Visiting Makifu

July 15, 2017

We began our tour of Makifu Parish at the main station with Pastor Nejabel Madembo welcoming us with his warm smile.

While waiting for everyone to arrive, we got a tour of the newly roofed parsonage and had a chance to share photos with friends. Then it was on to Kisilwa.

There was a lot of joy here as the congregation proudly showed us the finished roof on this chapel that has been waiting several years since the walls went up. Even more impressive is the fact that two sons of the congregation contributed most of the money to buy iron sheets for the roof. Funds from SOTV were used to buy lumber, nails, and other supplies.

Next, the group from the game park rejoined us at Misufi. This is a newer preaching point, still renting a house to use as a worship space. It's a two room structure, so it's kind of awkward for a gathering.

Evangelist Lazaro Mlunza explained that there is a new primary school in Misufi and this day was a day for parents to work at the new site, doing some landscaping. Despite the absence of some, the place was still packed with church members.

At each stop, we are introduced to the secondary students we have sponsored, or their parents, who offer words of thanks.

Our next stop is Mahuninga, and we arrive earlier than expected. There were just a few kids here when we arrived, but the room was full by the time we left.

We're starting to receive gifts like this at every stop. These are harvest gifts, gifts of thanks from families who have received scholarship support.  They know we will deliver these thank offerings to Huruma Center, the diocese orphanage in Iringa. Pastor Petro invited members to gather on Monday afternoon. "To welcome guests is our joy," he said. "When we bring crops for the children who have no parents, we in Makifu are now parents to those children."

That evening, Pastor Joyce Ngangdango and Dr. Barnabas Kahwage arrived in Tungamalenga via the bus from Iringa. Pastor Joyce joins us as our interpreter. She is the director of Huruma Center, and we've invited her to be with us here to see the generosity of the people of Makifu Parish. Dr. Barnabas has been called away the entire previous week, on a mission from the district medical officer to do outreach clinics all around the district. Barnabas and his wife Alice, along with Pastor Joyce, joined our group for dinner that evening.

Sunday morning we worshipped at Makifu. There were so many children! Pastor Rick preached, with Pastor Joyce as his translator.

We celebrated holy communion, and after the service had a delicious lunch in the new parsonage.

Our tour continued to Ikwavila, where our hosts had constructed a shaded area for our comfort. They worship beneath a large tree, and have a foundation for their new chapel.

We spoke together about the challenge of water in this area.  The women walk to a small seep partially protected by the roots of a large tree. We have been planning a water project, and have a three stage proposal from engineering students who were here a year ago. The local village chairperson is here, saying he is glad to meet with us again because he knows some day these people will have water. We are cautious in our response, knowing we have yet to raise funds for this project at home. Having been through one water project with Mahove, they seem to understand that this won't happen overnight. They are gracious with us.

Pastor Joyce sees the foundation for their chapel and commented, "Last year I went to visit the Germans. I saw many things - big churches with no people attending! I joked with them, that if I could, I would lift their buildings and set them down in Tanzania, where we have many people who worship but not so many buildings. Today I am very happy for the people living here because they see it is special to worship God. Their hearts - God bless them. We can see the foundation, and we know the building will move."

Our last stop of the day is Mahove.  There are several members of our group who are disappointed that there was not time to do the water walk again. But it is growing late, we can see the sun about to set over the mountains, and our driver wants to return us to camp safely before dark. 

Still, who could resist a stop at Pastor Petro's home? The shadows are lengthening but there is much to see, pens for the cattle and a day old goat. It has been a day of blessings.

We spent our last day in Makifu Parish visiting Malunde, Isanga, and Makambalala. Malunde chapel sits atop a hill after a road so narrow that we walked the last half mile. 

There are plans to complete the chapel with plaster, flooring, doors and windows. Again there are gifts - Maasai clothing for Pastor Rick, necklaces for all of us, and then gifts for the children of Huruma Center. Evangelist Hosea Visima presented them saying, "We have these gifts, because we are touched in our hearts for the children of Huruma Center."

Finally we are at Isanga. We joke about how this chapel has been relocated four or five times. This is a temporary structure but they have a permanent place selected. The foundation is done, and they are building bricks.

Another set of gifts are presented, among them, sugar cane for the children at Huruma.

Another kind of gift for those of us lucky enough to return year after year, is reconnecting with particular friends. The little girl above is someone I met on her birth day four years ago. Her mother asked me to name her, so she is Isanga Emily to me. For the past two years, she has been at that stage where she cried every time the wazungu tried to get close to her. This year, she is willing to say hello and have her picture taken.

Another gift is meeting the students that we sponsor. Here, Shubi Sendayo is a student who completed her secondary schooling and will now attend University of Iringa. She is clearly a young woman with intelligence and drive.  Pastor Joyce commented, "We appreciate the parents sending her to school. For Maasai, it is so hard to send girls to school. You see she is confident and will go far."

Evangelist George Kioniani told us, "Here you see the testimony of parents and children at school. I know you can give many gifts, but education is a very special gift because it takes a person from one stage of life to another."

Our visit to Makifu Parish ended with a gathering in Makambalala. There is simply so much to say and to show about that gathering, it will have to wait for the next post.