Summary of visit

Composing this on the flight home so this is necessarily a preliminary and personal (Mervyn's) thoughts.  Later on I will combine with Don's and Margarets.
MBEYA
The word on us from the prayer meeting was "discerment and not to hold back from saying some hard words"
This indeed happened and we each discerned the same thing and said things that Jonathan must have found difficult to receive.  These were said in several different ways and at different times. The outcome eventually was very positive and we will elaborate further at a later time.
The accounts/business training went much further than I had hoped as Risiki's preparation and facility to learn was very high.
Bethel church is moving slowly towards being self sustaining if only it would stop Church Planting!! We met with 12 pastors who have or who are about to plant at Iringa, Morogoro and Dar and other places towards Malawi. Bethel tries to support the men at least in the short term.  Rented accomodation for living and meeting has moved to 6 months in advance minimum. This plus the capital for income generation, has become a critical issue. It has only just occurred to me that Jesus sent out several evangelists at a time but not singly.  Paul never went alone it seems (a simple pragmatic truth for them and us)

DHAGA
They are doing well but the extended facilities have not been completed.
They have a list of priorities:
Finish the 3 dorms.
Toilet block(s).  Currently one toilet for 200 people.
A field to grow food and to provide work for the teenagers.
A motor bike for emergency travel to hospital and income - noticed this time, motorbikes being used as taxis and goods carrying.
A freezer to facilitate a lollipop business for Mrs Forman!

Iringa and Morogoro
Still appreciative of Optan. Our fame has spread to other UK churches! They are thrilled at the number of computers we are shipping.
SSP's now called microfinance very much appreciated and going very well among hundreds of pastors with the Bishops and other leaders personally involved with their own loans.  Has become a vital ingredient in Church planting.  We need to learn from them about how to plant strategically and support embryo chuches well.
The next push at both places is to extend the scheme to "evangelists". There are three times as many of them!  These men are the key to Church growth and are paid nothing.

Dar es Salaam and the Pentecostal Connection
Phanuel and Sayuni who manage Optan for us in Tanzania are towers of strength and spiritual maturity.  If allowed they would have much to offer both our Newfrontiers friends at Mbeya  and our Anglican friends right through the country.   We find them so useful when cultural issues come up.

Phanuel has asked me to consider returning and if I can find someone else to share the work, to put on a "Church Administration including Finance" course at his Bible College (30 students) and then to the annual Pentecostal Pastors retreat (200+).   They believe that effective administration is a challenge to their denomination and churches and is something that they need in order to grow.   Daunting!   Any offers?

Don
Is firing on 6 cylinders about his visit. He will have much to impart  and I would like the next Blog to be his impressions of Tanzania from his first visit.  I expect it to be a long one!

Nearly the end
AJ picked us up and we are safely home.  I have now tidied up the blog,  removed all the silly errors (composing on a mobile is almost too much!)   Let me know if there are any left!

We will add a conclusion when we have reported to the Elders in a few weeks time having come down from the high of the visit.  I am expecting there to be much that will emerge over the next few months.

In my few words of swahili,
Asante sana.

Last night at Dar

So good being with th Shekiho family again although Phanuel was off attending his sick father in Arusha
Don helped shape Anna's CV and I set the family computer up for internet with the modem I bought for Riziki but which does not work at Mbeya.

Family prayers and to bed early for another 5.00 a.m trip to the airport tomorrow.


No - not Don preaching!

He is being frisked at the Airport prior to getting the flight to London.

At Morogoro

Bring picked up by Bishop Godfrey at 9.00 fot a quick meeting with him and Canon Himily to talk about details of microfinance scheme.
It brcame apparent that the microfinance schemes were more understandable whe we heard that the one he was doing himself - maize growing had yielded 30 bags og grain in drought conditions. Just enough to feed his family.  In a normal year he would expect 60 bags which would provide a surplus to sell and pay back thr losn and provide income for other things.
I didnt have time to chck the details but Bishop Godfrey keeps 150 chickens in a small building on a capital of only £176. They have not started laying yet.
Left Morogoro on the last leg of our journey back to Dar to see Phanuel and Sayuni again.
An uneventful journey.  The car was the best we had experienced. It was a modern Toyoto Landcruiser gifted to the bishop. By a departing ex-pat. Our driver said that all the vehicles had been donated in various ways.
Arrivef in Dar to meet only Sayuni as Phanuel was on the way to Leshoto to visit a sick father. Anna taken to hospital with malarial vomiting.  Thid is life in the Tropics

On the road to Morogoro and then Dar

Visited the Ruaha diocese farm on the border. Someone donated 100 acres of very fertile soil next to the river Ruaha. 

The project is to provide food for pastors and people in all their parishes.  Ruaha diocese centred at Iringa has a history of bad maize harvest with severe famine which follws a poor rainy season








 They have a very complex system of channelled irrigation and can grow three crops per year.  They have been advised to have half as banana and half cattle.  The bananas feed the cows and their manure feeds the banana.  The whole thing is aimed at a sustainable income production for the diocese.















 Caught in the mud and two hours later  we were met by the Morogoro driver and taken on there to spend the night.








Bishop Godfrey took us for dinner and we talked OpTan and SSP's.
Who said food was not good in Tanzania!
 I was presented with an analysis which showed the original capital is still being recycled amoung 76 pastors with some of them having completed one cycle, taking a second. They do seem to have a number of slow re-payers.  They also would like to extend the scheme to evangelists.
Problem - 500 of them.
Generally most people over here referr to the schemes as microfinance.
Brickhill is well respected in both Iringa and Morogoro as key players in these schemes.

We met a group of people over here from the UK who are putting on "Rooted in Jesus" which is a discipleship course translated into Swahili and dependent on memory verses.
As far as discipleship is concerned they have exactly the same problem as we do -   could well be worth looking at this course (English version)
The next day we again met Bishop Godfrey  and some of his co-workers.   Please pray for Leah his wife who has diabetes and a kidney complication which is proving both difficult and expensive.   She really needs to go to S. Africa or the UK for treatment.

So now on the road  to Dar in a very swish Toyota Landcruiser - the diocese vehicles have all been donated from UK visitors!

As we travelled through Mikuni national park   we caught glimpses of Antelope, Elephant and Giraffe

A techy note

I am now using "edge" which is fine on mobiles but just does not have what it takes (bandwidth) to run snything but the simplest PC programs. Mysteriously modems here are simless and use the full 3G service that some but not all networks are providing and not for mobiles with Sims.   So having chosen the wrong network in Dar where it worked,  I had to buy a new Zantel modem in Mbeya for Riziki.   I will leave the Tigo modem with Panuel and Sayuni in Dar where we have already proven its capability.

There is a huge demand for mobiles (any sort locked or unlocked). Bishop Joseph has asked me to get a battery for his mobile. It has a life of about 10 minutes. He asked if we could get mobiles for his impoverished pastors.
I think I will set up a recycling service and over a year we should be able to supply some of the need.

PS - reached Morogoro where the Tigo network on the mobile is full 3G  and my mobile can do emails again.



So  to sum up:
We carried to Tanzania 3 laptops like this and now they are fully internet capable and left with our main contacts over there at Mbeya and Dar. (One of them is destined for Phanuel's Bible School for Pentecostal pastors)

More at Iringa

AMANI CHRISTIAN TRAINING CENTRE

 Met Canon Laurant at Amani Christian Training Centre which combines a Bible school and vocational training. Saw "our" computer class at work. Impressed at carpentary class where most of students were deaf. Some of them remembered Margaret when we visited them at the school for the deaf 4 years ago





The centre is both a Bible School and a vocational training centre.

We have had a long association with Amani.  This is a computer class fitted out with computers  sent out there some years ago.

This is a class of mainly deaf carpenters in training.  All training is in Swahili/signing

Don had a fine time interacting with Chelsea supporters.   I understand this is a UK football team!


Canon Laurant also runs the "saccos" which is a regulated microfinancing charity they set up to with the money from Brickhill several years ago.  The capital is used to lend money to pastors to set up self sustaining businesses.   He reported that they had only lost one loan and that from a pastor who has left the Church.
They would like to extend the scheme to evangelists so quadrupling the capital needed.

You can see I am building up a shopping list for possible inclusion in Christmas Offering 2012.

CHURCH PLANTING


Saw some real Church planting 3 hours along a bumpy track. This requires much dedication by Jehosophat and Sarah who are our ace "saccos" users.   We all really admire the way church planting is strategically decided with their best men chosen. They have been sent to this place and are building a home and a very large Church. The diocese does not have the funds to complete either.

Margaret and Mervyn first met Jehoshphat and Sarah 4 years ago at IMAGE8  where we visited yesterday.   Because of his success there, in business and the church, Bishop Joseph has moved them here to start all over again.

 Above is the foundation of another 1000 seater Church and the Pastor's house.
They have a critical need to finish the house and to provide a water storage tank for rain collection as mains water has not yet arrived.
It's strange we get taken to unfinished projects!  The Bishop always says something like
" we are praying for....."    or will "you pray with us for...."

IRINGA

Wonderful tour round Neema crafts employing some 100 deaf or disabled people. They are a huge witness!    The Diocese has a School for the Deaf and many of the children are now part of this venture.   Together with disabled people they have become part of this craft workshop which makes and sells from the premises, paper, textile, wood, ceramic, jewellery items.    Much of the equipment was shipped out from the UK via OpTan.   Ben an Englishman who runs the centre told us that they  meet daily for prayer and encouragment open to all including Muslims.    They have seen some conversions.

For more information about Neema see:   www.neemacrafts.com

IMAGE8 Near Iringa

 Visited "Image8" a village last visited 4 years ago by Margaret and Mervyn. Saw the Church we had a hand in building and met Amos who reports now getting 80+.










Amos also runs a chamba including a bee hive thanks to a Brichill SSP donation years ago.

 Margaret sitting on the ladies side!
(small benches)

 Jackson (diocesan secretary) and Amos

M and M being nostalgic about "our Church"

MBEYA. winding up meeting

1. Very happy with accounts of Church and Mount Rungwe Plumbing.
   
2. Disappointed at chicken businesses they need restarted.  We left them with the challenge to put forward a business proposition of what it would take to
   
3. Some strong words said on the Farming God's Way plot, about the need to sell it and not to procrastinate and to turn the capital into new investments at Ndaga and associated with church planting in more rural areas.
   
4. Ended on a high note together praying and seeking the best way forward.

Last day at Mbeya

Arrived at Ndaga an orphange which has just happened through the concern and generosity of Pastor Forman and his wife Christine.   They gave up the ministry in order tocare for children.

Accompanied by gifts of food.

Food and firewood is often a problem.

We provided about 2 months worth of basic essentials at our visit

Pastor Foreman and Christine

They look after and feed 207 orphans ranging from babies up to teenagers who are now in training to be farmers.

50 orphans sleep in their home and the others are sleep with other people in the village

Part of our Christmas offering was used to build this dormitory  which they had designated for boys.

when the girls found out there was almost a riot!   They found other benefactors who provided some money which was used to build 2 dormitories for the girls
These girls are in the unfinished girls block.
It will take £3500 to complete all three of the dorms.








Lighting now installed to allow the children to study in the evenings (part of christmas offering.)

This was last years number one priority!

 



They have one toilet for all.

 Many of the children appeared sad!

Their future lies in becoming self sustaining.   This as a large field close to the orphanage which can be rented for £200 per season (3 seasons per year) or bought for £750.

Forman also wants a motor cycle (£1200) to enable them to quickly take sick children to hospital -  it would also provide a business - motor cycle "taxis" are commonplace in Tanzania.

Christine said she would like a freezer (£400) so that she could make a sell lollipops!

Day of progress

Comms Update

Having had a frustrating weekend, I find that Mbeya does not have full 3G but a very early version called "Edge" which is very slow, works tolerably well on mobiles but does not have the bandwidth for Mobile Broadband on the laptop.
So this morning I went native and caught a 20 full minibus to the city centre to the main Xantel office who confirmed my research and sold me a next generation modem which works very well.Apparently the same version will be made accessible to mobiles next month.   (Tanzania time)
So now we are up and running and can start the accounts training with RIZIKI and may even load some pictures when I have a 20 mins.

At Bethel Chuch

Most surprized to see the end stage of a complete remodelling of their main room which will extend seating capacity to 400+
Here  are a few of our pictures within the Church compound which is evolving and still needs much to complete.

Now has seating capacity for 400, real toilets, rooms to meet in and more rooms being built.

Planning regs!?

Don Preaching Nsubili Interpreting

We don't think this to be a prophetic statement!  Just Don  wielding the axe.

On the journey

Our good friend Bernice dropped us off at HR5in the middle of Thursday afternoon and we had a few hours spare and so we regaled Don with the history of OpTan and where we are now wth our SSB's. Spot on departure and now we are over the Sahara and sleep eludes me!
Arrived at Dar and met by Phanuel and Sayuni Skekihiyo who are both pastors. They look after the contsiner when it gets to Dar and organise the distribution.
Bought some local SIM cards to facilitate the training next week.
Found out that Sayuni has launched two village community banks.  These are the succesors of the SSP's that we started in some years ago.  These banks work like English credit unions but more directed towards income producing startups. The banks are government controlled.  We like the concept.
Found a chicken business expert! Sayuni's. sister
Just out for a meal at the Shekihiyo residence. Margaret is eager to see their school and church
Need to get in early because we are staying at a Carmalite Convent for the night and there is a curfew at 10.00. Suits us we didn't sleep last night.

Arrived in Tanzania

Well we arrived early Friday and spent
The day wth Phanuel and Sayuni. Some excellent relationship building, felloship and some excellent discusion on their village community bank (more later!)
Stayed overnight at a Carmalite convent the absolutely best SSB I have ever seen!
At 4.00 off to the airport for Mbeya.
Huge welcome from all Elders plus Rose.
Surprising changes to their building.
Unfinished but huge seating capacity.
Absymal failure in telecoms during the day and could not start the training.
Saw the plot at last! Some tough decisions ahead.
Beginning to understand stocking policy on plumbing parts.
Humbling time with church planting pastors. Prayed with some amazing men some of whom report success from position last year.

No pictures today because residual telecomms problem. Please send BTand Virgin Media over for a while.
Found out this morning the reason for the telecom problem. Looks as if we need to change over to Vodocom.


Now I have chance to add some pictures at last!

This is the unused plot that we bought several years ago for the purpose of establishing a "Farming Gods Way" model farm.   Soon afterwards the city authorities zoned the land for dwellings only, although herds of cows still free range over the area.  

 We came to the conclusion that this is "a buried talent" and not appropriate anyway for an urban church. Our recommendation after much discussion is that this plot is sold and the proceeds used for the provision of multiple plots associated with church planting in rural areas.  The elders are seriously praying about this.   Please pray that a way is opened to sell the land.  The process is subject to corruption!

This is the chicken farm at JK's house.   Unfortunately the first batch of chickens died from disease.  Afterwards they were advised that they needed to build up the flock more slowly and gain experience.




As I mentioned originally in the blog  the chickens look rather like turkeys!   They then bought turkeys who are free ranging and reputedly have much better disease resistance.
There are some chickens which are laying and as a "starter" at our meal we had two hard boiled eggs each!

Container 44 on its way

Operation Tanzania - a ministry of Brickhill Baptist Church

Container 44 left Bedford last Saturday,  Sept 8th.  It contains educational supplies, medical items, clothing,  refurbished computers  and items for job creation.  These goods will be distributed to our  Church contacts, schools and clinics in the South Eastern area of Tanzania.    Every box on the container is sent to a specific location and we  receive back confirmation that they have been received.   The purpose of these donations is to relieve poverty  especially of the church Pastors, those in training for evangelism, and the schools and clinics that are part of their ministry.

Part of our visit will be to contact some of the recipients to confirm the usefulness of what is being sent.
We will also be visiting "self supporting businesses" that have been established in several places through our Operation Tanzania contacts.

A video clip and some pictures of our people enjoying themselves as they pack the container

Purpose of the visit to Tanzania

• Build relationships with leaders at Bethel Church,Mbeya.
  
• Build relationships with fellow workers in "Operation Tanzania".
  For more information about Operation Tanzania a ministry of Brickhill Baptist Church, Bedford see:
  http://brickhillbaptistchurch.org/what-we-do/operation-tanzania
  
  
• Review 2011 projects and "Self Sustaining Business" investments and start considering how to extend into 2012/13 projects.
  
• Train Riziki Mwakapugi in accounts and project management for the Church and businesses. 

Some Preparation for the visit

 This is one of 3 laptops we are hand carrying to give to our key contacts in Tanzania.   Part of the visit is to train in accounts using an application developed specially for the purpose.   This application will produce accounts for the Church, businesses we have invested in, and projects that are continuing.

The first thing we do on arriving at Dar airport will be to meet a  ZANTEL representative who will sell us a modem so that this computer can have mobile broadband  for use during the training (and afterwards of course).  Up to now most of our contacts have used  internet cafés  to send emails.  Please pray we get enough mains electricity to charge up the laptop battery during our visit.