Tanzania Partnership

How do bikes sold at the SOTV Garage Sale aid evangelism in Tanzania? Easy. All the funds raised from the garage sale bikes are used to purchase bikes in Tanzania. When SOTV members visit our partners in Tungamalenga, we make a stop at the bike store in Iringa first. We purchase bikes specially equipped with lights, extra tire tubes and maintenance equipment. The bikes are loaded on top of our bus for the four hour drive to Tungamalenga. Then they are given to evangelists like George and Shakuru, enabling them to more efficiently get from home to church, visit the sick, and do the work of pastoral ministry in their villages. Since our partnership began ten years ago, we've given about 25 bikes. Most of those were purchased with funds raised at the SOTV Garage Sale. Thanks to all who have donated their bikes and all who have purchased the garage sale bikes!

Imagine spending at least three hours of every day carrying water. Instead of going to school, you carry water. Instead of watching TV, you carry water. Instead of starting a business, or planting a larger field of corn, you carry water. You carry water that your family needs for drinking, for cooking, for washing. You carry water in five gallon buckets, balanced on your head. You walk a mile and a half downhill with an empty bucket, fill your bucket at a community well, and then carry your bucket of water uphill another mile and a half. Can you imagine that? You have just imagined one daily task that our partners in the village of Mahove live out every day. Mahove is one of the 20 village congregations that comprise Tungamalenga Parish. For the past three years, the people of Mahove have been proposing that our partnership tackle the problem of bringing water to this village, so that a safe, clean source of water would be accessible to the village residents, and so that the people wh...

Wow! Look at the progress made on Makambalala Chapel! Pastor Naftal sent this photo today, showing the new walls and windows constructed at Makambalala. Notice how different the exterior is from the next photo, taken in August 2010. The original chapel was constructed with this lacey pattern in the brickwork. This style of construction is less costly -- no window panes or woodwork to purchase. But while it let in adequate light, it also let in the elements--wind, dust, rain. The new construction will be finished with a coating of stucco on the exterior walls, and plaster on the interior. Makambalala chapel, as well as the Mpalapande chapel, are scheduled to be completed and ready for dedication ceremonies in the fall. Bwana Asifiwe! Praise the Lord!