March 2023

Kliemtpost March 2023

Hello friends, 


we've been in Germany for eight months now and after a turbulent time we're finally coming to rest. We look back and are very grateful for all that God has given during this time. We thank him for material provision and encouragement through his word, his favor and open doors both here in Germany and in Tanzania. We have experienced our Heavenly Father as a good and caring shepherd and protector.


We are happy to tell you that our three children, Samuel, Rebekka and Elia, did well in the first half of the school year; Elia also made the transition from home school to second grade in mainstream school. Samuel is doing better and can sleep much better. Please pray that all five of us will be given a very deep trust and also courage to entrust ourselves completely to God, even and especially in challenging circumstances, and that we will feel God's closeness and love in a special way.

You do us good!

We have already seen some communities, supporters, friends, family and acquaintances again. Meeting you is so good and very encouraging for us. It is really wonderful not to be thousands of kilometers away, but to be able to experience you, to hear what is on your mind, to pray together and to encourage one another. It's good to see that some things have normalized in Germany over the last few years.




Dates in Germany

We also look forward to further visits to some communities and perhaps seeing some of you there:


April 16 EFG Ludwigsburg; sermon

April 30 Calvary Chapel Siegen; sermon

7 May Church for Siegen (EFG Siegen-Geisweid); sermon

May 14 EC Heuchelheim, sermon

20./21. May EFG Offenburg; lecture and sermon

4th/6th June EFG Neu-Anspach; lecture and sermon

June 11 EFG Schorndorf; sermon

June 18, Christ Union Waiblingen; sermon

June 25 Church for Siegen (EFG Siegen-Geisweid); sending service

In Hohenahr-Erda

In the church in Hohenahr-Erda, where we are currently living, an Alpha course started in February, a course in which core elements of the Christian faith are explained. We are allowed to actively participate and it is great joy to accompany people in discovering the wonderful truths of the Bible for themselves.

Master Thesis

I, Daniel, have been particularly concentrating on the content of my master's thesis in the field of World Arts from October to December. In addition to the practical work in Tanzania, this scientific work will keep me busy over the next two years. In this study I would like to use the lyrics of traditional music genres of the Sangu people to find out what people think about God and the world, what values are important to them and how they translate their life experiences into music. The aim is to develop a deeper understanding of people and what they love and to appreciate what is good about their culture and to link it to our practical work.

Den Leuten aufs Maul geschaut

Guided by the People’s Tongue

Father-son trip

to the Wartburg

in February 2023

These old Bibles testify that God's Word has been translated into understandable language in our country. A great blessing. In addition, Luther made extensive use of the music of the people to spread the good news of the Bible to the people.

Luther had studied theology at the University of Erfurt, but also singing and composition. Luther appreciated the effect of music against "anger, quarrels, hate, envy, avarice, worry, sadness and murder". He composed songs to internalize themes of faith and texts of the Bible, he translated old hymns into German, wrote narrative songs and children's songs. Over 40 lyrics and 20 melodies from him have survived. He himself played the lute.

"Music is a gift from God that drives away the devil and makes people happy." (Martin Luther)

Big celebrations in five peoples in Tanzania

In 2023, 500 years after Martin Luther brought this blessing to our country, we can celebrate the handover of the recently completed New Testament translations with five peoples of Tanzania.


With three of these peoples we have more points of contact with our work. They are affiliated with the translation project in Mbeya. I have already had the opportunity to do a workshop with artists and pastors from the Nyiha people.

27 Bible listening groups among the Sangu people -

much more than we asked God for


In Tanzania, work also continued in the field of ethnoarts. I meet online with Mwasandube, my closest colleague, but also with those responsible from the Sangu people. From these comes very glad tidings of developments among the Sangu. In connection with the Joseph project, we had hoped to start a Bible listening and reading group in Sangu language in each of the 12 villages where the Joseph play is to be performed. Our dream was to find and train two leaders per village.

In 2022 we conducted two training courses for such potential leaders of Bible listening and reading groups. As a result, 27 small groups were founded in 17 villages throughout the Sangu area.

People from both animistic and Islamic backgrounds come to faith in Jesus Christ because they are drawn to the good news of the Bible in their language. Pray for the approximately 50 leaders who took part in the training that Jesus would give them wisdom in leading the groups.

Megavoice Player

We are very grateful to Jesus and to you for your donations which have enabled the purchase of another 50 Megavoice players for the Sangu. We give these audio Bible players to the small groups and also to individuals who cannot read so that the Sangu can hear God's Word in their language. Listening to the Bible texts coupled with reading the Sangu Bible helps people become fluent in reading this first book in their language.

A very difficult piece of news worried us in autumn 2022. Many villages and/or the fields in the Sangu area should give way to an enlarged national park. This would have affected about 24000 people who would have been displaced from their homes, including 9 villages with which we work very closely. In January, the prime minister, the second most powerful man in the country, reversed those plans. The Sangu were overjoyed after months of fear and worry. Here, too, some of you prayed for this situation. We were very amazed at the unexpected positive turn in this frightening scenario and are very thankful to God that we can now continue to support and help in these villages with our work.


Please continue to pray for the Sangu people that God will spread his light and his word among them, that they will turn to God and that he will open the door of faith for them.

Trip to Tanzania March 22 - April 9

From March 23rd to April 8th I am in Tanzania. My work during this time focuses on trips and workshops in the Sangu area. We would be very grateful if you accompanied our family in particular, but also these journeys and the individual program items during the time in prayer.


We have already visited the villages of Iyala and Mahongole (March 25-26) to establish contacts there. The actors for the Joseph play meet for a few "warm-up rehearsals" (March 30-April 1) and then we hold a five-day workshop on Islam (April 2-6). Bible listening group leaders, pastors and church leaders from all over the Sangu area are invited to this event. More than 100 leaders have said they would come. The aim is to train the leaders to teach other Christians in their groups, churches and parishes how to better communicate with Muslims about the Christian faith. Pray for the two teachers, Theobady Mvungi and Daniel Ngusa, that they will be healthy, Spirit filled, wise and empowered in their teaching ministry.


In between, there are other practical jobs to be done, such as starting the construction of the scenery for the Josef play and adjusting the costumes for the actors. We will also take photos for the family calendar, in which, in addition to pictures from the Sangu area, we will also give input on the subject of family, marriage, raising children, dealing with alcohol, etc.

What's next for us?

We are in Germany until the end of the school year and plan to return to Tanzania as a whole family at the end of July. We prayed for a long time for this decision and asked others for advice. Human opinions differ but in prayer several prayer groups and friends in different places had a consistent impression that we should go together as a family and God will bless and help us and also Samuel in Tanzania. We want to put our trust in God who has a good way in mind for all of us.

Last but not least

Urgently looking for helpers for the home school

An important concern is that we are provided with two learning assistants for our children. At the end of August 2023 the home school in Tanzania will start again. Pray that young or older people will be given a heart for this ministry and support us in this way, 3 months or even a whole school year.

prayer messages

If you would like to receive current prayer messages via Whatsapp or Signal, especially now that Daniel is in Tanzania, please contact Damaris (Whatsapp: 255 719 655 189; Signal: 49 1575 4004513)

We thank you

and to all of you from the bottom of my heart for all your prayers and donations and every form of support and help over the past few months. Thank you for your interest and your sincere concern.

God's blessings

for you! May the Risen Lord guide and bless you, keep you in close relationship with Him.

Your Damaris, Daniel, Samuel, Rebekka and Elia

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