Sunday Worship at Makamira

One of the great joys of living and working here in Tanzania is being able to travel to and worship with other brethren in other congregations.

This week we went out of town and worshipped with the good brethren at Makamira.  It takes us about half an hour to get there from our house. We travel east of town through some small villages, passing banana and coffee fields. When we get to the village of Makamira we head north and up the mountain. This area is dominated by a wonderful moutain, Mount Meru, the twin of Mount Kilimanjaro. Like Kilimanjaro it was a volcano, but it has been quiet for many years.

A little ways up the road we turn off to a small track and make our way to the Makamira church building. The brethren there are very pleased with this building, as you can see it is not finished yet, but they are able to get out of the elements and it is their own.

Adolph Noah (the preacher's son) standing outside the building before services.

Kanisa La Kristo - The Church of Christ

We arrived about half an hour before services started and before many of the members arrived.  After a little while, Noah Msuya, the preacher at Makamira, started us singing. This is a common thing to do before services, singing a few of the favourite songs, learning new ones. I really enjoy this time as it gives me a chance to learn more of the Swahili songs.

We had a very good service with good singing and thoughtful prayers. The brethren had asked me to teach and I taught on "The Salt of the Earth, The Light of the World" - on how we have to make a difference. Christianity is an active religion and we have to do what the Bible says. All the brethren gave very good attention to what I was saying and seemed to appreciate my words.

The brethren pose for a photo after services.

After services we headed off to Msuya's house where we enjoyed a soda and had a great conversations - they really are wonderful people. We then went off to Msuya's parents house to see his father. He was not able to attend services - he had a very bad stroke several years ago that has left him crippled and without the use of speach. While we were there we were pressed to stay for lunch and we once again enjoyed their hospitality.

Noah Msuya's parents

We had such a good day and love those brethren at Makamira.