Update: Tanzania

Background

On the first Sunday in March, 2000, John Peachey from Youth With A Mission was our guest preacher. He told us that YWAM was about to embark on a project in the Ngoro-Ngoro district of (northwest) Tanzania which is to build a community secondary school to serve the Maasai. Interestingly, the school is bieng funded by a muslim and the administration of the school as well as the teachers will be predominantly Christian. John is overseeing the project for several years until all the buildings are complete and a headmaster for the school is in place. John and Suzi and their four children will live there until this is accomplished.

The primary reason for the school being built is that the location is remote (460 kilometers from Arusha which translates into an 8-hour drive due to road conditions) so very few people have any opportunity to attend secondary school. The Maasai, traditionally cautious about schooling, have come to realize that to survive in today's world, they must have more education.

Project Update

As of May, 2001, the school building is 80% complete, having six classrooms. A well has been dug and a generator is in place. The dormitories for the students who will be boarding are presently under construction.  It is anticipated that first class will have 80 students; eventually, the school will have 320 students.

There are presently four teachers signed on, one of which is a Maasai high school teacher from Kenya. The teachers will also live at the school. A preparatory term is scheduled prior to the beginning of the school year which starts officially in January, 2002.

John would like us to pray for all of them; pray that the school will be a real witness for Christ among the Maasai and the people in that area. Pray for the young people who are to be trained and educated as leaders that they will be a blessing to their people.

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