Tanzania (MNN) — Tanzania
is an oasis of peace sitting amidst its
troubled neighboring countries.
About a third of the nation claims
to be Christian, but even with that, there are estimates that 21% are still
unreached with the Gospel.
Another third are Muslim, which only
allows for good inter-communal relations. It also keeps the door open for the
refugees, hundreds of thousands of whom have fled from violence in their own
lands.
Due to the unique cooperation
and mix of peoples and faiths, many outreaches, like Grace Ministries
International are able to use the country as an operation base.
GMI now has 72 churches in Tanzania. Their team of
missionaries there are involved with evangelism, church planting, theological
education, and community development.
New outreach and development are taking place in the Rukwa
Valley, with a special focus on helping people with clean water projects,
agriculture, and evangelizing the fishermen villages on the shores of Lake
Rukwa.
One of the GMI team members, Mike Benton, reports that 55
students are involved with the vocational school in Kapenta — the largest class yet. 25 of these students are teenage
orphans. The program continues to generate success
stories with 15 students who graduated last month slated to sit for the
national exams.
However, Operation World reports
that one challenge to ministry in Tanzania is the increasing polarization
between the moderates and extremists in the Muslim community. The latter is pressing for political
influence and the establishment of separate Islamist courts.
Pray for the Pastoral College that they would be successful
in training men and women for the ministry. Pray, too, for the successful launch of GMI's
modular Bible school program over the next year.
