Giving Thanks In Maasai Land

by Rita Langeland

There is a well known Swahili proverb that says, “Haraka, haraka, haina baraka.” The English translation is simple. It means, “Hurry, hurry has no blessing.” A more familiar proverb to tourists who visit East Africa is this: “There is no hurry in Africa.” Because of this underlying cultural principle in a land where doing things speedily is NOT considered a virtue, we know that it is the result of miraculous intervention when a project moves along in Africa at a pace that an American would consider reasonable! With that said, we can honestly report that God’s help has been very apparent in our latest church building project.

We are giving thanks to the Lord for the near completion of the church facility in Esilalei village in Tanzania. The church walls are up, the cement floor has been poured, the roof is on and at the time of this writing, the doors and windows are being installed. But more exciting than all of that is the fact that 178 people attended a church service last Sunday in that building! They no longer have to meet under a thorn tree but are now protected from the elements by a sturdy iron sheet roof! People have been saved and healed and encouraged in that place already.

The response of the Maasai people in the area where the church building is being constructed has been tremendous. They find it amazing that someone would care enough to build a church building just for them. That very tangible sign of love has really touched their hearts. Most of the residents there live in mud and dung huts with thatch grass roofs. They have no running water and no bathroom facilities whatsoever. The construction team built a very nice double outhouse and a bathhouse. Previous to the construction of the bathhouse, the people would come to the well (which HWCM drilled last year and is located right near the church building) and strip down completely and bathe out in the open, because they had no where else to go. They are so extremely grateful for the “his and her” bathhouse facilities. Now instead of giving themselves a “bucket bath” in public, they take their water bucket to the bathhouse and bathe privately. They are filled with gratitude for this blessing! The double outhouse is also a “modern convenience” that they do not have access to in their villages and again they are so thankful for the provision of this simple gift. (Are you grateful for the indoor plumbing in your own home?)

Here at Hidden With Christ Ministries we are thankful to everyone who has had a part in this project to bless the Maasai people in Esilalei village. Thank you for praying and thank you for giving financially to see this project completed. Whether you gave toward the blocks for the walls, the doors, the windows, the roof or the benches in the church, your gift was a life-giving one! Next month we will share the photos of the completed structure, the dedication of the facility and the rejoicing in the church for what God has done.

Pray with us for the finances for the next phase of this project which is to build a parsonage (living quarters) for the pastor and his family. This is a critical component since the church is in a very rural area about 5 miles from the nearest town. Living on the grounds of the church will enable the pastor to be available for ministry and to provide security for the church building and the well and the other projects which will be developed over the next couple of years on that piece of property. Thank you for being a part of blessing the Maasai tribe in Tanzania!