Elder Sam Bryant's Account of Tanzania Trip

5/1/2009 Email from Elder Sam Bryant:
Beloved,

I hope this finds all of you enjoying good health and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. I am thankful for the blessing of visiting the church here in Tanzania shortly after Brother Obey's departure to Heaven. My appreciation for his work of faith and labor of love is greater than ever. As Brother Paul and I have visited in the homes of the members who were converted to the truth by Brother Obey, we have been amazed at their understanding of the gospel of grace. Brother Kenny told me this morning how much he loves the doctrine of grace and how much joy and peace it has brought him and how he loves to share it with others. I was so encouraged Wednesday night to hear the 3 brethren preach. Brother Obey had been using them a lot in the evening service. All three have talents to speak and teach in the Spirit. What a great blessing! And Elder Martin has agreed to pastor them for a while and be with them 2 Sunday's a month.

Brother Rejoice has joined us for services twice this week. He is a very busy man. He is vice bishop of the Pentecostal church in all of Tanzania. He also pastors a church here in Dar. He has shared so much with me about their childhood and how much Obey was loved in their home town of Myeba. He has agreed to give a written account of the funeral service for me to send out to PBs in America. He said there were over a 1,000 people attending the service. Elder Martin from Kenya spoke at the service along with others. Brother Rejoice told me that Brother Obey was so kind and humble and loving to everyone, even the pagans wept. He told me he had never seen his father weep in all his life but when he received the news about Obey's death he wept. However, at the graveside, he and Elder Martin said over a thousand voices were singing the praise of God.

Last night, I spoke on the difference between conditional time salvation and eternal salvation which is all by grace. Several people told me they noticed Brother Rejoice listening very carefully. What a blessing if he could see this wonderful truth.

Brother Paul has been such a help on this trip. He has such a love for these people and they love him. If a person is blessed to see beyond the poverty of this country and the sad living conditions they are trapped in and just see the people and their wonderful personalities and their love for God and for one another and their deep gratitude for what little they have and their close family ties you find yourself thinking that they are rich in what really matters.

I believe the foundation Brother Obey laid here in Tanzania is firm and the converts to the truth will continue to build on this foundation. They needed a visit from someone in Ameirca and they will continue to need our fellowship and encouragement and prayers.

We will have a communion and feet washing service tomorrow and we will also help them conduct a business meeting. On Sunday we will have a regular worship service and then serve a meal for them as we did last Sunday. What a joy it is to be able to serve them a meal of riceand potatoes and chicken and salad anf fruit and soft drinks. There are usually about 100 who attend these meetings. On behalf of all the people here who enjoy these blessings, I would like to say thanks to all of you who have helped make it possible for me to provide a meal for them.

Your brother in Christ,

Pastor Sam