The mission and ministry to our target focus in Tanzania takes a year long process of planning, praying, and then bending the knee to God's overall plan. Building consensus, organizing logistics, and communicating effectively takes a lot of team effort but one that is led by Volunteer mission lead Doug Reinhardt.
The 2024 team effort was small but was very effective. With us landing at Mt Kili and meeting mission friends (nationals) there, we were able to meet, to pray, and establish operations after some rest at Lutheran Uhuru hotel in Moshi.
After a day of rest, then planning, and of course, some shopping, our team was ready to get to work.
Sunday service at Sanyu Ju is always a great opportunity to worship the Lord Jesus Christ with our friends that we have built since 2010. It also reunites us with many children from local orphanage; this one being by a congregational member Ester and her famous Ester's Orphanage.
Since 2010 to today. the Orphanage, the church has added two dorms, beds, repaired roofs, and provided means for milking cows, goats, chickens, and a garden. Kids now have access to 3x meals a day where back in 2011 it was only 1x meal a day and all the kids were sleeping 3 to a bed and all in the same room.
Funds were furnished to provide english lessons for the kids in addition to the learning curriculum. Unfortunately, this lasted only a year between tutor and Ester. Since 2021, we have seen a decline in Ester's operations with noticeable decline in cleanliness; removal of chickens, eggs, milking cows, and garden; to frustration with tutor and children's well- being. Therefore, we made intentional plans to move tutor back in 2022 and reduce our focus to Ester's as our operations in Mwikidela B began to grow.
So, in 2024, we visited with the kids at Ester's after church service and had lunch with them as well as a tour of facility and played games and gave out gifts to the kids through a very small vbs outing.
We got up early on Monday and made the 7 hour trip to Tanga, located on the Indian Ocean.Once arriving to Tanga, we went to hotel to drop off bags and then went immediately to sight of women's conference and then to church and preschool south of Tanga.
Tuesday through Friday we held VBS for over 180 children who were affiliated with PEFA church and surrounding area. On Friday, we culminated the VBS with Gospel presentation with 19 muslim women giving their lives to Christ. In addition, we fed community 300 meals and met lots of new people in area and inviting them to church.
VBS was a huge success.
We departed on Saturday for Uhru and then off to Arusha where we stayed at Paruzi Inn, the nicest place I have ever stayed while in Tanzania. We toured the Arusha national Forest with Mt Meru being an incredible sight. We were in the land between Mt Meru and Mt Kili so we were known as being in the land between two fires. We rested next day and begin to make journey back home.
We left Tuesday after home visit and meal with Pastor & his wife. left Kili at 5pm and arrived in Ethipoia at 8 pm. Got a text of my cousin Terri passing away while there. We left Ethiopia at 11 pm and made it back to DC (after stop in Rome) after 16 hour flight. Left for DC at 11 in morning and made it to RDU by 2:30 pm.
Arrived home at 5:30 to good ol New Bern
We thank God for his traveling mercies. We praise Jesus for making himself known. We thank the power of the Holy Spirit to direct and move among his people.
TY
The 2024 team effort was small but was very effective. With us landing at Mt Kili and meeting mission friends (nationals) there, we were able to meet, to pray, and establish operations after some rest at Lutheran Uhuru hotel in Moshi.
After a day of rest, then planning, and of course, some shopping, our team was ready to get to work.
Sunday service at Sanyu Ju is always a great opportunity to worship the Lord Jesus Christ with our friends that we have built since 2010. It also reunites us with many children from local orphanage; this one being by a congregational member Ester and her famous Ester's Orphanage.
Since 2010 to today. the Orphanage, the church has added two dorms, beds, repaired roofs, and provided means for milking cows, goats, chickens, and a garden. Kids now have access to 3x meals a day where back in 2011 it was only 1x meal a day and all the kids were sleeping 3 to a bed and all in the same room.
Funds were furnished to provide english lessons for the kids in addition to the learning curriculum. Unfortunately, this lasted only a year between tutor and Ester. Since 2021, we have seen a decline in Ester's operations with noticeable decline in cleanliness; removal of chickens, eggs, milking cows, and garden; to frustration with tutor and children's well- being. Therefore, we made intentional plans to move tutor back in 2022 and reduce our focus to Ester's as our operations in Mwikidela B began to grow.
So, in 2024, we visited with the kids at Ester's after church service and had lunch with them as well as a tour of facility and played games and gave out gifts to the kids through a very small vbs outing.
We got up early on Monday and made the 7 hour trip to Tanga, located on the Indian Ocean.Once arriving to Tanga, we went to hotel to drop off bags and then went immediately to sight of women's conference and then to church and preschool south of Tanga.
Tuesday through Friday we held VBS for over 180 children who were affiliated with PEFA church and surrounding area. On Friday, we culminated the VBS with Gospel presentation with 19 muslim women giving their lives to Christ. In addition, we fed community 300 meals and met lots of new people in area and inviting them to church.
VBS was a huge success.
We departed on Saturday for Uhru and then off to Arusha where we stayed at Paruzi Inn, the nicest place I have ever stayed while in Tanzania. We toured the Arusha national Forest with Mt Meru being an incredible sight. We were in the land between Mt Meru and Mt Kili so we were known as being in the land between two fires. We rested next day and begin to make journey back home.
We left Tuesday after home visit and meal with Pastor & his wife. left Kili at 5pm and arrived in Ethipoia at 8 pm. Got a text of my cousin Terri passing away while there. We left Ethiopia at 11 pm and made it back to DC (after stop in Rome) after 16 hour flight. Left for DC at 11 in morning and made it to RDU by 2:30 pm.
Arrived home at 5:30 to good ol New Bern
We thank God for his traveling mercies. We praise Jesus for making himself known. We thank the power of the Holy Spirit to direct and move among his people.
TY