Looking Back at 2019

Every year our church here in Tanzania kicks off January with a New Year’s Day service. It’s a very lively service emphasizing the worship and praise of God- and my favorite part, people take turns sharing, every Sunday for two months, testimonies of God’s provision during the previous year.  Here is a brief picture testimony of God’s faithfulness to us over the last year.

Richardson’s 2019 in pictures

Our son Austin got engaged to Sarah V. in February

Michael and I are both involved in helping our Tanzanian friends as they minister to expats who have come to learn Swahili language and culture. We are also very involved in helping other missionaries in their language and culture journey as they grow in their ability to participate in their communities. In March, Insiders Language Center officially opened its doors, although they are still working on completing all the paperwork required before they can welcome students.

We continue to be a part of the local church here as they reach those around them for Christ. We have been blessed and challenged in our faith by our Tanzanian brothers and sisters.

Michael made several trips, including this one to Mozambique in the village, to help the missionaries working there as they study language and culture of the local people.

In August, our daughter became Janelle Penner.

Austin has been back in the States studying for several years now. He flew over in December and we met up with him in Kenya. We were also able to spend time with his fiancee and her family.

God has richly blessed both our family and our ministry during this last year even though it had been a very difficult year. Our future here is uncertain as we are still struggling with our visa situation. We are not sure what God will bring in 2020, yet we pray that he will continue to help us see him as he leads and directs in our lives.

“We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”
Proverbs 16:9 NLT

Ethnos360 recently wrote an article about the work here in Tanzania. Check it out:
https://ethnos360.org/magazine/stories/tanzania-a-land-of-diversity