Last week, I was able to take a day and travel about 2.5 hrs away to a local very rural village named Mzenga. Here, a family with our mission is working to bless this small community and teach God’s Word to the locals. Nearly all the inhabitants in the village are from the Zaramo tribe, and most are strongly Muslim or ATR (African Traditional Religions – ie – tribal animism). Below is a picture of a “spirit house.” When Africans believe they have been cursed by someone, and an evil spirit is attacking them, they will build a small house like the one shown behind their house, and put gifts in it to appease the spirit. The spirit then goes out there to live, and they are rid of the curse.

Life is much different out in the village. The pace is much slower than in the city, and people stand around or sit and visit for hours. Life is also fairly simple, with daily survival being a central focus (making enough money to eat that night, like the man in picture who is roasting highly toxic cashew pods to get nuts to sell). There is little electricity or running water. The family we visited has worked to set up a comfortable life for themselves, with solar power to give them electricity, and a pump from a well they dug, and a bucket system for plumbing, showers, and toilets.

Utilizing various foods grown locally is also important. They shared with me that the Marenga tree is one of the best, with leaves that are more nutritious than just about anything we eat, roots, bark, seed pods, everything that is highly useful. Creativity is essential for life out here, and the community truly pulls together and supports each other through the challenges of life. With possibly 70% of Africans still living in rural contexts, it is important for us to understand their needs and how we can best help them. Through the holistic assistance offered, as relationships are built, then we are able to communicate about the Lord and how to have a relationship with Him.

Pressing on, Eric