Jan 16 2025
This is a catch-up blog post of activities completed during 2024. It’s been a busy year with highlights and challenges but we have so much gratitude for the opportunity to be here and to learn from these wonderful people.
We will send out other posts for other outside activities and travels.
Medical Centers
We have been involved in two direct implementation projects and one project in association with an international NGO.
This Medical Center is in the second phase of construction. A ramp was previously constructed to connect the ground floor to the first and potential second floor.
This year, the second floor containing a waiting area, exam rooms and a post natal pediatric unit were constructed and turned over to the Ubungo Municipality for use. This is a small hospital in a very densely populated area and will greatly benefit patients who would otherwise have been transported to other facilities.
The staff was so very appreciative and the local residents were very grateful for this contribution.
At year end, equipment to furnish the pediatric unit was approved and purchased. It will be delivered to the hospital in the first part of January 2025.
This Health Center was a project to complete an expansion of the health center from a designation as a dispensary. This project included a walkway with canopy, lighting, an ash pit, a placenta pit, a soak away pit and a building to house a new incinerator so waste can be safely disposed of without open burning. The incinerator had to be special ordered from China and was delivered and installed in late December. This hospital is growing rapidly and the staff are very grateful for the contribution.
In February 2024, Elder Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles along with Elder Ardern of the Quorum of the Seventy, President & Sister Eghan and other local leaders and government officials visited the site. They were interviewed by the press and given a tour of the construction site.
It was humbling having an Apostle of the Lord here and be able to spend a day with him and his sweet wife. We observed how he took time to greet the patients, especially the children at the hospital, also at the missionary meeting he shook every missionaries hand, and at the members gathering that night he took time to meet individual members before starting our meeting.
We witnessed a miracle that day. He shared this experience with the missionaries. When he woke up that morning in Nairobi he was very ill not knowing if he was going to be able to make the visit to Dar es Salaam. He knew many people would be disappointed. He made a decision. He thought, I think I can take a shower. He was able to do this. Then it was, I think I can get ready, followed by I think I can check out of the motel. He made it to this point, probably not very quickly but he kept trying. He then said, If I can just get to the airport. He made it and the flight was completed. He shared with us that he did things Little by little and was blessed.
We were made aware that his health was not good and that he may stay only a few minutes. We were concerned about the extreme heat and humidity. He arrived with his wife and things went so smoothly. We knew he did not feel well but it was not noticeable. He was being blessed. He continued with the schedule and attended the missionaries training. He had energy and looked good. While speaking he shared this experience with all of the missionaries. We knew we had witnessed a miracle. He finished his day by meeting with all of the members here, taking the time to greet some of them. His visit meant a lot to everyone.
Health center in Dar es Salaam
Health center
Greeting missionaries at Kinondoni Chapel
This Maternity Center is a project sponsored by an international NGO and funded by the church in the Zinga area near Bagamoyo. This area had no adequate facility for local mothers to have access to safe medical care and clean water. This Maternity Center will include areas for prenatal, delivery and post-natal care. This project is expected to be turned to the local government in late January, 2025.
Maternity center in Zinga
Schools
Primary Schools in the Dar es Salaam area have seen substantial growth since primary school education was made free several years ago. Because of this, old classrooms with leaky roofs, unstable foundations and walls were housing from 70 to over 100 students per classroom. When it rained, the students would have to move to keep from getting wet. Latrines were inadequate for the growth and most lacked clean water for hand washing.
In one primary school, renovation and reconstruction was completed in early December, 2024 with a projected turnover to the Municipality in early January, 2025. This construction included renovating 12 classrooms and one office building. Renovating one toilet block with 10 stances and the renovation of classrooms included reconstructing three classrooms. This school has about 2800 students.
Primary school in Dar es Salaam
Another primary school has similar problems with very old facilities. There are about 50 special needs students with very unstable classrooms and latrines.
The project includes demolition and reconstruction of three classrooms renovating nine classrooms with three small offices, renovating one office building and one toilet block with nine stances.
This project is about 75% complete as of December, 2024
Primary school in Dar es Salaam
Elder Mutumbo, President of the Africa Central Area visited in September 2024. He toured a Health Center and a school project. He was so kind and shared his love with everyone he met. It was especially noticeable when he got to visit with the students preparing for the exams before entering secondary school. He encouraged the students to study hard, sharing that he was once where they were and to keep going. These efforts will bless their lives. He said he loved them and they knew it.
At year end, three other schools were ready for renovation.
School number 1: This school has more than 2000 students and the project includes
Renovation of 20 classrooms and one office and renovation of 1 toilet block with 10 stances.
School number 2: This school will complete the renovation of 12 classrooms and renovation of latrines for Teachers and students.
School number 3: This school involves renovation of 14 classrooms, 2 offices, and toilet block for students and a toilet block for teachers.
NGO’s
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also funds various projects in association with international NGO’s. The following are projects during 2024.
This NGO-Rufiji District - 5800 students and community members are beneficiaries of emergency relief and school construction following the flooding from the storms and hurricane from earlier this year.
This NGO, Hanang District, Manyara region - 759 Students, 10,050 community members were benefited by being provided with water facilities in one primary school and medical facilities in two villages along with training. These were turned over to the villages in July, 2024 with citizens, tribal and regional government leaders and NGO staff present. The village held a large celebration in association with receiving clean and accessible water.
Another international NGO has three large projects which the church is funding. One benefiting 756,632 women and children to improve newborn care and survival.
One benefiting day care and early childhood development. This includes 1,166 children in the Tujifunze, Tucheze (TuTu) centers, Zanzibar.
The third is to reduce over 301,350 zero dose and undervaccinated children on mainland Tanzania & the island of Zanzibar.
This international NGO is providing vision screenings, cataract surgeries and eyeglasses throughout the regions of Morogoro, Singida and Dodoma. This will benefit approximately 86,300 people.
Other Humanitarian Travel
During 2024, we also visited the operations of NGO’s in other regions of Tanzania and we were very impressed with the work that each of them are doing to improve lives here in Tanzania.
We traveled with a team from an iInternational NGO to the Iringa Region to the mountain village of Ipalamwa. They are providing health care and maternity care, along with nutrition training for villagers in order to reduce the serious effects of stunting in children.
We traveled to Kigoma on the Western Border of Tanzania with an international NGO to visit the medical facilities in the Nyarugusu and Nduta refugee communities along with neighboring villages. We were able to observe efforts to provide adequate medical care, especially to women and children from the time they enter the country and in the individual camps to where they are assigned to live.
Visiting with staff and residents in these communities was a highlight. We were able to see everyday life and how they have been blessed by the efforts of others to receive nutritional meals and medical care as they strive in every way possible to be self-sustaining.
In December, we were able to travel to Uganda with the two other Church Humanitarian Couples from Ethiopia, and Kenya, along with Denis our Area supervisor. We traveled throughout the week to various projects which were completed as well as toured projects under consideration for future funding. Uganda is a beautiful country as well. We left with gratitude in our hearts for the members of the church and others who contribute funds from around the world to live by the two great commandments to love God, and to love our fellow man by providing assistance to the poor without regard to race, ethnicity or religion.
Member Focused Humanitarian
The Chang’ombe District participated in the Area Member Focused Humanitarian program which is designed to help individuals to become self sustaining.
The District Self Reliance Committee received approval and funding to participate in tailoring, piggery and Poultry.
48 participants started and 43 finished. There was a Tailoring Class where the participants received training from a certified trainer, materials and a commercial sewing machine for each participant. They learned how to sew a button up shirt, skirt,and trousers. The final project was to sew a set of baptismal clothes for use in a branch.
After the training was completed they had a graduation receiving certificates and a sewing machine.
For those raising chickens, they were given 20 chickens (layers) and they were trained on how to care for them and were provided feed for six months to get them started.
After three weeks if the chickens were still alive they were given 20 more chickens. If they got sick there was a Vet available. It was exciting to see that one participant hatched some of the eggs. She wants to start a business, selling eggs. The purpose of these projects is to help these individuals and their families to become more self-reliant, especially in helping themselves with transport money and food.
For those raising pigs, they were each provided 2 pigs along with training, vet assistance and food for six months. Following this there was a graduation.
These were good projects and the participants are doing well.
All participants were required to complete the starting my business self reliance course.
These programs will be expanded in 2025. There are those who branched off into some other business. This has been successful in helping many and they have learned from what they did this year to be able to apply it to next year.
Starting My Business
This was a pilot program from the Church to assist certain individuals deemed most in need and most likely to succeed by the District self reliance committee along with recommendations from individual Branches.
The Dar es Salaam and Chang’ombe Districts participated with 12 participants from each District. This required taking a specialized business course facilitated by people from the District Self Reliance Committee. Each person had to come up with a business plan to be approved by the committee and they were provided up to $500 each to obtain materials to start. Chosen mentors were assigned to continue working with them to grow their small businesses.
Young Adults
We love our association that we have had with the young adults in the Tabata and Ubungo Branches. We have over twenty who come to the church each week on Saturday and are taking either missionary preparation, temple preparation, self-reliance or institute classes. We work with President of the Tabata Branch who teaches the institute class. He loves these young people so much. We enjoyed a couple of activities with them; hiking at Pugu Hills Reserve twice and coming to our villa for a Christmas get together. We currently have six young adults who are serving their mission calls here in Africa and others who are in the process of preparing to serve.
We loved the Saturday activity where we went once again to Pugu Hills outside of Dar es Salaam and had a short hike through the bamboo groves, then we had lunch and met for a devotional with the Branch President. He had everyone share advice to the newly called missionaries prior to their leaving for their mission assignments. Even those who were not members got to share their feelings. He ended with having us sing, “God Be With You Till We Meet Again.” It was wonderful. These young people have so much respect and care for each other.
We want them to remember when they leave on their missions the support that is here at home for them. Most of them are converts of a little over a year. These young adults are like family to us, and we are so proud of them. They have sacrificed so much to be pioneer members in their families, and we pray God’s blessings will always be with them.
Music & Church
We have attended the Ubungo & Tabata branches while serving here on our mission. The meetings are in Swahili, which is important because there are some who speak English but many do not and especially investigators do not. We want them to be able to understand what is being said. It has made it a little more challenging for us but we have tried to learn some Swahili and communicate a little. Greetings are so important to the people here.
We are so impressed and grateful for the leadership in these two branches. We admire the two district presidents. There are many others who are strong in their faith in Christ, and they sacrifice and are committed in helping build God’s kingdom here in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. It is humbling to see the Church growing here little by little.
Sis. Steiner has played the organ for both branches for Sacrament Meeting. In addition, she has been the organist for the District conferences for both the Dar es Salaam and the Chang’ombe Districts. Elder Steiner has participated in the choirs. It has been enjoyable.
Sis. Steiner has played the organ for both branches for Sacrament Meeting. In addition, she has been the organist for the District conferences for both the Dar es Salaam and the Chang’ombe Districts. Elder Steiner has participated in the choirs. It has been enjoyable.
Sister Steiner has taught piano lessons to five students throughout our time here. They love to learn. The goal is to help them learn to play 2 or more songs and play at church, then also to start teaching someone. Regular lessons have been difficult because of, travel time(some have a 2 hour one way bus ride to the Church.) scheduling(we have lessons at the church & have to cancel when there are meetings or activities.)and the students along with us had cancelations because of other commitments. For two of the students we have used WhatsApp which has been helpful.
Pianos or even keyboards are not common here. Many of the branches here did not even have a keyboard until recently. I have participated in the Harman Grant Program. The goal is to help these students complete the requirement and then they can keep the keyboard in their home. The purpose is to help a few who then can help teach others.
Returning Missionary Self Reliance Training
Every six weeks we teach a Returning Missionary Self Reliance Training. The Area office in Kenya helped us get started. We are using information on some of the classes available in the Self Reliance Classes provided by the Church, “Finding a Better Job,” providing Information on Education, (including PEF) and the class “Finding Strength in the Lord: Emotional Resilience.” The goal is to give tools and resources to help the missionaries when they return home to move forward in their lives. We have enjoyed this and appreciate their participation. It lifts us to hear of the Spiritual experiences they share, questions they ask, and to feel of how their faith in Jesus Christ has grown but also for their love for the people here.
