children processing death

Last week I published a letter from Nathan Jernigan, a licensed psychotherapist who attends our sending congregation in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  In it Nathan offered advice as to how we ought to help our children through trauma and tragedy; this was written in response to the Sandy Hook shootings.

I mentioned in that post I’d like to share some of my thoughts on children dealing with death.  So today I am.

Here is the letter I wrote Nathan in response to his advice (I’ve bolded a few thoughts):

Nathan, this is Brett Harrison writing from Geita, Tanzania.  I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you having written this for everyone at Stones River (and even their missionaries abroad).  While the shootings in Newtown aren’t something about which we’ve heard a great deal — and while the oldest of our children is only three — your words are very much appreciated.  

Our daughters regularly are witness to sickness, sadness, and tragedy here in Geita; and navigating these situations is difficult for me at times.

geita summer internship 2013

The Geita team desires to train others for mission.  We recognize we have a responsibility to disciple others who would be involved in foreign mission work and/or cross cultural ministry.  For this reason, each summer we invite college students to Geita for a missions internship.

During summer 2013 Christie and I will be the only Geita team family here, and so we are hosting the interns on our own.  We have two spots remaining for male interns.  Are you interested in spending your summer in small-town Tanzania?  Or do you know someone who is?

Internship Overview

The Geita internship is an 8-week program in which the college student’s primary roles are observing and learning.  The goal is for the intern to experience and understand cross-cultural ministry and everything it entails.

brett’s morning blend (08dec12)

Your links.  Would you like a frothy beverage with that, sir?

june-november work report

Here are some of the highlights of our last six months in Tanzania.  We’ll also mention a few day-to-day activities which serve as representations of our fuller lives.

Family and Life

• Baylor will be three years old next month (that’s when the “terrible twos” end, right?), and Harper is now crawling like crazy, her knees and shins constantly stained red from our impossible-to-completely-clean concrete floors.
• Christie is applying to graduate schools which have extension/online degrees in ESL/TESOL.  This degree will go a long way in enhancing Christie’s ability to work in international missions both here in Tanzania and any other place we may find ourselves in the future. 

red knot racing company

Red Knot Racing Company is the premier luxury endurance racing company serving Tanzania.  They provide their racers with the opportunity to run and bike in some of the world’s most beautiful locations, both comfortably and in style. Red Knot’s luxury racing packages are all-inclusive, their tour groups are small, and their itineraries are custom designed for endurance athletes with distinguishing tastes.

Currently, Red Knot Racing is offering a special on their 2013 Kilimanjaro Marathon package which, in addition to the race, includes luxury accommodations, dining, and wildlife viewing in four Tanzania game parks, a host of really great extras while there, and an American endurance athlete host and guide.

That host and guide… me.

on running in rural tanzania

“How’s the morning,” he offered as we passed one another.

His words were twisted and accented, though, making them sound more like, “Za asubuhi?“

I was so happy I didn’t even notice.

I’ve been running in and around Geita town for three years now.  And this was the first time I’d ever passed someone else running for exercise.  He was Tanzanian, probably 20 years old, and jogging slowly up the hill in our neighborhood.  I was jogging down the same hill.

a report on cpm training

Last week, I spent three nights and parts of four days in Mwakiwasha village, teaching a seminar on CPM.  [To read more on what I taught and the nature of that seminar, see cpm training: a turning point in my ministry.]  This is an initial report on how I believe that seminar went — both the good and the bad.

There were 15-20 people in attendance at each of the sessions, representing three churches.  The group was about half men and half women, with the Mwakiwasha church (the host church) represented far better than the others — as was expected.  We spent roughly 20 hours in class and also ate most of our meals together, sometimes discussing further what we’d studied that day.

cpm training: a turning point in my ministry

Tomorrow I’m going to Mwakiwasha village to teach the Discovery Bible Study process and Church Planting Movements.  I’m posting today, partly to (as per usual) let you guys know what we’re up to in Geita, but mostly to ask you to pray over the seminar.

[If you don't care to read about my plans for evangelism in the villages surrounding Geita, I understand -- this is a long post.  But please skip to the end and pray over the requests I've listed.  I very much would appreciate that.]

There will be representatives present from four or five churches in the area, totaling 12-20 people.  We will begin the seminar with worship on Sunday evening and then three days of classes, likely four classes per day with a time of worship each evening.

The first things I’ll teach (and briefly) are:

• Why group Bible study is important (vs. a lone teacher)
• Why obedience-based Bible study is important (vs. knowledge-based)
• How to do an oral inductive Bible study (a sort of 3-column Bible study)

The reason I’m wanting to teach the above subjects quickly is that once we’ve worked through the above material, the remainder of the seminar’s studies will be done in small groups using the inductive Bible study method.  I will very much limit my actual teaching beyond initially touching on these three subjects.

the rocket stove: a very appropriate technology

With the help of our summer interns, we built our first rocket stove for use in the village a little over a month ago.  A rocket stove is a more efficient way of cooking with fire.  It uses smaller diameter wood — and less of it — but still cooks faster than a traditional open fire.

A rocket stove is incredibly easy to construct, and it can be made entirely out of materials already present in rural areas.

faces of geita

Here are some photos of people around these parts: