By Kirsten Levorson
When our friends from Tanzania come to visit, they often remark on our nice houses that keep us sheltered from bad weather, they mention our nice cars and good roads. They admire our schools and system of education, our healthcare. One Tanzanian pastor said to me many years ago, ‘yes, we are bega kwa bega, shoulder to shoulder, but your shoulder is bigger than our shoulder.’
During this pandemic, for the first time, they see that we are vulnerable too. We are vulnerable to the virus, to poor leadership, we have economic challenges.
When we Americans see a challenge or a vulnerability, our first instinct is to go there and do something. Our Tanzanian friends have a different response, perhaps one that can be a lesson to us.
In the face of our vulnerability, they have increased and intensified their prayers for us. I get emails and messages many times a week, and the language of their prayers is vivid and moving (example below).
I ask God to cover you and hide you from the coronavirus. I ask God to build a fortress around you to keep you safe from COVID. We are hoping that one day we will see you face to face hugging each other when COVID-19 is over in the world. We trust it is possible.
Money is being collected throughout December 2020 for:
- Tanzania Partnership: Your gift supports 150 scholarship students, provides medical support for a rural clinic, and assists with projects within our three companion parishes.
- Note: Checks can be made out to SOTV, with “TZ” in the memo line. Online gifts can be made at sotv.org/give to the “Christmas Gift Giving” fund with “TZ Gifts” in the memo line.
