Latest Habari

Envision 09 was a good conference, if the conference is new to you like it was to us - it is a missions focused conference. With speaking sessions, electives and a large area where many mission organisations displayed who they were and what they did.
It was refreshing to be around other people who seem to see the importance of Christ’s mandate of the Great Commission and who are taking it seriously enough to change there lives accordingly.
We have received news from our friends in Bukoba Tanzania; it seems that their denomination has seen that it would be beneficial for them to be moved to another part of Tanzania to carry on the work of spreading the gospel and planting churches. It is a learning curve for us because it has started to show that many of the people who were in Bukoba when we first visited may not be there on our return (God willing on the return bit).
It has also put our pastor friend in a situation where he is wanting more information from us so he can weigh up his options for the future also.
We visited YWAM in Matamata but in God’s providence we were not able to make the financial commitment.
We have also been blessed with another little girl, so that is 5 girls and one boy.
We are all finally living in Rotorua; God has provided me with a job with the Christian Ministry at Keswick Christian Camp and Conference Centre Rotorua. I believe God will be introducing us to concepts, skills and pressures that will help us on the mission field.
We will be having a meeting with our church elders this week and hopefully will get a better idea what direction we will be heading in from there.
We will have to begin to organise the next AGM for the trust too.

Envision 09 Missions Conference

This is a picture of Baraka and Alex overlooking Bukoba and Lake Victoria.
Hi all!
Well God has been giving us a bit of a nudge...time to write a bit of a blog update.
Will have to set some time aside this weekend and go into more depth.
Had a good time at Envision 09 in Tauranga. Heard some good speakers, met some like minded people, felt encouraged.
Busy with my new job working at Keswick Christian Camp.
May He continue to use us for His glory!

Heri za mwaka mpya 2009!

Happy New Year to you!

Well I guess I had better make a new years resolution to put some photos on this blog! (But not today!)
Our friend Rev. Malobo sent us the following information in regards to erecting a good quality building on the plot of land in Busimbe, Tanzania:

WIDOWS AND ORPHANS HOUSE cost ESTIMATES.
Iron sheets 72pcsx20000 = 1,421,250/
Woods 2x4 & 2x3 200pcs = 1,000,000/
Burnt bricks 20000pcsx50.05+ transport =1,010,000/
Stones for foundation 12 tripsx60000/= 720,000/
50 cement bagsx22,000 [foundation, plaster, ring beam] =1,100,000/
Building rods 25pcsx16000 = 400,000/
Woods 1x8, 40pcsx5000 = 200,000/
Floor 35cememnt bags x 22000 = 770,000/
Woods for door flames 2x5, 25pcsx6000 = 150,000/
Shuters for door 9pcsx50000 = 450,000/
9 windows x 50000 = 450,000/
Mortar 15 bagsx14000 = 210,000/
Oil paint 80lts x 750 = 600,000/
Transport 200,000/
Nails 25kgs = 100,000/
Sand 10 trips x60000 = 600,000/
Water 75,000/
TOTAL 9,475,000/
Labour Charge 2,790,000/
12,265,000/ ($15,801.820 NZD)

Well at least that gives us an idea of current costs.

What has the Mills family been up to...?
We are currently looking into the logistics of doing a YWAM (Youth With A Mission) Discipleship Training Programme (with Family emphasis) in Matamata half way through this year, about the same time the next little Mills is due.

We are very slowly uprooting ourselves from Pukekohe. This has been difficult as it was not (and is still not) a simple moving of house.
Currently learning about missional communities and how that would look in our western context (New Zealand - Rotorua - Pukekohe) and thinking through the ramifications of that within an African culture. (That is a group of Christians who live in close proximity to the people the are trying to reach through serving and living alongside and applying the gospel to each other on day to day basis - like as in Acts 2)
Boy I can see the problems that the ‘Established Church’ has and will cause in its approach make disciples of Jesus Christ. Very obvious in Africa...lots of ritual etc.
Christianity + Church Tradition = Confused People

The First Trustee Meeting & Other Stuff

Hi everyone,
Here are a few updates regarding the trust...

We had our first trustee meeting in October, it went well.
Some of the points that were raised and have been since addressed are:

Getting an accountant for the trust.

Getting a copy of the paperwork for the plot of land purchased in Busimbe (Tanzania).

Thanking those who had donated their time, services and advise to the trust, e.g. lawyer.

Opened 2 bank accounts, one for money in New Zealand and one for money off shore.

More NGO (Tanzania) research.

Look into website, blog site and other promo stuff.

So what has the Mills family been up to?
Well praise the Lord! Our house is now unconditional and will sell, however due to the global economic recession we have sold it for tens of thousands of dollars less than we had anticipated, but this has been a great lesson in God’s providential sovereignty and our sanctification.

So we are currently living and working all over the place...that is with a 200 km gap between home and work.
If you are in the habit of prayer your intercession would be much appreciated as we continue down this narrow road.

Opportunity for application.
Since returning from Tanzania earlier this year (my wife and I,) we have been able to stay in contact with our friend and host, Rev. Cleo Malobo via email and SMS (text message).
This has been a great way to keep the enthusiasm level up during the difficult times back here in NZ.
However we were also informed of an extremely sad event that has occurred since we had visited. Cleo told us one of the ‘evangelists’ (sort of like an intern-pastor over his own church) under his leadership, who was a really enthusiastic friendly guy had “got himself another wife and kicked out his other wife and children”.
At this point (as is probably the case for you reading this right now) many questions and emotions come flooding into your mind.
So while we were coming to terms with the shock we realised that we are being presented with an opportunity to do something.
We were informed that the wife and children had gone to one of the small islands on Lake Victoria where there are many fishing villages. There are no schools on this island either.
The main concern quickly became apparent that women who are single and have no income and are hanging around fishing villages almost totally populated by men, run the risk of being tempted into prostitution as there is no welfare or other form of income available. Not to mention all the other risks of being in that sort of environment without a husband to protect you etc.
It was another interesting look into the ‘African mind’ as we asked what was to be done about the situation…it would now seem that we have come across a couple of occasions where you might assume that the local community or church would rally around and at least temporarily meet the needs of the person in distress, but not so. There seems to somewhat of a standoff approach to helping out. Maybe I missed something, who knows.
After some discussion with our friend Cleo he was able to find accommodation for the lady and her children, in between being a pastor, husband and father, going to his younger brothers funeral and attending a leaders conference…busy man!
Cleo later informed me that prostitution and a general loose morality exists deep within the culture of the women in that general area of Tanzania, which would have contributed to the evangelists downfall.
So we believe that this would be a good opportunity to begin supporting a woman and children who are in distress.
This situation sent other thoughts racing through my mind…If we had a building on the plot of land already, then the trust could have really been effective!
What can we do as a family to prepare for this sort of demonic stronghold in the area of adultery and fornication, how as a husband and a father can I better equip my family and myself to deal with this evil?
What is slowing us down from getting over there?
Etc. etc...

So that will do for now.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask, we will continue to post as we have news.
May we continue to glorify God in all that we do!

Introductory Post

Hello to you all,
for those of you who are reading this and are unaware of who we are and what our goals are, it is our hope that this Blog will help to provide you with factual information to help you gain a better perspective of The Yakobo 1:27 Charitable Trust.
For those of you who do know do know us...or are part of us, Hi! :)
For you, we hope that this Blog will be able to keep you up to date with the goings on of the Trust and or our family also.
So whichever camp you find yourself in...I would just like to say thanks for stopping by and showing some interest.
May we glorify God in all that we do!