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Pastor Fue will travel to Iowa alone next month. He is the pastor of Kirangare Lutheran Parish, which has preaching points in the villages of Kirangare, Mpare, Idaru, and Marindi, Tanzania. Zion has had a companionship relationship with these dear brothers and sisters for 24 years. While Zion travelers have visited Tanzania each year for the last three years (and plan to return this October), it has been some time since Tanzania travelers have visited Iowa. What a gift!

Pastor Fue's other four travel companions – including Gaspar John Maita and Simon Simon, chair and secretary of the Companionship Committee – were denied U.S. visas on May 20. New U.S. policy bars them from reapplying for six months, and there is no allowance to appeal. So while it's disappointing he will travel alone, we can rejoice that Pastor Fue is still traveling. It will be a joy to host him.

Pastor Fue will arrive on June 17 and depart July 2. You can spend time with him on multiple occasions, including:

  • Welcome Breakfast, June 18 at Zion at 9am
  • Riverboat Cruise, June 21 at 11am
  • Worship, Sunday, June 22 at Zion at 9:30am - Pastor Fue will preach
  • River Bandits game, June 22 at 1pm
  • OWLs lunch, June 26 at 11am
  • Farewell Dinner, July 1 at Zion at 5:30pm

Pastor Fue will also visit Camp EWALU for Juneteenth celebrations on June 19. He will serve at Zion's food pantry June 23 and at the free meal on June 25.

Pastor Fue will travel to Des Moines to visit and preach at St. James Lutheran Church in Johnston, companion congregation to Ivuga Lutheran Parish, which Pastor Fue is serving on an interim basis. While there, he, Zion, and St. James people will tour the capitol and visit with Iowa State Senator and Lutheran pastor, Sarah Trone-Garriot. We will also meet with our Southeastern Iowa Synod Bishop Amy Current in Iowa City on the return to the Quad Cities.

I plan to post on Zion's website, just as I do when I travel in Tanzania. So you can keep up with all the activity, even if you yourself cannot participate.

Thanks for your prayers and your support of Zion's companionship with Kirangare Lutheran Parish! And peace,

Pastor Clark Olson-Smith

Ministries
Kirangare Companionship