Tanzania

One of the highlights of my trip was visiting places where our family lived and people we knew. This includes Shirati, a village in northwest Tanzania where the Mennonite missionaries first started. In the first 3 years, they began ministries of evangelism, medical care, primary school education, and training leaders for the emerging church.

Wth 2 young leaders under the tree in Shirati where the first church services were held

From Shirati, we traveled to Musoma and to the village of Nyabange, the location of Mennonite Theological College of Eastern Africa (MTCEA). Again, I met several people we knew from our time there in the 1970's and 80's. MTCEA is facing the challenge of a struggling national economy that affects financial support from the churches. But every place I visited, I consistently heard words of appreciation for the college and the need for education and training for church leaders. MTCEA has provided leaders, but not in the quantity needed for the expanding church. There are buildings that are aging and some need renovation. I met with the college board as they discussed ways to improve the financial base and strengthen the academic program.

Mennonite Theological College of Eastern Africa chapel and library.

Sunday, March 10, we were in Shinyanga, a town further south which has recently been designated as a new diocese. We worshiped in a new congregation, Nguzo Nane Mennonite Church, the second week they met. They have started a small discipleship training school. There were 29 people present in Sunday morning worship and I was inspired by the intensity of their singing and praying.

Preaching at Nguzo Nane Mennonite Church, Shinyanga TZ

Mwanza Diocese has a young bishop who is challenging the churches to reach out to the surrounding communities. They have identified 17 villages without a church where they want to do evangelism and start new congregations. But the big need is training for workers. They emphasize the importance of prayer in engaging in ministry.

Meeting with Mwanza bishop Albert Randa (left) and his leaders

In front of Mwanza (TZ) Mennonite Church with the bishop (center) and other leaders