Maasai gifts in Msita wa Tembo

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice (Philippians 4:4).

This is our last day in Moshi.  While there have been plenty of challenges and struggles to deal with while we have been here, we have really enjoyed our accommodations.  The people here are very kind and eager to help, and we have gotten to know many of them by name.  The beds have been comfortable, the shower has been hot (usually), and the food has been great!  So we glad to be moving on to Arusha for the next stage of our work, but we are going to miss our lodging place!

This morning I had a meeting with two of the pastors of the Moshi district to discuss some matters that have come up in the course of my stay here.  It was a difficult situation, but it was necessary to work toward resolving an issue among some of our pastors.  After that meeting I visited the local Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania.  They have a large church and administration offices right here in Moshi.  This is a liberal Lutheran Church body, much like the ELCA is the States, although the ELCT churches are not happy with some of the recent decisions in the ELCA.  I wanted to do some checking on pastors in the ELCT, locations of their churches and ask some other research questions as well.  The people that I met with were very friendly and helpful in answering my questions.  

After my research safari, I met up with Mike and Russ and we rode out to one of our churches in Msita wa tembo with Pastor Malyi.  It was about a two hour ride through the sugar cane field south of Moshi and into the desert sands at the foot of a small mountain range.  It was quite a change in scenery!  From rich and plentiful land growing bountiful harvests of sugar cane, to dry barren land that nothing but scrub brush can grow in!  It was here in this barren wasteland that we found Pastor Mollel’s Maasai congregation waiting for us and singing hymns of rejoicing.  

The members of the church in Msita wa tembo.

We were ushered to the front of the church building constructed with stick as the congregation continued their singing.  They had two choirs - a youth choir and an adult choir and they took turns singing their hymns of praise.  We were introduced to the church leaders, and were given gifts from the congregation in appreciation of our coming.  Russ, Mike, Pastor Malyi and I each received a hand made bead cross necklace.  They also gave me a Maasai robe which they tied around me.   We were then given an opportunity to greet and share the word with the congregation.  Russ did his Jonah presentation, and I again addressed the congregation from the book of Romans.  I asked questions to determine the understanding of the people, and I was impressed by their responses on basic Bible doctrines.  They were very alert and receptive throughout our speaking, nodding their heads in response and appreciation.

Pastor Gurath sports his Maasai cross necklace.

After a few more hymns and the benediction, we were ushered to the sacristy where lunch was served.  There was cabbage, rice, soup, meat, tea, coffee, water and peanuts.  It was a good meal, but my favorite part was probably the peanuts!  All the while the congregation continued singing different songs of praise in Swahili and in the Maasai tongue.  What an amazing thing to see these people who have almost nothing rejoice in the greatest gift of all - salvation through Jesus Christ!

I visit with Pastor Mollel and Pastor Malyi in my Maasai robe following the service.

We had a long trip back after the service and it was evening by the time we arrived in Moshi.  We ran a few errands on our way back to the hotel, and packed our things, ready to leave tomorrow morning.  A new adventure begins tomorrow....

In the service of Christ,

Nathanael