Bega Kwa Bega report from Synod Assembly 2013

The following was included in the reports of the Saint Paul Area Synod's recent assembly, representing an overview of the 70 Bega Kwa Bega congregational partnerships.

The Companion Synod Relationship between the Saint Paul Area Synod and the Iringa Diocese began in 1987 through the efforts of Drs. Arne & Mary Blomquist and Bishop Lowell Erdahl.  In subsequent years Lutheran College Iringa (a theological training school) was started; this became Tumaini University and is now a newly named University of Iringa.  In 2000 (13 years after the Companionship began) the congregation to congregation partnership was started, based upon building relationships between the members of the SPAS and the people of the Iringa Diocese.  Participating congregations committed to:

·      Praying for one another

·      Visiting one another – over 3,000 people from SPAS have visited Iringa and more than 100 people from the Iringa Diocese have visited here.

·      Communicating on a regular basis

·      Sharing $1,000 annually for construction support for each partner congregation

In 2000 we had five SPAS congregations unofficially partnered with parishes in the Iringa Diocese.  Today that number has reached 70.

In 2000 we provided less than 100 secondary school scholarships.  Today the number is more than 1,400.  Today there are seven diocese schools, several which have new and impressive Head Masters.

In 2000 we were told of the need to have adequate transportation for the pastors of the Iringa Diocese to reach the many preaching points.  Today the number of preaching points has reached almost 800!! In response, over 50 motorbikes and 350 bicycles have been provided to the parishes for pastors and evangelists.

As a result of many visitors from the SPAS, and communicating with the Iringa Diocese personnel regarding the needs of the Diocese the following have taken place:

·      Tumaini University was begun in 1994 with 37 theological students…today there are almost 4,000 students with more than 25 degree possibilities.  SPAS congregations provide 65 theology scholarships each year to help the growing presence of the Lutheran Church in the Iringa region.  A name change is in process and the institution will soon be called The University of Iringa.

 

·      The Ag Institute now has 50 Community Village Plots to demonstrate the best agricultural practices for planting, fertilizing and harvesting.  In addition there are 20 villages raising pyrethrum which is sold to supplement villagers’ income. Eight silos for grain storage have been built by participating congregations.

 

·      Iringa Hope (SACCOS) has established 33 village organizations to provide loans for entrepreneurs and small farmers.  This has resulted in many families being able to send their children to school and to secure adequate food for their families. The rate of repayment of loans is over 99%.

 

·      The Huruma Centre, the orphanage owned by the Iringa Diocese, is currently the home for 36 children, ages five to sixteen, who live at the facility. In addition, 25 young people over the age of 16 live in the community outside the orphanage, but are supported by The Huruma Centre. Individuals and congregations of the St. Paul Area Synod provide school uniforms, primary and secondary school scholarships and school supplies for the children.

 

·      St. Paul Partners has drilled more than 125 wells in the Iringa region, provides a program for maintenance and repair of wells and educates villagers regarding sanitation and hygiene.

 

·      The Million Tree Project has provided more than 500,000 seedlings to diocese schools and parishes.

 

·      Radio Furaha has more than 100,000 daily listeners.  Preaching of the gospel is first and foremost.  Additional programs provide educational techniques for farming and health and wellness information to the listeners.  In a typical day the station receives over 500 text messages in response to their programming!

 

·      Shoulder to Shoulder is the medical component of our partnership which has provided equipment, resources and personnel to help the Ilula Health Center.  In September of 2013 a School of Nursing will open offering a two-year course.

 

·      Have you ever wondered what happens to all of the quilts made by women in our congregations? Lutheran World Relief recently sent a container of quilts, school kits, layettes, hand soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes which were distributed to diocese secondary schools, the Ilula Health Center and medical dispensaries owned and operated by the diocese.

 

·      A distribution of corn was made available to a community which experienced severe flooding in December of 2012 where 15 homes were destroyed.

 

The long term vision is to one day have all of the programs and projects be self-sustaining, funded and managed by our Tanzanian brothers and sisters. Then the purpose for going to Iringa would be to simply visit and worship with our friends and celebrate the progress being made.

We in the SPAS have been blessed to be in partnership with our brothers and sisters in the Iringa Diocese.  We give thanks to God for this opportunity to walk Bega Kwa Bega (Shoulder to Shoulder) with our brothers and sisters in the Iringa Diocese.