Tanzania Partnership

Last week, two truckloads of people drove from Iringa to the site of the Mpalapande Primary School. they were there to select a contractor for the project. One car carried Bega Kwa Bega representatives Julia Hubbard, Russ Hilliard and Jo Whiting, along with Iringa Diocese officials, including General Secretary Nayman Chavalla, BKB DIRA Liaison Rev. Lusungu Msigwa, Projects Coordinator Amos Mkuye, Scholarship Clerk Frank Mkocha, and District Pastor Ambrose Mwakikoti. The second car carried representatives from five of the seven contractors who submitted bids for the project. They were met at the site by a large contingent of local people with interest in the project. Tungamalenga Parish Pastors Eva Msigwa, Bryson Msigwa, and Paulo Masinga were present. Representatives from the local village congregation and others from the parish partnership committee were present, as well as local village government officials. The group convened around noon. The meeting opened with...

After 24 hours of air travel, a short night, and midway through our ten hour cross country drive, Geri bubbled over with enthusiasm, “It’s so amazing! I am SO happy I came!” After just a few days visiting our partners in Tungamalenga, another traveler said, “Just when you think one day couldn’t possibly be better than the day before, it just keeps getting better!” What’s the experience that causes so much enthusiasm?  A visit to our companion congregations in Tanzania. Travelers experience overwhelming hospitality, being treated both as honored guests and as family. We are welcomed into the life of the church, with song, dance, and prayer. We are welcomed into the daily lives of our partners and see their challenges – to grow food, collect clean water, send children to school, and have access to good health care. We also witness their faith and hope, their effective evangelism, and we are humbled by their strong sense of community. The 2017 SOTV Journ...