This is going to be a November and December update.  I apologize for the delay, some months just run like that.  You’ll have to read to the end of the post to find out the BIG news!  😉

We rotated through several illnesses in November so the greatest achievement we can verbalize well is that it is ALL cleared up!  Thank you God!  Saying that, we were also insanely busy when we weren’t trying to decide who had what sickness.  haha!  November is a hot month here below the equator but this year it also came with quite a bit of rain.  Thankfully our windows finally stopped leaking in one room (we don’t know why but aren’t asking either), it has been avocado and mango season (YUM!) and with all the rain we have only been without running water ONE day in two months!  It’s the “little” things.  😉

In November Phillip worked with the farm to help smooth out some kinks in the budget, helped get the Kisongo church building moving again and dealt with funding between the states and here.  All of that may not sound like a lot but it does take up quite a bit of time.  Thankfully we have many great people to work with and things are coming along so well.  The youth class is being taught by Rodrick and Shadrack on Saturday and Sunday and we are so thankful for God’s blessing on this goal.  Phillip and Shadrack are still working on the curriculum to be used in either adult or youth classes and have the main outline laid out along with several of the lessons written.  They also hosted a futbol (soccer) day for the youth and had a HUGE turnout…along with a LOT of rain.  Fun was had by all but it was a little shorted than planned.   Phillip was also honored to be asked to speak at Temeki church of Christ in Dar Es Salam.  They were hosting a seminar on “Knowing That We are Growing As Christians” and asked Phillip to come give two lessons.  He always enjoys his time with the congregations there and was encouraged by those there.

While he was busy working on all of that, I have been able to get some of my Bible studies combined as there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do what I did last year.  Last year I was doing 3-5 Bible studies per week.  These take anywhere from 2-4 hours per day because of travel time, out roads, etc and while I loved studying Hebrews that much, the boys did not get much schooling done.  This time around I have been able to bring several of my studies together to help keep them going but also allow me to do school and be home more than I was last year.  Last year I took them all through Hebrews and this time we are going through James.  It has been truly helpful to me to study this much and I enjoy my time with all of the women I have been able to study with here.  I am forever in debt to Vivian and Cecilia for helping me by co-teaching/translating for all of these studies and more.

We were blessed to be able to celebrate so much in November and December!  We had Thanksgiving with some American friends, Phillip and I taught for a week at Youth Camp, Phillip taught the next week at Future Preacher Training Camp, ACSOP graduated twenty preachers and we celebrated with Rodrick at his wedding!  It was a busy and blessed two months!  We finished off 2019 and started 2020 having to leave TZ to get the boys permits renewed.  We were able to have a great holiday with some friends from another mission work and get the year off to a great start!

Now for the BIG NEWS!!

We have been praying to God and talking/working with many different people but we have finally gotten word that we will not be able to get the boys residence permits for Tanzania.  There are many different things that go into this but after a LOT of prayer and work by us and several others, we have decided to move back to the USA at the end of March.  There are a million emotions and thoughts that go into this decision but we have decided that this is where God is leading.

God has blessed us with being able to work through the goals that we felt would be the most helpful here plus some extras we didn’t know He had planned!   I’m going to list them out because with us leaving early it’s easy for us to feel like we haven’t done what God needed us to do.  This list is as much for us as it is for you to see how big God is in a much smaller timeframe than we expected.

• Phillip, Rodrick, Shadrack and others have been able to get the youth class at Kisongo stabilized and moving in a great direction.  Over TWENTY of the youth (ages 12-30) have been baptized over the last two years through this work!  They meet for a class on Saturdays and Sundays, are encouraging each other to stay strong even when their families aren’t faithful and helping them learn to study God’s word and do God will.
• Phillip and Agustine’s work with the farm’s raised bed crop rotation, enlarging the chicken broiler project and getting the budgeting under control have made a huge difference and things are looking really good there!
• I have been able to turn the Sunday morning women’s class over to the women of Kisongo and they are doing a great job!
• The Kisongo church building wasn’t something we thought we were going to be working with but thanks to God and so many people on different continents, we should have it completed before we flyout!
• The women I have been studying with have helped me come such a long way and I can see so many possitive changes in them!  I cannot begin to express how proud and thankful I am for each of them!
• There are a million other little things that I cannot begin to list, including changes and strengthening through God in us, but we are grateful for our time here and all that we have been able to be used to accomplish.

All of that to say, our lives are about to get a little…lot…crazier over the next few months as we try to finish out what we need to do with the work, sell things, pack things, say goodbye, etc.  We are asking for prayers for several different things from all of you.  These are things that are bigger than us, but not bigger than God.

Pray Request List:

• Peace…lots and lots of peace
• Wisdom…lots and lots of wisdom
• Grace…given, recieved, and felt.
• The Christians here as they get to take more ownership of things here.  They are fully capable, but change is difficult for everyone.
• A job in the USA- We are hoping to not go back into teaching for Phillip so if you have leads for jobs please message us!
• Micah and Nathan- While they did live in America, two years out of six and eight years is a lot of life lived outside of the USA.  They are excited and anxious about this move to a “new” country.  Prayers for them to have peace during a LOT of change.
• Whatever else you can think of because my brain is a little on overload right now and I am sure there is something big I’m forgetting.

We will be sending out an email to our monetary supporters asking that they keep sending support until June or Phillip gets a job.  Lord willing that will not take long but just to give ourselves a little time to get back into America.  We are currently planning to move back to the house in middle Georgia but are willing to relocate if God opens other doors.  Our fly out date for Tanzania is March 23.  We will take a few days break/cushion the changes in Europe before landing in Atlanta, GA on March 30th.

In Him,
Phillip, Bekah, Micah and Nathan

For those who have asked, support can be sent in two ways:
Through Paypal at: pbduncan20@gmail.com

Or:

Checks can be made out to and Mailed to:
Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver
2707 S. Lamar Street
Denver, Colorado 80227 (Memo line: “Duncan TZ mission”)