Summary: Eleven members of Woosters Church of the Saviour traveled to Tanzania for eleven days this summer to work with Young Life Africa. During their stay, the team shared their testimonies, performed dramas and music, and did service work at a school for the deaf and orphanage.
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Wed been talking and praying about a trip to Tanzania since fall of 2010, said Jeff Watson, youth pastor at Church of the Saviour in Wooster. This summer, that trip became a reality for eleven church members they traveled to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania July 6-16. The mission team worked with Young Life Africa in the city of three million people, hosted by missionaries Ben and Melissa Miller.
The poverty there is astronomical, said Watson. The average household income is just $260 per year. Tanzania has a population of more than 30 million, an HIV infection rate of over 25%, and a high school enrollment rate of only 12%.
The groups primary focus was working with people with disabilities and sharing the Gospel. They also did several service projects during their stay. The team visited two churches, the Bugurini School for the Deaf, and the Mother Teresa orphanage, which also housed some elderly residents.
During their four days at the school for the deaf, the team did service projects such as painting blackboards and cleaning the wood shop. In addition, they performed dramas and music and spent time playing with the children. We saw a number of students accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, Watson said.
There were lots of smiles and hugs, said Chuck Huffman, an adult member of the team. We were showing them that someone actually cared for them.
In Africa, children born with disabilities are many times left to die or dropped off at an orphanage, Watson added. People believe they must have a curse on them. We were there to show them that they are not cursed at all, but loved deeply by the Lord.
The trip was life changing for mission team members as well. For me, the most powerful thing was this little boy that I made friends with. He gave me this bracelet as a gift, said Huffman. These kids have absolutely nothing. It was a gift of love. When I get to heaven Im going to thank him for what he did for me.
Joe Cable, a recent high school graduate, also found himself changed by the experience. This was my first overseas mission trip, said Cable. All the other summers, I thought Id just rather do something else. Thinking back, it was all about me. This year I realized I couldnt let another summer go to waste.
Cable, who is fully pacemaker-dependent and was born with a brain tumor, said working with the mentally challenged impacted him the most. I used to get down on myself, Cable said. But God picked me up and showed me that he doesnt make mistakes.
Rachel Peterson, also a recent graduate, said this was her fourth mission trip, and her favorite so far because of the relationship she built with her host family. The family we stayed with had adopted two little girls. The mom said I helped her out a lot because Im adopted too, and I helped her understand what its like to be adopted. I grew really close to the family.
Joe Amstutz said a lot of things surprised him about the trip, especially the friendliness of the Tanzanian people. Were so blinded by the material things we have, he said. They dont have any of that, but what they do have is relationships.
The work that this group began will be continued by a new chapter of Young Life Africa. We built those initial relationships, and its exciting to hear how Young Life will be there to help disciple them in the future, said Watson, who is already planning several mission trips for next year. We hope and pray that wherever we go, our visit will be not an ending point but a beginning point.
