Tanzania Links - Kiteto

The Diocese of Mount Kilimanjaro (DMK) in the Anglican Church of Tanzania covers an area equivalent to half the size of England with an estimated 20,000 and 30,000 Anglicans.

Now the exciting development of a new diocese in the south, the Diocese of Kiteto, means that an area that was often overlooked is being helped. The joy - and the difficulty - is that in Kiteto a new church opens on average every fortnight and it is proving hard to train pastors to keep up with growth!

Bishop John Hayden led and oversaw the building and development of Kiteto Christian College and Cathedral and churches and schools throughout the southern region and the development of the new diocese.  He is now back in the UK but continues to make visits to Kiteto to oversee the projects funded by the Tanzania Church Partnership Assosication.

BISHOP OF KITETO ELECTED

On 25th February 2009, the first bishop for the Diocese of  Kiteto - the Revd Isaya (or Isaiah) Chambala- was elected. The Diocese was inaugurated and Isaiah consecrated on 12th July 2009.

Peter Mkengi

We were privileged to host Revd Peter Mkengi in Whitwick for 10 days during his study and exchange visit to the UK in May 2006. 

Peter has coordinated the Theological Training programmes in the south since 2004.  Through these programmes, church members, evangelists and pastors can train at various levels. Most studies are distance learning, non-residential making them cost effective and allowing students to continue in their ministry. Some courses have some intensive study at Kiteto Christian College, but maintain the emphasis of continuing work in the home church for their students. Before Kiteto Bible College residential seminars and short course training was so far away that it was not practical.

Training is at various levels, so suited to the individual students.

• 138 people are on the Basic Course, building a general understanding of Christianity and acting for some as a springboard for further study.
• 21 are on the Kiswahili Diploma Course. Learning in a local language opens doors for understanding the Bible and communicating it to people on the ground.
• Five are learning English in preparation for a Bachelor of Ministry degree. At present the degree is only available in English.
• Seven are studying for an accredited Bachelor of Ministry degree.

New churches are benefiting as they have trained leaders.

Previous students have gone on to work as evangelists and pastors in their communities. They are spreading and deepening an understanding of Jesus.

To continue his own studies and research, Peter Mkengi is undertaking a MA course at St John's University Dodoma the new Anglican University. He started his final year of the three year course in November 2010. 

Sister Sara - Health and Eye Clinics

Sister Sara trained in London and Tanzania as an eye specialist.  She gave up her post at the top of her profession in February 2006 to head to the Kiteto district.

She had heard of the work there from a colleague and felt called to use her skills and experience to volunteer for the massive responsibility of running the clinic, together with outreach health programmes throughout the district. 

Common sight problems in Kiteto include recurrent eye infections, ultimately leading to blindness, and loss of sight associated with lack of vitamin A. Both conditions are eminently treatable with simple and cheap medications, as long as diagnosis is in good time. She has now trained 12 district workers to act as her assistants in the outlying villages. Each worker has been equipped with a sturdy bicycle to travel over the rough roads, eye charts, equipment for basic diagnosis, and, equally importantly, an understanding of proper hygiene and diet to start addressing illness at a local level.

Assistants will also help with the ongoing task of monitoring children aged four to eight, most of whom are receiving one meal a day at one of the hundred or more village schools run by the Association. At a recent check, only one child in a school of 200 did not need medical treatment.

Sister Sarah is working hard at the health centre, especially towards registration with the Tanzanian ministry of health, and towards setting up a laboratory and pharmacy which will support the healthcare work. Around 100 cataract surgeries were undertaken last year, which obviously blessed the sight of many people 

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Volunteer needed for 3 months in 2010

Tanzanian Church Partnership Association  is hoping to find a volunteer who might be able to spend about 3 months in Kibaya in 2010 helping to coordinate the building of a new school/church and pastors house. We would also welcome volunteers who might be able to work in education, especially at primary level, or in any form of health work. Please pass on this message to anyone who might take a serious interest in this project.

Read More

 Newsletter of the Tanzanian Church Partnership Association - Autumn 2010

 Kiteto Courier - November 2009 

Report on visit to Tanzania for the consecration of  Bishop Isaiah Chambala - July 9^th – 16^th July 2009

Kiteto Courier - March 2009

Kiteto Courier - December 2007

The Gift of sight in rural Tanzania - More about Sister Sara's work. January 07.

Kiteto Courier - January 2007

To view these you will need Adobe Reader - Get Adobe Reader (Free download)

KCC school, Kibaya -  2009 update 
Schools and College
Sister Sara
The rains 
Harvest 2006 - famine

Link to Bishop John Hayden's Crosslinks pages
http://crosslinks.org/who/people/mp_hayden.htm

Bishop John Hayden's December 2006 year end report to Crosslinks
http://crosslinks.org/who/mp_pls/hayden0612a.htm

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