Cockadoodle Doo!
You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity.
Philippians 4:19-20 MSG
Between what seemed like never ending sickness and conflicting schedules, the monthly Maasai village trips we had been making last year haven't been happening since we returned from the U.S. Finally, this past Friday, Frank, Junior, and I were all available on the same day and we made a trip to the village of Mkangazi. This village is served by Pastor Kulanga who lives here in town and travels out to the bush every weekend to lead services, and during the week to check on the community. His wife Eunice is our District Superintendent and was the first female pastor in Tanzania.
When we made our last visit to Mkangazi in November, the people told us that they need help funding the rebuilding of their toilets. They had begun work digging the "toilet pit" but needed cement, bricks, roofing, pipes, and other materials, as well as money to pay for labor. Once we returned in January, Pastor Kulanga worked with the community leaders to put together a specific list of supplies and costs and we set a date to purchase and deliver the items to Mkangazi. Unfortunately, the day that we chose was the day I came down with typhoid. Stuck in my own bathroom, I wasn't able to travel to deliver the supplies for Mkangazi's toilets. I gave Kulanga the money that was needed and my blessing, and with the help of my friends, he was able to purchase all of the supplies here in town and deliver them to the extremely grateful Maasai community. When they returned my friend Joseph came to check on me and I asked him how everything went. He told me, "They were so happy and they said to thank you so much and to say God bless you. But they were so sad to hear you were sick. They miss you." I missed them too.
Friday morning we loaded up the bus and made the 90 minute trip to Mkangazi. It was just a short trip to greet them, see how they are doing, and see the new toilets. As usual, we were greeted by happy, playful children and their mothers, as well as the leader of the community who immediately thanked me for their new toilets. After greeting us, the children who attend school in the church building, returned to their desks and quietly waited for instructions from their teacher. On the chalkboard was written capital and small letter Ks as well as Swahili words that began with the same letter. We spoke with the teacher and the community leader and, as usual, the longer we stayed, the more people flooded the church. I was so excited to see what have now become such familiar faces and share warm hugs after being apart for so long.
Frank led us in song and prayer and then the church's youth choir sang and danced for us before we went outside the view the toilets. Almost complete, the updated structure is greatly improved and will function much better than what they had previously. The teacher and community leader thanked us profusely for providing them the supplies and funds they needed to complete this task. We returned to the church where Frank and I spent some time discussing our future visits and what subjects would be most beneficial for us to speak on. The women especially expressed a desire to discuss technology. Sending text messages, reloading credit on to their phones, using WiFi. They were also excited about discussing new foods to try and ways to grow and prepare them.
Lastly, the community leader spoke, again expressing words of thanks to me for assisting them and they voiced their plans and dreams for the future. Installation of sinks, another building to use as a proper classroom, a speaker for the choir to use on Sundays. I expressed my deep joy for their dreams and commended them for thinking bigger. For thinking about how they can make their church a safe, functioning, enjoyable place where all people from the community want to come. Where they feel they are welcome and wanted. That is how we grow God's church. By looking outside of just ourselves and thinking about the needs of our community as a whole and the needs of the generations to come. I am thankful to God that this community understands that, and I am so excited for the future of their church.
Once the leader had finished, I asked to speak to the group. I told them how much I appreciated them voicing their specific needs with us. So far, every need they have expressed has been met, and while I couldn't guarantee that I could address every need immediately, I promised them that I would do what I could to make it happen. I also made it very clear that while yes, I withdrew the money needed from my bank account, I did not fund this project. I told them that I am a volunteer. That I make no money and that all of my expenses and every project I am able to fund comes from donations from my friends and family in the U.S. I told them that when we visited, we spoke about them. We told churches about the amazing God work being done in the Maasai communities and that people were excited about that and wanted to help. Upon hearing those words, the church burst into applause and loud cheers.
Although I was saying these words to convey my situation to the church at Mkangazi, they were important words for me to hear too. It was important for me to remember how I got here. I am here by the grace of God and by his calling on the hearts of so many who have donated towards my work here in Tanzania. It is because of God working through you, my faithful support system, that I have food to eat every day. That I have electricity and running water. It is because of God working through you that I can give a weekly offering to Morogoro United Methodist Church and that I have biscuits to give my sweet neighborhood kids. It is because of God working through you that the new mother next door has money to take her baby to the hospital. And it is because of God working through you that Mkangazi has new toilets, and will eventually have sinks and classrooms. Of that I have no doubt. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Before we left Mkangazi, the women of the church served us rice, beans, and potatoes for lunch. As we were finishing our food, the leader of the women came and told me they had a gift for me. I looked to the door and one of the mamas came in carrying a live chicken in a black grocery bag. She had the biggest smile on her face (the mama, not the chicken). My eyes got big and I started to smile too, thinking about how full my intended for one, turned into three, now going to be four, chicken house was going to be. She proudly handed me the plastic bag and I took it hesitantly as the chicken began flapping around, trying to escape. Another mama came to assist me and tied the bag tightly near the chickens neck. I attempted to take the bag again and just as I was getting a comfortable grip, another mama came in with another chicken. This one not in a bag and not happy with her current situation. She was clucking and flapping her wings as the mama shoved the chicken towards me. Instinctively, I backed away and let out a little squeal as the other chicken started to squirm, trying to get out of the bag. The mamas all laughed at my reaction and assisted me in getting both chickens into the bag and tying it tightly. I nervously held up the bag, a decent distance away from my body and thanked them so much for their generous gift. (See the pictures below for a play by play of this whole scene).
So our hen house is full, and so is my heart. The generosity I have received from you, and from the people here in Tanzania is nothing short of incredible. While I don't know where I will be in the next ten or twenty years, I know that I will never forget this time in my life. A time where God has made his love and provision so clear, I can see and feel and especially hear it every day. It sounds something like, 'cockadoodle doo'!
Mungu akubariki,
(God bless you)
Allee
Philippians 4:19-20 MSG
Between what seemed like never ending sickness and conflicting schedules, the monthly Maasai village trips we had been making last year haven't been happening since we returned from the U.S. Finally, this past Friday, Frank, Junior, and I were all available on the same day and we made a trip to the village of Mkangazi. This village is served by Pastor Kulanga who lives here in town and travels out to the bush every weekend to lead services, and during the week to check on the community. His wife Eunice is our District Superintendent and was the first female pastor in Tanzania.
When we made our last visit to Mkangazi in November, the people told us that they need help funding the rebuilding of their toilets. They had begun work digging the "toilet pit" but needed cement, bricks, roofing, pipes, and other materials, as well as money to pay for labor. Once we returned in January, Pastor Kulanga worked with the community leaders to put together a specific list of supplies and costs and we set a date to purchase and deliver the items to Mkangazi. Unfortunately, the day that we chose was the day I came down with typhoid. Stuck in my own bathroom, I wasn't able to travel to deliver the supplies for Mkangazi's toilets. I gave Kulanga the money that was needed and my blessing, and with the help of my friends, he was able to purchase all of the supplies here in town and deliver them to the extremely grateful Maasai community. When they returned my friend Joseph came to check on me and I asked him how everything went. He told me, "They were so happy and they said to thank you so much and to say God bless you. But they were so sad to hear you were sick. They miss you." I missed them too.
Friday morning we loaded up the bus and made the 90 minute trip to Mkangazi. It was just a short trip to greet them, see how they are doing, and see the new toilets. As usual, we were greeted by happy, playful children and their mothers, as well as the leader of the community who immediately thanked me for their new toilets. After greeting us, the children who attend school in the church building, returned to their desks and quietly waited for instructions from their teacher. On the chalkboard was written capital and small letter Ks as well as Swahili words that began with the same letter. We spoke with the teacher and the community leader and, as usual, the longer we stayed, the more people flooded the church. I was so excited to see what have now become such familiar faces and share warm hugs after being apart for so long.
Frank led us in song and prayer and then the church's youth choir sang and danced for us before we went outside the view the toilets. Almost complete, the updated structure is greatly improved and will function much better than what they had previously. The teacher and community leader thanked us profusely for providing them the supplies and funds they needed to complete this task. We returned to the church where Frank and I spent some time discussing our future visits and what subjects would be most beneficial for us to speak on. The women especially expressed a desire to discuss technology. Sending text messages, reloading credit on to their phones, using WiFi. They were also excited about discussing new foods to try and ways to grow and prepare them.
Lastly, the community leader spoke, again expressing words of thanks to me for assisting them and they voiced their plans and dreams for the future. Installation of sinks, another building to use as a proper classroom, a speaker for the choir to use on Sundays. I expressed my deep joy for their dreams and commended them for thinking bigger. For thinking about how they can make their church a safe, functioning, enjoyable place where all people from the community want to come. Where they feel they are welcome and wanted. That is how we grow God's church. By looking outside of just ourselves and thinking about the needs of our community as a whole and the needs of the generations to come. I am thankful to God that this community understands that, and I am so excited for the future of their church.
Once the leader had finished, I asked to speak to the group. I told them how much I appreciated them voicing their specific needs with us. So far, every need they have expressed has been met, and while I couldn't guarantee that I could address every need immediately, I promised them that I would do what I could to make it happen. I also made it very clear that while yes, I withdrew the money needed from my bank account, I did not fund this project. I told them that I am a volunteer. That I make no money and that all of my expenses and every project I am able to fund comes from donations from my friends and family in the U.S. I told them that when we visited, we spoke about them. We told churches about the amazing God work being done in the Maasai communities and that people were excited about that and wanted to help. Upon hearing those words, the church burst into applause and loud cheers.
Although I was saying these words to convey my situation to the church at Mkangazi, they were important words for me to hear too. It was important for me to remember how I got here. I am here by the grace of God and by his calling on the hearts of so many who have donated towards my work here in Tanzania. It is because of God working through you, my faithful support system, that I have food to eat every day. That I have electricity and running water. It is because of God working through you that I can give a weekly offering to Morogoro United Methodist Church and that I have biscuits to give my sweet neighborhood kids. It is because of God working through you that the new mother next door has money to take her baby to the hospital. And it is because of God working through you that Mkangazi has new toilets, and will eventually have sinks and classrooms. Of that I have no doubt. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
Before we left Mkangazi, the women of the church served us rice, beans, and potatoes for lunch. As we were finishing our food, the leader of the women came and told me they had a gift for me. I looked to the door and one of the mamas came in carrying a live chicken in a black grocery bag. She had the biggest smile on her face (the mama, not the chicken). My eyes got big and I started to smile too, thinking about how full my intended for one, turned into three, now going to be four, chicken house was going to be. She proudly handed me the plastic bag and I took it hesitantly as the chicken began flapping around, trying to escape. Another mama came to assist me and tied the bag tightly near the chickens neck. I attempted to take the bag again and just as I was getting a comfortable grip, another mama came in with another chicken. This one not in a bag and not happy with her current situation. She was clucking and flapping her wings as the mama shoved the chicken towards me. Instinctively, I backed away and let out a little squeal as the other chicken started to squirm, trying to get out of the bag. The mamas all laughed at my reaction and assisted me in getting both chickens into the bag and tying it tightly. I nervously held up the bag, a decent distance away from my body and thanked them so much for their generous gift. (See the pictures below for a play by play of this whole scene).
So our hen house is full, and so is my heart. The generosity I have received from you, and from the people here in Tanzania is nothing short of incredible. While I don't know where I will be in the next ten or twenty years, I know that I will never forget this time in my life. A time where God has made his love and provision so clear, I can see and feel and especially hear it every day. It sounds something like, 'cockadoodle doo'!
If you would like to donate towards this cause or towards my general Tanzania mission funds, you can send donations electronically through the Venmo app.
My username is @Alison-Gomulka.
If you would prefer to send a check, you can mail it to
Alison Gomulka
15601 Shady Brook Lane
College Station, TX
77845
Mungu akubariki,
(God bless you)
Allee
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