Easter, 2008

Dear Friends,

Greetings in this Holy Season from the Staff here at the Amani Center and the Grades I and II children of the Igondola Children’s Project, seen here in their new uniforms provided through the Amani Center ministry…and a gift from Billings, Montana. In Montana and the northern USA Spring is in the air. It is a wonderful season and fits well with the hopefulness of Lent and the joy of Easter. In Australia, in most regions (sadly not all) drought has changed to growth – and that must seem like a very special ‘spring’ after the years of dust and concern.

Here we are on the eve of the long dry season yet are praying for one more good rainfall before the ‘dry’ is upon us. In the midst of the wet season it is all too easy to forget the realities of the dry season. This year in our region the wet season seemed to end abruptly several weeks ago. This is causing deep concern to many local farmers who really do need one more adequate rainfall. We have received what one announcer in Billings, MT calls ‘splash and dash’ storms but they are of little use. Update: It rained! As I type these additions late on Good Friday there are storms about us once again and rain has commenced falling. We ARE blessed.

For these reasons the ‘Windmill Project’ is of great importance. Thank you to all who have contributed. We do need further funds to complete the project. The total project includes windmills at Makang’wa and Mvumi Makulu, four elevated 10,000ltr concrete tanks and two rolls of 2” poly pipe ($850.00 each), $200.00 for essential fittings (gate valve, connectors, etc. plus transport) . We are well on the way with the funding. The target is $33,500.00. To date $22,000 has been received. I have signed the contract for the installation of the equipment!!!!! The Society of the Precious Blood – Water Project staff are wonderful people to work with. They have encouraged me by saying, “Don’t you worry about it. The funds will come. We will work along with you. Do not be concerned.” They understand the importance of clean water in this semi arid region.

However – We do have to demolish our small storage shed at the well. This was the first building erected there. When I arrived there was a ‘foundation’ there, built by ‘some people’! A young man was introduced to me by friends who said he was a good builder therefore I invited him to demonstrate his skills by completing the small storage unit. Joseph did a fine job. NOW it has to be ‘deconstructed’ as it is too close to the well and is in the way of the site for the windmill. Actually this is not a great misfortune as the present shed it much too small for our needs. The plan is to build a larger storage shed, of two sections. One will be for diesel, and the plumbing bits and pieces required for the Center. The other section will be storage for the tools for carpenters and masons and their basic supplies. This will be the initial section of a larger building which will be a workshop/storage space. We shall require about $2,200.00 for the basic materials to build stage one and set the foundation footings for the larger building.

Further wonderful news – just in. Hearts for Africa has decided to honor our philosophy of being essentially community related by offering an amount equal to 10% of expenditure on the Amani School to local education. The initial gift of $2,500.00 is to be made to the building fund of the new Secondary School at Mvumi Makulu. I could not possibly overstate the joy this will bring to the community there. They have advanced a long way with the project but had seemed to have no more resources. Now the project will move to the completion of the second large classroom block.

Presently I have a truck here transporting sand and rock (large and small) to four sites for building purposes, manure (1 load), and also concrete blocks to the school site at Mvumi Makulu. This is a costly business. If we had the tractor and strong trailer we could have cut the overall cost by about two thirds and have been able to work to our own normal schedule. (Now – this may seem unbelievable but I have just received a phone call to say that the truck is stuck in the sand at the river crossing at Mvumi Makulu! They were on the return trip from the last delivery there!) Now we could use a tractor to haul it out! Well, with some enthusiastic shoveling and the clever use of some bushes they should soon be on the way again.

You may wonder if the local people appreciate the presence of the Amani Center. They surely do. As a demonstration of appreciation St. Andrew’s Anglican Church members are donating a day’s work every Friday. There are usually from 20 to 45 members present. That is a welcome gift. Many weeds literally ‘bite the dust’.

Sundays are full of adventure. On February 24th I was at Mloda Parish to the south of here. Some time ago now I donated cement to the congregation to help ‘jump start’ their stalled building program. They have done very well. Two thousand blocks have been made. It was a joy to share with that enthusiastic congregation. The next Sunday I was at St. Paul’s, Mtitaa, to the south west. It is about forty km although the journey out there seemed much longer as we took the wrong turn and traveled along the goat track! Yes, one slow  puncture had to be repaired at the village while the Service progressed. They have an almost completed large church building. The people know all about Amani Center. At a gathering in the church following lunch they said, “If we give the Amani Center a large piece of land will you also come and work here?” I really did not give them a direct answer but thanked them for their interest and love. We are juggling enough balls at present. On March 3rd I preached, baptized and celebrated Holy Communion at St. Andrew’s, Makangwa. Again, through a generous gift from Billings, MT they are able to proceed with construction of the partially completed building. With a reasonable harvest this year they should be able to continue with this work. On Palm Sunday I baptize, preach and Celebrate Holy Communion at St. Mark’s, Makang’wa. On Easter Day I will do the same at 7.00am at St. Mark’s and at 10.00am at St. John’s. That will be a joyful day. I am currently ‘booked’ through April, on some Sundays at Villages I have not previously visited.

I have heard that the Department of Immigration is willing to grant me Permanent Residency if I proceed with an application. That is very good news and so unexpected. I had believed I would need to be here another three years before that could be considered. I shall move ahead with this as when it is granted I may not leave the country for at least three months after that date. That will largely set the program for my visits to Australia and the USA later this year.

Gordon and Rae Matthews from Laidley, Australia will arrive here on April 17th. They intend staying for eleven months. We are truly anticipating their presence here as they each have very much to offer in terms of developed skills and extensive experience. Craig Smith from Butte, Montana has been in touch and expects to come for one month, arriving late June. Alison Jackson has returned to Brisbane following a visit of four weeks. Nash Spence departed on March 8th. He is missed by many people here. Where has all the music gone? Nash spent many hours getting video footage of the varying aspects of the work here and in interviewing many people. To be sure, people here will be keen to see the completed production. The presentation he is preparing will be used to help promote interest in the work of the Amani Development Center. I have heard of others who are ‘thinking seriously’ of coming to the Center but nothing is firmly established as yet.

I had intended to send some attachments with this Report but have not been able to prepare them. Hopefully there will be time over the Easter break. Yes, we do observe the ‘British’ holiday system here – and the Muslim one, etc. The Muslims ones really trip me up at times, especially the one which may not be officially declared until the evening before (depending on the signs).

I wish you all a most blessed Holy Season – and safety in travel for those who will be out on the highways.

(You have noted the Updates. This message is a little like a daily diary! I did try to send this message about 10 days before Easter but I met up with a ‘virus’ at an Internet in Dodoma. Therefore I have been delayed while getting the problem sorted out therefore the Easter Greeting is sort of ‘seasonal’. This has had its benefits as you can now see the blessings unfolding. Needs are being met and the work here is moving strongly ahead. Here at the Center and in the local communities we are full of thanksgiving this Easter; thanksgiving for the blessing of so many generous friends and thanksgiving for the RAIN. We received ABUNDANT rain late on Good Friday night, extending into the early morning. Today, Holy Saturday, the local young lads football team showed up to donate a morning’s work cleaning weeds from one of the groundnut fields. Truly Amani IS Christ Centered and Community Related. Further news: Our Foreman has just arrived to tell me that the Department of Agriculture will purchase our entire millet harvest! They have inspected the crops (secretly it seems) and find our fields free of ‘mixed planting’ and therefore just to their liking. As the saying goes – God is good, all the time!

TRULY, this is the last update. I shall attempt an innovative way of getting this to a CD and then take to the Internet and see if I can send the greeting out this week. I am taking the desktop computer in to ‘get the works – that really means Office Professional 2007’. I had this installed on a laptop while in the USA last year and had ‘forgotten to remember’ that I had the complete program here with me. Hopefully the person recommended in Dodoma can do this without any difficulties. AND – it has RAINED again. Easter Day was WET! There were large congregations at St. Mark’s and St. John’s. A young man from Makang’wa who has done very well and is now employed in the Dept. of Minerals, in an excellent position made a very generous ‘thank offering to the three main congregations in Makang’wa. It is always a joy to see a young person honoring their home community. The rain during Easter night was a heavy as any I have yet experienced here. All local rivers are still running and the land it wet! We have spent much of today harvesting the first of the groundnuts. It takes me back to the old haymaking days – with a hayfork! But it has been a joy as the harvest will be plentiful.

John Naumann

Managing Director

Amani Development Center

Makang’wa, Tanzania.

P.O. Box 2094

Dodoma,

Tanzania

E-mail: jfnaumann@yahoo.com