Christina's baptism...

This area was not one we planned to visit.  A group had been near that area the previous year, but by Gods grace we were directed to this location and were fortunate to meet Christina

Christina appeared to be in her 80's and blind. She waited by her hut for the truck  to take her to church. She had been  invited by a neighbor who is a member of the congregation. Her husband named Daudi  was a Muslim. He came home a few weeks earlier and told  her he had been baptized as a Christian, she cried because she wanted to be baptized.

When she heard that a  US team was in the area going to homes and baptizing she was unable to walk to find us . Her neighbor knew we were coming to the church service and asked for the van to come and pick up Christina. The church was so crowded we could hardly walk through the aisle but she was led to the front and when the invitation for baptism, she was the first in line to be baptized to join the family of believers and have her sins washed away.

The average life expectancy in Tanzania is 49, God blessed us with this opportunity.

There are more Christina’s out there waiting for someone to share the gospel message.  Come join us on our trip in may 2012

Contact

Bob Allen

208 Peachtree St

White house,tn  37188

615-672-0923

rjallen@prodigy.net

Finding significance in service

I attended a conference in 2010 and heard something that called my name. Bob Allen was making a presentation about the need for teachers and other lay people to go to Tanzania to teach ESL (English as a Secondary Language) or other subjects such as Math, Science, Home Economics etc. Retired people are excellent candidates for this adventure  to stay one week, one month, one year....or anytime in between. Age is no barrier.

As  a commissioned LCMS lay minister and former  ESL teacher in Japan, Slovakia and the United States,  I retired to Arkansas and was  widowed. Was this for me ?  I found Bob to start the discussion leading to one of the most meaningful volunteer activities of my life. I went to Mwadui Lutheran Secondary School  in Tanzania for one month in May of 2011. The students were polite and eager to learn. They were the liveliest during chapel. All classes are taught in English with the exception of Swahili. What more could a teacher ask?  I thought I had died and gone to teacher heaven.  Not only did I feel I did a lot of good during the month, I made many friends. My lodging was adequate and I was completely safe. At the end of my adventure, I joined the mission group from the US for several  days of village evangelizing and a safari adding to my memories of a lifetime.

If you do this and do not come away feeling that it was one of the most meaningful activities of your life, I will gladly buy you dinner.

Bob Oetetel(third from right)

Interested in learning more. Contact us:

Bob Allen

615-672-7438
rjallen@prodigy.net

Deacon Robert Oettel
robertoettel@hotmail.com

Rev. Yohana Nzelu, Principal,
Mwadui Lutheran Secondary School
e-mail:  yohananzelu@yahoo.com

Tanzania: 1000 baptized among the Sukuma

Mwanza, Tanzania: The Evangelical Lutheran  Church in Tanzania (ELCT) is well established

in urban centers but in the  arid lands around Lake Victoria, many—if not most—of the Sukuma

people have yet  to hear the name of  Jesus Christ. The East  of Lake Victoria Diocese (ELVD) of the

ELCT is intentionally reaching out to this large people group  and has invited friends and partners to walk

with them in this work.

In June the Trump Family traveled to Mwanza where we met up with a small team led by Bob Allen of the LCMS’s Mid- South District. An excellent partner in mission,  Bob was open to serving however the ELVD requested. When he first came some years ago, they asked him to do door-to-door evangelism among the Sukuma.

While Krista and Josiah remained in Mwanza Town, Shauen traveled with the team as they

broke into groups of two or three with local guides, translators, and evangelists

and set out into the villages. Shauen shared the Gospel Story with small gatherings, visited with people who had never been to church or had fallen away, and prayed  over an alcoholic in his home.

Shauen’s group even walk to the edge of the village to try and witness to the witchdoctor!  The witchdoctor wasn’t home  at the time (as is often the case when Christian Missionaries are around) but

Shauen spoke to his household, emphasizing the former clarity mankind had in speaking with God in the

Garden of Eden, how that was lost, how the damage was repaired through one sacrifice for all time and all people, and how God clearly speaks to us today through His Word. Those hearing the message were hesitant to act without their head of household present but they requested an evangelist visit them again!

After door-to-door visits in the mornings, the afternoons often featured a gathering at the church to share the message one more time. In one village, even after 150 people had been baptized in their homes, Shauen was asked to preach outside the church and following the message dozens more came forward seeking baptism! 

In one week of door-to-door evangelism

and open-air preaching,  over 1,000 Sukuma people were called to Christ  and regenerated in the

waters of baptism!  Praise the Lord for His work among the Sukuma!

Come join us in 2012