A Different Perspective

Recently through an extended bout of malaria, I was forced to see things from a different perspective, namely from a position of weakness, utter dependence, and a rearrangement of daily priorities. I was forced back into the basics of existence, managing nausea, pain and weakness, forcing myself to eat and drink and sleeping lots! But along with this, since I didn't feel good enough to do anything, not even read, I was also given the opportunity to contemplate, meditate and pray. I often found my thoughts turning to others who are suffering, to the poor, to the helpless among us, and to the position of weakness.

Meanwhile things in the leadership training programs also seemed to be at a standstill.  Follow-up calls to the Diocese-based TEE programs weren't opening up to any further visits and although some groups affirmed that they were meeting and progressing, we couldn't tell how well and alive the program really was! The Bible college continued to struggle with inadequate funds, few students, and little movement toward resolution of the many faceted problems it is facing. In addition, we were feeling discouraged about the generally low state of spirituality in the churches and were asking ourselves and others in leadership, “What has happened?”

Missionaries aren't used to approaching their work from a position of weakness or powerlessness. Usually we find it in our power to manage, make things move, or persuade others to cooperate. But now God has brought us to a different perspective, that of working from a position of weakness. From this perspective, we realize our inadequacies, our inability to have answers, our absolute dependence on waiting for God to move, heal, and provide. And from this position, we sometimes must resign ourselves to give up Doing, and agree to just Be his children and his servants. When this happens, we tend to slow down and then are able to notice the small positive ways God is working in our lives and the lives of people around us. Things such as the training Joe was asked to give to 4 of the 5 students at the Bible college. In spite of the small number, their participation was good and they seem excited about being able to return home and form a study group of their own. Also, we have friendships with individuals who are sincerely seeking God’s way and are also concerned about the negative things in the churches. And we are refreshed by the joy on the faces of the children we see every day. God is teaching  us to recognize Him as our provider, healer and sustainer in every situation and to Be Thankful.    Gloria

Where are we now?

First, we are back in Tanzania, 4 weeks now. We spend our days doing housekeeping and house maintenance, meeting people who come to the door, preparing more study materials. It is also a beautiful time of the year with jacaranda, bougainvillea, and flamboyant trees in full bloom.
Spiritually, we are grateful for ways God is working in our own lives and also in the lives of others around us.

Emotionally, we are 2 places: here in Africa, and back in the USA with our family. We are happy when we hear that they are doing well, the “little ones” getting bigger and doing the things that “little ones” do. To live in two worlds stretches the mind and the spirit, and sometimes the body, but we are so enriched by the diversity we are privileged to experience.

In our work, we feel like we are in-between –not quite into the next phase of our work, but not removed from it either. Recently Joe has been spending more time than usual with matters relating to the Mennonite Theological College of Eastern Africa (MTCEA). To put it briefly, MTCEA is at a low point in its existence – out of money, few students, poor support from local churches, very little financial assistance from abroad, and a board of governors that seems to be unable to address the issues.

The interim administrator is working hard to find new ways to make the college effective and sustainable, and we have been trying to give him support toward making changes that need to be made to move the college forward. It is an example of the difficulty of bringing a western institution into an African setting and expecting it to work. So often it doesn’t work without input of financial and human resources from the western culture that brought it here. The education provided by the college is critically needed, but the resources to sustain it are not always easy to find.

Chapel of Mennonite Theological College with
Jacaranda trees in full bloom.

The future of the college is related to the larger question of how sending churches should relate to the receiving church, and those relationships seem to be at a turning point. When western missionaries first came, they were in charge, and local churches were dependent on them. Later, there was a move towards independence, both nationally and in church leadership, and missionaries took on a servant role and tried to support, but not exert undue influence in local decisions. It often included financial support, with local decision-making. Now we are ready to enter a new relationship of interdependence. We don’t quite know what that looks like, but here are some suggestions.

One, we will walk together in ownership and governance. Western expertise and experience, even finances, are needed and welcomed, but resourcing and governing should go hand in hand. Two, we will focus on providing people above funding. Providing funds without accountability leads to unhealthy dependency, and that actually hinders forward movement, so it is no longer enough to send money only. It misses the human relationship factor that maintains accountability and energy.

Are we ready for that kind of relationship, where we walk together and deal with the challenges that come out of that? Giving time and energy and expertise is often more costly than giving money. That is where we find ourselves – looking for ways to walk alongside our brothers and sisters in ways that strengthen us all as we move forward together to build God’s kingdom on earth.

Home Leave in USA

Grandchildren - visiting the Washington DC zoo

We have been on home leave from our assignment in Kenya/Tanzania since July 8. We have been enriched and refreshed by our visits to our children and grandchildren, and many of our friends and supporting congregations. The theme that runs through our minds and spirits these days is one of gratitude for the fullness of life which we have and are experiencing. We really wouldn’t choose any other lifestyle or be happier than we are right now. We feel overwhelmed by the love so many of you have shown by supporting us, contributing financially and also by blessing us with your prayers for our ministry.

Although we see and affirm many areas of ministry here in the states, we feel God has specifically prepared and blessed us with the gifts to be used in the Mennonite churches in East Africa for this period of time. We have completed the first two years of our commitment during which we have spent most of our energy on developing and introducing a basic program of leadership training which should be able to be carried on by local pastors and leaders. We have also written seven initial courses which will be used for study and discussion in small groups of leaders. We have been excited to see how God is already working in the 15 areas where the training has been given. Our vision is that many church leaders will grow and deepen their relationship with God and then share their “God experience” with others who will become excited about reading the Bible, studying and growing spiritually. We hope to be the spark that God uses to ignite the flame of the love of God in their midst so that revival and spiritual depth might follow.

We are preparing to return to East Africa for another two years to continue to encourage leaders to go deeper with Jesus. We find there, as in many churches in America, Christians become satisfied to call themselves Christians but really their faith minimally affects their lives. We are sensing that learning about discipleship and developing a deep relationship with God is key to their spiritual experience right now. So as we go back we are asking God to open up a way to use our gifts to develop “deep people”. We have been praying about an idea which we would initiate by the beginning of 2015. If God wills, we would begin to live in some of the more remote areas for a period of 4-6 months to mentor their leaders. We have heard this request from the leaders in some of the newest developing churches who often feel isolated from the more central mother churches. We would envision developing deeper relationships and nurturing them holistically as well as spiritually. We ask for your specific prayers in regard to this vision.

Our prayer is that you might join us in any way that you can for the upcoming two years. We feel that God will provide and be honored by our commitment to continue on for this time. After two years, we will have reached the age when we feel our service overseas should end. May God bless you as you prayerfully consider what you can do to help God’s mission to mature in East Africa.

All of us - 12 grandchildren

Building Roads

Building a bridge for the new road in southern Tanzania.

During our travels in the last month we have watched with interest the intense work of excavation for new roads, construction of bridges, building up the valleys, leveling off the hills, and rough places being made smooth. 

We were reminded of the verses in Isaiah 40:3-4 of the preparation of the “highway for our God” and it has become an image that represents what we are doing. There certainly have been roads already laid in the work of the church here in Tanzania and Kenya through the efforts of early missionaries and now through local church leaders who are evangelizing and building churches in new places.  However, as time goes on, roads need maintenance, and we are challenged to think about the need for new “roads,” new “leveling,” new “building up of low areas” and new “grading of washboard roads.”

One of the big challenges in developing countries is the ongoing need for improvement in education and the need to keep up with the ever-changing advancement of educational systems. What is true in the country is also true in the  church. As we get around, we are constantly confronted with both the desire and the need of church leaders to be “built up” in knowledge and in spirit. There are limited resources for leaders to use for their own studies and limited opportunities for them to get together for fellowship and spiritual interchange. So we are finding a deep interest in small group TEE Bible studies. 

Pastors in Lake Diocese (Musoma) discuss a TEE lesson.

We are encouraging a discussion centered learning format using questions as the stimulus for discussion. As we revisit the groups, we are hearing them say, “We didn’t know you could get so much out of the scriptures!” For some, because of the unfamiliarity of a second language, or the difficulty of reading instead of oral learning, it is a challenge to simply understand the the content of the scripture, much less the interpretation of it.  But we forge ahead, smoothing out the rough places, slowly putting down a good foundation of understanding for the “highway of God”.

Progress and Challenge

Stapling study materials in a hotel room
 in Mombasa Kenya

We are writing this from our “home base” in Nyabange/Musoma. It is very dry and many of the local gardens will fail, due to the lack of rain.

Our travel schedule the past several weeks has been lighter. With the exception of a one-day seminar in Kenya over Easter weekend, we have mostly been at home in Nyabange preparing more study materials. There are around 18-20 studies we would like to prepare, and so far we have done about 6, with a couple in process. Then they also need to be translated into Swahili.

We have not received invitations from all the Tanzania and Kenya Mennonite churches, but we have been to a significant number and the program provides training to 120 to 150 new church leaders. Some of the areas are doing well in gathering groups and leading through the study materials. Others struggle to gather their leaders even from their local area and have barely started. We are also aware of spiritual powers of evil that work to keep this program from becoming effective.

Studying "Discipleship in the Gospels" in Chepilat Kenya

Discussion in the training seminar in Mbeya Tanzania

As we look at the progress we have made and the challenges that remain, we have begun to think about how we can best use our time here. There is a need for more mentoring, along with writing or adapting study materials, and making other literature available in Swahili. One of the needs we see is developing spiritual depth, and what it means to follow Jesus in life.

We trust God’s grace to be faithful managers of the gifts we have been given as we deal with the challenges and opportunities. And we continue to be grateful for good physical and mental health. Thank you for your prayers, interest and support. 

Home again

Capetown, South Africa with Table Mountain.
Picture is from Robben Island.

After our travels through southern Tanzania, we were blessed with the opportunity to take a few days for vacation in South Africa. The initial reason for the trip was to attend part of a training at the AllNations training center in Capetown. But at that point we were ready for a break so we stayed an extra week.

Chapman's Peak Coastal Highway

Capetown is a beautiful city though windy, and the surrounding countryside and coast line is very scenic. We drove to the Cape of Good Hope, visited Aghulas Point (southernmost point of Africa), went up Table Mountain, drove the Chapman’s Peak coastal highway, visited Robben Island, visited Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, took a boat trip to Seal Island, drove through the vineyard country, and saw the penguins.

Penguin colony at Simonstown, near Capetown

Cape of Good Hope

Aghulas Point, southernmost point in Africa.

On the less positive side is the difference between the “European” side of Capetown and the townships, where the “coloreds” and “blacks” live. There is an economic divide that seems difficult to cross. But there is also optimism among South Africans since the end of apartheid about 20 years ago.

When we arrived back in Tanzania, we held a training in Morogoro before traveling to Mombasa, on the Kenya coast, where there is small Mennonite congregation just 3 years old.

Pastor Michael Lubingu of Morogoro Mennonite Church, and his mother,
 who gave land for the new Mt. of Olives Mennonite Church.

The temporary shelter for Mt. of Olives Mennonite Church,  a new congregation in the mountains above Morogoro.
 In the foreground is Genetha Rwangoga, lay pastor of the new congregation.

From there we passed through Nairobi and on to Kisumu for our last training of the trip. Now we are home, working on more study materials and “keeping the home fires burning.” We are grateful for the varied experiences we had, for the chance to see the beauty of the Tanzanian countryside, for the many committed people we met, and for safety in travel.

Elias Obuya, lay pastor of Mombasa Mennonite Church, outside the classroom where Sunday worship is held.

Mennonites in Southern Tanzania - Needs, Opportunities, Vision

Our recent travels have included three cities in southern Tanzania where there are Mennonite churches. From Tabora, we drove 365 miles (600 kms) south to Sumbawanga near Zambia. From Dodoma, we drove 365 miles south to Mbeya near Malawi. And from Dar es Salaam, we drove 365 miles south to Masasi near Mozambique. In each place, we traveled with diocese leaders who find it difficult to visit these areas because of the distance and expense. And in each place, we were invited to give a seminar to local leaders to begin a local program to train their congregational leaders in Bible knowledge and ministry skills, what we are calling “diocese-based TEE.”

The road to Sumbawanga. Average speed - 26 mph for 14 hours

We have been “on the road” since mid-January and have driven about 3,000 miles (5,000 kms) – on good roads, on bad roads, on new roads, on unfinished roads, and on “no roads.”  Fortunately, our vehicle has been dependable, although it has received some maintenance along the way. And we have traveled safely with no incidents in spite of the trucks, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, people and animals that we frequently encounter along the way. But our main focus has been on the churches and their leaders in those areas. Here are some of our observations.

1. In all three of these areas, the Mennonite presence did not begin with an evangelist coming to form a church, but by local persons who heard about the Mennonite faith and came to Mennonite leaders for more information. The leaders followed up with sending experienced pastors to help them get established, and Mennonite fellowships emerged. This is different from church expansion across northern Tanzania, where persons with Mennonite background moved to other cities for jobs and gathered together to form local churches.

Leaders in Mbeya study the materials they will teach others,
as in 2 Timothy 2:2.

2. Leaders of these churches are struggling to provide leadership and nurture. In most cases, the leaders have come from other denominations and are not well informed of Mennonite history, faith and practice. They are asking about “the Mennonite way” to baptize, marry, bury, and other practices. Most of them expressed feelings of being isolated from the larger church and feel neglected. We sensed a desire for relationship, and also for mentoring in ministry.

3. These churches are asking for partners to walk alongside them, including expatriate missionaries. We have discussed this with leaders of each of the dioceses represented and they are affirming the requests. From our perspective as missionaries, this is an opportunity for our churches to walk together in ways that will strengthen both the African churches and the American churches. The focus of the request is not on material resources, although there are many economic needs, but on walking and working together to strengthen God’s kingdom in both Africa and America. Churches in both places have much to offer in the way of spiritual and relational resources. The vision of the bishops is to place a local leader and a missionary who will form a ministry team to strengthen churches and mentor local leaders in these outlying areas. Pray for the conversations that will continue around this opportunity.

Bishop Stephen Mang'ana, Dar es Salaam, and the local
evangelist baptizing a new believer in a stream near Masasi.

We have seen a growing sense of mission among Tanzanian and Kenyan Mennonite leaders. In most of the Mennonite churches in East Africa, church growth was among people where the first missionaries began, from the Lake Victoria area. But in the recent areas we visited, most of the believers are local. Some of the bishops have asked for training in cross-cultural evangelism and church planting, because they have noted that “what works in Kisumu does not work in Mombasa.” Bishop Stephen Mang'ana, of Dar es Salaam, explained their vision to evangelize and start churches all along the East African coast, from Mombasa to Mozambique.

In Sumbawanga

The new Mennonite church being built, and already in use.
The former church is to the right, and is now used for the
church sponsored nursery school.

We have heard that Sumbawanga is a town in the Harry Potter series, but we did not go to that one. The real Sumbawanga is an energetic town in western Tanzania, but cut off from the rest of Tanzania by poor roads. Even the electric supply comes from neighboring Zambia, about 50 miles away.

The Mennonite church has been there since the early 1980’s, when a group of youth read church history and were impressed with the Mennonite story. They sent 2 of their group to Musoma, the central office of Tanzania Mennonite Church for more information. They returned with an endorsement from Bishop Hezekiah Sarya and organized themselves with an evangelist, treasurer, and secretary.

Founding Pastor John Sikazwe (left), Doris Sikazwe,
Pastor Gabriel Magwega, Tabora

 The evangelist, John Sikazwe, was later ordained pastor and provided leadership until his recent retirement. The Sumbawanga churches are part of Tabora Diocese, but Tabora is 365 miles away and visits are difficult because of the cost of travel.
We were in Sumbawanga nearly a week to provide training for holding their own leadership training program. They expressed a lot of interest in the insights gained from reading the gospels to learn what the Bible says about being disciples of Jesus, not just Christians in name. The other subject which was greatly appreciated was Mennonite history and faith, which they knew very little about.

Gloria meeting with the women.

Seminar participants getting practical experience in
group Bible study.

 We were enriched by their warm hospitality. Our visit was especially meaningful to them, since we were only the second visit by Mennonite missionaries in their 30 years, and there have been few visits by local Mennonite leaders. The earlier visit was by Harold and Christine Wenger in the 1990’s. We are also challenged by their commitment to learn and teach and to bring the gospel to villages that have no church.

Sumbawanga faces economic and educational challenges. There are few persons with leadership skills and training, but they do not lack vision. Our challenge is how to empower them and develop the capacity to meet the needs around them.

At the end of the seminar, the ladies presented us with a piece
of African cloth, to be used to make a shirt and dress .