Transportation for Mission
Across northwestern Tanzania, clergy face serious transportation challenges that restrict their pastoral and evangelistic ministry. Many roads are unpaved and difficult to travel, becoming muddy or almost impassable during the rainy season. Without reliable transportation, clergy must often walk or cycle long distances to reach remote congregations.
A single parish may include one principal church and between three and six subsidiary churches scattered across a wide area. These distances can prevent clergy from visiting every congregation regularly to lead worship, preach the Gospel, administer the sacraments, provide pastoral care and equip local Christians for mission. Reliable local transportation is therefore essential to the spiritual life and missionary growth of the diocese.
Our Response
The Diocese aims to provide motorcycles to the Clergy and bicycles to the Evangelists to ensure that ministry can reach all parts of the Diocese.
Provision of Motorcycles to Clergy
So far 12 Clergy have already been provided with a motorcycle, and a fund is being raised for many more.
The Rev. Stanley Gordian Rwamgila serves eight churches in remote village communities. Before receiving a motorcycle, the distances between these congregations sometimes required him to remain away from his family for two or three days in order to conduct the necessary services.
Walking or cycling such long distances affected his health and required him to travel through isolated areas where there was a danger of armed robbery. His motorcycle has made his ministry safer, more efficient and more sustainable.
He can now conduct services in more than one church on the same day while also spending more time with his family. Most importantly, reliable transportation has greatly expanded his mission and evangelistic ministry. In one year, he was able to establish five new congregations.
Provision of Bicycles to Evangelists
70 bicycles have been provided to Evangelists across the Diocese
Ev. Oscar Kamugisha Telenga who never owned a personal bicycle before, used to cover 20 km on foot one way, and another 20 km on return from the Churches he was serving. When he got too tired to walk, from his own pocket, he would hire a motorcycle.and find the one that speaks to your heart.