St. John's - Tanzania Connections

Our ties to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania go back to Mission Festival 1996 when Pastor Elias Kitoi Nasari was our guest preacher. Pastor Elias came to our Greater Milwaukee Synod in 2003 to serve as a missionary and guest pastor. He joined our staff for the 2004-2005 year as half-time pastor, and half-time missionary throughout our synod. (He now serves as a pastor of our ELCA at Galilee Lutheran/Pewaukee.)

The Meru Diocese of Tanzania is a companion-synod to our Greater Milwaukee Synod. Many relationships and partnerships in ministry have developed over the years. The Lutheran church is growing rapidly in Tanzania, and both we and they are enriched by getting to know each other and working together.

Ulong'a Parish is our sister parish in the Meru Diocese. It's located on the western slopes of Mt. Meru and consists mostly of small subsistence farmers who grow coffee, corn, and beans. We plan to send a delegation from St. John's to visit there in July 2008. A portion of our Sharing God's Blessings appeal gifts are going to help the people at Ulong'a with school tuition, emergency food needs, and perhaps a small building project.

We also support a missionary family in Tanzania. Steve and Bethany Friberg.

Hunger Relief for the Meru Diocese in Tanzania

Give thanks and “Share God’s Blessings” in this time of need. For $3/week, you can provide food for one person during the severe drought in northern Tanzania. For $200, you could feed a family of 5 for 3 months.

Mark any offerings with the “special” box on your offering envelope or use an envelope labeled “Meru Hunger.” For more information visit the Partners in Ministry Web page.

Letter and report from Dr. Steve and Beth Friberg in Tanzania

Dear Friends - Greetings from Tanzania, 

We want our supporting congregations to know that our area is experiencing one of the worst droughts on record.  Fortunately, the government is distributing maize every few months to every family.  Just to keep you informed of our work, we are attaching a brief report with some photos.  This is not a request for assistance, but a thank you for supporting us and allowing us to be here.  We do have famine relief funding through December.   

Please pray that rain will come and relieve people, livestock, wild animals, and the parched environment.

The Maasai always say, Eti Enkai.  God is.    It is amazing how trouble forces us to rely on God.  We know God is and that he will act. 

 Steve and Bethany Friberg

 

 

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