Thank you for your prayers

I want to thank each of you for your prayers for us today. God blessed with a great opportunity to open the Word over steaming hot milk and fried bananas (like those pictured below), and we are scheduled to return for additional Bible study next week! Please pray for Elisante and his family that they would respond in obedience to the Gospel.

Flat Tire Follow-up

This past Tuesday Rodney and I again returned to Ndatu for further evangelism. Providentially we picked up a young boy walking home from school and gave him a ride up the mountain. His home was a little further up the mountain than we normally go, but as we arrived at his home, the Lord prompted Rodney to go and witness to a man sitting by the side of the road. As soon as Rodney got out of the truck to go and witness to this man, a motorcycle taxi pulled up and it looked like the opportunity had evaporated. However, just at that moment the motorcycle driver recognized Rodney and called out "Mchungaji njoo hapa" (Pastor come here). Rodney soon discovered that this man had seen Rodney and I and heard our conversations with others the night we had a flat tire. He listened in the background, but determined he was going to learn more. After hearing the Gospel presented by Rodney, he asked, "What do I have to do to be saved." Rodney took the opportunity to share more, and the man asked for Rodney and I to come to his home tomorrow, March 4th at 2pm our time to share the Gospel with his entire family and his brother's family. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would convict them and that the Word of God would fall on good soil. Pray for Rodney as he seeks to accurately and clearly present the message of God's salvation in Jesus Christ. Thank you for laboring with us.

Flat Tire Blessings

Rodney and I had been visiting in the village of Ndatu for a few hours yesterday and were just planning on jumping on his motorcycle and riding for home. As we were walking towards our bike, a new friend named Baba Elia noticed that our rear tire was flat. We had planned on being home within the next few minutes, but that all changed with this news. Thankfully, we had parked not 30 feet from a small Duka (shop) that specialized in motorcycle parts for the numerous motorcycles that ferry villagers up and down Mt. Meru to and from the local market. As we settled on the slab of wood for a bench outside the duka, we were able to engage several people in conversation. One particular older gentleman named James spent about 30-40 minutes conversing with me in my unrefined Swahili. Of all the practice I did that day, this unexpected delay turned out to be some of the most valuable of all. Although it was getting dark by the time we arrived home, it was exciting to see God's blessing in the interruptions of our lives.

Thank you for your prayers for us. Please pray for me as I venture to preach some of this Sunday's message in Swahili.

Two Months In Country

First I must apologize for not adding to this sooner. I would give a bunch of excuses about how busy things have been here since we moved, but that really is no excuse. Many of you have been very busy as well, but yet you have prayed earnestly for us. I know this because the first two months in country have doubtlessly been full of challenges, but in spite of them things have gone exceptionally well. After spending a few weeks setting up our home here in the midst of severe power outages, we had several weeks of language school. We were anticipating being placed in the beginner Swahili course, but because of some study in Swahili while still in the States, we were able to skip the beginner course and move directly into intermediate. Not only were we able to learn at a much more rapid pace, but it also enabled us to save several thousand dollars of tuition fees. We have also had the privilege of learning from a number of veteran African missionaries about various cultural challenges and differences with African ministry.

Starting this week, now that language school is over for the time being, I will be joining with Rodney Myers as we focus on evangelism in one village in particular. Please pray for several items as we labor to plant a church in the village of Ndotu. First is a man named Stefano. Rodney has begun discipleship with this man already, but his work schedule has recently kept him away from Ndotu for almost 2 months. Second, is a man named Edgar and his fiance Verdiana. They both, after several weeks of Bible study, recognized that they were on the wide road that leads to destruction, repented of their sins, and trusted in Christ for salvation. Please pray for them that they would obey the commands of the Lord with regards to marriage. Third, please pray that the Lord would prepare the hearts of many in that village to receive the Gospel of Christ. This leads me to my last request. We have recently felt the great frustration of having a wonderful message to tell, but minimal ability to share it. Would you pray with us that we would quickly be able to grasp the language of Swahili and be able to communicate this life saving treasure to those who are lost.

On the family front, the kids are adjusting well to life here in TZ. They have made a number of friends and seem to be increasing in their Swahili every day. Thankfully we have not had to deal with any Malaria or other serious illnesses in our time here thus far. The kids have already enjoyed seeing monkeys of every sort, giraffe, zebra, cape buffalo, a black mamba (thankfully killed by our dogs), and some of the most beautiful (and noisy) birds you could imagine. The picture above is taken at Arusha National Park, which is just a few miles down the road from our home. We went on a safari there for Christmas Eve.

Thank you for your prayers

Aaron & Nicole Shipe

He is God, Even of the Housing Market!

Praise the Lord!! We went to closing yeterday afternoon and settled on our former home. Thank you for your prayers, and now it is time to give thanks and praise to God for His abundant provision! He has guided and superintended every step of the way to make this possible! Thank you for your labors in prayer for this. Truly God is good and faithful to answer prayer.

God's Continued Provision

We are nearing our departure for Tanzania, and God is faithfully opening doors in preparation for our arrival. Two things that needed to be accomplished before we arrived in Tanzania were the sale of our home in Maryland, and the purchase of a reliable 4x4 vehicle in Tanzania that would seat at least 8. At this point, it seems that both of these requests have been answered. Two weeks ago, our home went under contract with a proposed closing for the end of October, and just two days ago, Rodney Myers was able to acquire for us a very good Toyota Land Cruiser (pictured above). Everyone I spoke to recommended this vehicle for it's reliability and durability, but finding one with low mileage and "gentle" treatment for a reasonable price was very tricky. We praise God for His faithfulness in continuing to open doors at just the right time! Thank you also for your prayers to this end! Please continue to pray that the home would sell without any complications.

Yours for Christ,

The Shipe Family

I am just about to board a plane to Ethiopia and then to Tanzania where for the next two weeks, I will be making plans for moving to Tanzania this fall. Our partners, Rodney and Lynn Myers, have been making plans for us so that we can purchase a reliable used 4x4 vehicle, get our residence visas, arrange for housing, and prepare for a thousand other details that need to be thought through before we leave. Thank you for your faithful prayers for us. Please continue to labor for us in prayer that we would be wise in our preparations, and that God would fill us with His grace so that we can be the most effective missionaries that God would have us to be. Thank you