Students and Young Adults in Mission

Reflection 3 of 6, from our recent visit to East Africa:

A couple weeks before we left on this trip, we received a request for assistance to help build a church building. Each $10 will buy a bag of cement, and 100 bags are needed. When I presented the request to a local church, Grace Fellowship, two people stood up before I could take my seat, and each handed me $20 and said, “I want to buy two bags.” Other contributions from this church brought the total to $700. Our Sunday morning church, Living Hope Fellowship, contributed $1,000, and family members contributed $100. The total we took to Tanzania was $1,800, which the General Secretary said would provide the 100 bags requested for the church, and 80 bags towards repairs at the Mennonite Theological College of East Africa (MTCEA).

Students and a teacher from Kasoma Secondary School
who requested a church in Rwanga village.

The new church building is in the village of Rwanga-Majita, about 30 miles south of Musoma. The economy in the area is based on agriculture and fishing, and many are subsistence farmers. Several months ago, General Secretary John Wambura was invited to speak at a conference of the Christian Students Union held at Kasoma Secondary School in Rwanga, resulting in 17 baptisms. While there, one of the teachers and student leaders brought a request for a Mennonite congregation and a church building.

Local believers who attended the dedication of the plot where
the church will be built. Cement blocks and digging the
foundation in the background.

Having a church building shows intention to stay in the community. General Secretary Wambura encouraged them to do what they can and he began to look for funds to supplement their efforts. We were able to visit the site where they have begun digging the foundation and at that time they had made 1400 cement blocks. A business man who grew up in the village offered to pay for the roof after the walls are built. They plan to have the building finished in time for a regional gathering of the Christian Students Union in September 2017.

As we traveled around Tanzania, we encountered numerous groups of students and young adults who are committed and eager for training to do evangelism, discipling, and church development. Their interest is being matched by initiatives by church leaders to provide seminars and internships in leadership and church ministries. We pray the church will take up the challenge to encourage and use these young adults to bring life and wholeness to Tanzania.