A church building as it is seen from outside
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Church members and visitors included as seen inside the church |
Bricks being dried under the sun before being burnt, after which they will be ready for use and they will be sold. |
Spiritual journey! A journey of truth!!
A church building as it is seen from outside
|
Church members and visitors included as seen inside the church |
Bricks being dried under the sun before being burnt, after which they will be ready for use and they will be sold. |
JENGO LA SHULE YA AWALI YA ZANZIBAR S.D.A NURSERY SCHOOL |
JENGO LA SHULE LIONEKANAVYO KWA MBELE |
NAFASI KUBWA YA UWANJA, SEHEMU MUHIMU KWA MAZINGIRA YA KUFUNDISHIA WATOTO WADOGO |
SEHEMU YA UPANUZI WA JENGO HILO |
NEMBO YA SHULE NA PICHA YA WANAFUNZI |
KAULI YA MAKAMU MKUU WA SHULE |
MANDHARI YA SHULE |
MAELEZO YA ZIADA YA MSINGI |
As usual every December East and Central Africa Division holds a retreat meeting, which is held within the countries forming the Division, in order of rotation. The just ended retreat 0f 2010 was held in Bjumbura, Burundi. The theme of the 2010 Retreat was THERE IS POWER IN THE BLOOD. The meeting drew people from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, Burundi and Southern Sudan for the first time.
A picture showing some delegates infront of the Retreat banner
As usual these meetings give delegates an opportunity to revive themselves and being rejuvenated holistically and wholistically
Worship through singing: Lake zone choir formed by students from SAUT presenting an item, they were a blessing in the meeting
A respected Tanzanian singer Judith Karangi (far right) singing together with Neema Opiyo (second right), Bambino Phillip and Nelson Nyahonyo (in Grey Jacket) giving an item in the meeting. “Their feet standeth in an even place: in the congregation they will bless the LORD, Psalm 26:12.
A moment to celebrate our hosts’ rich culture, through traditional dance
Preparing a future generation for the service of the Lord. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Prov 22:6
Giving children an opportunity to serve in the house of the Lord and appreciating their service strengthen their commitment and zeal for the Lord. If thus raised, our children will grow and wax strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom and the Grace of God will be upon them, Luke 2:40.
As old as she has become “she has not departed from the way.” The oldest and consistent retreater, Mrs. Ochanda who usually comes along with her family, her heart says “better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere, Psalm 84:10, NIV. She surely is a source of inspiration to many even Obadiah, who couldn’t resist taking a photo with her
Nothing is more rewarding and strengthening social ties like the brotherly and sisterly love in Christ. It builds trust, care and nurtures true love.
A retreat is not complete without a tour moment. Delegates during the tour day.
Taking a moment to explore the City of Bujumbura and its beautiful landscape, on a tour day.
Admiring the Lord’s creation, a good landscape, vegetation, fog etc and in all this we remember that “the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” Psalm 24:1, NIV
The joyous trip home. "One thing we have desired of the LORD, that will we seek after; that we may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple", Psals 27:4
A man needs admiration for his abilities, appearance and character traits. We always crave for a word or two of appreciation from the people around us, but the appreciation becomes even special when they come from the person we love. And this is true of both (abiria na hata wale ambao washa assume status ya co-driver) I saw a poem somewhere and let me share it here:
“If with pleasure you are viewing
any work that a man is doing,
if you like him or love him
Tell him now,
Don’t withhold your approbation
till he makes an oration
as he lies with snowy lilies o’er his brow
For no mater how you shout it,
he won’t really care about it
he won’t know how many tear drops
you have shed.
If you think some praise is due him,
now is the time to slip it to him
for he cannot read his tombstone
when he is dead.
It is an undeniable fact that this is not a men’s alone need, but to the largest extent, it makes many relationships crumble. When all you are getting from your spouse is criticism and advice to change your looks to change everything about you, but when you go to work every woman admires you, you begin to question “What is wrong with her that she cannot see what everyone else sees in me?
It is true that a man will fall in love with a woman who makes him feel stronger, more capable, more intelligent, and more attractive than he’s ever felt before. If you build him up, his confidence will grow, and guess what he will love you even more.
Most if not all drivers enjoy when they feel that their passengers approve them. If your ideas are always crushed when you present them, you will never feel like sharing them with your spouse any more. Have you ever had this thing in your mind, it is a great plan that you really can’t wait to share it, and you choose not to share it with someone else but your someone special, you can’t wait till you meet them on weekend, you share the grand idea that you have kept all week long and all you get is “oh, that is good” end of story! What! Really? Is that all you can say? Or she comes out with an alternative to your idea…I tell you what! this is a recipe for a failure. And if there is a passenger out there who knows how to appreciate and encourage the man to keep dreaming, and she applauds all his achievements, will you complain if you see the driver slowing down the car and loosening your seatbelt while ushering another person in the car? Really? Well, man is a very sensitive creature and if you manage to keep him fueled, he will never ever see the passengers but you.
Do you know that many passengers have no faith in their drivers? Imagine this really, you are traveling and all you hear your passenger saying is praises of how well another driver is doing, and she has never uttered one of those to you, even though you see yourself with some of the qualities she is singing about the other guy. Nancy Van Pelt in her book ‘Highly Effective marriage’ says “a spouse has the power to elevate her husband or to crush him altogether just with her few words of approval and appreciation”
Men enjoy when they are respected! Do I need to say more here? Well you may be using a humble tone with crushing words or some highly crushing words but in a mother-Theresa kind of tome, all this has the same downgrading effect on your driver…girls learn those words that make him be a man. Believe me, if you learn to respect him before you are married to him, it will not change. I have heard some say…well he is not my husband, why should I respect him so much now? Guess what! There won’t be another you after the I DO’s. Just plan it now and you will effect it even in your children’s attitude.
Help him feel accepted as he is and if there is a possible change that you want him to effect, help him do it after you accept him as he is and showing that you really love him. I have more to share and I know many men here in this platform have lot’s to share but we don’t want to read endless essays so let me leave this here and I will add some more next time ……
Wapendwa hivi karibuni nilipata fursa ya kwenda kufanya kazi sehemu za Pemba katika shughuli zangu za ajira. Nilipokuwa nikielekea huko nilipata mashaka kama huko ninaweza nikapata kanisa la wasabato la kuabudia hivyo nilifanya mawasiliano na baadhi ya watu walio Unguja na wakaniambia kanisa lipo na kupewa mawasiliano.
Nilipofika Pemba nilifanikiwa kufika katika eneo wafanyalo ibada waadventista wasabato katika eneo la Chakechake maeneo yaitwayo vitongoji. Eneo hilo ni eneo la kambi ya jeshi ambapo ndipo jamii za kikristo zimepata fursa za kujenga maeneo yao ya ibada, na kwa upande wa wasabato wao wanatumia jengo la shule ya msingi ya zamani ya jeshi kufanyia ibada zao. Eneo hili ndilo eneo pekee ambalo waadventista wasabato wanakusanyika rasmi kufanya ibada kama kanisa. Nilipofika hapo nilikuta jamii iliyochangamka yenye kumtukuza Mungu huku watu wengi wakiwa wamewahi kuanzia darasa la walimu la saa 2. Kuwahi kwao ni kana kwamba kila mtu alitambua kwamba yeye ni muhimu na kuchelewa kwake kuna nafasi ya kuathiri mwenendo mziwa wa kanisa, kwani kanisa lina idadi ya jumla ya watu kati ya 20 ikijumuisha wakubwa na wadogo. Nilifurahishwa na vipindi vyao vilivyozingatia muda vyema.
Nikiwa ninasali katika kanisa hili ndipo nilipopata taarifa kutoka kwa mmoja wa wainjilisti wetu (ambaye ndiye aliyenielekeza kanisa kwa njia ya simu) kuwa eneo analoishi yeye halina uhuru wa kuabudu kama huo niliokuta hapo au ambao nimeuzoea mahali pengine popote. Jambo hili liliibua udadisi wangu na akanikaribisha kwenda kuabudu nao katika maeneo yao, mkoa wa kusini, wilaya ya Mkoani. Nilipanga na nilikwenda huko. Nilipofika huko nilistaajabia kukuta hali ambayo nilikuwa nafikiri inafanyika pengine nchi za uarabuni na kikomunisti ikiwa ipo Tanzania hii. Waumini wetu huko wanaabudu kwa kificho kikubwa.
Katika mazingira hayo jamii ya wenyeji nao kwa uaminifu katika imani yao wanafanya kila jitihada kuhakikisha ukristo haupenyi wala kupata nafasi katika jamii yao. Hivyo mtu yeyote anayebainika kuwa anajishughulisha na mambo ya dini ya kikristo huwa katika hatari ya kutopata nyumba ya kupanga, kutoungwa mkono katika shughuli zake za kiuchumi endapo kama zitawategea wao kwa kiasi fulani, mfano biashara. Kwa kuwa jamii kubwa ya waumini wetu walioko huko ni watu walioenda kujishughulisha na shughuli za kilimo basi hiyo huhatarisha upataji wao wa vibarua, makazi n.k. Kwa upande mwingine kwa wale walio tayari kukana imani wao huweza kupata vibarua vingi, makazi ya bure, na hata binti wa kuoa endapo watakuwa tayari. Hizi ni baadhi ya picha zikionyesha hali katika maeneo hayo ya ndugu zetu.
Ibada ya sabato ndani ya chumba kilichofungwa. Ibada hizi hufanyika bila hata ya uimbaji kuondoa hali ya kubainika. Ibada hizi huwa za muda mfupi tu kama nusu saa hivi. Wanaoonekana ni watu wote katika ibada hiyo (ongeza na mpiga picha)
Mwinjilisti (mwenye kofia gotini) akiwa na baadhi ya waumini na wanafunzi wa biblia muda wa alasiri siku ya sabato alipowatembelea kwa ajili ya kufanya nao ibada na kujifunza nao biblia. Hiyo nyumba ni nyumba ambayo haitumiki hivyo ilifaa kwa kujibanzia. Shauku ya neno ni kubwa sana katika maeneo haya.
Waumini pia hugawana maeneo na mwinjilisti kwa ajili ya kuwatembelea waumini ili kuwatia moyo na kujifunza nao. Waumini hao nao hualika marafaiki zao ili waweze kujifunza nao habari njema. Maeneo haya hayana wainjilisti wa vitabu, maduka ya ABCs- Adventist Book Centes. Vijuzuu pia havipatikani kirahisi
Picha ya pamoja mwinjilisti na waumini na wanafunzi wa biblia. Biblia hizi mwinjilisti hutembea nazo maana waumini hawa ni wapya na hawana biblia, hali kadhalika wanafunzi mara kadhaa humpasa kuwaachia biblia hizo ili wajifunze nazo.
Picha ya pamoja na waumini na wanafunzi wengine baada ya kufanya ibada ya jioni ya sabato ndani ya jiko lao.
Katika makambi yaliyopita mwezu huu wa 7 roho mpya 5 zilibatizwa kutoka maeneo haya. Binafsi niliguswa na mazingira haya na kuamua kufanya kitu kwa ajili ya ndugu zetu hawa katika Bwana. Unapokuwa unasali kumbuka watu hawa waishio katika mazingira magumu ya ibada na endapo ukiwiwa kufanya jambo kwa ajili yao unaweza kuwasiliana moja kwa moja na mwinjilisti wao kwa nambari 0718-109936. Pamoja na hayo kama kuna namna ambayo unaweza ukafikiria kuwa endapo ikibuniwa au ikitumiwa katika mazingira hayo inaweza kufaa kuwasaidia watu hawa wa Mungu katika kumwabudu Mungu wao usisite kutoa maoni yako. Kumbuka watu hawa wengi wao hawana miongozo ya kujifunza biblia-lesoni, hawana masomo ya nchi za mbali na hata mahala rasmi pa kuabudia, hivyo kufanya ibada zao kutokuwa kama zenye mfumo tuliuzoea bali zenye kuendana na mazingira, ambapo mara nyingine zisifanyike kabisa. Hivyo maoni yako yanaweza yakafanya jambo jema katika jamii hii ya kanisa la Mungu ulimwenguni.