Beauty and Hardship in Morogoro, Tanzania

Our DML Global Summit ended on Saturday, and it was an incredible week.  It was a very full time and I am still processing some of the things that we heard together as a team in our prayer and reflection times.  So I will write more on this later, but we are so thankful that everyone arrived and departed safely, and for the precious unified fun, worshipful, strategic, and blessed time that we had together!

Morogoro, Tanzania is a very beautiful place, as you can see in the pictures.

Yesterday (Sunday), I went to visit one of the churches with whom DML is partnering (through the Full Victory Gospel Ministries).  It was about ninety minutes of driving straight into the bush...except there was no bush as everything was dry from the current drought.  Rains were supposed to start in October but as of November 6, there had been no rains yet.  Everything was very, very dry.

The place we visited is far off the main road and just two years ago, there was no road.  The road is mostly a sandy dirt path, and the cows that travel this road look very skinny.  The population has been growing and most people are doing some sort of agriculture.  The pastor of this church had the soil tested and is helping to show people to move away from growing maize and toward millet, sesame, and sunflowers, which grow better in the soil that they find there.  The borehole that was dug (going down 120 meters) is producing a good amount of water but it is salty and therefore cannot be used on the plants.  

Rain is needed.  Please pray with us for rain to fall so that the farmers don't miss one of two short planting seasons.

Today (Monday) we start a DML foundational workshop for 400 pastors and church leaders from various evangelical churches in the Morogoro area.  We thank God for this opportunity!

The church in the distance.

This water place is fed by the church's borehole and has brought peace to pastoralists in the area as they can have access to water.  It has also been used for baptisms!

To the right of the church, you can see where a new foundation is being laid for a bigger church as they are outgrowing this current church building.

Testimonies were heard of those who have given their lives to Christ since this church started three years ago.  Men who had multiple lives and were addicted to alcohol and drugs are now productive farmers, providing for their families.

Most people are living in mud homes.

I just can't get over how big baobab trees are!  They are humongous!  The oldest baobab tree was recorded to be 2500 years old!  Unfortunately many are dying now due to climate change.