"I felt something leave me when you shookmy hand." Albert, a retired school teacher,
greeted Doug with these words on the second
day of class in Arusha, Tanzania. A member of the Vineyard in Arusha, Albert told of the many involved in witchcraft in his neighborhood. Knowing that he is a Christian, those using evil for financial gain have attempted to intimidate this follower of Jesus. Doug, along with Kenya's National Director, traveled to Tanzania to lead Vineyard School of Ministry's first course in that country, which, ironically touched on traditional African religions and the prevalent practice of various forms of witchcraft employed in Africa.
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| Arusha Vineyard |
Together we explored how the Good News might be more effectively communicated across tribal and cultural lines. The Book of Acts was our text and we studied how Paul dealt with differing worldviews in his travels.
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| Doug with Tanzanian Leaders |
Students were challenged to draw the Gospel story and communicate it in such a way that people from a different tribe could understand.
The group below had a Maasai leader who told how a certain person in the village had the authority and responsibility to stop conflict by standing in the middle of the village with a raised staff and crying out. This example became their vehicle for telling their good news.
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| Deliberations before drawing their story. |
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| Eating together. |
Eating together is a universally held value signalling a peaceful gathering. In Africa, eating together goes even further - it is almost a sacred occasion indicating a unified community who share together. When everyone gets to eat and do so together it is like the Kingdom of God has arrived.
We have been stirred by these Tanzanian leaders' stories of perseverance as well eagerness to learn in a way that they can relate to their people.
for the Kingdom,
Sue & Doug
