So many villages -- Makifu Parish
Continuing the reports from our week in the villages, here are stories from visits to the Makifu Parish congregations. I was there Wednesday the 13th, and the whole group Friday through Sunday, the 15th-17th.
I had one of the best days of the trip when I visited Makifu while the rest of the group was at Ruaha National Park, enjoying Mwagusi Camp (Dean described it as "like going camping at the Ritz"). My driver Kulwa and I drove to Makifu chapel, where we were greeted by Pastor Nejabel Madembo and a few evangelists and church elders. I saw the progress on the pastor's home (walls up, ready for a roof). We continued on to Mahuninga, where the chapel is nearly finished after 12 years under construction. Then to Ikwavila, where we checked out the water situation. Heavy rains earlier in the year filled their protected spring with sand, so they were sharing another spring with the animals. Barnabas was with us and urged them to dig the protected area again, and fence it to protect it from animal contamination.
Next we headed back toward the bridge that leads to Mahove. We walked the water pipeline route and found it in very good condition. We could see evidence of three small leaks along the line. One had already been repaired, and the evangelist noted the location of the other two; he will inform the fundi (engineer/laborer who maintains the water system in this area). At the top of the hill, near the church, several village elders sat in the shade of several trees. We joined them and had a long easy conversation about many things, including our different ways of assigning and calling pastors to new congregations, home ownership, and other cultural differences. This is something I treasure - just conversation as friends.
On Thursday, I met the group at the game park entry. We enjoyed catching up on each other's experiences during the ride back to camp. That afternoon leaders from both Tungamalenga and Makifu joined us for a visit to Idodi Secondary School, where many of our scholarship students attend. Headmaster Christopher Mwasomela welcomed us and gave an overview of the school. It is a community school with students mainly from Idodi and Mahuninga wards, has 816 students and 42 teachers. It is a day school that offers hostels (dormitories) for those who live far away. He addressed what has been a confusing situation since the new Tanzanian president announced early this year that all government education would be free: tuition is free (formerly a 20,000 TSH or $10 charge) but lodging and meals are not. He named several challenges facing the school: a shortage of books for the liberal arts subjects (the government has supplied plenty of math and science texts), a shortage of qualified math and science teachers, a shortage of good housing for teachers, and the need for a computer lab. He has the computers, but needs to refurbish a room to keep them secure in a weather proof location with electrical connections. He presented us with a proposal and estimate of $1500 to complete the project.
Over the three days in Makifu, the group visited all nine preaching points (village congregations). This is only possible because of the Land Cruiser -- some of these villages are so remote that only an off road vehicle can get to them. Here's what we learned at each.
At Makifu, sometimes called the "main station" of the parish, Evangelist Rahabu Mwinuka welcomed us and described parish work as "singing, praying, and construction of the pastor's house." The pastor's house is located next to the chapel; walls are constructed for a modest three bedroom home. There are plans to connect to the local water pipeline, bring a water tap just outside the chapel, and connect the water lines to a bathroom in the house. Initial estimate for this work is around $500. We are introduced to seven students from this area, and to the four Madembo children. Baracka has just completed his studies and is looking for work as a lab tech (Barnabas says, "I will hire him at the clinic!"), Gloria just completed form 4 at Image, Yohanna completed form 3 at Image, and Prisca is in standard 4 at Makifu Primary School.
Our group is given matching t-shirts with "SOTV - MAKIFU - GLORY TO GOD" emblazoned on the back, and we are proud to wear them as a sign of solidarity with our partners.
At Kisilwa, we dance our way to the partially completed chapel. Walls are finished, and 70 of the 90 needed iron sheets have been donated by Mfaume Kisakanike, a son of this village now working in Mbeya. Barnabas donates the 25,000 Tanzanian shillings needed to pay for their transport to the site. The rest of the iron sheets will cost about $150, and the timbers for rafters are estimated at $700. We meet students, and walk to the water tank that is the start of the water system for all the villages along this road.
Two community leaders join us for this day. Ward leader Benito Kisagole and Mahuninga village chairman Longino Mukwela accompany us as we visit Kisilwa, Misufi, Mahuninga, and Ikwavila. The ward leader addresses our past water project at Mahove, and the plans for another at Ikwavila. "Thanks for bringing us water, because water is life. I assure you that I will share with you, because I supervise all projects in this ward. This project will help us escape from water borne diseases. Thank you for bringing water near to people, near to the villages."
At Misufi, Evangelist Lazaro Mlunza welcomed us to this mission outpost and introduced us to sponsored students or their parents. He thanked us for many things the parish has received as gifts -- goats, bikes, piki piki for pastor, funds for construction, mosquito nets -- but emphasized that the visit to the village is a great gift that encourages the parishioners. We received a gift of rice that will be delivered to the orphanage.
Mahuninga chapel is so different now that it is finished - the walls are stucco, the floor is no longer dirt. When we used to dance and sing here, a cloud of dust would be raised; now our voices echo from all the hard surfaces. Five students are introduced, thanks given, and we receive a rooster, bananas, and ground nuts for the orphanage.
Ikwavila greets us with Maasai singing, dancing, and young men having contests in how high they can jump, along with an opportunity to purchase beadwork and other items we will sell at next year's Christmas boutique. This is another mission area, and the members have selected a location for a chapel, cleared the land, and made bricks. Much of our conversation here is about the UMN engineering students who came in January to survey the area for water, and who have proposed a three stage project to bring water to Ikwavila, and also to refurbish the 40 year old system. After soda and mutton, we walked to the current water source. Bariki Kipilipili had completed the work we asked him to do - the source is protected by a fence (an acacia tree branch full of spiky thorns) and has been dug deeper.
Malunde is one of the hardest villages to get to -- there is a long ride off road, there is a deep ravine to navigate, this year filled with water, and finally the path narrows so much that the Land Cruiser cannot pass and we walk the last mile, much of it uphill. The Bibis did great on this walk. This is a Maasai community. Evangelist Hosea Visima described the challenges here: "Last time we used to worship somewhere outside. This chapel had collapsed, then the members rebuilt it. They had saved the roofing materials so it only took a short time." Hosea described how the congregation raised the money for construction by sending handcrafts with us to be sold in the US. "These iron sheets come from your work." We walked over to the boma of one of the members, saw his herds of goats, sheep and cows, and his separate homes for three wives and fourteen children.
Isanga came next, another off road adventure. This congregation is a mix of Hehe and Maasai, and over the past years has moved locations four or five times. "Thank you for coming to see where we live." Meritho Katei's family is from this village.
Makambalala was Saturday's final stop. Evangelist Joseph Kingiliyepi welcomed us, spoke of the work of the parish, and spoke of plans to buy musical instruments once the electricity is connected. Students, lunch, gifts--the routine visit events all happen, but with the special flavor of each preaching point. Outside, we distributed jump ropes and it was the adults who had to show their skill.
Strangely, I took no notes at our Mahove visit. We gathered for worship in the beautiful chapel. We were welcomed warmly. Pastor Paulo was there, Pastor Petro Shangalima presided over the liturgy. Christina with the expressive eyes was seated in the front row. The only one missing was Mama Petro, visiting friends in Dodoma. She may be back by my end of the month visit.
I had one of the best days of the trip when I visited Makifu while the rest of the group was at Ruaha National Park, enjoying Mwagusi Camp (Dean described it as "like going camping at the Ritz"). My driver Kulwa and I drove to Makifu chapel, where we were greeted by Pastor Nejabel Madembo and a few evangelists and church elders. I saw the progress on the pastor's home (walls up, ready for a roof). We continued on to Mahuninga, where the chapel is nearly finished after 12 years under construction. Then to Ikwavila, where we checked out the water situation. Heavy rains earlier in the year filled their protected spring with sand, so they were sharing another spring with the animals. Barnabas was with us and urged them to dig the protected area again, and fence it to protect it from animal contamination.
Next we headed back toward the bridge that leads to Mahove. We walked the water pipeline route and found it in very good condition. We could see evidence of three small leaks along the line. One had already been repaired, and the evangelist noted the location of the other two; he will inform the fundi (engineer/laborer who maintains the water system in this area). At the top of the hill, near the church, several village elders sat in the shade of several trees. We joined them and had a long easy conversation about many things, including our different ways of assigning and calling pastors to new congregations, home ownership, and other cultural differences. This is something I treasure - just conversation as friends.
On Thursday, I met the group at the game park entry. We enjoyed catching up on each other's experiences during the ride back to camp. That afternoon leaders from both Tungamalenga and Makifu joined us for a visit to Idodi Secondary School, where many of our scholarship students attend. Headmaster Christopher Mwasomela welcomed us and gave an overview of the school. It is a community school with students mainly from Idodi and Mahuninga wards, has 816 students and 42 teachers. It is a day school that offers hostels (dormitories) for those who live far away. He addressed what has been a confusing situation since the new Tanzanian president announced early this year that all government education would be free: tuition is free (formerly a 20,000 TSH or $10 charge) but lodging and meals are not. He named several challenges facing the school: a shortage of books for the liberal arts subjects (the government has supplied plenty of math and science texts), a shortage of qualified math and science teachers, a shortage of good housing for teachers, and the need for a computer lab. He has the computers, but needs to refurbish a room to keep them secure in a weather proof location with electrical connections. He presented us with a proposal and estimate of $1500 to complete the project.
Over the three days in Makifu, the group visited all nine preaching points (village congregations). This is only possible because of the Land Cruiser -- some of these villages are so remote that only an off road vehicle can get to them. Here's what we learned at each.
At Makifu, sometimes called the "main station" of the parish, Evangelist Rahabu Mwinuka welcomed us and described parish work as "singing, praying, and construction of the pastor's house." The pastor's house is located next to the chapel; walls are constructed for a modest three bedroom home. There are plans to connect to the local water pipeline, bring a water tap just outside the chapel, and connect the water lines to a bathroom in the house. Initial estimate for this work is around $500. We are introduced to seven students from this area, and to the four Madembo children. Baracka has just completed his studies and is looking for work as a lab tech (Barnabas says, "I will hire him at the clinic!"), Gloria just completed form 4 at Image, Yohanna completed form 3 at Image, and Prisca is in standard 4 at Makifu Primary School.
Our group is given matching t-shirts with "SOTV - MAKIFU - GLORY TO GOD" emblazoned on the back, and we are proud to wear them as a sign of solidarity with our partners.
At Kisilwa, we dance our way to the partially completed chapel. Walls are finished, and 70 of the 90 needed iron sheets have been donated by Mfaume Kisakanike, a son of this village now working in Mbeya. Barnabas donates the 25,000 Tanzanian shillings needed to pay for their transport to the site. The rest of the iron sheets will cost about $150, and the timbers for rafters are estimated at $700. We meet students, and walk to the water tank that is the start of the water system for all the villages along this road.
Two community leaders join us for this day. Ward leader Benito Kisagole and Mahuninga village chairman Longino Mukwela accompany us as we visit Kisilwa, Misufi, Mahuninga, and Ikwavila. The ward leader addresses our past water project at Mahove, and the plans for another at Ikwavila. "Thanks for bringing us water, because water is life. I assure you that I will share with you, because I supervise all projects in this ward. This project will help us escape from water borne diseases. Thank you for bringing water near to people, near to the villages."
At Misufi, Evangelist Lazaro Mlunza welcomed us to this mission outpost and introduced us to sponsored students or their parents. He thanked us for many things the parish has received as gifts -- goats, bikes, piki piki for pastor, funds for construction, mosquito nets -- but emphasized that the visit to the village is a great gift that encourages the parishioners. We received a gift of rice that will be delivered to the orphanage.
Mahuninga chapel is so different now that it is finished - the walls are stucco, the floor is no longer dirt. When we used to dance and sing here, a cloud of dust would be raised; now our voices echo from all the hard surfaces. Five students are introduced, thanks given, and we receive a rooster, bananas, and ground nuts for the orphanage.
Ikwavila greets us with Maasai singing, dancing, and young men having contests in how high they can jump, along with an opportunity to purchase beadwork and other items we will sell at next year's Christmas boutique. This is another mission area, and the members have selected a location for a chapel, cleared the land, and made bricks. Much of our conversation here is about the UMN engineering students who came in January to survey the area for water, and who have proposed a three stage project to bring water to Ikwavila, and also to refurbish the 40 year old system. After soda and mutton, we walked to the current water source. Bariki Kipilipili had completed the work we asked him to do - the source is protected by a fence (an acacia tree branch full of spiky thorns) and has been dug deeper.
Malunde is one of the hardest villages to get to -- there is a long ride off road, there is a deep ravine to navigate, this year filled with water, and finally the path narrows so much that the Land Cruiser cannot pass and we walk the last mile, much of it uphill. The Bibis did great on this walk. This is a Maasai community. Evangelist Hosea Visima described the challenges here: "Last time we used to worship somewhere outside. This chapel had collapsed, then the members rebuilt it. They had saved the roofing materials so it only took a short time." Hosea described how the congregation raised the money for construction by sending handcrafts with us to be sold in the US. "These iron sheets come from your work." We walked over to the boma of one of the members, saw his herds of goats, sheep and cows, and his separate homes for three wives and fourteen children.
Isanga came next, another off road adventure. This congregation is a mix of Hehe and Maasai, and over the past years has moved locations four or five times. "Thank you for coming to see where we live." Meritho Katei's family is from this village.
Makambalala was Saturday's final stop. Evangelist Joseph Kingiliyepi welcomed us, spoke of the work of the parish, and spoke of plans to buy musical instruments once the electricity is connected. Students, lunch, gifts--the routine visit events all happen, but with the special flavor of each preaching point. Outside, we distributed jump ropes and it was the adults who had to show their skill.
Strangely, I took no notes at our Mahove visit. We gathered for worship in the beautiful chapel. We were welcomed warmly. Pastor Paulo was there, Pastor Petro Shangalima presided over the liturgy. Christina with the expressive eyes was seated in the front row. The only one missing was Mama Petro, visiting friends in Dodoma. She may be back by my end of the month visit.
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