Noels share challenges of missionary life in Tanzania

Mike and Joann Noel’s recent trip from Arusha, Tanzania, to the villages of Katesh and Dirma for discipleship and literacy training sessions was full of challenges, both typical and unusual. From weevils in the oatmeal to visits from immigration officials, the CMF missionaries took it all in stride and celebrated God’s grace along the way. Here’s an excerpt of their story shared by Joann that shows how much your prayers matter to them:

We left our home in Arusha on Monday, April 25, and returned on Thursday evening, April 28. Katesh is a four-hour drive from Arusha.

Some of the challenges we faced on this trip were typical. My helper has not been feeling well lately and it is rainy season. So rather than risking her getting sicker or us getting soaking wet, we decided not to camp in tents but stay in a hotel in Katesh. When we checked into our room it was full of mosquitoes! Good thing I remembered the insect repellent. Even though we kept the net down over the bed all the time, somehow mosquitoes still got inside. We sprayed every night.

We had packed oatmeal and a hotpot for making our own breakfast. The first morning we realized there were weevils in the oats. I do not intentionally eat bugs but I am pretty okay at picking them out. Mike and I usually do a five-day training but we were asked to condense it into three days. Then when we arrived in Dirma on the second day we were informed that because Thursday was market day we needed to finish in two days because no one would come to class on the third day. So we go with the flow.

The biggest challenge we met was not so typical. Immigration officials decided to come calling on us Wednesday night at our hotel. They flashed their identification badges and asked for our documents. We do not routinely travel with originals but Mike produced copies of all our necessary paperwork. That should have satisfied them. It did not. We were told we were in that district illegally to do ministry, and would have to pay $600 for a special permit and that we had to appear at the district office the next day.

 

Baba, a member of the Barabaig tribe, participated in the discipleship training led by Mike Noel in Dirma, Tanzania.

 

My heart was pounding and my stomach was churning. I kept telling myself, “We have done nothing wrong; do not let them intimidate you!” There is more to the story, but God’s grace was apparent as our teammates in Arusha worked to get more paperwork to show that we have been going through the process of renewing our resident permit. WE DID NOT PAY ANY MORE MONEY. But suffice it to say that after a few hours delay Thursday we were able to continue on our journey home.

Returning home, I was reflecting on this trip. God’s gracious hand was with us. We had good help. We were kept safe. Prayers were answered. We enjoyed sweet fellowship. Both church members and leaders alike are learning to be doers of the Word and there are two new literacy teachers!

Please never think we do not need your prayers or that they do not matter. We do! They do matter! And this is a case in point.