I contacted Cindy who put me in touch with Paul and Melissa Heffts, an American couple in Dallas working through their linguistics training for the Alagwa people.  Talking with Paul by phone I explained the whole story, he then told me that they had ALREADY planned a trip to California to visit family and supporters. They were going from San Francisco to LA!  Now if that isn’t an invitation to stop off in Bakersfield, I don’t know what is!

Thus in late June, I met Paul and Melissa Hefft in person. I re-told the story from the start and heard about their journey to the Algawa.  God is at work in Tanzania in a mighty way: over the next year, several new missionary teams are starting to work on a cluster of languages that don’t have bible translations.  Some of these language groups are, like the Alagwa, without a functioning church.


Steve Bagwell-Wycliffe, Caroline Reid, James Kamau-ICM Tanzania

There is a story of two Algawa men who showed up at a literacy class for a nearby people, asking when someone was going to come and translate the Bible into their language!  God is surely preparing the hearts of these people; and now for the Alagwa and their cousins, the Burunge, someone IS coming to do the work, and there will be partners in Bakersfield!


                                                                              James Kamau
                                                                              visiting First
                                                                              Presbyterian 
                                                                              Church in
                                                                              Bakersfield

After all these years walking with Jesus, I really shouldn’t be surprised when He does one of His “things”.  One of those “coincidences” that is really not coincidental.  One of those confluences which show so clearly how God wastes NOTHING in His economy.  So, should I be surprised?