How did you end up going to Kigoma, Tanzania?

How does a family go from serving the Lord at a local church in Raleigh, North Carolina to preparing to move all the way to Kigoma, Tanzania? This is a question perhaps many have wondered :)

Jennifer and I have been married for almost 12 years, have been blessed with 4 children, and have been privileged to serve the Lord here in Raleigh NC at North Ridge Bible Chapel. Foreign missions was always on our minds and in our hearts, but that door had not opened... until now. Like any believer following the Lord Jesus, daily seeking His will, we never know where we will end up. Following the Lord Jesus is the most exciting life anyone can live! It is the life we were all designed to live, the reason we are all on this earth!

Two years ago the Lord led us to sell our home and move to Cedar Point Apartments where many refugees lived within a mile from our church. Our church family had been working in this complex for several years and had a fruitful ministry among the refugees there. Our youth group was now very multi-cultural, and many of them lived at Cedar Point. It made sense to live among those we were serving, so we put our house up for sale. After over forty showings, our house sold to a family who was actually moving out of Cedar Point Apartments! The Lord confirms His will in amazing ways.

There are many nations represented at Cedar Point. There are families from Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Thailand, Myanmar, Burma, Philippines, Congo, Chad, Somalia, and Rwanda. When we first arrived, the needs were overwhelming. There were so many people, so many needs, and so much to do. I started praying that the Lord would draw to us who He wanted us to serve, and He began to do just that! Three new families moved in our building over a month or so, all from Africa, specifically from the refugee camp in Kigoma Tanzania. He clearly began to draw to us families from Africa. We began to learn Swahili to communicate with them, and soon a Bible study was started.

While all of this is going on, the Lord began to call us to the foreign field. Someone said that a "call" feels like conviction, almost like a heavy burden. That was my experience! His call came in the form of an intense burden that would not go away. As I sought counsel about this, a dear brother encouraged me to go home and surrender all over again to the Lord. We did that, and over the next few days the clouds cleared and it became increasing clear that the Lord was indeed calling us to serve Him on the foreign field.

So far we knew it was going to be a Swahili speaking, African country, where an established missionary was already serving. We opened the CMML Prayer handbook and it seemed the Johnsons were the only ones that fit that description. Isn't the Lord amazing? All the way over here in Raleigh North Carolina, He connects us with families from Kigoma, Tanzania. Then through a heavy burden placed on our hearts, He calls us to serve Him there in Kigoma. This move to the Apartments was merely a stepping stone to the foreign field, but a very important step in the journey.

"How did you end up going to Kigoma, Tanzania?"  The short answer is shall imply this: We are just following the Lord wherever He leads, sharing the Gospel with whoever will listen, and teaching His Word wherever He gives opportunity. The most exciting life, the most fulfilling life is to follow Him.