Tanzania

“In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” (Mt. 25:31)

Why a New Mission?
About Tanzania
Our Mission in Tanzania
About Ushetu
The Medical Clinic
The Kindergarten
Utilities
Language
How You Can Help

Why a New Mission?

Our mission seeks to fulfill the specific purpose of our Institute which is to inculturate the Gospel, that is to say, prolonging the incarnation in “every man, in all man and all the manifestations of man.”

This is the reason why, as Servants of the Lord, we want to go to remote and difficult places to preach Christ just as the Lord has asked and just as Mary, the first Servant did when she attended her cousin Elizabeth. By “carrying the One Who was carrying her” she became the first tabernacle and shrine of the Incarnated Word.

Seeking to imitate Mary, we accepted the invitation from Bishop Ludovick Minde of the Diocese of Kahama (Tanzania) to visit his diocese in November 2008 with the hopes of making a foundation of our sisters in the future. As a result of this visit, we have committed five sisters to begin the mission there in August 2009.

About Tanzania

The United Republic of Tanzania is a union formed in 1964 of Tanganyika and the islands of Zanzibar, each of which had gained independence from the Britain in 1961 and 1963 respectively.

The country has a population of 36,766,000 inhabitants of whom 35% are Christians, 33% are Muslims and the rest are animists.

The year has two well-defined seasons: six months of rain and six months of drought. People are able to cultivate the land during the rainy season, but then there follows a period of great need and hunger.

For years now there has been peace in Tanzania; therefore, it is the perfect place to receive refugees from countries plagued by war and ethnic strife such as Rwanda, Congo and Uganda, among others. During his visit to Tanzania in 1991, John Paul II called it the "Garden of Peace" and urged the government to give testimony of this peace in this region of East Africa.

Our Mission in Tanzania

Our mission will be located in the Diocese of Kahama in the province of Shinyianga. Because of its location on the road to major cities like Mwanza and Tabora, Kahama has grown rapidly in recent years and has become a center of commerce. People have access to various services there: a large market (although it is more expensive than in other larger cities), two banks and a hospital.

The diocese here has the only Internet connection. Many missionaries come to Kahama once a week to do paperwork, communicate on-line and do shopping for the week, since the rural villages are very poor. Some travel to Mwanza (two and a half hours from Kahama) once a month for other services and to make larger purchases.

About Ushetu

Ushetu is the place where Bishop Minde has requested our foundation. This village is located only 96 km from Kahama, but some parts of the road are in such poor condition that the journey takes almost two hours.

There is a parish with a rectory for the priests, a newly built clinic, and a house which will be the convent for the sisters.

The parish in Ushetu is one of the largest apostolic centers in the diocese. About 50,000 people live in the area of Ushetu though not all of them live in the village itself. The Catholics account for 50% of the population. Many of these 25,000 Catholics are scattered throughout 35 "stations" or centers that also belong to this single parish. A number of these centers have their own chapels attended by Catholic catechists who teach and maintains the faith there.

The Medical Clinic

There is a great need for a medical clinic in this area especially to attend to women in childbirth. Many mothers and babies die only due to lack of medical assistance in their deliveries. Sometimes, when in a medical emergency, people have asked the priests to take them to the hospital in Kahama because they lack of means of transportation.

In Kahama there is a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, although it is not as present in the villages. Typhoid, tuberculosis, malaria and yellow fever are among the most common illnesses in Ushetu.

The building for this new diocesan clinic in Ushetu has recently been built on land across from the house for the sisters. Bishop Minde has asked for two sisters to be in charge of the administration, management and services. Among the missionaries assigned, two of the five are already nurses who will serve in the clinic.

The Kindergarten

Bishop Minde has also requested that a sister direct a new kindergarten. The educational goals would be to prepare the children for elementary school and to teach them basic catechism. During our visit, the bishop blessed the land where a kindergarten is to be built near the clinic and convent.

Utilities

In Ushetu there is no electricity, a utility essential in a medical clinic. One solution could be a generator; however, the cost of fuel as well as the difficulty of guaranteeing the supply has led the other religious congregations in the area to prefer the use of solar panels.

Another difficulty is water, especially during the six months of drought. The rudimentary tank system is not sufficient to supply water during the dry months. To confront this problem we have a plan to build a sustainable system.

Thanks to some antennas recently placed in the area, there is now cell phone signal in Ushetu, although coverage does not extend the entire distance between Ushetu and Kahama.

Language

Before starting with the mission in Ushetu, the sisters will have to study Swahili, the language of the country. Fortunately, the language itself is a quite simple Bantu language which includes vocabulary derived from Arabic.

One of the best centers of language study is the Makoko Language School in the city of Makoko (Mosoma) bordering Nairobi, about seven hours from Kahama. Operated by priests, this Swahili school for foreigners has received and effectively prepared many missionaries. The language course lasts four months and is essential in order to be able to communicate.

How You Can Help

While there will be many ways of supporting and praying for this exciting new mission, our most immediate need is to provide for the tuition of the five sisters who will be studying from August to December 2009.

The fees for the Swahili language school cover all study materials, classroom instruction, as well as room and board for four months. This adds up to $3,000 USD per sister.

After this initial stage of the mission, there will be new ways to support the needs of the sisters. Creating a sustainable water source and providing for basic sustenance will be among their needs when they arrive in Ushetu. Acquiring and maintaining the solar panels, as well as outfitting the medical clinic and providing the materials for the school will also depend on support from benefactors of the mission.

To make a donation

Use PayPal to make a tax-deductible donation to the Tanzania Mission.
Your mailing address only will be used to send you a thank-you letter with our tax ID number for your records.

Or send your charitable donations payable to:
Servants of the Lord
Our Lady Queen of Angels Rectory
Attn: Tanzania Mission
226 East 113th Street
New York, NY 10029

Thank you for your prayers and generosity for this new mission of the Church to bring God’s mercy and love to souls.

“Only the Love of Christ will save the world”
Saint Don Luigi Orione