Partner Church in Ihemi, Tanzania

Iringa Diocese Famine Relief & Food Distribution at Nyanzwa photos

Link below shows some nice pictures of maize distribution in response to the famine. Thanks for everything many of you are doing to minimize the impact of this for these brothers and sisters!

Photos

The Agriculture Institute of Tumaini University for which Mark Jensen is the Founding Director, teaches better methods of farming to peasant farmers in the Iringa Region of Tanzania, East Africa. Mark and his wife, Terry spent approximately 6 months of the year in Iringa to continue the work of this institute.

In summary, the Ag Institute is involved with 3 demonstration farms and 11 demonstration plots. For one of these farms Christiania was a major contributor when it was first purchased. The name of that farm is Mgongo Farm. There have been contributions from Christiania and its members to continue this work for which we are very thankful. We are very pleased to report that our demonstration of better agriculture methods is working very well there at Mgongo even if they are on a small scale. Thank you Christiania!

Also, we have started 11 demonstration plots this year - we call them Companion Village Plots -- one of these plots is right at our sister church - the Ihemi Congregation. The set of pictures below (click on the link) are all of Ihemi (a couple from last year but most were just taken this past fall when Don & Karen Fehr had visited with us in Iringa).
Set of pictures re: Ag Institute and Ihemi demonstration plot.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21557421@N08/sets/72157608083817132/detail/

Iringa Student Sponsorships

            Students in Iringa, Tanzania receive free public schooling through grade 7. Secondary School costs $350 per year, an exorbitant amount for families. Thank you to the individual Christiania families who sponsor 41 students. If you would like to make a better life for a young person, consider a gift of education. $350 covers tuition, books, supplies, room & board and transportation. Contact Pastor Nancy or place your gift in the offering plate.

Tanzania Student sponsors, please check out the link: www.spas-elca.smugmug.com/Portraits/BKBstudents for pictures of Christiania and other St. Paul Area Synod sponsored students. Simply scroll down to the file labeled Christiania and double click to bring up many of our student pictures taken in May 2009. From this site copies can be ordered if so desired.

Here are new updates on the Ag Institute from Mark Jensen  as of July 2009. 

If the link does not work, copy and paste this address to get to the site. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21557421@N08/sets/72157608083817132/detail/