This trip taught me to trust God and depend on Him

After more than three years of communicating and praying – and with the support of almost 50 different people, agencies and organizations – my mom and I were humbled to experience the movement of the Holy Spirit in Biharamulo, Tanzania for two intense weeks last spring.

We were treated as family when we arrived. We ate local food: meat, watermelon and egg fries (chips mayai), our favourite. We developed authentic, lasting relationships with clergy and laity, young and old. There were deep discussions, jokes and laughter. We took two suitcases of school and medical supplies to give to our host, courtesy of so many of our sponsors, family and friends.

During our time in Tanzania, we participated in the Diocese of Biharamulo’s Mothers’ Union conference with 650 attendees, and we coordinated and led the Buseresere Deanery youth conference with 300 attendees.

We were blessed to witness the presence of the Holy Spirit at the Mothers’ Union conference. There was a joy, energy and vibrancy that we do not always see in our Canadian churches. There was a lot of music and dancing. Women’s ministry in the Diocese of Biharamulo is vibrant, with lay canons and evangelists. They were inspirational and passionate, and they preached from the heart. We saw the Holy Spirit moving like wildfire in the hearts and lives of the people there. During my curacy, I hope to improve my skills as a preacher so I can feel free to share the Word as passionately as they do.

We attended a presentation about church entrepreneur ministry initiated by the mothers and bank partnerships, and we listened to some great choirs. We taught them an English contemporary chorus, and our new friends translated it into Kiswahili for the group to sing together. An Australian missionary assisted with our presentation and helped to adapt it to the local culture.

At the youth conference, people came to encounter God’s love and experience His transformative power in leading and helping the community place Christ at the centre of their lives. One of the diocese’s goals for the next three years is to establish vocational training centres for youth and children. The focus scripture was 1 Peter 5:5-11. There were prayers, games, discussions, music, dancing, storytelling and a sermon. The conference ended with Jesus’ example of humility: foot washing. Everyone washed and had their foot washed in groups of 12. It was a powerful experience of the movement of the Spirit.

During both conferences, I encouraged my mom’s vocation of storytelling and sharing. My mom presented “The Essentials of the Gospel,” which was well received by youth and adults.

We were also present for the diocese’s eighth anniversary service, where we gave a small token of a Cast the Net ceramic tile from the Diocese of Toronto. The outstanding part of the service was when the bishop asked a few of the young people to pray for him. I was surprised to feel and experience the tenacity, determination and creativity as the Spirit moves in the Diocese of Biharamulo, which has doubled in size and grown to 150 churches, 30 parishes and eight deaneries in eight years. It is one of the fastest growing dioceses in the Anglican Communion. Its goal for the next three years is to plant 20 new parishes and three new deaneries. Imagine if the Diocese of Toronto could realize even half of that goal!

We celebrated our national holiday by sharing chocolate, notebooks, pencils, flags and pins with students at a school in Chato district, and they shared their school history, mandate, dances and a skit. I preached at an evening service and was gifted with handmade fabric and dinner. The believers give generously out of their limited capacity.

Throughout our visit, we saw an incredible dedication and passion for ministry. The secretary general, who assists the bishop and was our host, is currently unpaid. During our time there, he worked tirelessly for the diocese and deanery and in supporting us in ministry. We celebrated his birthday and had a drink to praise God for working in him and through him in bringing the kingdom of God to the Diocese of Biharamulo. He said that we left a lasting impact with our questions, presentations and sermons.

The believers in the Anglican Church in Tanzania have an amazing love for the Lord, yet they lack many of the resources we take for granted. Water infrastructure is vital. Lifespans are short due to poverty, hard lives and a lack of medicine and vaccines. Seventy per cent of the population is under the age of 30. One of the pastors who hosted us contracted malaria the week we left. My mom and I had the privilege of taking a daily antiviral medication so that we didn’t contract any major illnesses, but that is not their reality.

This trip taught me to trust God and depend on Him. God granted us safety, strengthened us for ministry and gave us the grace and anointing to do what we were called to do. The whole experience was a learning opportunity from start to finish – planning, preparation, logistics, schedules, accommodations, transportation, expectations, risk, patience and purpose. It opened our eyes to a whole different world. It was a great occasion to see how God is moving in the newest diocese in the Communion, especially through women and young people. My mom and I both returned with a renewed sense of mission. Living missionally is about discerning and joining God’s work in the world to be a witness to God’s kingdom on earth. This trip confirmed that as a child of God, my calling is to inspire people to become closer to God as an eyewitness and representative of the endless, impactful and active Good News.

We also gained a deeper understanding of global needs and an appreciation of God’s mission in Tanzania as we encouraged and supported diocesan and lay leaders. We continue to communicate with the leaders in the Diocese of Biharamulo. My mom and I meet weekly online with a few of the leaders to pray for our dioceses. They have a wish list of what they hope and pray for their diocese. There are many practical ways to help and encourage them – please let me know if you would like more information or to join us in prayer for this diocese. We look forward to seeing how and where the Lord will lead.