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Showing posts from March, 2016

Blessed to be the hosts

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George Kioniani and Pastor Paulo Masinga are on their way to Minnesota! In just a few short days, George Kioniani and Pastor Paulo Masinga will arrive in Minnesota, guests of Shepherd of the Valley from Makifu Parish and Tungamalenga Parish in Tanzania. We could not be more excited for their visit! Today we received this photo, taken just before they left Iringa for Dar es Salaam.  See that joy on Pastor Paulo's face? Tonight those of us at SOTV involved in hosting our guests met to go over final details of their visit, the schedule and logistics of accompanying our honored guests for a two week visit. Most of us involved in planning for this visit have been guests in Tanzania and have experienced the warm Karibu, wageni wetu - Welcome, our guests. The welcome we experience in Tanzania makes us feel as though we are Jesus on Palm Sunday, entering the villages to exuberant singing and dancing. Having experienced that warm Tanzanian welcome, we want to make

Karibuni sana, Mchungaji Paulo and Evangelist George!

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Evangelist George Kioniani Mchungaji Paulo Masinga We are delighted to welcome our friends, Pastor Paulo Masinga and Evangelist George Kioniani, to Minnesota and Shepherd of the Valley!  They will arrive Friday, April 1st, and be with us for two weeks.   The tentative itinerary is here - check back for updates as plans firm up. George is a dear friend whom we met on our first visit to Tungamalenga in 2002.  He is a farmer, is married and has six children, and also cares for the children of his deceased brother. He is a lay evangelist, a member of the parish staff who ministers to congregants, assisting the parish pastors.  He currently serves as secretary/treasurer of Makifu Parish and is involved in planning and executing partnership projects. Pastor Paulo was the first Maasai pastor ordained in the Iringa Diocese and has been an associate pastor of Tungamalenga Parish since 2004. He is married to Leah and they have six children.  His oldest son, Amon, serves as a