February 2015: We hope Bishop Sekelwa will be visiting Sunday the 22nd. We still need contributions for equipment to open the school and clinic: CAN YOU HELP?
JUNE 2012: Back safe and sound from a great 3 week mission that included a 2 day pastor's conference in Bujumbura, Burundi along with 2 baptisms at a mission in the mountains. In Tanzania we had a 3 day pastors, wives and church leaders conference attended by 100 people! The finishing touches are being put on our school and clinic building: Now we need to raise $15000 to equip them so that we can start changing and saving more lives. Let us know if you can help. Fund raising ideas?? We also presented 7 pastors with bicycles after service on Sunday at the Hill of Glory Cathedral in Mwanza. They were SOOO happy and grateful. You can make it happen for $100.
TZ Mission, Tanzania: UPDATE:DECEMBER 2011 - THE WELL IS COMPLETED, WE NEED EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES AND WE WILL BE 'READY TO ROLL'. JUNE 2012 MISSION TRIP TO BOTH MWANZA TANZANIA AND TO BUJUMBURA, BURUNDI - ANYTHING YOU CAN GIVE WILL HELP!
As of June 2011 the windows & doors are installed, walls plastered and floors finished in both the clinic and school buildings - now we need clean water (*see below how you can help)
After the International Convocation held in Orlando Florida in July 2008, the Holy Spirit put Bishop Charles Sekelwa and Fr. Drew Wales together and gave them a joint vision of mission work in Tanzania, Diocese of Lake Victoria (Hill of Glory Cathedral, Mwanza photo to the left) which included the building of primary school, a clinic and annual seminary classes for the more than 50 clergy of the diocese. On the face of things this seemed sort of silly given St. Michael's small size, but "with God, nothing is impossible."
In the two years since the vision was imparted, St. Michael's has had two mission teams visit the Mwanza Region of Tanzania, 3 of us went in June 2009 and 4 of us in July 2010. Working in conjunction with Cocoa Rotary, both the 3 large classroom school and the clinic building are now standing. They await the windows and doors that are currently being made in Mwanza and should be installed before the end of August 2010, "Bwana asifiwe" (Praise the Lord).
In addition to the original vision, each year we have distributed over 600 pair of reading glasses with a retail value of over $7000 and this year Cocoa Rotarians donated over 600 tooth brushes. We have also committed to provide bicycles for 50 pastors. A bicycle is a major form of transportation in Tanzania and is the difference sometimes between a two hour walk or a half hour ride. It may be the difference between getting someone to a clinic in time or not. We have purchased 15 bicycles to date. They cost $100 each and you can help by sending a check for ANY amount to St. Michael's C.E.C. and write "TZ bikes" on the memo line, 100% of your gift will go toward bicycles and it is tax deductible.
*This year we are also trying to raise the $3500 needed to drill a well that can provide potable water for both our school and clinic. If you want to help with the well, put "TZ well" on the memo line of your check. Dirty water is one of the top killers of children in Africa along with malaria. Tell your friends and groups you belong to that they can make a big difference! We have $1100 raised, only need $2400 more and we can drill!! This will allow the clinic & school to be ready to open - have to have clean water.
In the two years since the vision was imparted, St. Michael's has had two mission teams visit the Mwanza Region of Tanzania, 3 of us went in June 2009 and 4 of us in July 2010. Working in conjunction with Cocoa Rotary, both the 3 large classroom school and the clinic building are now standing. They await the windows and doors that are currently being made in Mwanza and should be installed before the end of August 2010, "Bwana asifiwe" (Praise the Lord).
In addition to the original vision, each year we have distributed over 600 pair of reading glasses with a retail value of over $7000 and this year Cocoa Rotarians donated over 600 tooth brushes. We have also committed to provide bicycles for 50 pastors. A bicycle is a major form of transportation in Tanzania and is the difference sometimes between a two hour walk or a half hour ride. It may be the difference between getting someone to a clinic in time or not. We have purchased 15 bicycles to date. They cost $100 each and you can help by sending a check for ANY amount to St. Michael's C.E.C. and write "TZ bikes" on the memo line, 100% of your gift will go toward bicycles and it is tax deductible.
*This year we are also trying to raise the $3500 needed to drill a well that can provide potable water for both our school and clinic. If you want to help with the well, put "TZ well" on the memo line of your check. Dirty water is one of the top killers of children in Africa along with malaria. Tell your friends and groups you belong to that they can make a big difference! We have $1100 raised, only need $2400 more and we can drill!! This will allow the clinic & school to be ready to open - have to have clean water.
Fr. Bill and Virginia Sharpe and the congregation of the Chapel of Divine Mercy, CEC, Deland are also a major part of this Mission work. Divine Mercy had provided funds for metal roofs for many of the new church buildings that we visited this summer. They also have contributed generously toward our travel and other expenses.
We are now praying and planning for TZ MISSION 2011. You can be an important part of it by praying regularly for the vision, direction, provision (funds needed) and who who should go next summer. You might be surprised what the Spirit leads you to do. You can ask Ed or Danielle or Marilyn or Susan - they were surprised when the Holy Spirit led them to go on mission and, as promised, they not only were a special blessing to about 2000 Tanzanians over a two week period, but were mightily blessed themselves.
(There are more photos on our photo gallery page.)
We are now praying and planning for TZ MISSION 2011. You can be an important part of it by praying regularly for the vision, direction, provision (funds needed) and who who should go next summer. You might be surprised what the Spirit leads you to do. You can ask Ed or Danielle or Marilyn or Susan - they were surprised when the Holy Spirit led them to go on mission and, as promised, they not only were a special blessing to about 2000 Tanzanians over a two week period, but were mightily blessed themselves.
(There are more photos on our photo gallery page.)
