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Africa Mission 2010 Report .
Tanzania : 22nd August – 8th September
On 22nd August 2010, Pastor Jonathan, Chris, Michelle and Kirsty from Mosborough Elim Church, Sheffield, joined forces with a team of eighteen from Kingstanding Elim Church, Birmingham, on a mission to Tanzania, Africa. The aim of the 18 day mission was to deliver much needed aid and support to a number of projects across three locations in Tanzania whilst at the same time spreading the ’Good News’ of the message of salvation and hope in Jesus Christ.
The mission began in Tanga, a city located in the North East of the country where we delivered urgent aid of food, clothing and toys to the children of two orphanages. At both projects our arrival was met with overwhelming joy by both the project leaders and the children themselves, many of whom had lost their parents through HIV/ Aids and who were themselves HIV positive.
Tanga also provided many of the team with their first experience of a ‘crusade’, as we took part in a three day event, proclaiming the ‘Good News’ to the residents of a shanty town situated on the outskirts of the city. Each evening members of the team took to the platform to deliver their testimonies via a translator to the gathering crowd, which was followed by a teaching from the Bible.
The Tanga crusade itself proved an amazing success as the Lord moved in mighty ways, and over the course of the three days we experienced many salvations, healings and deliverances.
From Tanga the team headed West to Moshi, a city located at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain.
Moshi was to present the team with different challenges to those which were experienced in Tanga, as we were to assist in building work at a local church.
Building work at the church, which was situated in a run down backwater of Moshi, had already begun when we arrived to survey the task ahead. The humble corrugated walls and roof had already been erected and we were to partake in building a stage/ platform from rocks and boulders salvaged from the land of a neighbouring house, which were then to be covered in concrete.
Once the building materials had arrived, the team (with the help of church members and a visiting choir) went straight into action as we formed a human chain to move the tonnes of rocks, aggregate and sand to the site of the platform. The materials were moved and the platform was constructed in a single day, a task that could not have been achieved without Gods help and strength.
As with Tanga, the team also lead a crusade at the church in Moshi where we had undertook the building work. The crusade, which spanned two evenings again saw the Lord work in wonderful ways and we witnessed many more salvations, healings and deliverances.
From Moshi the team endured an arduous overnight journey southwards to Dar es Salaam where we boarded a ferry to the Island of Zanzibar.
Zanzibar is located some sixty miles east of mainland Tanzania in the Indian Ocean, and the change in culture is immediately recognisable from the moment you disembark at the Islands capital Stone Town.
Arabic script adorning the walls of the streets and Islamic prayer audible on every street corner throughout the day served as a timely reminder that our task of spreading the ‘Good News’ was going to be made decidedly more challenging in a place where Muslims outnumbered Christians by 99 to 1.The challenge became more apparent at our first visit to a local church when, as God’s Word was being preached, the sound from the volley of rocks and stones that rained down on the building served as a timely reminder of the hostility that the Christian minority have to face.
However, the resolve that was showed in that church only served to strengthen the faith in Jesus Christ of those inside and the show of unity was an enormous blessing for those who have to endure a similar experience week after week.
Our second church visit on Zanzibar took us to a remote rural location on the outskirts of Stone Town. The church, a simple structure of four wooden corner poles supporting a roof made from tree branches provided us with a further example of why we should be there supporting our Christian family. The only interruption to this service came when a local farmer decided to drive his cattle within twenty yards of the congregation as the local choir and dancers were performing a worship song. Truly Surreal!
Upon leaving Zanzibar for the journey home, we reflected on the huge success of the mission and team members recalled their individual highlights. Whether it was working with the children in the orphanages, providing practical support through building work or overcoming personal challenges to stand up and speak publically, we know that none of what we achieved could have been done without the immeasurable love, strength and grace of God.
And finally, Pastor Jonathan and the 2010 mission team at Mosborough Elim Church would like to thank everyone who supported the mission by contributing aid, finance and prayer. It was greatly appreciated by everyone.
Thank You!
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