Our Church-Partnerships

with Tanzania / Eastafrika

1979 - 1994 with Chamkoroma

since 1994 with Hamai

Partnership-Committee

Ev.-luth. Kirchengemeinde Dalum

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The Flag of Tanzania

The coat of arms of Tanzania

With the motto

Uhuru na Umoja

(Freedom and unity)

Some RSome RSome RSome RSome Remarksemarksemarksemarksemarks

Better you write in time your impessions before you forget it. And perhaps you find photos etc.We started partnership with Tazania 1979, that means more than 35 years ago.What happens at that time? What has changed?

We can ask the persons of the very first hour. We find remarks in guestbooks and we can readsome papers. Some of the main things we will write in this chronical remarks.

Some dates before to get an overview:

1970 - 1974 Pastor Reinhard Riemer has his first years as pastor in Dalum1979 He invited us as visitors to Dodoma

With his help we started partnership with Chamkoroma1984 The Kirchenkreis Emsland-Bentheim is interested for partnership with Dodoma1987 A deligation of Dodoma visits our Kirchenkreis and Dalum1988 Dodoma gets diocese with foru districts1988 The Kirchenkreis Emsland-Bentheim started partnership with Missiondistrict Kondoa1994 Our parish Dalum starts a partnership with Hamai

Table of Contents

Page 3 The beginning of partneship with TanzaniaPage 4 Some pages in the guestbook ofWalter and Jacoba SchulzPage 5 Visit fo the delegiation from Dodoma 31.05. - 17.06.1987Page 7 First visit l in HamaiPage 9 Partnership with Hamai - three important aspectsPage 10 Partnershiip has many possibilitiesPage 12 Project Vocational & Educational Training School

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Welcome in Hamai - KARIBUNI!

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Mountains do not meet,

but poeple do!

Establishment of a partnership with TEstablishment of a partnership with TEstablishment of a partnership with TEstablishment of a partnership with TEstablishment of a partnership with Tanzaniaanzaniaanzaniaanzaniaanzania

Since 1979, the church community of Dalum has been partnering with communities in Tanzania.

First until 1994 it was Chamkoroma (about 160 km from Dodoma in the direction Morogoro).

Then from 1994 we are connected to Hamai in the church district of Kondoa.

Wolgang Gebhardt, Diedrich Kohnert, Hermann Borgstede, Inge Stenzel, Christine Borgstede, Hannelore Kohnert

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The partnerships were mediated by Pastor Reinhard Riemer, who worked in Dalum from 1970to 1974. He had met Tanzania as a teenager and wanted to be a pastor as soon as possible.After studying, he had to "stay" for three years in Dalum until he could be fully taken over bythe Landeskirche.

Prior to joining Dodoma,he completed a languagecourse in Suaheli. In 1981he returned to Germanyand was a pastor inEmlichheim for severalyears. In 1987 his nextservice began inTanzania in Kibaya /Kiteto in the Masai area.During the period of hisstay in Germany from1981 to 1987 he initiatedthe district Kirchenkreispartnerships.

Previously, in 1979, he suggested to his first church community Dalum to ally himself withChamkoroma in partnership.

A small delegation from Dalum visited him in 1979 in Dodoma. With her he drove to the smallcommunity and made Chamkoroma and Dalum known to each other. We were received withopen arms and hospitable. The common service (almost three hours!) Was a special experience.Their request, "Be our friends in Christian union," we could not refuse and agreed to win ourcommunity of Dalum for a partnership.Over the years, we have succeeded. Letters went back and forth. Aids could be granted. Wewere able to finance them cement so that the outside of the church could be protected againstrain. The local women's circle has received materials for their handwork.

We were even unintentionally credited and asked to help the choir of the church in Dodoma.The forty members want to have reasonable footwear in public appearances. After we hadasked the shoe sizes, which was even possible!From the church district Dodoma (1987) a delegation visited our church district. One of thewomen brought greetings from Chamkoroma.

It was of great significance that in those years the church district Dodoma was divided intofour smaller church circles, and Dodoma itself became Bischofsitz.This concerns us in that our church district Emsland-Bentheim chose the Missionskirchen-kreis Kondoa as partner, our church community Chamkoroma lies however in an area, whichshould now be supervised by a district in Hanover.Since we as partners of two church communities felt not obliged to the church circles, wemaintained our relationship until 1994.

The Emsland-Bentheim church district itself entered into a partnership with the Mission-District Kondoa in 1988. And the local partnership committee in 1994 expressed the request tosee if a parish could find a match with Hamai.Dalum was ready for that. But we knew from our relationship with Chamkoroma, of course,that it will not be left alone with "correspondence".

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From the guestbook of Walter and Jacoba Schulz

We received a visit from the church district of Dodoma, to which our partner village of

Chamkoroma belonged. He was a member of the Emsland-Bentheim church community, who

wanted to create a partnership between churches, but also visited Dalum, because there was

already a partnership between Dalum and Chamkoroma.

On June 5, 1985, N. O. E. Nkya from Dodoma came to us. He was at that time a decisive

employee in the church community Dodoma and in the local church circle as well as co-

workers with the president of Tanzania, entrusted with the construction of the new capital

Dodoma.

His guestbook entry:

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VVVVVisit of a delegation from Dodoma 31.05. - 17.06.1987isit of a delegation from Dodoma 31.05. - 17.06.1987isit of a delegation from Dodoma 31.05. - 17.06.1987isit of a delegation from Dodoma 31.05. - 17.06.1987isit of a delegation from Dodoma 31.05. - 17.06.1987

Four women from Dodoma, led by Rev. Mwamasika, had accepted the invitation to worship

and parishioners' day on June 12, 1987 to Dalum.

The photos in the guestbook:

The greeting in the guest book came also from Mrs Dina Malieta from the parish of Wotta.

She sent our greetings to Chamkoroma.

The next two photos are not taken from the guestbook, but give an impression of the partners-hip-based encounter:

Rev. Mwamasika loves to bephotographed in such a picturesquepose as other Tanzanians do.

He was at that time stilldistrictpastor in Dodoma, thenbecame with the establishment of thediocese Dodoma bishop.

In the lower picture, he is quite rightin the middle when it comes to theactivities on the local afternoon.

Fortunately, we had "African"sunshine.

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The very first time in HamaiThe very first time in HamaiThe very first time in HamaiThe very first time in HamaiThe very first time in Hamai

The couple Walter and Jacoba Schulz were sent to Hamai in July / August with the churchdelegation and established the first personal contact.

Here we read (somewhat modified) their report, "which goes to heart."

In the second week of our Tanzanian trip, it is for us and our interpreter Fred Limo that we areready for a multi-day stay in our partner community Hamai.

Hamai is located in a dry zone, about 1800 m high, has about 3500 inhabitants, of which about85% belong to Islam. The Christians of this evangelical church community are looked after bythe Evangelist Mponzi.

So we take the car on the way from Kondoa to Hamai. After about 2 1/2 hours we reach Songolo,a small village belonging to Hamai. There we can see how 26 citizens of different age groups arebaptized. Then we continue to the main village of Hamai in the late afternoon.

In front of the Medical Assistant's home, Mr. Peter Mungo, we are received by the EvangelistMponzi, Mrs. Swai (wife of the recently evicted evangelist) and Mr. Mungo with his wife andchildren.

In Hamai is a hospital with 25 beds,which is managed by Mr. Mungo. Aroom of this hospital will be ourquarters for the next days. However,there is no running water and notoilet. We brought our water suppliesin a container from Kondoa; toiletsare available outside the station: anopening in the ground, covered withan object.

After we moved into our quarters,drove the bugs and hung up themosquito net, we went to dinner with

Mr. Mungo. It is still talked about the course of the next days and then it goes to sleep.

The next day we visit the Christians of the evangelical congregation, accompanied by the Evan-gelist Mponzi. We discuss and pray together. The second is a visit to the hospital. What amisery there is to see! We hand over a large package of medicines and bandage. Mr. Peter Mun-go takes it with the words: "The Lord God sends you!"

After lunch we visit the primary school of Hamai. It is partly without roof, without floor - butwe are experiencing cheerful children. We give the headmaster a leather ball, colored pencils andother gifts.

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- 8 -Then we visit the Hamai waterworks. There are water holes, about 3 km outside the village.When we see them, we do not trust our eyes: in a depth of two to three meters a gloomy puddleof water can be seen. The water must be draped with a bowl and only slowly seeps. In Hamaiitself there is still a water tower, which is filled from time to time by a pipeline from the neighboringcommunity of Haubi. Otherwise, these sand holes are the only water extraction points for about3,500 people.

After the visit, we will talk with Mr. Peter Mungo about the water scarcity. He tells us to getin touch with an English institution that is active in the Hamai area and has the ability to pushtubes with filters into the ground to which hand pumps can be applied later. Two hand pumpswill be sent to our church community Dalum by the end of the year with a container.

What a day! And what impressions!

Day Three: We go to the Protestant church in the morning. It makes a solid impression on us.However, it does not have a single color. So, in Kondoa, we get varnish paints, brushes and

thinners and get to worktogether with all the availablemen of the church community.For a whole day we paint thechurch interior: the walls abovein turquoise, below in yellow-brown, the base black.Suddenly the interior makes afriendly, welcomingimpression. We men, however,have also abundant color. Butit was fun to everyone.

Sunday is our fourth day in thechurch. At 10 o'clock the service

begins. We introduce ourselves to the congregation. There are gifts and we distribute gifts.Towards noon the service is over.

After lunch we are invited by Mr. Mponzi. His wife is unfortunately outside, but his threechildren receive us very kindly. The accommodation is in a miserable condition. This is a reasonfor us to support the planned new building of the Evangelist House, right next to the church,with some of the financial resources that the church community of Dalum has provided.

In the afternoon, playing, practicing songs with the children of the community is on the agenda.What a happy celebration was made of it. From snurring and a piece of board, we quickly builda swing and fasten it to a branch. Oh woh, we started something: suddenly 30 to 40 childrenand adults are around us and want to rock.

We spend most of our last day in the church in the church to do the rest of the painting. In theafternoon our car comes and we have to go back.

A farewell, which not only moves us very much!

In the partnership agreement between the two church districts Emsland-Bentheim and Kondoa,three goals are set: sharing faith, sharing life, sharing gifts. The three aspects form a whole,which can be viewed from three sides, but none of them may be isolated.

What this unit means in practice, our delegates learned in Hamai in 1997. They were sincerelywelcomed by the Lutherans in Hamai. The married couple Schulz came from Martin Luther'scountry. Here, in the Emsland, Lutheranism is very moderate. In Tanzania, in this case in Hamai,with temperament. Their faith "they expressed not least through music and singing. Weexperienced people with a great heart. (Schulz)And this despite their (in our opinion) poor life. The married couple Schulz have learned:

Each day means survival for them, which decides about being or not. He decides whether theycan get food for the day or whether the mother has to bring her children hungry again. This dailysurvival struggle unites these people in their unspeakable distress.

Such a life can, of course, only be conditionally shared. A visit to the partner community shouldnot bring further need. We bring food with us so much that it is enough for many. We are satisfiedwith a simple accommodation. We accept the basic sanitary facilities. We take care of the water.We think that it was not so long ago in Germany that we had to be satisfied with comparableconditions.

Faith and life can be united with thanksgiving in prayer:In the morning: thank you for this day after the rest of the night.Noon: thank you that I get to eat, even if it has a modest scale.In the evening: thank you, that I could earn my daily bread by my hand work.At night: thank you for trusting in the hands of God.

Giving gifts as a third aspect of the partnership is to rejoice in what the Africans bring to us inwarmth and warmth, unconditional, that is, without regard to the color of the skin. To experiencebrotherhood and brotherhood as shared creatures of God is a blessing.

But the poor living conditions are always in the eye.Do you have to accept it or can you change it? And if you want to change it, can we help? Andif we want to help, how can we do it? (Schulz)

Church head Peter Mungo asked, "Can you imagine gathering the youngest children in akindergarten in Hamai?" His question has set us in motion.

It was clear to us that we could not shoulder such a project on the order of 20 thousand markswith the humble means of our church community. With the substantial support of BingoEnvironmental Foundation, it was possible to celebrate the inauguration on 9 September 2001.

The kindergarten work is done in the way as it is possible, all children are invited without regardto the religious affiliation. This is for peace.

- 9 -Church PChurch PChurch PChurch PChurch Partnership with Hamai - Three Important Aspectsartnership with Hamai - Three Important Aspectsartnership with Hamai - Three Important Aspectsartnership with Hamai - Three Important Aspectsartnership with Hamai - Three Important Aspects

Many opportunities in the partnership workMany opportunities in the partnership workMany opportunities in the partnership workMany opportunities in the partnership workMany opportunities in the partnership work

"Help for self-help", this motto is now well-known. All activities in the partnership should takethis into account. In 1961, Tanzania became politically independent and has been trying to "geton its own feet" ever since.How this can be done, we have come to know about our visit to Pastor Riemer in Dodoma,heeded and integrated into the partnership with Hamai.

The first is DodomaDodomaDodomaDodomaDodoma. In the middle of nowhere, a city was built, which was to become thecapital. Dar es Salaam on the Indian Ocean hitherto had all the preferences, but Dodoma wasto be actively supported by the disadvantaged land. Anyone who visits Dodoma today can beconvinced that the efforts have paid off.

The emerging vocational school in Hamai is a similar project "in the middle of the flat country."Whoever is thinking about the future for a few years can also imagine an emerging settlementhere.

HomboloHomboloHomboloHomboloHombolo. As an example, we took this station in view. A team around the New Zealandersshows how to work the soil and bring in a decent crop. Goats are kept so that they do not harmthe soil. Because goats do not simply eat green, but they tear the plants out of the ground, theyare held up so that the dung can fall through the grates and can be used for further fertilization.An adjoining leprosy station supplies the patient medically and also with orthopedic material.The shoes we have seen and other walking aids are won from old car tires.

MvumiMvumiMvumiMvumiMvumi. A hospital, though quite simply furnished, equipped with the most necessary, but readyto help all the sick. In general it is known and common that the sick can be treated by shamans,but so-called school medicine is becoming more and more popular.

BihavanaBihavanaBihavanaBihavanaBihavana. The kath. Monastery is an agricultural model farm. The monastery is famous for thepressing of red wine, which is especially used for the Eucharist and the Last Supper.

All these activities are characterized by the fact that the welfare of the population is at theforefront. On the other hand, in the past, the colonial lords were to be seen, which, fortunatelyonly for a short time, belonged to Germans.

On the whole, the trip to Dodoma and the surrounding area encouraged us to enter into apartnership with Chamkoroma. Our partner church community has done well, that the churchbuilding could be renovated, the establishment and operation of small shops (Dukas) waspromoted and community circles, especially the handwork group of the women, could be suppliedwith material, which they could not get in Tanzania.

The experience with Chamkoroma could be put into practice with the start of the new partnershipwith Hamai (1994). Meeting with one another with respect for one another is not so easy.

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To the right somethingconceals the church, in themiddle the Evangelist'shouse, to the left of theKindergarten

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An elderly community member of our partner community made it clear: "You come here andknow almost nothing about us. But you mean to know how we can make everything better sothat we will be like you! "

The experience of the Chamkoroma (1994). A senior member of our partner community made itclear: "You come here and know almost nothing about us. But you mean to know how we canmake everything better so that we will be like you! "

For helpers, who in their turn take the trouble of a long flight and autoreise, this sounds hard.But the respect requires only to help where help is requested. Besswisser should not instruct"stupid". We, too, are not gods to whom we ought to look. In the end it is about seeing each otheras creatures of God with their weaknesses and strengths.

As a result, it has always been good to ask our partners what they are thinking about and if theycan imagine whether we can help them as their partners. Our strengths are obvious: we canprocure and pay for material. What we can do with our own hands, we do not need to take themoff.

Thus, over the years, the church in Hamai has been completed and rehabilitated. Kindergartenand evangelist house could be created. And at the moment the project is a vocational school.

In addition to the promotion of a church community to a church community, something else hasbecome important. The primary schools in Dalum and Geeste donate their contributions to theMartinssingen to the schools in Hamai and Churuku. For our ideas, the school situations therewould be unbearable. So it is already a great support if our students help to protect the buildings

there against rain and badweather. This also makes itpossible for the entire studentbody to profit independently ofits religious affiliation, therebyenabling peaceful coexistence.

The church in Hamai 1997

Anyone visiting Tanzania should not close their eyes, but talk to the Tanzanians. When theypoint out that about half of the population is under 15 years of age, this means a huge task foreducation and training. We see the primary schools with about one hundred students in aclassroom that would like to learn. We know secondary schools for gifted students. But wemiss vocational schools where vocational training is promoted. We have been drawn to this bya few years ago by our partners in Hamai. Of course, this also involved the question of whetherand how we could possibly help the boys and girls to be promoted after completing school.

There were plans, but it was lacking in financial resources. We did not have them, but we triedto find sponsors. Bingo environmental foundation in Hanover was a great help. At that timethey had already helped to make the kindergarden possible. Now, on request, they were readyto tackle the new task together with us. And when a start was made, we also came into contact

with other sponsors.

The Lower Saxony Ministry of Culturesuggested a partnership between a localvocational school and the one in Hamai tobe created. Thus the BBS Lingen was wonwith the Department of Technology andDesign for support and cooperation.

During our journey in October 2015, we hadthe beginnings of the foundations work andwere able to experience the basic setting.

Project Vocational & Educational Training Centre

The "pact" on the construction site:We want to promote as much as we can!

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The ceremony was attended by the DeputyDiocesan Bishop of Dodoma and the districtpastor from Kondoa, together with ourdelegation, with great interest fromtheHamai population.

A year later, in October 2016, the building had grown to the roof: a remarkable building, 42 mlong, 14 m wide, 8 m high! And in April 2017 we got photos with complete roof covering.

However, it is clear to us that the construction of the school building alone is not enough. Thepower supply must be provided. The government in Chemba said this. And the water supply isstill missing. For this purpose, a well is to be drilled whose delivery capacity can be sufficient forboth the school and the village.

Since the vocational school willalso be run as a boardingschool, care must also be takento ensure appropriateaccommodation including theeconomic buildings. We alsotrust that a lot can be createdon the spot through our ownefforts.

If this vocational training project opens up a reliable future for young adults through a solidvocational training, much is gained! It is worth the effort of the partners in Dalum and Hamai!

If you see this photo, remember that we are all creatures of the One Creator. Half the populationin Tanzania is under 15 years. Should we help them? As Christians, we are called upon to help,but we also know that, in the end, it is only a single drop in the ocean. But how did someoneaptly say, "True, but I would like to hear it hiss!"

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Our VOur VOur VOur VOur Visits of Hamaiisits of Hamaiisits of Hamaiisits of Hamaiisits of Hamai

After our partnership committee visited Hamai for the first time in 1997, further visits followedin 2001, 2002, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016 and 2017 in the context of a delegation or also privately.

PPPPPastors and Evangelists in Hamai since 1997astors and Evangelists in Hamai since 1997astors and Evangelists in Hamai since 1997astors and Evangelists in Hamai since 1997astors and Evangelists in Hamai since 1997

Our Dalum pastors Diedrich Kohnert (until 2003) and Thorsten Jacobs (from 2003) had orhave had the following pastors or evangelists in Hamai since 1997 as correspondence or

reference partner:

Evangelist Mponzi, Juli 1997 – März 1999Evangelist Saillowa, April 1997 - Juni 1999Evangelist Mwasamila, Juli 1999 - Dez. 2003Pastor Ngajilo, Jan. 2004 - April 2006Evangelist Mgilitwe, Mai 2006 -

Pastor Magasi, Dez. 2009 - Okt. 2010Evangelist Mzangwa, Nov. 2010 -

This booklet has been prepared with the status of Pentecost 2017By the Partnership Committee

(Walter Schulz, Jacoba Schulz, Diedrich Kohnert)

DE-49744 Geeste-Dalum | An der Schaftrift 46 | T.: +49 5937 98760kg.dalum@web.de | www.kirche-dalum.de | www.pro-hamai.de

Ev.-luth. Kirchengemeinde Dalum

Our SponsorsOur SponsorsOur SponsorsOur SponsorsOur Sponsors

Many sponsors and donors from the entire population here in Geeste and beyondhelp to support our partners in Hamai. Some do not want to be named by name.We respect that. But the Pater-Beda project and the state of Lower Saxony withits Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Agriculture are to be mentioned.