Posted: 09/03/2007 at 7:36am | IP Logged

MOSHI, TANZANIA - A group of Auckland, New Zealand, students recently returned from Tanzania, Africa, with a whole new perspective on life. 

Twenty 11 to 13 year-old students from Hebron Christian College in Mount Albert and three parents spent more than three weeks in the country, experiencing God’s blessings and miracles.

Five of their previous missions were to the Philippines. But a chance meeting by school principal, Geoff Matthews with a Tanzanian woman, Josephine Shoo, who, with her husband, Glorious, runs New Life Foundation, resulted in a missions team being sent to the nation in 2005.

Mr Matthews said the visit to the New Life Foundation School and orphanage was the highlight of the trip for many of the teenagers.

“More than 220 orphans were thrilled to see the visitors, who played games with them and taught them songs,” he said.

More than $6,000, fundraised in New Zealand, was given to the orphanage and many poor families in Moshi were visited by the teams and given food parcels.

Their performances, which included Maori cultural items and hakas (chants), testimonies, dramatised Christian songs and puppet shows for children, went down well with their audiences.

They performed in a variety of venues including churches, schools and city carparks throughout the mission.

Mr Matthews said their presentation of the Tale of Two Kingdoms, which presented the whole Gospel message in drama and music powerfully affected all audiences, both young and old.

An altar call asking adults and children to come forward to dedicate their lives to God always followed each performance and the response was “amazing,” with at least 700 responding.

“The team also offered to pray for the sick after each performance, with some sick and injured people testifying to God’s healing power.

“A woman blind in both eyes, claimed her full sight had returned, a young crippled woman started running around the stage and a girl sick from birth claimed she was healed.”

The girls in the group spent time encouraging the teenage ‘at-risk’ girls who are being trained in the Fountain of Joy rescue programme.

Team members also painted the ministry’s baby hospital buildings and planted a bougainvillea hedge in the garden.

15 year-old Jintana Good, said when she first went to Africa she was stunned at the poverty. Yet no matter where she went people were friendly, appreciative and humble.

“Through preaching at the crusades, we found that missionary work would be one of the things I’m considering for my future. God has done many changes in my life and as a result I’ve changed who I am and my priorities,” she said.

“I would quite like to go back and work at the New Life Foundation, as working with the children and growing closer to God made it the best two weeks of my life.”

Fifteen-year-old old Stephanie Fong’s African experience has left her with the desire to be a missionary.

“The highlights of my trip were the amazing team unity and seeing miraculous healings right in front of my eyes,” said Miss Fong.

“People think that Africa is too big a task to take on, but the “harvest is ripe and the workers are few”. This was clearly shown as hundreds came up to receive Jesus. It’s so hard going over there, seeing all the poverty and beautiful children, then having to come back to face fast-paced unaccepting New Zealand.”

16 year-old Ella Funnell said she was absolutely amazed by the African people who, despite living in terrible poverty, were always very generous.

“I was also amazed at the faith and trust they had in God. One lady we met had no money and simply believed that God would supply her need. They taught me the joy of giving and opened my eyes to see the strength of faith.”

15 year-old William Henderson said the trip had been the most “extraordinary, awesome” experience of his life.

“We saw God’s power moving in our team and in the lives of the poor people there. We saw instant miracles, one example, there was a woman who couldn’t move her neck properly, but by the time we finished praying for her, God had healed her completely.”

Lesley & Warren Strickett, who accompanied the mission team, said their lives would never be the same again, as they had experienced first hand the generosity and love that comes from people with big hearts.

“Going to Tanzania stretched our faith in God.  But God was faithful in protecting and providing for us throughout the trip,” they said.

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