Return Bwana Asifiwe!
"Bwana asifiwe!" (the Lord be praised) was a phrase that the team from New Life Church, Cardigan heard many times during their trip to Tanzania.
At the invitation of Bishop Nathaniel Mitachi, a group of eight people, led by pastors Doug and Janice Bell, travelled to Dar es Salaam in October 2008.
They were given a warm welcome by representatives of 13 churches but not everyone was so pleased to see them: in some places the posters advertising their meetings were torn down.
Tanzania is around 50% Muslim and there has been some talk of it
becoming an Islamic state. However, for the most part the Christian
and Muslim communities co-exist peacefully together.
The team was struck by the simplicity of the buildings in the villages and concerned when they were told that some people were being made homeless by "regeneration" of the towns.
Elaine Sharples, who chronicled the teams visit, was particularly moved by the plight of families decimated by AIDS
Worship was lively and joyous and the music was often led by groups called "kwayas" who, as Elaine puts it "sing music that resonates with Tanzanian culture and taste in a way that western hymns do not".
As they toured the area Doug, Janice and the team led many leaders' seminars and general meetings that ranged from 20 to 200 people.
They preached the Good News of Jesus Christ and many people responded: at one meeting three lines of people came forward for salvation. They prayed for healing and saw many amazing answers to their prayers. Elaine says that on such occasions they encouraged people to say "Asante Yesu" (thank you Jesus).
All in all it seems that, in seeking to serve the folk of Dar es Salaam, the team from Cardigan received great blessing and encouragement.
Elaine writes "We don't know in total how many were saved during the two weeks we were in Tanzania, nor how many people were healed, but nearly everyone we prayed for immediately testified that they were - lameness, strokes, torment, fear, blind eyes, deaf ears, fevers, heart problems, stomach problems, and bladder problems - we saw all these conditions healed in the name of Jesus." and she concludes: "We had the opportunity to live out the commission of Matthew 10:8, 'heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the leper, drive out demons.'"
What can I say but "Bwana asifiwe!" and cry, like Habakkuk, "I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our place make them known."
You can read Elaine's full account of the Tanzania visit by going to www.box.net/shared/o7eaze9e4a
Posted: Wed, 21/01/09