Just made a facebook page for my music. Like it for more updates!

Crazy

Crazy is the only adjective, that I've been able to come up with, to describe my experience in Africa. It's quick, expressive, and has neither a positive or negative connotation.

There were good times, there were bad times, there were incredibly low times and incredibly high times. If you're not ready, Africa is a sensory overload. I wasn't ready.

I'm in the process of making a DVD to send out to all my supporters, friends, and family. I would like it to include pictures, video, and hopefully either commentary or some documents that can be read. I'm still working on how to get all of this accomplished. If worst comes to worst, I'll just send out DVD with folders on them. A folder of pictures to scroll through, a folder of videos to watch, and a document to read about my experience. I'd prefer to do it all in just one video, with my commentary along with it, but we'll see!

Side note: Today I start in the studio. I'm recording a 6-song e.p. with Conrad Johnson of Chris and Conrad fame, at Inertia Sound Studios in Lakeland, Fl. I wrote a couple songs while I was in Africa and I hope to put these on the album.

If you'd like to follow my recording process, I'll be updating my tumblr more frequently than I will my blogger account. With photos, and videos, and maybe previews of some of the songs. Head over to lanceherring.tumblr.com for studio updates!

We did it!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all your support! You did it! You made this happen!

Tonight is my last night in the US, and I just want to thank everyone for all their prayers, and ask for your continued prayers throughout the next month. I won't have any connection to the internet while I'm there, but I'll definitely give you guys a HUGE update on the trip as soon as I get back to the states over at HELPLOVEAFRICA.blogspot.com

Quick Update

I've more than reached my half-way mark, as far as finances are concerned! I'm so close!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I can't say it enough. I'm so astounded by the generosity of my family, friends, and people that I hardly know.

And thank you to everyone who has supported me through words, and through prayer. They mean so much to me!

- Lance

P.S. More updates to come as the date to leave gets closer!

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Support Letter

Dear potential spiritual and financial supporter,

My name is Lance Herring and I am 23 years old. I am graduating this spring with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Church Music from Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. I am ending my college career by taking a month-long trip into the African bush to be hands and feet of Jesus to the unreached villages of Tanzania. A team of men from our school, along with a team from Oral Roberts University, will be going into this rural part of Africa to build a 45-mile long road into the unreached people.

Currently there are 11 villages in the Tongwe region that are cut off from any civilization. It is the equivalent to Russia’s Siberia. Out of sight and out of mind. The nearest major city (Kigoma) also holds the nearest hospital, but malaria, birthing complications, and cholera from unclean water still over 200 deaths a year. This is because the only way for these people to get to the city where the hospital is held, is by taking a 30-hour ride on a wooden boat across Lake Tanganyika. This is no easy task; the violent waters of Lake Tanganyika are responsible for 45 deaths and over $25,000 worth of cargo each year.

A road would cut the travel time to the nearest city down from 30 hours, to only 8. And if SUVs, trucks, and buses could get into this area of Tanzania, it would greatly affect the lives of over 22,000 people. There are numerous and lasting benefits that will come from this road. Not only would it save hundreds of lives a year, but it would boost their economy and provide a way for drilling companies to come in to drill wells for clean drinking water. Not having this road only continues the vicious cycle of need, poverty, and sickness without the means to treat it. We are working together on the effort to become apart of the solution.

Building this road includes clearing a path that is 25ft. wide and 45 miles long. This involves cutting down, uprooting, and removing any large trees, brush, and bamboo that we will come across. It will also involve building bridges and creating proper irrigation systems. This job consists of 12-hour workdays, from sunrise to sunset, every day until the project is complete. We will be sleeping in tents in the villages that we are trying to reach. And we will be evangelizing in some places that have never heard the Gospel and some of these areas consist of a population that is filled with belief in witchcraft and Islam - they want nothing to do with Jesus. I have faith that Jesus will give us all the strength on this trip to carry the weight of our message and the task that God has put before us.

I am asking you for your financial support. The estimated cost for me alone is $3,600 (for transportation, visas, and food) and the estimated total cost for the project (building supplies, equipment, and ground transportation) is $60,000. I also ask for your prayer, for me and for the other men on the teams. The area we are going to can be quite dangerous and we will most definitely encounter spiritual and physical resistance (don’t tell my mom) that seeks to stop this road from being built and the Gospel from being shared. Pray that the eyes, ears, and hearts of the people will be softened. We not only carry the equipment needed to accomplish a task, but the unconditional love of a Savior; the love that gives freedom from shame, guilt, and condemnation. Help me be the hands and feet of God. Together we can be love in action. Some go, and some send. Prayerfully ask God what your part is.

Click on the “donate” button on the top right corner and this will direct you to my paypal account, which you can donate directly to me any amount that you wish. I will be updating this blog as much as possible up until we leave for Africa. Since the only contact with the outside world will be through a Satellite phone, updating the blog from Africa might be difficult. You can also send a check (which can be a tax write-off) made out to me, “Lance Herring,” to the following address:

736 Winfree Ave. Lakeland Fl. 33801

There is also an official website for our missions organization. ProjectTongwe.com. We had to setup a user name and password for this site, because there are many people who want to cause harm to this project. So please share this with only those that you love and trust.

User Name: Villager2011

Password: mgambazi

Support Letter

Finally finished writing the support letter and will be mailing it out within the week. Please pray for willing hearts!