Friday, September 23, 2011
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16).
We had an extra day since we moved the Moshi District seminar up to yesterday afternoon. Originally the Moshi District seminar was scheduled for today, but we moved it up to yesterday and saved costs on a hall rental and gained an extra day. We filled that extra day by going to visit Pastor Godson Mshana in the small village of Makanya. Mike and I met with Pastor Gondwe at 7:00am this morning and caught a bus to Makanya which is located halfway between Moshi and Tanga. We had planned to visit him on our way to Moshi from Tanga, but he was out of town that day, so it didn’t work out. This was a nice back-up plan.
It was a two and a half hour ride from Moshi to Makanya. We rode on a big bus which was more comfortable than most of the ones we have ridden this year. We hopped off the bus at a hole-in-the-wall market in what looked like the middle of nowhere. A few minutes later Sadiki met us and led us on a 10 minute walk to the church in Makanya. Pastor Mshana is in the process of building a 9 room hostel which he plans to use to support the school they are running and looking to expand.
He took us to see the school that the church is running. They have about 200 pre-school students ages 3-5. This is an area highly populated by Muslims and they are teaching Muslim children here as well. They teach Bible stories and Christian principles, so who knows what the Lord may work through this opportunity. Pastor Mshana’s wife is the head teacher and she is assisted by two other women. They would like to expand and build more classrooms and add more levels in the coming years, but funds are hindering them at this time. They have the land to build, so it is possible to build the that additional classrooms in the future.
Go to Pastor Gurath's blog to see some video of the children from the school here in Makanya. You can find them here: http://emmausmilimanimission.tumblr.com/
Pastor Mshana walked us around the village and introduced us to the teachers at the public school, at the hospital and clinic, and in the market. It was obvious that people in the village knew and respected him. For a small village in the middle of nowhere, this village had many conveniences which one would not expect like the school and hospital (with a doctor “in house”).
Following the tour of the village we came back to Pastor Mshana’s home and were served lunch. His wife and family were very gracious and hospitable, and Sidiki offered a wonderful heart-felt prayer for us and for the Lord’s work in Makanya and throughout East Africa. After lunch we had to say goodbye and catch another bus back to Moshi. It was a very worthwhile trip and very exciting to see how the Lord’s word is at work in this area of Tanzania! May the our Great High Priest bless their witness and confession!
In the service of Christ,
Nathanael
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