Philip & Fiona Richardson - Tanzania |
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Prayer Letter February 2008
"Do not fear, for I am with you…I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" - Isaiah 41: 10
Walking with him
Dear Friends
We write to you from England but are glad to say we are finally able to look towards Tanzania. The Bible verse above has been one which God has used to speak to us over and over again since September 2006, when Fiona first became really ill. At the time she was very weak and breathless and could hardly walk, so the image of God upholding us with his right hand was very real. Eighteen months later, Fiona is walking well but we still need not just to walk with him, but also to depend on him and allow him to hold us and lead us. Fiona has been on treatment for Addison’s disease since October and has steadily been able to get back to full fitness despite the English cold and coughs which Bethany has been struggling with over the winter. The specialist has continued to test aspects of her condition and the good news is that he is happy that there is nothing else wrong to treat. Now we just need to carry on with the treatment and have regular check ups. Bethany has also been having some tests but has come to the end of those with nothing seriously wrong.
Giving Thanks
So we praise the God who has been with the three of us, upholding us through what has been a long trek of uncertainty and struggles these past 18 months. In Tanzania, when Christians are blessed with a new baby or finish building their house (no mortgages there!) or pass exams, they plan a formal time in the Church service when they can stand up at the front and give thanks to God. The whole congregation join with them in some special prayers and often in giving a small offering in recognition of what God has done. This public thanksgiving often happens after a time of struggle or illness when, with the congregation, they thank God for being with them and carrying them through that time. It is a humbling tradition, which we have learned from and have followed in church ourselves in the past 6 years. We take this opportunity to thank God, with you, for all the amazing ways he has provided enough to sustain us over the past year in particular. We have been able to share a house in Yorkshire without paying rent and be in just the right place for Bethany to enjoy the small village school. We have been blessed with a very careful specialist who has always tried to move things along quickly and with incredibly in-depth, accurate and free testing. God has provided financially for us and we have been able to keep our house in Tanzania and our house staff safe and well. He has put great people around us to pray with us and of course you and many others in the UK and Tanzania to faithfully pray for us. We praise him for his healing and most of all for being with us; giving us the grace to carry on through hard times. Now we praise him that we can make plans to be back with friends and colleagues in Tanzania in March and that we can be free to serve him in the way we feel called. We expect to arrive in Tanzania on 4th March.
Youth work resources
Thank you for your prayers about the Swahili Youth Bible study resources, which Fiona has been involved in producing with colleagues in the Diocese. God has provided some funding for these resources (called ‘Solid Rock’) to be printed and there are now plans to train coordinators for each Diocese so the materials can be introduced for young people aged 15-35 across the whole country. It is very exciting that the national youth coordinators want to do this, so please pray that the funded needed to cover travel costs and run the training can be found.
What are we going back to?
We are really looking forward to getting back into our house and being together again with Tanzanian colleagues and friends in the Youth and Children’s work and at Amani, the college where Philip teaches, as well as in our local church and neighbourhood. This year is not turning out to be an easy one for them. The rains started in December and should have been steady throughout January but the little rain there has been is not adequate to help the crops grow. Many crops have been damaged by the hot sun. Everyone farms, so everyone is affected and the price of food has already risen dramatically. Pastors and church workers in the village don’t have a wage and rely on farming for their needs. When everyone is dependant on the land, all the church members are affected too and consequently all of the work in the Diocese. Please remember the situation in your prayers as we go through the wet winter here in UK.
Praise God for
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His healing and for all his provision of medical help here in the UK
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The support and prayers of so many people, which has been such a blessing to us through this hard time
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The funding to print the ‘Solid Rock’ Youth Bible study materials and for the interest in using them nationally
Please Pray for
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Bethany adjusting back to Iringa as she leaves school and friends behind here and for continued healing for her.
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Philip returning to teach at Amani Christian Training centre and all the staff there.
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Fiona settling back gradually into work and home-schooling Bethany and for continued healing and strength.
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Archbishop Donald Mtetemela as he steps down whilst continuing to be Bishop of our Diocese. Please pray for the right person to take over as the new Archbishop and God’s Spirit to guide them as they take on the role.
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God’s sustaining grace and provision for all those affected by the lack of rain and poor crops.
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God’s wisdom and direction in the planning of how to introduce the ‘Solid Rock’ Youth Bible study materials in Tanzania. Pray that the Holy Spirit will be at work powerfully in this project as it aims to enable young people to read the Bible for themselves and live out their faith.
Philip, Fiona and Bethany