Tanzania – Digging and Discovering with local pastors

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our hosts for the conference - the Cathedral church of Arusha

munguishi-logoMy first stop on the great GAFCON odyssey has been Munguishi Bible College in Arusha, Tanzania, the training college of the Diocese of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. The current principal is the Rev. Mike Taylor, serving through CMS Australia. Mike is a graduate of Moore Theological College in Sydney and came out originally in January 2010 as a lecturer. They welcomed us into their busy home and I am glad to report that Mike’s coffee machine is fully functioning.

taylors
Mike, Katie, and the kids

We spent three days teaching a course on Biblical exposition entitled “Dig and Discover” looking at principles that are familiar to many western evangelicals but not so much in developing countries. We had a great time with brothers and sisters who love the Lord – ministers in the Diocese and students from Munguishi. Here’s a few pictures…

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Where do you begin to write about Tanzania? It’s hard to get my head around the fact that I’m in the middle of Africa, but only a cursory glance around confirms the truth. Perhaps the first thing that strikes you is the relative material poverty. People exist with far less, not only in their individual lives but in terms of what is available to them all around. Infrastructure, apart from in the very centre of the city, is very poor. The roads are dirt tracks with no level surface, let alone a sealed one. There is electricity, when it’s on. And yet at the same time I’m writing this on a broadband connection through a 3G modem – and the data is far cheaper than in Australia. There are massive gaps in what people want to do and what they can do. Many many people have smart phones but hardly any have electricity in their homes to charge them up!

Nevertheless they’re a very happy people and it’s been great to be here. What has been an even bigger delight is to meet with Christians from another culture and language but with whom we share a common love – the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 7:9-10). It was a wonderful privilege to join up with Mike Taylor, Phil Wheeler (rector of Christ Church Gladesville) and Joshua Kuswadi (Priest in charge at St Peter’s Nightcliff, Darwin) and all our local brothers and sisters.

Today is a rest day and tomorrow I preach at college chapel. Monday morning we get a (very) early bus up from Arusha to Nairobi. Google maps says 3.5 hours but we all know the truth…


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Once in Nairobi, there’s all the joy of GAFCON!

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  1. Melissa

    Sorry David really distracted this week. Didn’t get around to checking in.

    Praying for the trip & preaching.

    God I’m sure has your trip covered and all your engagements.

    I have friends who were missionaries in Tanzinia. I keep the work of the Lord there in my prayers.

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