1. press CTRL+L to view as a slideshow

3. In January, we said goodbye to some good friends – the Wimbushes, who are going on furlough. Hellos and Goodbyes are a big part of missionary life. 

4. Luke turned 5 in January, and celebrated it with a rocket cake. Click here for more photos. here

5. In March, a wonderful thing happened. We got our new car! It’s a 4- WD, v6 petrol, Mitsubishi Delica van. No more breaking down in the middle of the Sahara!* *Actual Sahara is not in East Africa. We have never been there.

6. We enjoyed having Mark Dalton, our missions pastor from Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego, stay with us in March while he was visiting a number of missionaries in this part of the world. He was a missionary in Pakistan for a long time, so he felt right at home riding on the back of my bike dodging chickens and people, and drinking ‘chai’ and eating ‘chapatis’. Although apparently (according to his bus ride from Musoma) Tanzanian buses are ‘healthier’ for your prayer life than Pakistani Buses. The kids were very interested in what was in the bags Mark brought.

7. One of the Jita translators, Neema, got married, and we went to her home village for her ‘Send Off’ party. You can see more photos here.here

8. ’Tis the season for Scripture Celebrations! This time we went to Ikizu-land, to celebrate the publication of the books of Ruth and Luke in their language. These are always special days for our team, not to mention the community receiving their first-ever published books of the Bible.

9. Click here if you’d like to see more pictures from the Ikizu Celebration.here

10. In April we facilitated a 2- week course for our national colleagues on how to understand their own culture and that of others. There were a lot of teaching sessions, but the favourite sessions were the team-building exercises. It was another important step in building unity and understanding in our team. Click here if you’d like to see more pictures from the National Orientation Workshop.here

11. Elliot’s first birthday was celebrated with friends, a cake and a piñata. More photos here.here

12. This year we have started attending this village church, along with some missionary friends of ours from Australia. It has heightened in us the realisation that people need the Scriptures in their heart language. Most of the children don’t even speak Swahili yet (they’ll learn that in school), and public readings of the Bible in Swahili are slow and ‘stumbly’ – a clear indication that only mother- tongue Scriptures can communicate God’s truth to people’s hearts.

13. These Kwaya people are reading their language for the first time at a ‘Transition Literacy’ workshop, that is, a workshop for teaching them how to use their existing knowledge of reading Swahili to transition into reading Kwaya. HereHere are more photos.

14. May was a special month in Musoma because every night brought new and fascinating cloud formations and sunsets. Here’s a taste. And here’s more!here’s These 3 pictures were all taken from the same spot on different nights

15. Here’s a quick wrap-up of the progress our team has made in the last 12 months: The book of Luke has been published in 7 languages. The book of Ruth has been published in 5 languages, and nearing completion in 2 more. Translation of ‘The Jesus Film’ has begun in 3 languages. Translation of Genesis has begun in 5 languages. Translation of Acts is nearing completion in 5 languages. Translation of Jonah is nearing completion in 3 languages, and has been published in 4 languages. Calendars have been produced and printed in 5 languages. As you can see, it’s been a busy period! Praise the Lord for what He’s doing through you and us.

17. support us support us support us support us Prayer Updates Copies of the book of Luke, Ruth and Jonah are being printed in a number of languages and passed out among different people groups of the Mara region, Tanzania. That’s reason to celebrate. Our car!  We’re still a bit low on our support level. If you want to sign up with us, click on the flag.  Our health has been so-so, for quite some time. Please pray for healing and respite.  Pray that our next newsletter wouldn’t take so long! We have a lot of good stuff to cover.

18. LINKS/INFO Our blog: chroNICHOLLS.com.chroNICHOLLS.com More about our work: thetask.net.thetask.net To join our Prayer Team, or sign up for newsletter notifications: email us.email us To support us financially: supportsupport Or send us an email & we’ll send you a card. To give by mail, make a check/cheque out to: “Wycliffe Bible Translators” and send it to:email Wycliffe Bible Translators Wycliffe Australia P.O. Box 628200 or 70 Graham Rd Orlando, FL 32862-8200 Kangaroo Ground, VIC 3097 USA Australia *Include a note saying that it’s for “Michael & Kelly Nicholls”. Our Tanzania mailing address: Michael & Kelly Nicholls Box 1235 Musoma, Tanzania EAST AFRICA michael-kelly_nicholls@wbt.org or catch us on facebook.facebook Birthdays: Luke – Jan 19; Michael – Jan 30; Elliot – April 24; Kelly – Aug 15; Malia – Oct 16