Would you be interested in a career that commonly featured bouts of giardia, neck injuries and allergic reactions to the ever-present dust and flea infestations?

CMF missionary Michelle Moss is experiencing all of these difficulties and more in Tanzania as she and her national teammates, Joseph and Martha, forge ahead with their successful project to help impoverished widows in the bush develop micro-businesses to support themselves.

 

Normai learning what division looks like with bottle caps.

The widows are beginning their businesses, thanks to the training they receive from Michelle and her partners, but successful ministry often comes at a cost to the workers, as Michelle explains in her and her sister Megan’s recent newsletter:

“Difficulty, damage, distraction and discouragement have been the story of my life these past two months, but amazingly so have peace, patience, power and perseverance. During my weeks of travel to the bush, teaching the widows in our project about business, we (my national partner Joseph and my travel and teaching companion Martha) and I have all felt spiritual persecution as we labor on in the work God has laid before us to do. But when I open my eyes and look at the expectant faces of the widows we came to teach, I realize that God has given me the strength to proceed.”

 

This month Teresia was ready to start her business! She is selling shukas (the sheets of clothing the Maasai wear). Pray for her as she begins!

Michelle goes on to detail some of their problems:

• Michelle had giardia twice, once while out in the bush. Martha also suffered from giardia.
• Serious, repeated car troubles.
• Michelle had a neck injury with constant pain for more than two weeks.
• Sinus infections, allergic reactions, colds, back pain and headaches for all three workers.

“Even looking back over this list now, I think it was truly miraculous that we haven’t given up in the midst of all these problems,” Michelle said. “While I know Psalm 46:1 is true – ‘God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble’ – I experienced this truth over these past few months. And in the amazing way only God can work, He brought incredible blessings in the midst of hard times!”