School's Out for the Summer!

While summer vacation being around Christmas time has taken some getting used to, school has been out since mid-December and will resume later this month. I teach at a nursery school, which means students may attend for two or three years before moving on to primary school. Fortunately, many of the students and I will be able to pick up where we left off when the new school year begins.


However, ten students in my class celebrated their graduation in December. Parents were invited to our classroom for a program where the students sang, told stories and riddles, and showed off their English skills. After the program, we celebrated in typical Tanzanian fashion – by eating rice! It was a great day to celebrate the accomplishments of these students.

Ordinations Celebrated in Parakuyo

On Sunday, November 21st,the Diocese of Morogoro celebrated the ordination of three new pastors. The ordination service took place in Parakuyo, a prominent Masai village located 50 kilometers to the west the city of Morogoro. Many, many people, both pastors (pictured above) and laity (below), came out to support the new, young clergy with prayers and gifts.


For the first time in the history of the Diocese, all three of the ordinands this year come from Masai (the predominant pastoralist tribe of East Africa) communities. Two of them will begin their pastoral work in the mission district-working in the churches amongst the Masai.

These three new pastors, Moses Simanga, Mliga Mberesero and Simon Mbapa, were happy to be sporting their new clerical shirts (pictured here along with Lutheran Missionary, Martin Geissner from Bavaria).
Wearing new stoles, the ancient Christian symbol of priestly obedience to Christ, and covered with flowers representing the support of the church being showered upon them this day, the three new pastors led the worship recession together with the Bishop, Assistant to the Bishop and District presidents.

Please join us in praying for these young pastors and their ministries as they set out. May the Lord guide them in their efforts to bring the life-giving Word of Christ to light in the world.