Known as a soft-spoken man with a subtle sense of humor who prefers working in a field or garden to sitting behind a desk in a stuffy office, Rev. John F. Naumann's greatest joy in life is serving God and sharing the blessings he receives with those in need.
When he first heard the call of God at age twenty, while working on his family's farm in Australia, Fr. John had no idea what God's plan was, beyond leading him into the priesthood-but God did. From farmer to priest, from Australia to the United States, God called, and Fr. John said yes.
When he neared retirement age, Fr. John began to face the difficult decision of whether he would return home to Australia or remain in the United States. But God had another idea entirely-Tanzania.
Now retired, Fr. John enjoys working alongside Tanzanian villagers, encouraging them with the good news that they are not forgotten, and that God speaks to all who listen. And with the help of the Amani Development Organization, he has partnered with village councils to drill wells and support local initiatives.
As his memoir, Say Yes!, reveals, when you choose to follow God, even dry land can flourish.
All net proceeds from the sale of Say Yes! go to the Amani for Africa USA Foundation (www.amanidevelopment.org).
About the Author: The Reverend John F. Naumann was raised on a dairy farm in Queensland, Australia. He attended a one-teacher primary school, and after finishing grade seven, he worked on the family farm. When he was twenty years old, God called him to become ordained in the Anglican Church. He was admitted to the St. Francis Theological College in Brisbane in 1962, and in 1966, he passed the licentiate of theology examinations of the Australian College of Theology with honors.
In 1989, Fr. Naumann moved to Montana, where he served as a priest for three US congregations until his retirement in 2005. He now lives in rural Tanzania, where he works alongside local villagers, empowering them to enter into the life God has for them, with the support of the Amani Development Organization, which has sister foundations in Australia and the United States comprised of his friends and former congregants.
