Tanzania (MNN) — Grace Ministries International mourns the
passing of a longtime friend. Pearson
Simtowe (simTOEway), the former head pastor of the Grace churches in Tanzania,
was killed in a bicycle accident last Thursday.
Pearson was still active in village evangelizing in Tanzania
when the accident happened. Although retired, he remained on the national
Grace Church council in Tanzania.
He was faithful to the Lord, his family and the mission. With his help, the Tanzania team became 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.
Pearson's legacy and passion for the Gospel lives on in his son,
Kennedy Simtowe, one of GMI's missionaries in Malawi.
In January 2005, the
Simtowes arrived to help strengthen the work by establishing a training center
and expanding the evangelistic outreach and church planting ministries.
The training center in Lilongwe is offering module programs
for the leadership of the churches. Two Malawians are presently studying at the
Zambia Grace Bible Institute in Kabwe, Zambia.
Several churches have been
planted in Lilongwe and several elsewhere, plus 20 preaching points which will
eventually become church plants.
Pray for the missionary team as they grieve Pearson's passing.
