As I mentioned on the Home page, I am involved in supporting various believers on a regular basis but also help out in 'emergency' situations - whether for individuals or churches in times of drought, flooding or for medical or other needs. Where I can, I also contribute to the cost of wood beams and corrugated metal sheets for the construction of weather-proof buildings for believers to meet in.
Many of the believers in the villages are very poor and quite a few are extremely poor. Where a family can, they buy or rent a small plot of land to grow maize on. Maize represents their staple diet. Most of what they harvest is used for family food and a part is sold to provide income for other necessities. Even in a good year, this only allows for subsistence living - they just manage to get by. However, over the last five years or so Tanzania - and East Africa - has been hit alternately by excessive rain and unprecedented flooding and drought, destroying the precious crops! This is having a devastating effect on villagers and those living in the country-side. Normally, subsistence farmers plant crops twice a year, but because of the erratic climate, they have had to limit themselves to growing one crop a year in the Morogoro region. The weather is so unpredictable that they cannot keep losing the money and labour that they put into the February crop. This makes a hard life even harder. Pastor Mathayo (a Maasai) lost all his cattle and his mud house was completely destroyed. Mercifully, with the support of others I was able to send money for him to buy 3 cows and for him to build a brick house! During these periods of hardship I have also organised the purchase of maize, beans and cooking oil for some of the churches affected. These climatic conditions have also had a devastating and life-changing effect on the Maasai pastoralists, who have lost thousands of cattle because of drought. It is forcing them to change the tradition of centuries of being nomadic pastoralists by leading them to grow crops themselves, look for employment or seek education. (At the end of this page I give reports from various organisations which illustrate the difficulties which people face because of these changes in climate.)
This is not to say that if you live in a city you are necessarily well off - not at all. Many are without jobs and and have a really hard time to earn enough - one way or another - to get by on. Pastors have to survive off very little and face great hardships when prices pushed up because of flooding or droughts that destroy crops.
This is not to say that if you live in a city you are necessarily well off - not at all. Many are without jobs and and have a really hard time to earn enough - one way or another - to get by on. Pastors have to survive off very little and face great hardships when prices pushed up because of flooding or droughts that destroy crops.
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused great hardship for many in Tanzania and since March I have been sending money for food to support (mainly) pastors whose families had run out of food completely.
Below are some photos to illustrate the kind of support that has been given. These photos were taken over a period of years. Initially, I travelled and worked a lot in villages in more remote areas, whereas in the last few years, I have largely been ministering in Dar Es Salaam.
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BELOW: Covid-19 has caused a real slump in the economy with inflated food prices, causing hardship and hunger for many. Providing food supplies for over 20 families. (This support is ongoing.)
BELOW: Covid-19 has caused a real slump in the economy with inflated food prices, causing hardship and hunger for many. Providing food supplies for over 20 families. (This support is ongoing.)
BELOW: Provision of chairs at pastor Mwita's church as the church is growing (2020).
2 PHOTOS BELOW: Provided support for a church building in Luhindo, Morogoro. Believers are mainly Maasai but other tribes also represented. They had previously been meeting under trees.
BELOW: Helping with emergency medical expenses.
Pastor Mwita's wife, Suzana, became extremely ill and needed hospital treatment:
Bishop Francis - the government hospital treated his broken arm so badly that he almost lost it. Sent funds for him to go to a private hospital, which saved his arm!
A little goes a long way! In Moreti, a village in central Tanzania, I was taken to a primary and middle school with about 400 pupils. We were invited there to preach the Gospel at an assembly of the school. Afterwards, they showed us their toilets - 8 cubicles in a row and 6 of them without doors. I asked what do the children do seeing there are no doors. The headmaster said that two girls will stand in front of the door looking outwards while the third uses the cubicle - and then they take this in turn! It only cost £100 to have six doors put on! Below are photos of before and after. The school was over-joyed!
BELOW: TOILETS WITHOUT DOORS. TOILETS WITH DOORS!
ABOVE: THE TOILETS AT MORETI
ABOVE: THE TOILETS AT MORETI
BELOW: Provision of metal sheets for pastor Mwita's church at Malamba Mawili, Dar Es Salaam. The Plastic coverings proved insufficient in bad weather!
BELOW: BISHOP FRANCIS'S HOUSE AND THE CHURCH SURROUNDED BY FLOOD WATER BUT MERCIFULLY NOT FLOODED.
BELOW: PASTOR GONDWE'S HOUSE IN DANGER OF BEING FLOODED BUT MANAGED TO KEEP THE WATER AT BAY!
BELOW: PASTOR GONDWE'S SONS RESCUING THEIR GOAT FROM THE FLOOD WATER.
WE BUILT A SMALL WALL AROUND PASTOR GONDWE'S HOUSE THAT WORKED IN KEEPING THE FLOOD WATER AT BAY! NOT ONLY THAT, BUT A BUILDER THEN DECIDED HE WOULD 'BUY' GONDWE'S HOUSE AND BUILD HIM A BETTER ONE OPPOSITE THE CHURCH WHICH IS OUT OF THIS FLOOD AREA! GOD S GOOD!
BELOW: Provision of guttering and water tanks for the new home of pastor Gondwe in Dumila, Morogoro - to help with preventing flooding from rain water and to provide water for home and for the church opposite.
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When I receive reports from believers about serious situations in Tanzania, such as rain or drought destroying crops. I like to be informed about the extent and severity of such occurrences, particularly as it sometimes involves me sending funds to help believers who are suffering because of these crises. The reports I get have always been consistent with the reality of the situation as can be seen from the extracts below from various charitable organisations. As I mentioned in my blog, it can be seen from the first report below that the inconsistency in rainfall has resulted in farmers abandoning the planting of the new year crop. They now depend on one crop per year for their livelihood! This is having a critical impact on the lives of all subsistence farmers.
"In early March we confirmed the exact sites of our financial diaries work in Tanzania. We initially identified Morogoro and Mbeya as potential regions due to their crops, rain patterns, agricultural inputs and numbers of farming households. We went to Morogoro with expectations of visiting two areas, both with planting seasons during the short and long rainy seasons. However, when we arrived, we were surprised to learn that both areas now only have one planting season per year as the rain patterns have changed and the short rainy season has become too unpredictable."
"In Tanzania, flooding has been reported in 5 regions since
mid January, 2016. At least 400 people have been displaced in Dodoma
municipality after 70 houses were destroyed or damaged after heavy rain between
17 and 18 January 2016. Since then,
flooding has been reported in Morogoro, Katavi, Mtwara and Dar es Salaam."
"El-nino effects, mainly flooding, has continued impacting
Tanzania countrywide since early January 2016. Several parts of the country
have received heavy downpours resulting in flooding and leaving numerous
household homeless in Dodoma and Kilosa. The latest floods in date took place
in Rufiji district (coastal region), on 10th February 2016, where about 53,000
people have been surrounded by floods waters which caused unprecedented damage
to homes, farm crops, houses and public infrastructures."
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