Celebrating 25 years of Partnership in Tanzania
For 25 years, St. Paul Lutheran Church has walked bega kwa bega, “shoulder to shoulder", with our brothers and sisters in the Iringa Diocese of Tanzania. What began as an educational exchange through the MWANGAZA program grew into a vibrant congregational partnership through Bega Kwa Bega, connecting us first with Mtera Parish and later with Migoli Parish. Through visits, shared worship, mutual encouragement, educational support, water projects, evangelism resources, and deep personal friendships, this relationship has shaped our congregation’s understanding of global ministry and the body of Christ. The following timeline traces the faithful steps of this journey over the past 25 years.
2000
Pastor Jeff Beebe received information about MWANGAZA, an educational partnership program between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. He shared it with Gerry Lidstrom, St. Paul member and junior high English teacher.
2001
Gerry Lidstrom became involved with MWANGAZA and was paired with Haran Ngede, headmaster of Mtera Secondary School in Tanzania.
Spring 2001
Haran Ngede came to Minnesota for a two-month exchange with Gerry.
Summer 2001
Gerry traveled to Tanzania for seminars and training with Haran and MWANGAZA.
2001
St. Paul Lutheran officially joined the Bega Kwa Bega (“Shoulder to Shoulder”) partnership between the Saint Paul Area Synod and the Iringa Diocese in Tanzania. We were partnered with Mtera Parish. The Tanzanian Task Force (now the Global Ministry Team) was formed to nurture and strengthen this relationship.
April 2004
Couban Letema came as an exchange teacher through the MWANGAZA program.
February 2005
Pastor Beebe, Carole and Bill England, and Fran Nordhausen traveled to Tanzania to visit Mtera Parish, Mtera Secondary School, and various Bega Kwa Bega ministries.
Summer 2005
Vacation Bible School students raised $600 for bicycles for Mtera evangelists.
September 2005
The Tanzanian Choir visited St. Paul Lutheran.
February 2007
Pastor Jeff and Melissa Beebe, Marcia and Kirby Smith, and Dave and Fran Nordhausen traveled to Tanzania. They assisted with food distribution at Izazi Preaching Point during a famine caused by drought and delivered bicycles for evangelists using funds raised in 2005.
September 2007
Bishop Mdegela and Provost Bangu visited our congregation.
October 2007
$5,000 was sent to St. Paul Partners for drilling a well at the Chamsisili Preaching Point.
January 2008
Carole, Bill, and Stephanie England; Michael and Allison Beebe; Stephanie and John Kennedy; and Jenny Coozennoy traveled to Tanzania. They visited ministries and preaching points and worked at Mtera Secondary School. Jenny remained for three months.
May 2009
Pastor Jeff, Melissa, and Allison Beebe, along with Dave and Fran Nordhausen, visited Mtera and discussed plans for Pastor Lufyagila and two members to visit St. Paul.
September 2009
Pastor Lufyagila visited St. Paul Lutheran.
July 2010
Fran and Dave Nordhausen visited Mtera Parish and Secondary School while participating in a “Discovery Safari” with Godparents for Tanzania.
2011
The “Tanzanian Task Force” was renamed the “Global Ministry Team.”
May 2011
A sending service was held for our cluster leader, Rev. Tom Nielsen, before his departure to Tanzania.
May 2012
Dr. Falres Ilomo, professor at Tumaini University and visiting professor at Luther Seminary, preached at St. Paul.
2013
Team members participated in Bega Kwa Bega reorganization meetings under new coordinator Rev. Peder Harrits. St. Paul committed $500 annually for three years to support Radio Furaha agricultural programming.
February 2014
Pastor Patterson, Kathie Marabella, Fran Nordhausen, and Pastor Jan Mehlhoff traveled to Tanzania to visit Mtera Parish and students we support at Mtera Secondary School. With Haran Ngede and his daughter Judith, they purchased science textbooks and visited various BKB affiliates in and around Iringa.
2014
In partnership with H2O for Life and Wyoming Elementary School, St. Paul contributed approximately $3,000 to upgrade the water system at Mtera Secondary School.
2015
St. Paul committed to a separate partnership with Migoli Parish, formerly a preaching point of Mtera and now an independent parish. Jim and Betty Wolf shared a video of the completed Mtera water project during Tanzanian Sunday.
2016–2018
Though quieter years in terms of travel, our partnerships with both Mtera and Migoli remained strong. St. Paul Lutheran continued financial support and responded to special ministry needs. In 2018, we purchased a “biki-biki” (motorbike) for each congregation. Previously, pastors often walked an entire day to reach distant preaching points and another day to return home. The motorbikes now allow them to travel to and from these outposts in a single day, strengthening ministry in remote communities.
Our 25th Year Milestone: 2024 Congregational Visit
On March 19, 2023, an interest meeting was held to explore a return trip to Tanzania. The response was overwhelming. After more than a year of planning, prayer, and preparation, sixteen members of St. Paul Lutheran traveled to visit our partner congregations in Mtera and Migoli from July 17–31, 2024. Those who made the journey were: Tyler, Joanna, Nova, and Sam Kroschel, Chris, Kim, Caleb, and Gabe Clark, Pastors Dale and Carrie Stiles, Carole and Steve England, Katie and Will Fetterly, Katie Edwards, and Arlie Post
During our time together, we worshiped, visited preaching points, strengthened relationships, shared meals, encouraged students, and experienced the vibrant faith of our Tanzanian brothers and sisters.
What began 25 years ago as an educational connection has grown into a deep and enduring spiritual partnership. As we celebrate this 25-year milestone, we give thanks for the countless ways God has knit us together, truly walking bega kwa bega, shoulder to shoulder, in Christ’s mission.
2000
Pastor Jeff Beebe received information about MWANGAZA, an educational partnership program between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. He shared it with Gerry Lidstrom, St. Paul member and junior high English teacher.
2001
Gerry Lidstrom became involved with MWANGAZA and was paired with Haran Ngede, headmaster of Mtera Secondary School in Tanzania.
Spring 2001
Haran Ngede came to Minnesota for a two-month exchange with Gerry.
Summer 2001
Gerry traveled to Tanzania for seminars and training with Haran and MWANGAZA.
2001
St. Paul Lutheran officially joined the Bega Kwa Bega (“Shoulder to Shoulder”) partnership between the Saint Paul Area Synod and the Iringa Diocese in Tanzania. We were partnered with Mtera Parish. The Tanzanian Task Force (now the Global Ministry Team) was formed to nurture and strengthen this relationship.
April 2004
Couban Letema came as an exchange teacher through the MWANGAZA program.
February 2005
Pastor Beebe, Carole and Bill England, and Fran Nordhausen traveled to Tanzania to visit Mtera Parish, Mtera Secondary School, and various Bega Kwa Bega ministries.
Summer 2005
Vacation Bible School students raised $600 for bicycles for Mtera evangelists.
September 2005
The Tanzanian Choir visited St. Paul Lutheran.
February 2007
Pastor Jeff and Melissa Beebe, Marcia and Kirby Smith, and Dave and Fran Nordhausen traveled to Tanzania. They assisted with food distribution at Izazi Preaching Point during a famine caused by drought and delivered bicycles for evangelists using funds raised in 2005.
September 2007
Bishop Mdegela and Provost Bangu visited our congregation.
October 2007
$5,000 was sent to St. Paul Partners for drilling a well at the Chamsisili Preaching Point.
January 2008
Carole, Bill, and Stephanie England; Michael and Allison Beebe; Stephanie and John Kennedy; and Jenny Coozennoy traveled to Tanzania. They visited ministries and preaching points and worked at Mtera Secondary School. Jenny remained for three months.
May 2009
Pastor Jeff, Melissa, and Allison Beebe, along with Dave and Fran Nordhausen, visited Mtera and discussed plans for Pastor Lufyagila and two members to visit St. Paul.
September 2009
Pastor Lufyagila visited St. Paul Lutheran.
July 2010
Fran and Dave Nordhausen visited Mtera Parish and Secondary School while participating in a “Discovery Safari” with Godparents for Tanzania.
2011
The “Tanzanian Task Force” was renamed the “Global Ministry Team.”
May 2011
A sending service was held for our cluster leader, Rev. Tom Nielsen, before his departure to Tanzania.
May 2012
Dr. Falres Ilomo, professor at Tumaini University and visiting professor at Luther Seminary, preached at St. Paul.
2013
Team members participated in Bega Kwa Bega reorganization meetings under new coordinator Rev. Peder Harrits. St. Paul committed $500 annually for three years to support Radio Furaha agricultural programming.
February 2014
Pastor Patterson, Kathie Marabella, Fran Nordhausen, and Pastor Jan Mehlhoff traveled to Tanzania to visit Mtera Parish and students we support at Mtera Secondary School. With Haran Ngede and his daughter Judith, they purchased science textbooks and visited various BKB affiliates in and around Iringa.
2014
In partnership with H2O for Life and Wyoming Elementary School, St. Paul contributed approximately $3,000 to upgrade the water system at Mtera Secondary School.
2015
St. Paul committed to a separate partnership with Migoli Parish, formerly a preaching point of Mtera and now an independent parish. Jim and Betty Wolf shared a video of the completed Mtera water project during Tanzanian Sunday.
2016–2018
Though quieter years in terms of travel, our partnerships with both Mtera and Migoli remained strong. St. Paul Lutheran continued financial support and responded to special ministry needs. In 2018, we purchased a “biki-biki” (motorbike) for each congregation. Previously, pastors often walked an entire day to reach distant preaching points and another day to return home. The motorbikes now allow them to travel to and from these outposts in a single day, strengthening ministry in remote communities.
Our 25th Year Milestone: 2024 Congregational Visit
On March 19, 2023, an interest meeting was held to explore a return trip to Tanzania. The response was overwhelming. After more than a year of planning, prayer, and preparation, sixteen members of St. Paul Lutheran traveled to visit our partner congregations in Mtera and Migoli from July 17–31, 2024. Those who made the journey were: Tyler, Joanna, Nova, and Sam Kroschel, Chris, Kim, Caleb, and Gabe Clark, Pastors Dale and Carrie Stiles, Carole and Steve England, Katie and Will Fetterly, Katie Edwards, and Arlie Post
During our time together, we worshiped, visited preaching points, strengthened relationships, shared meals, encouraged students, and experienced the vibrant faith of our Tanzanian brothers and sisters.
What began 25 years ago as an educational connection has grown into a deep and enduring spiritual partnership. As we celebrate this 25-year milestone, we give thanks for the countless ways God has knit us together, truly walking bega kwa bega, shoulder to shoulder, in Christ’s mission.
