Introducing... Haus

With gratitude to the Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod of the ELCA who is sponsoring the refurbishment of the vehicle, we would like to introduce you to our new Land Cruiser, Haus. Haus (recently named) is going to keep us safe as we travel on those secondary and tertiary roads out into the bush to make home-visits. A little different than what pastor's generally drive back in the states. Thank you Ark-Oak!

Tanzanian Holy Week

Bishop Mameo and Pastor Josh on Easter Morning

Alhamisi Kuu

This year, for Holy Week, we attended Bungo Cathedral—the flagship church of the Morogoro Diocese in downtown Morogoro. Throughout our time here in Tanzania we have mostly moved from church to church each Sunday, trying to worship in many different places in order to meet different people and get a feel for the various regions within the diocese. For this Holiest Week of the year, however, we decided to attend all the services offered at one location—to see and feel the entire worship experience that a person has during a Tanzanian Holy Week. We attended Maundy Thursday (Alhamisi Kuu), Good Friday (Ijumaa Kuu), Easter Sunday (Jumapili ya Pasaka) and Easter Monday (Jumatatu ya Pasaka).
Alhamisi Kuu was a very festive, three hour communion service which began at 5:00 PM, and of course commemorated the “Last Supper” which Jesus spent with his disciples the day before his crucifixion and death. It was for this service that I was invited to preach my very first full-length sermon in the Swahili language. This will be quite a special memory for me personally, considering the work put into language learning since September. Although I still can’t understand everything that people say in Swahili, I believe the sermon went quite well, that people could understand what I was saying and that they found the message useful. I thought it was thematically appropriate to have an visiting/foreigner as preacher on the day when we celebrate communion (unity in the community of Christ).

Ijumaa Kuu

Ijumaa Kuu—Good Friday-the day of Christ’s crucifixion, we were surprised to see, was nearly as big of a day as Easter Sunday-with almost the same number of people in attendance. It was definitely the most elaborate of the services as there were many happenings throughout. In addition to the sermon, hymn singing and the customary choirs (all three of them sang at all of the worship services), there was additional young childrens' choir, who sang and then individually recited from memory verses from the Passion story in an enthusiastic way. There were also two dramas presented (one which included the children) discussing the spiritual significance of Christ’s death at the hands of sinners, for the sake of sinners. This service lasted 3 and half hours. The majority of the Tanzanians wore black to signify mourning, but they just couldn't keep from dancing.

Pasaka

"Kristo amefufuka!"
"Amefufuka kweli Kweli! Alleluia! Amen!!"
This little tongue twister is the familiar words of Easter Sunday—
"Christ is risen!"
"He is risen indeed! Alleluia!" Amen!
-as spoken in the Swahili language here in Tanzania.

On Siku ya Pasaka—the day of Easter—there were two wonderful two–hour worship services with the Bishop of the Diocese delivering the sermon. The Choirs, who had (tried) to tone down their dancing for Good Friday, were back in force. On a bit of a sad note (for someone from the Church in America), there were no horns for Easter Sunday, so I must admit we did miss the brass. The children were back again, impressively calling out there verses from the resurrection story. Both services were well attended. Afterward, Susie went with Barbara (another American missionary) to have a traditional American pancake breakfast, while I stayed and had beef and cooked bananas with the bishop. I'm not sure who got the better deal, but it was a happy Easter!

Jumatatu ya Pasaka

Finally, on Jumatatu ya Pasaka—Easter Monday—there was yet another worship service dedicated especially to baptisms. Again I was asked to help with pastoral duties and wound up baptizing nine children. This was also a joy-filled worship service. It felt like a continuation of the festivity of Sunday. It lasted 2 and a half hours.
So, in summary, after nearly 14 hours of worship, we admittedly were ready for Tuesday’s rest. Yet, we were impressed and touched by the Holy Week experience at Bungo Cathedral in Morogoro. It was good, as it always is, to walk through the story of Christ’s passion and resurrection—to reflect upon the great truths of life and death, sin and forgiveness. It was neat to see how this culture celebrates in unity with the whole church in heaven and on earth.
From here in Tanzania, we wish you the hope of the resurrection: may God bring renewal into your life, today and always. Amemfufuka! Amen!