Memories of the Tanzania Trip - Fall, 2002
The AIDS crisis in Africa has been particularly grievous for the young people of Africa. One of the participating groups in the convention was the Cathedral youth choir. They sang a very emotional song for us about AIDS, which brought them to their knees in repentance and prayer, a prayer that the Bishop translated for us and then asked them to sing again.
It goes:
"We have done a lot of wrong things before you, God.
We ask you, God, for forgiveness.
HIV/AIDS is a very bad disease
How can we get out of this?
Humbly we are coming before you, Lord.
We are praying for Tanzania and Africa
Please, please keep us from this dangerous disease.
Where should we run
We should take refuge in Jesus."
The women of Tanzania also face serious problems –
- The loss of husbands, family, friends to AIDS,
- Intense pressure from their mothers and aunts to suffer the mutilation that is called female circumcision – another topic covered in graphic detail at the convention,
- Traditions that prevent them from owning property or land.
- Heavy responsibilities as homemakers, responsibility not only for bearing children and feeding and caring for the household, but also for raising much of the food for the household, and producing a little extra to sell to cover necessary household expenses.
I can well imagine them wondering "How have I grieved the Lord!"
I was amazed to see at each house I visited, and even at our Lutheran
secondary school at Aya, cows housed in a simple shelters, chickens running
around the compound looking for tasty morsels, and goats everywhere, tended by
the young boys and finding nourishment in the dry grass and thorny shrubs. In a
society where church workers may be paid as little as $40/mo, and then don’t
always get paid, their gardens and animals are absolutely essential. And they
are very aware of how much they depend on God’s blessings for their
sustenance.
This awareness of their dependence on God was reflected in the joy with which
they sang and danced at the convention. Choirs from each of the districts
performed for us. To get to the convention they had to walk or take the bus over
very rough and dusty roads. And also in their prayers. Before each woman spoke,
even when just introducing herself, she exclaimed "Bwana Asifiwe!"
(The Lord be praised!) and the women responded "Amen!"
The people of the church of Tanzania are filled with faith in God’s grace,
and are very skilled at spontaneous prayer. Pastor Sarah Oforo, pastor of
Chamwino/Ihumwa Parish, spoke at the convention on the serious topic of AIDS.
Although I could not understand her Swahili it was obvious that she was a gifted
preacher who could rouse the emotions of her listeners. I surmised, from what my
translator was telling me, that she was railing against the ungodly behaviors
that lead to the spread of AIDS. And then she called on the congregation of
women to join her in 
spontaneous prayers of repentance asking for God’s
guidance. And then as her voice and her arms rose in prayer, each woman added
her voice of supplication, the volume rising ever higher and higher for a minute
or so. And then as Pastor Anna’s voice tapered down and she lowered her arms,
each women finished her petitions and the communal prayer came to a close. It
was truly the most awesome prayer I have ever witnessed.
In closing I would invite you to get to know your Tanzania brothers and
sisters in Christ. . A visit to Dodoma is a life-changing event. They need our
prayers of support, as well as our financial contributions. Our synod is
gathering funds for emergency salary support for Pastors and Evangelists of the
Dodoma Diocese, who are not always receiving their salaries because of the
poverty of the people. We are also gathering funds for scholarships for students
to go to Aya Lutheran Secondary School. These funds are absolutely essential to
provide secondary school opportunities for the children of the pastors and
evangelists of Dodoma. Going to Aya School provides and excellent education and
protects these young people from the immoral influences they may be subjected to
in the city schools. The Tanzanian Women’s Project, "Empowerment of
Marginalized Women in Dodoma", sponsored by Lutheran World Relief, is being
supported by our Synodical Organization. An offering to any of these projects
can be placed in your congregation’s offering plate.
Bwana Jesu Asfiwe! (The Lord Jesus be praised!)
Kris Johnson