a beautiful backdrop. It was smaller in comparison, but reminded me of the scenery of the mountains of western Ethiopia that I saw on the BBC “Planet Earth” videos (which really aren't all that far away). While we distributed the bags and shirts at the

One of the classrooms at the Primary School in Pageri / Loa

There aren't enough structures for every class, so some meet under trees

school Lino shuttled a bunch of the ladies from around the area to the ladies’ Bible study at Maranatha Chapel in Pageri town. Then he came and picked us up and brought us there also. Pastor Tobias met us there. The ladies were already there and began to sing as soon as I arrived. There’s something about that that I really like. It’s so welcoming. Tobias translated for me as I

Maranatha Chapel Pageri

The Ladies of Maranatha Chapel Pageri gathered together for Bible Study

taught the first half of Luke 22, including the Passover meal that Jesus ate and instituted the New Covenant. It was so cool getting to explain about the Passover and the New Covenant in Christ. Afterwards I waited outside of the church with the crew from Nimule as Tobias took care

The flag flying outside the church in Pageri

Foreground: A woman and her baby waiting outside the church. Background: Our armed guard/escort for the trip

of some church business. Lino played shuttle driver for quite a while so Michael and I walked to town and then to the tukul of Tobias. They must have planned this, because when I came into

Some local tukul (homes/huts) in Pageri town

the small round hut he had ugali and fish ready. We sat inside the tukul and washed our hands with the pitcher and bowl and then ate African style with no utensils. They were impressed that I didn’t want or need them. Tobias offered to find a spoon but I refused. The ugali tasted terrible to me. It seemed like it had sand in it. The fish was actually very good. It was smoked and then cooked in the stew/broth. It was a little hard from the smoking but I really liked it that way. It was almost like salmon jerky. I had such a hard time eating the ugali though. The ugali in Kigoma is soooo much better (and I don't really like it that much there!). But, 'when in Rome...' Afterwards I took this picture of Tobias in front of his tukul. Then he left on his motorbike to go

Pastor Tobias in front of his Tukul in Pageri

to Nimule. Michael and I walked back to the main street (Juba road) and I bought a big bottled water for him and I (I wanted a soda to wash away the ugali texture and flavor but he wanted water instead so I had the same). We drank our water as we waited for Lino to come by and get us. Then we drove back to Nimule.

August 2008 Update

Home Sweet Home... Sort of. In late July I (Jon) finally boarded my flight home. I can’t tell you how excited I was to finally be headed back to Africa. We as a family are so blessed to be counted worthy to serve our Lord in this way. We’re also excited at the thought of being in heaven together some day and having fellowship with all of those who have been a part of what the Lord is doing in Tanzania, whether ministry partners or those whom we are ministering to. We’ll all join together in praises to Him, thanking Him for His grace and the opportunity to know and serve Him. Until then, we keep living each day as a loving testimony to His power and grace in our lives, each according to the gifts and calling He’s put in our lives at this time. For us, that gift and calling right now is to share the Good News of Christ and His love in East Africa. So, while I haven’t technically reached “home sweet home” in Kigoma yet, I have made it as far as Southern Sudan! FRM has a pastor and chaplain training center in Southern Sudan, and they needed some teachers to help kick off the new class of students. I am honored and blessed to get to spend some time here and get to know my Sudanese brothers in Christ, as well as to share the Word with them as we study through the book of Genesis. Once I’m done here, I’ll complete my
journey home to Kigoma, Tanzania, where I can resume the ministry in the church there, as well as doing outreaches to the villages to the south. I also hope to visit one of my Bible College

View of Lake Tanganyika from our house. The mountains of Congo are in the background.

students, Bahati, in his home village across the huge expanse of Lake Tanganyika in Baraka, DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo). If the Lord makes a way and allows the time, money, and appropriate guide for my safety, then I’m rearing to go and establish a relationship with his village that could lead to further opportunities for ministry. We shall see and I will certainly keep you informed.

A Season of Separation. As you may already know or have just realized, Carrie and the kids are still in the States. For reasons too lengthy to discuss in this update, it was best for her to stay and give birth to our daughter in the States, rather than here in East Africa. Because of this change of plans, we will be separated for a couple of months. Once the baby is born, then we will all be reunited and back together as a team in Tanzania. Until then, we truly covet your prayers for strength, comfort, encouragement, a healthy pregnancy, and a healthy delivery. We have been separated before for two weeks or so, but never for over two months. We are confident that the Lord will bring us through, and we have plenty to keep us busy while we’re apart. Still, it’s not fun to be apart from those you love the most, especially since we’ve already given up being close to our extended family and friends by moving to Africa in the first place. So thank you for your love and prayer for this season of separation.

The Youth of Kigoma/Ujiji. One of the areas of ministry the Lord has put on our hearts is to reach the youth of Kigoma and Ujiji. We live about half way between these two towns, and have experienced first-hand the level of neglect most of the kids are subject to. From the time they’re old enough to walk until they’re grown and married, it seems that most of them are completely without direction, guidance, discipline, or positive stimulation. They aren’t stimulated mentally, as most cannot afford the basic uniforms and books to attend school. They aren’t stimulated physically, as there are no organized sports or other positive activities to be involved with, other

Some of the kids from Burega - the neighborhood we live in.

than the extremely limited program at the schools that they can’t afford to attend. They aren’t stimulated spiritually, as most churches neglect to teach the younger children and scare off the older youth with their works-based religion and a style of church government and liturgy that causes the youth to fear the pastor rather than fearing God. They desperately need someone to show an interest in them, mentor them, and most importantly... POINT THEM TO JESUS. He alone is the great physician, teacher, healer, and creator of life. We hope to be used by Him to bring the love of Christ to all of the children of Kigoma and Ujiji, whether they call themselves Christian, Muslim, Catholic, or anything else. We hope to show them the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Not to teach them our way or our ideas, but to lead them to the One who can save them and set them free, to disciple them in the Word so they know what He wants them to do with their freedom, and to love them with the love of Christ and be there for them in a way that their parents and churches have not yet learned how to do. This leads to the next thing on our hearts...

The Parents and Pasotrs of Kigoma/Ujiji. While we hope to meet the tremendous needs of the children and youth in the area, we would also love to help teach and guide the parents and pastors to a place where they can do it themselves. This again goes back to the very reason we are there... to share the love of God by teaching them the Word of God. As parents begin to understand what God’s Word says to them about loving, disciplining, and leading their children in Christ, they will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to do so. As pastors and churches see in the Word of God what their responsibility is to teach parents and to support them in their mission to love and raise godly children, they, too, will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to do so. It’s a long process, but one well worth it. During our time spent in the States, God brought to my attention the real tragedy and failure of parents, pastors, and churches in America in this very area (myself included). The family unit is Satan’s number one target! When men are sacrificially loving their wives and children, and women are sacrificially loving their husbands and children, and children are observing this biblical example and being disciplined in the Word and pointed to Christ... SATAN HATES IT! He hates it because families like that are mighty influences for the kingdom of God. Families like that are mighty weapons against the enemy of our souls. But our enemy has done a tremendous job, both in the States and all around the world, in his attacks on the family. And we are excited to be part of the solution in Tanzania. We pray that you are inspired by the Holy Spirit to be part of the solution in your own family, church, and community. I highly recommend the resources of my good friends at Family Discipleship Ministries. Please visit their website and/or give them a call to see how you, your family, and your church, might benefit from the Biblical wisdom and experience that they have to share. Their web address is www.parentingministry.org.

Praises and Prayer...
- Please join with us in praising the Lord for His goodness to us in providing for our daily needs.
- We also want to thank Him for a healthy pregnancy for Carrie thus far.
- Please pray for a continued blessing upon Carrie and the baby in her womb; that the pregnancy, labor, and delivery would all go well.
- Please continue to pray for provision for the ministry in Africa, that we can get back and get busy, and be able to stay for a long time without worrying about support.
- Please pray for Jon’s friends David and Jaquie to be freed from the bondage of the Watchtower and come to a saving knowledge of and relationship with Christ.
- Please pray for Jon’s health and safe travels in July, August, and September as he ministers in East Africa.
- Please pray for Carrie and the kids as they stay behind in the States during these months, that the Lord would grant them peace and safety and bless their time together.
- Please pray for the whole family as we suffer the loss of one anothers' presence during this 10 week period.

Day Four in Nimule (Journal Entry)

This afternoon I helped James, Francis (another pastor from S Sudan), and a couple of others to finish the extra “Love Covers” bags so we can take them to village of Pageri tomorrow. With these that we’ll be taking there will have been about 1000 given out to the children of Pageri and Loa. They are a backpack with six exercise books, a package of pencils, a pencil sharpener, two pens, three pair of underwear, a school uniform, a “Love Covers” t-shirt, a blanket, and a mosquito net. WHAT A BLESSING FOR THESE KIDS! Wes and Vicky were telling me that when they did the main event last week with the teams from Maranatha Chapel and Calvary Chapel Gulf Breeze that they were just surrounded by all the kids cheering and smiling as they drove into town. The kids surrounded the cars and escorted them into the school area. They were jumping onto the cars etc. I will go with Lino, Michael, Gifti and others tomorrow to distribute the extra 60 bags or so for some kids who were not originally registered. We will also give the t-shirts to 145 kids that did not get theirs in the bag last week. Additionally, I will be teaching the weekly women's Bible Study at Maranatha Chapel in Pageri. Normally Vicky teaches it but she and James had to travel to take care of some administrative things. I'm really missing the family the last couple of days. It’s so nice to talk to Carrie every day and the kids as well. For some reason Jada really gets to me. When she comes on the phone and tells her mom “me do it!” and then says “hello, I love you baba” I just want to die. I miss her so much! Not to say I don’t miss Carrie and the boys, but Jada, and even Caleb, are my little babies still and I feel like I’m missing their lives. I don’t like being apart from them like this one bit! If I knew I’d be seeing them in a couple of weeks it would be better, but knowing it will be a couple of months makes me want to cancel the rest of my trip! I know better, and instead make it that much more a matter of prayer.

Lord, I pray that Carrie and the baby are healthy and doing well. Lord, help me not to worry, but to carry everything to you in prayer with thanksgiving.

I was just thinking of how fun it would be to have my good friend Bond here and spend some time doing ministry with him. I miss doing ministry together with him.

This morning the four Michigan ladies left. I was wearing my comfy cammo pants when we drove them to the airstrip. When we got there a matatu (minivan / public bus) pulled up with a man named Ross (American) who runs an orphanage. I squatted down to play with some of the kids from the orphanage that had come with him, and when I did the crotch of my pants blew out completely! It was terrible. Nobody noticed except for maybe one of the kids. I covered it with my shirt the best I could. Then I had to go to the passenger side of the Land Cruiser and open the door and roll down the window so that the body of the door covered my mid-section and I could still talk through the open window. It was so funny. Right now the sewing teacher at the FRM compound is working on the blow-out to see if he can repair it. Those pants are so comfortable! Of course the comfy ones are the ones that blow out! I need to stop writing now so I can do my own personal devotions. I haven’t done them yet today and I need to be vigilant!

8:13 pm - At dinner tonight, Michael, Vicky, Lino and I talked about rats and snakes. These are the two things that Vicky hates the most (just like Carrie!). They told me about the rats here nibbling on people at night. They told me that when they are sleeping the rat will nibble on the edges of the feet, toes, or fingers, especially if the person has not washed well and the scent of food is on them. Michael said that it didn't hurt or wake you because they would take a small bite and then blow on it. He made a little rat face and then the motion of gentle blowing. I almost died laughing at the idea of a rat taking a little bite of my heel and then blowing on it so it would feel all better and I wouldn’t wake up! They kept talking about it and demonstrating the rat's actions and at one point I fell out of my chair laughing. Watching the expression on Michael’s face as he explained it and picturing the rat doing what he said was so funny. Vicky told a few rat stories from her life and then we switched to snakes. It was hilarious. Her and Carrie are cut from the same mold when it comes to rats and snakes.

This is video of Michael and Gifti demonstrating how the rat will bite and then blow.

Day Two in Nimule (Journal Entry)

9:30am - I slept really good last night. The mattress here is quite comfortable. I still have bad jet lag and feel sick in the head from it, but it’s getting better after last night’s sleep. This morning I had some really good coffee. Vicky said it’s Ugandan. It was good and it was made strong. Since it tasted similar to good coffee I might enjoy in the States, it was a good psychological/emotional pick-me-up. After breakfast we had staff devotions which included the four ladies that were visiting from Michigan, myself, Vicky, and some of the staff - Elijah, Martin, and James.

10:18 - Yesterday I worked on a bunch of MP3 players (probably 40 or so). I had compressed the 2000 Series of Chuck Smith sermons through the Bible when I was in the States, and Ben had installed them onto these little MP3 players. But there was room left over and they wanted to add the teachings from the “Refresher Course” that the Maranatha Chapel and Calvary Chapel Gulf Breeze teams had just completed. The Chaplains were so excited when they received these MP3 players with the Cuck Smith teachings. When Martin (one of the staff leaders) took them back from them so they could have the new files added they got upset and kept saying that Martin was trying to steal them. It was funny. So Vicky and Martin were happy when I finished them yesterday. The power is only on from 7pm to 10pm (generator) and there’s a solar system that can run a laptop or two, but it’s been cloudy and raining a lot so there hasn't been much power for computer use during the day. In fact, Vicky says today is the coldest day this year, and that a day this cold is very rare here. It’s raining and a bit breezy and probably around the high 60s. Last night was actually quite comfortable. My neck always gets a bit warm for some reason, but it's not as bad here as Kigoma. I know I already said this, but I slept so much better last night. And now with the steady rain and cool weather I keep wanting to go lay down and nap! I spoke with Vicky and James Olal (the lead staff member and the pastor of Calvary Chapel Nimule) this morning and have agreed to spend four hours per day with the senior staff doing discipleship. From 10:30 to 12:30 and then another two hours after lunch. I will do this for a few days and talk about topics having to do with leadership. My first thought, of course, is the “servant-leader”. Then I think I'll share about being an example and above reproach. And I'll also encourage them about the importance of daily devotions as well. These are three major areas that leaders go astray in (I'm speaking from experience here). The format will be one where I suggest the topic and allow questions etc. This way we can interact and truly disciple and not just “teach”.

Left for Nimule today (Journal Entry)

Left for Nimule, Sudan this morning from Entebbe airport in Uganda. On the way from Kampala to the airport, the driver slammed on the brakes in the van when she wasn’t sure if the green light meant go or not (this is actually something to worry about and watch for here in East Africa). We fish-tailed and skidded quite a bit. It was scary and funny all at the same time. The MAF pilot that flew us from Entebbe to Nimule was Simon. He was really very nice. He knows Andy, the MAF pilot in Kigoma. Simon said he was Swiss, but his accent sounded quite British; a bit Scottish in fact. After further questioning I learned that he grew up in Papau New Guinea as the son of missionaries, attended International Schools which taught in English, and was married to a Scottish woman... hence the Scottish/British accent. After he gave the "speech" (a really short version of the safety speech that a flight attendant typically gives), he prayed for our flight, for the FRM ministry in general, and for the ministry that we, the passengers, would be doing in Nimule specifically. It was such a blessing to have a pilot pray before the flight! It almost choked me up a bit. Well, I have tremendously bad jet lag and sleep deprivation. I arrived from the States just three days ago and have averaged about three hours of sleep each night since. I feel sick and want to go home, but I know it’s just the physical side warring against the spiritual because my body is so weak right now. I just had beans, rice, and cabbage for dinner. Too delirious to write more now. Going to shower and sleep.

Valle de las Palmas

During the Senior Pastors' conference I had the pleasure of getting to know many new brothers in Christ. One of these was the young pastor of Capilla Calvario Las Palmas (Calvary Chapel Las Palmas) in Baja California, Mexico.

Hassan Villegas is orginially from La Mirada, in Los Angeles. About four years ago he moved to Mexico with his wife, Stacy, and their three young boys, so that he could run Casa Hogar Celestial, a local orphanage in Valle de las Palmas. During those four years, the Lord did many things in and through Hassan and his family. One of these was to plant a church in town which Hassan now pastors full-time. The orphanage has undergone some restructuring, and while Hassan and Stacy are still intimately involved, they have now been freed up to focus full time on the growing body of Christ at CC Las Palmas.

Me and my brother Hassan outside the CC Las Palmas building after Sunday service

Carrie and I and the kids were blessed to be invited to come and stay with the Villegas family for a few days. Hassan also asked me to teach on missions at the Sunday morning service at CC Las Palmas. It was a really wonderful time getting to know the Villegas family and the church family at CC Las Palmas, not to mention a great opportunity to stir up the brethren for missions. We also had the pleasure of meeting three other missionaries that help in the work there: Rebecka, Rachel, and David.

The Langley kids and two of the three Villegas boys.
Left to right: Noah Villegas, Keenan, Kevan, Micah Villegas, Caleb, and Jada
(with me in the background)

The next weekend I was able to go back to Valle de las Palmas for the grand re-opening of the orphanage. Many of the volunteers from the States who did the physical work to renovate the orphange were there, along with the staff, both new and old, and most importantly... the kids! We had a great feast of burgers and hot dogs and watermelon and the like.

Please remember to pray for both of these awesome ministries to the people of Valle de las Palmas, Baja California, Mexico: for the orphanage, it's staff, and children. And for the Villegas family, Rebecka, Rachel, David, and the body of Christ at CC Las Palmas.

I've posted some pictures below of our time there. You can also learn more by visiting the CC Las Palmas website: www.capillacalvariolaspalmas.org

The Langley Clan & the Mariachi Band at the Fish Taco Place in Tecate - yummy!

Back Row: Keenan & Caleb
Front Row: Micah Villegas, Kevan, & Noah Villegas
The Beautiful Dove-Shaped Platform at CC Las Palmas
I'm telling a funny story about using the word "taco" in Swahili - Hassan is translating the sermon into Spanish for me