April | 2021 | News from the Field

We Are Excited to Announce that we have Received Appointments for our Visas Interview

From Global Lutheran Outreach missionaries Dixon and Christy Gbeanquoi (serving in Tanzania)

Clarity on our Ministry in Tanzania And Opportunity to Study at St. Louis!

As we look set to do our visas interview, it is important that we give more clarity about our ministry and why attending St. Louis is an added advantage to our lives missionaries.

When we first joined Global Lutheran Outreach in 2012, we had a plan that we were going to serve as a family for not more than Five(5) years and then take a little break to improve ourselves academically for the sake of Christ’s Church. This was what we had planned, and we are thankful to God that our prayers have been answered. As a family serving in the East of Lake Victoria Diocese, we have seen a great need for empowerment, training of more laborers and caring for Christ’s Church, and therefore we have agreed with the leadership in the diocese that it will be good we seek further help by developing ourselves spiritually and educationally for this task.

Christy’s Education and its Importance to the Development and Growth of the Church in Mwanza

It will be important we make it clear here why Christy is taking up a course in Spiritual Care and Counseling. A year back before we had our son(Uri), Christy had started a program for young girls in our local congregation, were she was helping in counseling them on hygiene, spiritual care and career development. This program led her to a wider vision for the Lutheran congregations within the Mwanza area, the Lutheran Bible college, Lutheran Hospital and the Lutheran High School that we are presently developing. With an Education in Spiritual Care and Counseling for two years, we believe it is the right fit for carrying on this task.

Dixon’s Education and its Importance to the Growth of the Church in Mwanza

Moving to Mwanza in 2015 (Dixon) idea was to actually help the diocese with her church planting efforts. This is written on Dixon’s work permit. However, knowing that there was no department set aside for Church Planting, therefore we had to accept to pastor a local congregation in the Kisesa area. Within two years of our effort in growing the Kisesa congregation, we were again asked to teach at the Lutheran Bible College in Mwanza with the responsibility of training more Pastors, Evangelists and Church Workers. Now, with this opportunity of studying at a PhD level, we believe Dixon will be able to set up a department for Church Planting, not just for the diocese in which we work, but for other neighboring dioceses that are all mission dioceses.

Appealing for your Support to Make this Happen

As we look to transition to St. Louis, we see this transitioning process as a continuation of our ministry in Tanzania, we are fully involved as missionaries with Global Lutheran Outreach. As we study we will still be carrying on our various ministries in Tanzania. Our ministry still continues and we are still in need of your support(s). As we write this newsletter, we are still struggling financially in our ministry. As we prepare for our various visas interview and subsequent return to Tanzania, we are really struggling to sustain our ministry financially. As you many be aware we took out all our finances to for our travels and visas preparation. We are still struggling to raise the remaining $6,500 for all that we will need for our ministry between now until we get to St Louis for our studies in August.

If you will want to give, $10, $20, $50, $100, and $500 please go to www.globallutheranoutreach.com/blog/gbeanquoi, or

Make U.S. checks payable to

“Global Lutheran Outreach”.

Write “Gbeanquoi” in the memo line.

Mail to:

Global Lutheran Outreach,

6709 Ficus Drive

Miramar, FL, 33023

Christy and the Kids Preparation for their Visas Interview

We are thankful to God that we were able to pay the visa fees, $640 for all Four(4) of us , including what Dixon paid in Liberia. This amount is a lot for us giving that we are now going through financial constraint. However, we are thankful to God that we were able to scheduled a date for the interview. Christy and the kids have been scheduled for April 23rd. The visas cannot be mailed to us we will have to pick it up at a specific location in Abuja. Staying for Five(5) days or over as a family will required finances. We are looking to spend not less than $500 for transportation, hotel and feeding. Please keep us in your prayers as we look to God to provide and please pray for a successful interview.

Dixon Travel to Liberia for Preparation for Visa Interview Appointment

After securing Christy and the kids visa interview appointment, Dixon had to travel from Nigeria to Liberia to prepare for his visa interview appointment. Arriving in Liberia and beginning the process to secure an interview date, it was disappointing to be told that the embassy in Liberia is yet to open due to the pandemic. They finally open the embassy on 17th March and the only date Dixon could get for his appointment was 14th June. This was due to the fact that there were many interviews that were put on hold due to the pandemic and now after opening the embassy they have to attend to these people who interviews were pending. He will again travel to Liberia early June to sit his interview.

Dixon also took the opportunity to visit a village that is struggling to have a school building for the past Forty(40) years. There is no school building or even hospital in a community of over 1500 inhabitants. The only makeshift building they built for the kids was destroyed by a rain storm. Now they are using a local Church building as a temporary school building until they can built theirs. Dixon has taken upon himself to pray for this community and if possible help them a get a building for kids to have the opportunity to get a primary education.

We Took Our First Jab of the COVID-19 VaccineThe vaccine was administered to us free and we are glad we were able to take it. We have delayed our return to Tanzania so that we can get our second dose. This will help reduce the cost of doing test every time we have to travel.