Tanzania Partnership

We just received a delivery of 35+ letters written by some of the 140 students whose education we sponsor through our scholarship fund.  What a treasure! This set of letters comes from  students attending Idodi Secondary School.  They are students in forms one through four -- about the equivalent of 7th through 10th graders here in the US.  Many have only been studying English for a couple years. My dear sponsor, I greet you in the name of Jesus Christ.  I am very happy to get this chance to communicate with you for what you are doing for me, especially for paying school fees and other contributions. I hope that you continue well with your daily activities.  I am also continue well with my studies and with my health also. The aim of writing this letter is to say thank you for paying school fees for me.  I promise you that I anticipate I will study hard and will pass my form four examinations and join the advanced level. God bless you and lengthen your life expectancy. Th

This Saturday, November 5, from 8:30 to 11:30 AM, a couple hundred people from around the Saint Paul Area Synod will gather at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church in St. Paul to celebrate a wonderful partnership -- our Bega Kwa Bega relationship with the Iringa Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. The annual Fall Festival brings together many of the hundreds of people in Minnesota congregations who have traveled to Tanzania to form partnerships with remote rural congregations there. Shepherd of the Valley's partnership with the people of Tungamalenga Parish is just one of 70 such partnerships within the synod to diocese umbrella partnership. Special guests at the gathering this weekend are Rev. Lusungu Msigwa, who serves as Bega Kwa Bega liaison for the Iringa Diocese, and Rev. Blastone Gavile, who serves as Dean of the Diocese, or assistant to the bishop. Msigwa is a special friend to those of us from Shepherd of the Valley. He served as our translator during o