I have just returned from a field trip in Tanzania where I visited Dar es Salaam, Bariadi, Mwanza, Kigoma, Zanzibar and Pemba. The trip was long overdue for our Missions Training Program and I was strongly compelled to go, even though some of the needful things were wanting. I’m glad I obeyed because it was by far one of the greatest trips we have done in Tanzania years after the launch of the Swahili version of the Live School in 2012 and subsequent trips to the country thereafter.
We had orientation meetings with pastors in Dar es Salaam, Ilala and Kigamboni areas, with a total of 146 pastors and leaders, before proceeding to Mwanza and ultimately Bariadi. We then made our way up to the Western town of Kigoma which is considered the gateway of Islam into the mainland. Kigoma is of great significance to both the world of Christianity and early explorers. Among its many districts is Ujiji where Henry Morton Stanley met Dr David Livingstone in 1872. On the waters of Lake Tanganyika in the region is also one of the world’s oldest German Cargo and Passenger ships, MV Liemba; back in Dar es Salaam still offering a life line in trade and passenger transport.
We conducted a Live School Facilitators Training for Pastors in Nyarubanda, some 20+ kilometers from the border with Burundi. Eight churches are due to launch their own Mission Training Schools using the Live School. The road trip from Mwanza to Kigoma was the worst of ideas due to the condition of the road, on which sections are currently under construction. My colleague Bishop Philemon, fell ill and we rerouted our return flight from Mwanza to Kigoma, for Dar es Salaam. From Dar es Salaam we headed to Zanzibar and flew to Pemba for the last orientation meeting on the Live School before coming back to Zanzibar’s Ugunja for the last of the Facilitators Training to start some seven Mission Schools.
My health gave up on me, but God healed me and I was able to do the Covid test and travel back home on the 27th of July. Looking at what God has done, I’m excited by the potential increase and release of labourers that is likely to take place in the country. The preliminary evaluation report on the meetings and training, records 146 pastors and leaders committing to train some 1564 missionaries and church planters. 17 of the needed 146 Schools are already on the ground for Nyarubanda, Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. My team is currently working on the requests and we have set October as a month for Facilitator Trainings in Dar es Salaam and Bariadi while working to have the Pemba training done before then.
While in Zanzibar I met with one of the Live School Facilitators who at the launch in 2012, had indicated on the wall map we had that he had a vision for Zanzibar; finding his work in both Zanzibar and Pemba was one of the most encouraging encounters and reality of God’s faithfulness. Another Live School graduate from Nigeria responded to the call to be a missionary in Tanzania with his wife and their two little children. God has given them amazing favors with the Church of Tanzania and they were key allies during this trip. They will be starting their own school as well to prepare their team members and the church in general.
We are grateful for what God is doing and as a region, request you to pray with us for partners to help us get the job done; not only in Tanzania, but all the other countries in the region. We would also appreciate it if you could help us connect with people or ministries that may be interested in partnering with us.
Shalom