Cayman Islanders go to Songea, Tanzania on a Mission Trip
By Dr. Michael Bowerman
I am grateful to God for your prayerful support during my recent mission trip to Tanzania. As you will remember, I was part of a team of four, accompanied by Bishop PJ Lawrence and Andrew & Debreca Rollins of St. George’s Anglican, who visited at the end of May.
The workshop participants received some Cayman souvenirs after the last session
It was a very full ten days. To start with, the travelling each way was lengthy, albeit uneventful, except for my developing a DVT on the return journey! The members of the team had complementary roles there. My primary task was to provide training in the area of evangelism and witness, and I also led some sessions designed to challenge and encourage the leadership. In all, I conducted 13 seminars and preached four times – all by means of interpretation into Swahili. The participants were all senior clergy or other leaders of the Diocese of Ruvuma.
Following the party for the 400 children
Ruvuma is a large district in the south of the country, bordering Mozambique, a quite poor, rural area of the country. Part of the purpose of the seminars was to equip them to train others. Most of the preaching was done in the two cathedrals, one in Songea, a sizable town and the district capital, and the other located by Lake Nyasa, a four-hour drive away. Bishop Lawrence also provided some teaching seminars, preached at one of the cathedrals and confirmed some 90 people in one church as well as doing a lot of networking. The Rollins sought to identify and address areas of practical need, and one evening provided a meal for 400 children!
Overlooking Lake Nyasa on the way to preach at the main cathedral at Liuli with Bishop Raphael and interpreter, Rev. Canon Manaseh
We had been invited by the Bishop of Ruvuma the Rt. Rev. Raphael Haule and were very warmly received, and I sensed that what we had to bring was appreciated. We were accomodated in a nice hotel for most of the time, and were able to sample the local food, much of it fish from the lake and crops grown in the fertile soil of the region. The food was, indeed, an “experience”! We were also able to discern some very real needs, two of which I want to tell you about.
After Sunday worship at Holy Cross Cathedral in Liuli on the final day, with Bishop Raphae
First, we discovered that the pastors have little access to theological or Christian books, and there is no Christian library in the diocese or Christian books available in the region. We were able to leave some “seed” money to start a library but would like to raise more funds for this. Second, the church has a small
hospital next to the cathedral by the lake. It is seriously under-resourced and under- staffed but does the best it can. Again, we were able to leave a small amount to help out but this is another project I want to seek help for. If anyone feels they would like to assist, please let me have the funds and I will ensure they reach.
