Spring2008

The N ew M A i n B i b l e at A G B C -D odoma R e n d o f 2 0 0 tim e fr a m e a d m in is te r a re a l n e e d a ffo r d a b le ( le a v in g th

ASANTE S ANA! [ T H ANK S M U C H !] Bob and Jackie Braswell, Spring 2008

e v .R a n w e ll M w e n is o n g o le , th e G e n e r a l S u p e r in t e n d e n t o f th e T a n z a n ia A s s e m b lie s o f G o d , a n n o u n c e d a t th e 5 t h a t t h e T A G w o u l d h a v e a n M A p r o g r a m i n B i b l i c a l S t u d i e s o p e r a t i n g a t A G B C -D o d o m a b y 2 0 0 7 . T h i s w a s a c h a lle n g e , e s p e c ia lly to B o b , w h o w a s a s k e d to a c c e p t m u c h o f th e r e s p o n s ib ilit y o f p r e p a r in g fo r a n d in g th is n e w p r o g r a m in a d d it io n to h is o th e r r e s p o n s ib ilit ie s . A t th e s a m e t im e , it w a s a n o p p o r tu n it y to m e e t : th e r e w a s o n ly o n e e v a n g e lic a l g r a d u a te p r o g r a m in T a n z a n ia , o p e r a te d b y L u th e r a n s , a n d it w a s n o t o r s u ita b le fo r T A G p a s to r s . T r a in in g te a c h e r s fo r th e B A p r o g r a m h a d in v o lv e d s tu d y o u ts id e th e c o u n tr y e ir fa m ilie s b e h in d ) . F o r th e T A G , th e M A r e p r e s e n te d a n o p p o r tu n it y to g r o w th e ir o w n B ib le S c h o o l O ur f irst M A c lass, togeth er w ith C h uc k and B onnie N ess f rom N airob i and B ob . T h e th ree m issionaries p ic tured w ere th e teac h ing team f or th e f irst b loc k c ourse of f ered at A G B C .

te a c h e r s w ith in th e ir o w n c o u n tr y a n d s y s te m o f h ig h e r e d u c a t io n . B o b a n d a c o m m itte e o f T A G le a d e r s w e r e a p p o in te d to w o r k w ith G lo b a l U n iv e r s it y , th e E a s t A fr ic a G r a d u a te S tu d y C e n tr e in N a ir o b i, a n d o th e r A G W M m is s io n a r ie s in v o lv e d in h ig h e r e d u c a tio n in th e r e g io n to p u t to g e th e r a n a c c r e d ite d s tu d y c e n te r in D o d o m a . B e c a u s e th e f ir s t c la s s e s c o u ld n o t r e a lis t ic a lly s ta r t u n til O c to b e r o f 2 0 0 7 , w e e x te n d e d o u r tim e in T a n z a n ia fo r 6 m o n th s ( w e w e r e o r ig in a lly s c h e d u le d to b e th e r e fo r th r e e y e a r s , e n d in g in Ju n e o f 2 0 0 7 ). A fte r m u c h w o r k to c o o r d in a te a c c r e d ita tio n r e q u ir e m e n ts , te x tb o o k s , lib r a r y a n d c o m p u te r r e s o u r c e s , c la s s r o o m fa c ilit ie s , a n d v is it in g p r o fe s s o r s , th e f ir s t c la s s c o n v e n e d P art of th e p rep aration f or th e M A involved getting I nternet ac c ess on c am p us, a p roc ess th at took m onth s to c om p lete. D ue to th e ex p ense, only a f ew sim ultaneous c onnec tions w ere p ossib le. T h is p ic ture sh ow s 8 M A students sh aring tw o c onnec ted P C s.

Leaders involved at inauguration c erem onies f or th e new M A .

We came. We taught. They conquered.

Bob and Jackie Braswell M issionaries t o T anz ania A G W M A cct N o 2 9 3 6 5 8 1 US Address: 1 4 0 8 W F rost y D r A p t 4 O z ark, M O 6 5 7 2 1 P h o n e: 4 1 7 -5 9 5 -4 4 5 8 E m a i l : bb@ ag m d. org W eb : BobandJackie. org

W e s t a r t e d t e a c h i n g B A -l e v e l c o u r s e s a t A G B C -D o d o m a i n A u g u s t , 2 0 0 5 . W e s t e p p e d tim e w h e n th e r e s e e m e d to b e a s u d d e n tu r n o v e r o f te a c h e r s a n d n o t e n o u g h te a c h e r s to c o v e r a ll c l a s s e s . W e w e r e b o t h q u a l i f i e d t o t e a c h ( B o b : P h .D . i n C o m m u n i c a t i o n , M A i n E d u a t i o n ; J a c k i e : M T h e o lo g ic a l S tu d ie s ) s o w e b o th p itc h e d in . F r o m th a t tim e u n t il th e e n d o f 2 0 0 7 , b e tw e e n th e tw o o ta u g h t h a lf th e B A c o u r s e s o ffe r e d a t A G B C . B y t h e e n d o f 2 0 0 7 , w e g r a d u a t e d t w o d o z e n n e w B A -h o l d e r s , w h i c h a p p r o x i m a t e l y t r i p l e d n u m b e r o f B A g r a d u a te s fr o m b e fo r e w e a r r iv e d . A m o n g th e s e , a ll b u t 2 a r e p a s to r s . I n a d d itio n , 8 S c h o o l te a c h e r s , 6 h a v e g o n e o n to s tu d y a t th e m a s te r ’ s le v e l, 5 a r e s e c tio n a l, d is tr ic t, o r n a tio n a l le

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D u e t o t im e const raint s and p ost ag e cost s, we can send e-m ail u p dat es m ore of t en t h an p rint . T o sig n u p t o receiv e t h em , p lease writ e u s at < bb@ ag m d. org > .

Prayer R eq u es t s B o b ’s s is te r , M e lin d a , n e e d s h e a lin g fr o m c a n c e r.

O c to b e r 2 9 , 2 0 0 7 . C h u c k a n d B o n n ie N e s s , A G W M m is s io n a r ie s in K e n y a , t e a m -t a u g h t t h e f i r s t b l o c k c o u r s e a lo n g w ith B o b , a n d D o u g L o w e n b e r g , a ls o fr o m K e n y a , ta u g h t th e s e c o n d b e g in n in g N o v e m b e r 8 . D u r in g th e tim e o f p r e p a r a tio n , B o b m a d e th e m is ta k e o f ta k in g to o m u c h o n h im s e lf a n d w a s s tr e s s e d o u t a s a r e s u l t —h e f e l t l i k e h e w a s tr y in g to h e r d c a ts . I n r e tro s p e c t, w e s e e th a t G o d w a s a t w o r k in g iv in g u s fa v o r a n d b r in g in g e v e r y th in g to g e th e r w ith in th e t im e fr a m e . W e a r e g r a te fu l fo r a s u c c e s s fu l la u n c h o f th e M A ! ¤

D u e to in c r e a s e d r e s p o n s ib ilit ie s a s v e te ra n s a n d so m e o r ig in a l s u p p o r t, B J a c k ie n e e d to r a is $ 2 ,6 0 0 p e r m o n th r e tu r n in g to T a n z a P ra y fo r fa v o r a n d s p ir itu a l a n d f in a n s u c c e s s in o u r h o m a s s ig n m e n t.

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o n e is a m is s io n a r y s e n t o u t fr o m th e T A G to a n u n r e a c h e d p e o p le g r o u p . T h e s tu d e n ts ’ fa v o r ite c o u r s e th a t J a c k ie ta u g h t w a s N e w T e s ta m e n t G r e e k . W h e n A G B C s tu d e n ts s tu d y th e B ib le in E n g lis h , th e y a r e a lr e a d y s tu d y in g it in a “ fo r e ig n ” la n g u a g e . I t is n o t m u c h o f a s tr e tc h fo r th e m to le a r n a n o th e r la n g u a g e in o r d e r to r e a d th e N e w T e s ta m e n t in th e o r ig in a l, a n d th e r e is a tr e m e n d o u s a p p e tite fo r it a m o n g o u r s tu d e n ts . I t is a ls o a q u a lif ic a t io n fo r m a n y m a s te r ’ s le v e l c o u r s e s . T h e s tu d e n ts ’ fa v o r ite c o u r s e th a t B o b ta u g h t w a s I n tr o to C o m p u te r s . B o b a d a p te d th e c o u r s e to f it t h e r e a l i t y o f A f r i c a , i n t r o d u c i n g s t u d e n t s t o a s m a l l l i b r a r y o f p u b l i c -d o m a i n B i b l e a n d T h e o l o g y r e s o u r c e s th e y to o k w ith th e m o n C D a n d a r e a b le to u s e a t a n y I n te r n e t C a fe o r b o r r o w e d c o m p u te r . T h e c o u r s e a ls o ta u g h t h o w to u s e th e m a n y r e s o u r c e s o n th e I n te r n e t to m a k e u p fo r th e c h r o n ic la c k o f b o o k s . W e th a n k G o d fo r w h a t H e h a s d o n e , a n d fo r a llo w in g u s to b e a p a r t o f it. W e a r e a ls o th a n k f u l to b e a b le to r e p o rt o n th is k in d o f a r e tu r n o n y o u r in v e s tm e n t. T h e c h u r c h e s a n d in d iv id u a ls w h o in v e s te d in o u r m in is tr y w ill s e e a m u lt ip lic a t io n o f m in is tr y th r o u g h th e s e s tu d e n ts . W e c a m e b a c k to th e U S a t th e e n d o f 2 0 0 7 a n d a r e n o w o n h o m e a s s ig n m e n t. W e e x p e c t a n d h o p e to r e tu r n to A G B C to c o n tin u e o u r te a c h in g m in is tr y in e a r ly 2 0 0 9 . W e a p p e a l to o u r s u p p o r te r s to s tic k w ith u s , a n d to p a s to r s a n d c h u r c h e s w h o h a v e n o t s u p p o r te d u s in th e p a s t to c o n s id e r d o in g s o in th e fu tu r e . I t’ s a p a r tn e r s h ip , a n d w e a r e g r a te fu l to th e p a r tn e r s w h o h a v e in v e s te d in u s , a n d th r o u g h u s , th e s e s tu d e n ts . ¤

What we’ve been up to ... A l t h ou g h w e s e nt s om e e -m a i l ne w s l e t t e r s a l ong t h e w a y , ou r l a s t p r i nt ne w s l e t t e r w a s s e nt f r om T a nz a ni a w h i l e w e w e r e f u l l y i nv ol v e d i n t h e d a i l y l i f e a nd ch a l l e ng e s of A s s e m b l i e s of G od B i b l e C ol l e g e ( A G B C -D od om a ) . S i nce t h e n, w e h a v e w r a p p e d u p ou r f i r s t 3 ½-y e a r t e r m i n A f r i ca w i t h t h e l a u nch of t h e ne w M A p r og r a m a t A G B C -D od om a ( s t or y , p a g e 4) , f ol l ow e d q u i ck l y b y g r a d u a t i on of t h e B A a nd A d v a nce d D i p l om a s t u d e nt s ( r e l a t e d s t or y , p a g e 1) . T h e n i n D e ce m b e r w e p a ck e d a l l ou r b e l ong i ng s i nt o s t or a g e a nd l e f t T a nz a ni a t o r e t u r n t o t h e U S A f or h om e a s s i g nm e nt . Home assignment i s a l t e r na t i v e l y r e f e r r e d t o a s itiner ation or f u r l ou gh , a nd e a ch of t h e s e w a y s of s p e a k i ng e m p h a s i z e s a v a l i d p a r t of w h a t w e a r e d oi ng now . I tiner ation e m p h a s i z e s ou r r e s p ons i b i l i t y t o t r a v e l a nd m a k e ou r s e l v e s a ccou nt a b l e t o t h e ch u r ch e s w h o s e nt u s ou t a nd w h o cont i nu e t o s u p p or t ou r m i ni s t r y . I t a l s o u nd e r l i ne s ou r ne e d t o l ook f or a d d i t i ona l s u p p or t f or a s e cond t e r m ( w e p l a n t o g o b a ck t o A G B C -D od om a t o cont i nu e ou r w or k t h e r e ) . F u r l ou gh e m p h a s i z e s t h e a s p e ct of r e s t a nd r e cov e r y , w h i ch w a s ce r t a i nl y ne ce s s a r y f or u s . B ob h a d b e e n ov e r t a x i ng h i m s e l f u nt i l h i s i m m u ne s y s t e m w a s w e a k e ne d , a nd w a s s i ck w i t h a com b i na t i on of b r onch i t i s a nd a s t h m a t h a t h e l d on f or t h e f i r s t m ont h s a f t e r l a nd i ng b a ck i n t h e U S ( w e p r a i s e t h e L or d h e i s now h e a l t h y a nd t r y i ng t o s t a y t h a t w a y ) . W e p r e f e r t h e t e r m h ome assignment b e ca u s e i t e m p h a s i z e s t h a t t h i s i s a n a s s i g nm e nt , a r e q u i r e d p a r t of e v e r y A s s e m b l i e s of G od m i s s i ona r y ’ s m i ni s t r y , a p a r t t h a t G od of t e n u s e s t o s t i r p e op l e s ’ h e a r t s f or m i s s i ons h e r e i n t h e U S A . W e a r e p r a y i ng t h a t G od w i l l u s e u s t o b u i l d h i s k i ng d om i n t h i s w a y i n e v e r y A G ch u r ch t h a t w i l l h a v e u s . W e a r r i v e d b a ck i n t h e U S A i n m i d -D e ce m b e r a nd s t a r t e d v i s i t i ng ch u r ch e s a l m os t i m m e d i a t e l y ( t h ou g h , d u e t o t h e h ol i d a y s , I t h i nk w e onl y h a d one m e e t i ng t h a t m ont h ) . W e h a d op p or t u ni t y t o ce l e b r a t e t h e h ol i d a y s w i t h ou r l ov e d one s , w h i ch w e d i d i n s t a g e s w i t h a l l t h e p a r t s of ou r e x t e nd e d f a m i l y . W e a d m i r e m i s s i ona r i e s w h o s a y t h a t t h e m i s s i on f i e l d i s t h e i r h om e , b u t f or u s , a s l ong a s ou r k i d s a nd g r a nd k i d s a r e i n t h e U S A , t h i s i s t r u l y h om e a s s i g nm e nt . B e t w e e n op p or t u ni t i e s t o b e i n A G ch u r ch e s , a nd t h e com m u ni ca t i on e f f or t s t h a t na t u r a l l y g o a l ong w i t h

f i nd i ng t h os e op p or t u ni t i e s , w e h a v e t h r e e p r i or i t i e s t h a t a r e h e l p i ng t o s h a p e ou r d a y s . T h e f i r s t i s t h e d e v ot i ona l us for hBetween a b i t , s p e last nd i school ng t i m term e e nj and oy i ngthisG one, od e my v e r y(Jackie’s) d a y t h r oumom g h p and r a y dad e r a (Soderbergs) nd r e a d i ng a came nd m eout d i t to a t i see ng on S cr two i p t u r e . T h e s e cond weeks—it was great to see them, and I hop e we did not wear them out too badly. T hey were at our house i s e x e r ci s e ( 45 -6 0 m i nu t e s p e r d a y , 5 -6 d a y s p e r only w e e k 2 ) -3: t h e r e i s days out of the 2 weeks. W e drov e to N gorongoro C rater and the Serengeti, which took a while to driv e to and not h i ng l i k e a l ong b ou t of i l l ne s s t o conv i nce a n ot h e then rw is e see. W e saw lots of animals though, and saw some great sights. I think it was worth all the driv ing. d i s t r a ct e d T y p e A p e r s ona l i t y t h a t not m u ch i s a ccom p l i s h e d w i t h ou t a h e a l t h y b od y t o w or k w i t h . T h e t h i r d i s t i m e w i t h ou r g r a nd ch i l d r e n. A s a cou p l e w e h a v e com m i t t e d t o e a ch ot h e r t h a t w e w i l l not p a s s u p a n op p or t u ni t y t o b a b y -s i t or s p e nd t i m e g e t t i ng t o k now ou r g r a nd k i d s a nd h e l p i ng t h e m t o g e t t o k now u s . O ne of t h e h a r d e s t p a r t s of ou r f i r s t t e r m w a s not s e e i ng ou r g r a nd ch i l d r e n g r ow a nd k now i ng t h e y w ou l d not re m e m b e r u s w h e n w e ca m e h om e . E s p e ci a l l y h a r d w a s not s e e i ng ou r f i r s t g r a nd s on u nt i l h e w a s 13 m ont h s ol d . O f cou r s e , a l l t h i s i s not h i ng com p a r e d t o w h a t t h e ol d t i m e m i s s i ona r i e s e nd u r e d . I t ’ s g ood w e w e r e n’ t a r ou nd t h e n; w e h a d a l l w e cou l d h a nd l e a s it w a s . I t i s a s t r a ng e t h i ng t h a t a l l t h e a b ov e ca n b e t r u e , a nd a t t h e s a m e t i m e , i t ’ s a l s o t r u e t h a t w e h a v e a l r e a d y s t a r t e d w a nt i ng t o g o b a ck . T h e r e a r e m a ny ch a l l e ng e s t h e r e b u t t h e r e i s a l s o a ne e d t h a t w e k now w e ca n h e l p t o f i l l . W e a r e g r a t e f u l f or t h e op p or t u ni t y t o g o f or a f i r s t t e r m , a nd w e a r e g r a t e f u l f or t h e m a ny w ond e r f u l p e op l e w h o m a d e i t p os s i b le . W e a re g r a t e f u l f or t h i s t i m e on h om e a s s i g nm e nt , t o v i s i t w i t h s o m a ny f r i e nd s a nd l ov e d one s a nd a l s o t o re g a ina b ig p i ct u r e p e r s p e ct i v e of w h a t w e w a nt t o d o w h e n w e g e t b a ck t o T a nz a ni a . W e h op e t o s e e y ou w h i l e w e a r e on h om e a s s i g nm e nt ! ¤