For approximately 20 years, St. John’s has been ‘paired-up’ with a congregation in the Meru Diocese of Tanzania, for prayer, partnership, and mutual support. Bonnie Puestow and Donna Lamberg have visited there, as did Joel & Wendy Heidtke, Pastor Paul, and young adults on a trip in 2009. Dr. Nanyaro, who used to oversee the small medical clinics in the Meru Diocese, visited St. John’s years ago, and still keeps in touch. We share a portion of our Lent offerings with them to help them serve their community and grow their church!

Where is Ulong’a? It’s about halfway up towering (15,000’) Mt. Meru, a little outside of the large city of Arusha. Mt. Meru is a dormant volcano. Many residents have small farm plots where they may grow coffee beans, bananas, potatoes or maize; and raise chickens or a few goats. Some folks have jobs in the city of Arusha. The weather there right now is their “mini-winter” (just south of the equator, opposite of our summer! They don’t have 4 seasons, but have more of a wet and a dry season.)

The Church! Ulong’a is a fairly large ‘parish’, with 1 or 2 more ‘preaching sites’, and they often have 400-500 people at worship. Tanzania is a ‘young’ nation, population-wise. They sent us a picture of their large Sunday School group a few years ago. (And they made the red altar cloths we used on Pentecost!) The church tries hard to look out for and feed their neighbors who have few resources. (Pastor Paul’s note: When I send a card and $50 back with Pastor Elias to deliver to them, I always get an email back about how “we helped someone buy food or medicine!”)

A message from dear old Dr. Nanyaro: Dear Pastor Mittermaier and St. John’s friends.

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior. We have received your letter with many thanks and great appreciation. I always enjoy reading your letters as they are very interesting. The big envelope was addressed “find smiles inside” and therefore I opened the envelope and surely made a smile after finding a precious gift inside. ($50)

Yes, we have been praying for world peace including wars in Iran, Gaza, Ukraine, Lebanon and Sudan. In October last year Tanzania faced a serious political riots following National Election, but the situation was arrested and peace has been restored.

We will continue praying for you dear friends and thank you so much for your good service and leadership at St. John’s Lutheran Church. We have enjoyed your wonderful guidance in our partnership, we will always remember you. God be with you.

Members of Ulong’a Parish are sending their love to their friends at St. John’s Lutheran Church. It is mini-winter at our village and farmers at Ulong’a are busy planting potatoes and maize.

In Jesus’ name,

Rishiael and Sarah Nanyaro

(We’ll hear again from them after they receive our Lenten offerings of approximately $1500, which are ‘wired’ to them, through our Greater Milwaukee Synod-to help keep fees low.)

Google “Mt. Meru” in Tanzania for a sense of location. And, our Synod Partnership has included selling Mt. Meru Coffee here, where the proceeds help those local, small, coffee farmers directly. Does anyone want to revive those sales here at St. John’s?