Newbys Join the Team!

We are really excited to see our team growing! And I want to introduce you here to our new co-workers/friends!

Hephzibah, Joel and Samantha in the States for Christmas!

Joel and Samantha Newby with their gorgeous little girl, Hephzibah, have just returned from visiting the United States where they have been busy meeting family and friends and raising the support they need to live and work here. Now, as they come to the end of securing work and residence permits for Joel, they will be starting to work with us here!

Joel (from Montana, US) and Samantha (from Mwanza) were married last May and live here in Mwanza. Joel has been living here since 2013, working with a church involved in rural development. With his education in business administration, Joel is going to be a huge asset in our work with the churches, as one of his roles will be offering training and help with entrepreneurship projects for social transformation. We are looking forward to what he may do with chickens and goats!

Samantha, trained as a clinical assistant, has been a full-time single mom to Hephzibah for the past five years. She has already been along to the Upendo wa Mama group a few times and is looking forward to helping more with these women! She came along today and was an invaluable help figuring out application forms for the upcoming sewing training! The women have warmly welcomed her into the group and with all her creativity and skill, she will be a wonderful person to have around! Both Joel and Samantha have a heart for strengthening the church in discipling children and have started a children's church program for kids ages 4-10.

We are thrilled that we have joined together with them and look forward to all that they will add to the work with the church here in Mwanza! And even more exciting ... they are multiplying the team themselves - very soon a new little Newby will be arriving! All very exciting!