Godfrey and Rachel Tarling - Tanzania |
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Prayer Update March 2008
Dear All,
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Pray for a successor for Rachel as Diocesan Medical Officer and in-charge of St Luke’s Health Centre to be found very soon so that a smooth transition may take place at Easter. There is so much opportunity for mission here, but without a clear godly leader, the clinic will become a backwater providing much the same service as so many small clinics all over Tanzania . We are also looking to appoint an administrator to ease some of the day to day running, but it needs to be the person of God’s choice as it is quite a critical post.
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As an interim measure (to cover the period between when we leave and the return of Dr Lugwisha who completes his Assistant Medical Officer’s Qualification in October 2008) there is an offer to second a doctor from Kilimatinde Anglican Hospital for 6 months to a year, but as St Luke’s Health Centre currently (as a matter of policy) runs on a not-for-profit basis it does not have the means to cover the extra Doctor’s costs. Pray that we might have clear guidance in this matter.
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Staff morale is still low, and friction between nurses is rumbling on. Pray for a renewed vision and commitment by all the staff at St Luke’s, so that all may work to the glory of God.
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Praise for the Chapel at St Luke’s the stone walls of which have been completed and is now ready to be roofed. Pray that the momentum of work may continue so that we can see it largely finished and consecrated before we leave.
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We have now attended our last Diocesan Council that takes place before we leave, so the round of farewells has begun, though with three months still to go it feels far from a reality as yet. Pray that as we hand on the mantle we may do so in such a way that it is not so much a closure of all we have done & shared in with the Christians here, but rather an opening of new chapters both for those who stay to carry on the work and us as we seek the Lord’s path for the next phase of our lives.
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Pray for the continued discussions with the Tax authority, that St. Luke’s may be given a letter of exemption from the Commissioner quickly, before it is charged tax for which it should be exempt. The critical person who went away for the month of January has now returned and forwarded his recommendations to the head office of the Tax authority in Dar es Salaam, so we again wait for the due processes of administration to come to a conclusion. Meanwhile the local tax office makes rumbling noises every few weeks
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Pray for Esther (who will be taking her Common Entrance exams in the coming Summer Term – she has been awarded a Design & Technology Scholarship, subject to doing well in these) and Chris, both working hard at Dean Close Prep School away from home.
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Pray for wisdom and energy for all we need to do in handing over and packing up in preparation for our final departure from Mpwapwa on 8th June 2008. We will still be working with Crosslinks in Mission Education until January ‘09.
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Pray for Crosslinks Head Quarter Staff who are juggling finances to cope with an anticipated budget deficit this year.
As ever thank you for your ongoing prayers without which our Partnership and therefore yours in the Gospel here would not be possible.
Yours,
Godfrey & Rachel Tarling