Update: Mpalapande Primary School

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Bo and Juli Skillman (members of Christiannia, Lakeville) are in Iringa this month, serving as ambassadors for Saint Paul Area Synod congregations, visiting and communicating with our Tanzanian partner congregations.

They held meetings last week on SOTV's behalf with Iringa Diocese General Secretary Nayman Chavalla and Rev. Lusungu Msigwa, Bega Kwa Bega Liaison for the diocese. Together, they discussed the next steps needed to move forward with the Mpalapande Primary School project. The diocese officials are following up with meetings with Tanzanian Education Officers to create a formal agreement governing the administration of the school.

This week, May 17 - 19, the Skillmans along with the General Secretary, BKB Liaison, and Iringa Diocese Project Manager Amos Mkuye will visit Mpalapande to meet with the local planning committee, which includes Pastor Paulo Masinga and others from Mpalapande congreegation, as well as Pastor Eva Msigwa and others from Tungamalenga Parish.  The goal is to finalize the construction plans and estimates, identify the local parish members' contribution of in kind gifts to the project, and put together a timeline for each phase of the project.

SOTV has sent a first installment of $10,000 which is being held at Bega Kwa Bega, ready for payment when all agreements are in place and we authorize the first phase of construction to begin.

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