A sign of our love

July 17, 2017

During our visit to Makifu Parish, we were routinely given small harvest gifts at every village. A parent would come forward with a bag of rice, a tin of maize, some sugar cane, or ground nuts. We've told the story before, of how we learned that we all have gifts to share. One year SOTV travelers decided to purchase some rice from our partners and delivered it to Huruma Center, the diocese orphanage. As our parish partners learned more about the diocese orphanage (some didn't know it existed), many individuals began to give us gifts to carry back to the Center.

Parents of scholarship students used to give us personal gifts for the sponsors - a cross necklace of Maasai beads, or a kitange. But when they learned of Huruma and its work, they began to give us gifts of food, understanding that the gifts would be delivered to feed the children.

It has become a beautiful circle of giving.

We arrived at Makambalala in the early afternoon, got out of our vehicles along the roadside and walked the short path to the church, with singing and palm branches waving all around us.

At the entrance to the church, we found another collection of harvest gifts.

There were parents - and a few students - here from all nine preaching points. All the evangelists, pastors, and many of the church elders were here as well.  Pastor Madembo remarked, "I don't know if Makambalala planned for this many guests!" Then he thanked the congregation for welcoming us, the SOTV guests, with such enthusiasm. 

Pastor Joyce, our interpreter and the Director of Huruma Center, introduced herself to the congregation and told about the work of the Center. You could see the congregation listening with rapt attention as she told some of the sad circumstances that bring children to the Center for care - death of parents, or neglect and abuse. There were murmurs and sighs as she spoke. 

Then speakers began a litany of thanks for the gifts of this partnership. 

thanks for the work we do together

thanks for the nice chapels being constructed

thanks for the bikes that enable our evangelists to do their work

thanks for mosquito nets

thanks for the water pipeline to Mahove

thanks for the dispensary in Tungamalenga

thanks for sending my child to school

thanks for bringing guests to Minnesota and for coming to visit each year

thank you for the things we are planning to do in the years to come

Shepherd of the Valley travelers had our own words of thanks

thank you for this overwhelming hospitality

thank you for coming so far to gather today

thanks for encouraging your children to study hard and use this gift of education

thank you for your prayers for our congregation

thank you for the beautiful singing and dancing

thank you for your witness to the good news we have in Jesus

thank you for your faithfulness

Pastor Madembo explained that at harvest time each year, the Tanzanian church has the tradition of bringing harvest gifts to the church. Those gifts are sold and the funds are used for parish projects. For the past five years, Makifu Parish members have brought an additional gift, a harvest gift for Huruma Center.

This is a sign of our love.

Then, an amazing procession began.

Parents lined up in the aisle, processing with their gifts. Evangelists and Pastor Joyce held large bags, and gifts from smaller bags were consolidated. George recorded every gift in his notebook. And all the while, there was singing.

The gathering-in took quite some time, and many songs.

We are here together because of the love of Jesus. When you leave, the love of Jesus is still with us. As parents, we have decided to give this sign of our love.