Odds and Ends

CHURCH

Another Sunday in Tanzania brought a three and a half hour worship in the village of Ihemi. We had three baptisms, communion and all of the other goodies that go with worship. The announcements alone were almost an hour. But it must have been a very good worship. The auction of items given during the offering included firewood, charcoal, a bag of potatoes, a bucket of tomatoes, corn and TWO chickens. That's right, it was a two chicken Sunday! A first in my experience.


FUND RAISING

Last night, Don and Eunice Fultz, Gary and Carol (she arrived on Friday) Langness and I attended a fundraiser for a new church building for one of the local parishes. It started at 7:00 in a beautiful banquet hall. We were told we would eat at around 8:00. We sat at a table, our ears being assaulted by loud music for two hours, before the guests of honor arrived. The guests of honor were that because they were the heavy hitters, the big money. Speeches were made by the dignitaries, including the bishop and the local political leader, more music was played and sung, and then the fundraising began. It's now 10:00. No food yet.

As a professional fundraiser (Philanthropic Adviser, you know) I was interested to know how they intended to raise the money. Their goal for the night was around $20,000. This is how they did it. With a video camera displaying its image on a large screen in the front of the hall, bright spot lights and a microphone, the lead fundraiser went around the room, person by person, and asked each person to tell what they were going to give to the project. They started at our table! At 11:45 they still weren't finished, but we had made our pledges, so we left for the night. We still hadn't eaten.

We were told the next day that they raised a little more than $15,000 with more pledges from absent people coming in.

MY WORK

My intentions in coming to Tanzania were to work with Tumaini Univeristy Iringa College on their strategic planning processes. The thought from many bright people who had visited in previous years was that Tumaini was a great school that needed a little help to plan for its future.

Much to my surprise and delight, I found that in the past year great strides had been made in their planning. Dr. Richard Lubawa, a recent PhD graduate of Luther Seminary, is doing a terrific job, leading the planning efforts. I read through the second draft of their strategic plan, being as critical as I could be, and then sat with Richard for a conversation. Believe me, he knows what he's doing. Not only is the current document very good, but they plan to revise and tighten it two more times before they are done. Every suggestion I made, he had considered and made plans to do before I arrived. My work with them was done within two and a half weeks.

Since then, I've been working with the Iringa Diocese on their planning processes, particularly as they relate to their partnership with the St. Paul Area Synod. Bishop Mdegella has repeatedly said that two things that will be required of the Iringa Diocese moving forward are transparency and accountability. He has learned from the partners in St. Paul that they have expectations of the diocese and its organizations to use the funds given wisely and for their highest priorities.

To that end, I have developed, with the diocese, a series of three simple forms to help congregations, secondary schools, hospitals, orphanages, dispenaries and any other form of the Iringa Diocese establish their highest priories. With diocese approval, once these priorities are established, they will be encouraged to contact their partner congregations with an official request for a specific project. Also, on an annual basis, a progress report is to be made to the partner congregation in St. Paul, updating them on the progress of the project and the use of their funds. I have been meeting with pastors, treasurers and other diocese leaders, teaching them how to plan and how to use these forms.

This has been most fulfilling. I can clearly see how this will help organizations in the Iringa Diocese. I trust it will also be very helpful with the partners in St. Paul.

Other than that, I've helped host groups as they visit from the U.S. I've eaten in many people's homes. I've made a great many friends among the Tanzanian Christians here. And starting next Sunday, I will begin preaching in village churches. I think I'm ready.