the Jubilee

See photos from Idaru.

Thousands of people gathered for the Pare Diocese Jubilee, or 40th anniversary celebration on Sunday, October 19. Rev. Dr. Alex Malasusa, the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, preached. Bishops, pastors, and evangelists from around Tanzania and especially the Diocese came. Of course, our own Bishop Amy Current came too. 

There was a truly massive and amazing choir, a children's choir, dozens of musicians (mostly brass but also strings, keyboards, and drums). Three songs were anthems for the day, and choirs sang them in congregations across the Diocese, including in Kirangare, Mpare, Idaru and Marindi.

When Pastor Fue visited Iowa in June he brought Zion fabric printed with the logo of the jubilee. Most everyone who came to the Jubilee in Same wore it – dresses, shirts, blazers – no two of them the same, all bespoke, custom tailored. 

Philip Mpango, the vice present of Tanzania attended with his wife. He spoke but not before the Bishop Charles Mjema of Pare Diocese spoke, demanding government investments in the Same District in hospitals, an ambulance, a water project, and roads. The Bishop also asked for the creation of a second Same District council, so one each would represent the western and eastern parts of the district. Council members from near Kirangare in the east find it too costly to travel to Same Town for meetings. When Vice President Mpango spoke he praised the Diocese’s good works, including community development work. He also promised an ambulance, 20 million Tanzanian shillings ($8,000 USD) for the water project, and “open conversation” about adding a council.

The visit in itself was historic, as the most recent visit to Same of a high ranking government official was the prime minister 20 years ago. These concrete wins were significant too. So in turn bishops, then pastors, then we honored guests from Europe and the United States posed for pictures with Vice President and “Mama” Mpango.

When the day's worship concluded, five hours had passed. It was all in Swahili, with Pastor Fue and another colleague of his translating for us. By the end, Amos said his “brain was melting.” And it was amazing.

After worship, we gathered with other honored guests for lunch. We ate with our own Bishop Amy Current and other Iowa travelers, including from St. Andrews in Ames. St. Andrews’s companionship congregation is in Hedaru, down the mountain from Kirangare. We also met Bishop Mjema and his wife, Pastor Nahana Mjema.

By the time we returned to our hotel in Hedaru, we were exhausted but blessed. And over dinner, the children discussed how they could return for the Diocese’s 100th anniversary when they're in their 60s. So save the date.