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Pastor Fue arrived safely in Davenport yesterday, Tuesday, June 17!

His travels were long and tiring:

  • a 9 hour bus ride to Dar Es Salaam
  • a 9 hour flight to Amsterdam
  • a 9 hour flight to Chicago
  • a 3 hour car ride to Davenport

That's 30 hours of travel, not including all the waiting and standing in line. When we arrived in Davenport, it was 2am in Tanzania; 2am to Pastor Fue's internal clock.

It was all joy and gratidute and relief to arrive in Davenport. And memories, because almost 20 years ago, Pastor Fue visited Davenport for the first time.

During the summer of 2006, right before he finished his seminary studies but before he was ordained a pastor, he came to Camp EWALU as an International Counselor. For many years, this was established at EWALU. In addition to their homegrown counselor staff, they brought counselors from the Pare Diocese in Tanzania and other places. Pastor Fue was one in 2006, along with two others from another country in Africa.

At EWALU, he learned much that has helped him now lead as his district's youth coordinator in the Pare Diocese. And he also met Ben Dau, a son of Zion who had traveled to Kirangare in 2004, just a couple years earlier.  Pastor Fue was not a pastor then and certainly not the pastor of Kirangare Lutheran Parish. But he was born and raised in Kirangare. So he knew of the companionship with Zion and was glad to see Ben. Ben invited him to Zion. So one Saturday, they came to Davenport. They attended at Zion the ordination of David Lapka.

That was 2006, 19 years ago. Zion and Kirangare Parish made their covenant together in 2001, 24 years ago. How amazing! Despite the years the companionship slept, with no communication or visitors back and forth, it is now strong again. Pastor Fue has returned! Sadly, alone and without his companions who were denied U.S. visas. But also with joy and gratitude and valuable memories of visits past.

In the coming weeks, we will make new memories that some day will be the old stories we tell again in 10 and 20 years. Here is the itinerary of this time hosting Pastor Fue. Follow news of the visit here. Come and be an active part of this blessed companionship!

Thanks be to God!

Ministries
Kirangare Companionship