Words from Tanzania

In early February, we attended the Mbaga Parish Jubilee, located high in the South Pare Mountains. The occasion was to celebrate 100 years of being a mission and parish, and there just happened to be a few special guests—The descendants of the founding German missionary Jakob Janssen Dannholz, the ELCT head Bishop Alex Malasusa, Pare Diocese Bishop S.A. Msangi, and our very own ELCA Southeastern Iowa Synod Bishop P. Hougen. The SEIA Synod was well represented by a delegation of first time Tanzania travelers as part of a sponsored trip with Bishop Hougen acting as host. Many others from Germany, the US, and from around the country of Tanzania were also in attendance.

As is typical, the guests started arriving days before the celebration. For us and the day-travelers, it was only a one hour journey up the rough and tumble mountain roads leading out of Same town. By midmorning, all arrived at the Mbaga Parish and were greeted by parishioners, music and the traditional chai and food.

The service started with a procession led by the dignitaries and all others fell in line as they walked from the parish house to the special monument marking the 1908-2008 Jubilee. The monument was blessed, trees were planted, hymns sung and many speeches were given. The service lasted almost four hours. The special guests were honored with food prepared by what must have been an army of parish workers, then the parties dispersed.

There was another Jubilee in the year 2000, that one at Shigatini (North Pare Mtns) which marked the first German mission in the Pare settlement area. This Mbaga Jubilee celebrated the first German settlement in the South Pare Mountains