In this update, it is my privilege to announce that my DTS international outreach location has been decided — our group of roughly 50 students and staff members will be going to Tanzania!
Although we don’t know much about our physical work in the country yet, our general mission is to spread the radical message of the Gospel and do our best to communicate the love of Jesus in a truly tangible way. Over the past few weeks, God has brought so much revelation to our DTS about how much He loves us and how we were made to be in relationship with Him. Our Triune God is RELATIONAL and created us to share His presence and delight! I pray that God will use our team to bring this revelation to His people in Tanzania as well.
Our team has been interceding for Tanzania and our prayers are becoming more targeted as we research more about their history, customs, and environment. This past week, our DTS split into groups to research different areas of Tanzanian society to better understand their world there.
One of the most fascinating things I learned was related to music, dance, and arts in the country. Hearing another group’s presentation has inspired me to research more about their worship traditions!
In worship elective, since we have finished our two songwriting assignments, our next challenge is to write a 15-minute teaching on something worship related. I have chosen to research worship traditions in Africa and am hoping to find more information about worship in Tanzania, specifically. However, I also know that I won’t have a full view until I am there in person. With every passing day, I am even more excited to go!
PRAYER/CONNECTION POINTS FOR TANZANIA:
- Pray for the people of Tanzania and the unity of their country, especially because they are currently going through a season of political turmoil after their recent presidential election.
- Pray for the gender norms of their country, and for an increase in the value that they place on women and children specifically. Although they highly value families, the culture in Tanzania often only values women for their child-bearing ability, and in turn defines children by the success or mistakes of their parents.
- Pray for religious confusion in Tanzania. The two main religions (data from 2010) are Christianity (61%) and Islam (35%). However, even in the percentage of Christianity, many false teachings are still popularized, teaching Tanzanians that they are only loved by God based of works/performance or intertwining witchcraft/spiritism with Christian customs.
- Pray for our team to truly adopt the heart of God and have wisdom for the messages HE wants to communicate to these people that He loves so so much.
Stateside Outreach in New York City
Our DTS will also be going on local outreach before Christmas. In the first 2 weeks of December, half of our school (including me) will be going to New York City! My team will be aiding a local ministry as they hand out winter garments and hot drinks to people on the streets of New York. The other half of my DTS will be going to Miami and staying in my home church of Calvary Miami Beach. If you see them, say hi and ask if they know Anna Tuttle LOL!
Please pray for unity for our school, since we will be splitting into two separate teams for our first outreach. We still receive the same love supply from God and the same mission even though we will be separated, but it will be difficult to be separated since we have been spending so much time in close community together.
1 Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. 2 From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61
Today our DTS also spent time interceding for our own country — and for God’s nature and goodness to be revealed to those who still don’t know him. Our teacher this week said, “If everyone on earth really knew who Jesus is, they would all want to be close to him.” I thank God that He is listening as we pray to Him and that His desire is always to lavish more and more of His love on us. While we may be preoccupied with our security on this earth, He is seated in the highest place and wants to commune with us. The safest place for us to be is always in obedience to His will — wherever that takes us.
Amen?? AMEN!
As always, thanks for reading! Thank you Jesus that all of my outreach fees have already been provided for my DTS. However, I am currently praying about continuing here at YWAM to do a secondary school. If God wills for me to continue, I will have another significant financial need– stay posted for updates in the next month or so. Thank you for all of your prayers! I pray for my Miami community very often here as well and you have all been on my mind.
