At a training session in Tanzania, East Africa, Adventist-laymen's Services & Industries (ASI) vice president for evangelism Viorel Catarama quipped, "I'm not sure why I said 'yes' for this project in Tanzania. ... Once we arrived, it became evident that it indeed was God's will."

The team with Viorel included Rachel Terwillegar (formerly Rachel Twing) and Randal Terwillegar from Illinois, and Carol and Curtis Frembling from Texas. Tammy Twing Pannekoek came from Sydney, Australia. Their project was to teach laypersons to use the New Beginnings DVD series, just one of many initiatives by ASI, in partnership with the church. ASI plans to empower more than 2,500 laypersons to spread the gospel to thousands, using materials in their own language.

Thirty bags with training materials (weighing 70 pounds each) passed quickly through Kenya Customs, but Tanzania was a challenge. Twenty-four hours after entry, negotiations completed, the bags were released. With joy and thanksgiving, the team journeyed to Morogoro for the training event.

Passing a cemetery en route to the church where the training seminar would be held, Rachel remarked, "I did not know our training session would be held just a few hundred yards from the place my father-in-law, Dr. James Twing, was laid to rest. ... Seeing his grave put finality to the story I had shared over the years with my children."

"It was amazing to me that almost everyone I talked with had a connection to Ethel 'Mama' Twing, who served the church in Africa for 30 years after the death of her husband, James A. Twing," Viorel explained. "It is fitting that we train laymen here."

Training coordinator Musa Mitekaro (a pastor and professor at University of Arusha) was just 14 years old when he came to live with Mama Twing, who was a nurse at Heri Mission Hospital. She believed the work in Africa would be successful if Africans were educated and empowered for ministry. Musa is one of her many "children."

Lay people traveled as long as three days to the training session. After a dedication service and technical training by Randal, each layperson received a bag with a DVD player, accessories, New Beginnings DVDs, and presentation printouts in Kiswahili.

Some team members later visited the Kigoma region where the Twings served. They toured Heri Mission Hospital and brought gifts to 230 students at the newly established Twing Memorial School. Their trip was perilous, and they even got stuck in the mud with a vehicle they renamed "4 Angel Drive."

As the team journeyed across Tanzania, they stopped at a refugee camp for a photo. Musa was concerned a person nearby would notify friends that their vehicle was a profitable ambush target. After the photo was taken, Musa drove away quickly. A phone call later confirmed two vehicles behind the team were robbed. "Yes, we were riding in a '4 Angel Drive,' with the Master of the Universe watching out for us," exclaimed Rachel.

This project is told and illustrated at http://africaoutnback.blogspot.com. Each team member would be honored if just one person blessed by the story is inspired to serve.

Rachel Terwillegar is the assistant to the president for communication at the Illinois Conference.