Preview on Visit to Tanzania 2009

DUFFIELD PARISH MAGAZINE 2009

Hope for Tanzania is a charity which was started in 2008 by Martin and Philippa Grosvenor of St Alkmund's Church. In the next edition of the parish magazine I will write about why we set it up - it's an interesting story about how God involved himself in our lives. But it has now reached the stage where we would like other people to catch the vision and experience how God can use them in his work. So this summer (August/September) a group of us are going over to Arusha in Tanzania for periods of up to 4 weeks. During that time we will be doing a lot of different activities.

Provided that we find the funds, we will assist in building the last remaining classroom that the primary school needs (for Year 7). One of the team - Kim Jeffery is aiming to use his carpentry skills to make shelving and tables. We're helping, not because the Tanzanians can't do the work but so that we can encourage them and show them that we care for them. It is one way to support each other in our joint partnership. We will also help the school children and teachers to improve their English by reading books and talking with them. On a previous visit we taught the school how to play new games, like rounders and volleyball. We intend to continue that training and to make contacts with other schools to try and kick-start inter-school competitions. One of the team is learning how to use a sketch board to tell stories and we hope to be able to use that to teach the children about how to become disciples of Jesus.

Away from the school we will be meeting and talking to a lot of people to learn more about them, to build friendships and to get new ideas for how we can help in the future. We expect to have opportunities to preach about Jesus (perhaps with translation into Swahili), to share God's love with individuals and in small groups and to accompany a Tanzanian evangelist in one of her missions. We will be spending time with Simon & Laura Walton in Dar es Salaam to encourage them and find out about the new work they are involved in there.

Why are we doing this? Not because we are good people or that we want any reward from anyone. Simply because God has given us so much, has loved us with an intensity which is without parallel and the desire in our hearts to share his love with very poor and needy people in practical ways. We know that our lives will be greatly enriched by what we see and do, since God is no man's debtor, and that he will pour out his grace and love on to us and others.