” I am amazed! More than amazed, really!” – Pastor Chris Smith, Director of Friends of Huruma
During Lent, Prince of Peace was challenged with a matching grant by one of our members to raise at least $2,000 to help support our newest ministry partner with the Lutheran Church in Tanzania. The Huruma Center is an orphanage sponsored by the Iringa Diocese, which is partnered with the St. Paul Area Synod of the ELCA. After years of occasional support, primarily through teams visiting Huruma while making visits to partner congregations, the St. Paul/Iringa partnership organization Bega Kwa Bega decided to formally create the “Friends of Huruma” to seek out stable and on-going support for the ministry of the orphanage. Our own mission team that visited Tanzania last fall felt this was an important step to take and was excited to see this partnership take root. Pastor Chris Smith came to tell the Huruma story on Sunday, April 8 and the congregation has responded with overwhelming generosity.
Through Sunday, April 22, we have received gifts totaling $3,476. Combined with the $2000 original matching grant, we will be sending the Friends of Huruma support totaling $5,476. We have also received word from Pastor Chris that another donor will match our gift. This means the orphanage will soon receive funding totaling $10,952!
Pastor Chris reports that our gifts will be used in three ways. First, we will be supporting the daily operations of the center including staffing, supplies and food expenses. Next, we will be supporting scholarships for Center residents to attend secondary school (most schooling after primary school is in private, boarding schools). Finally, a portion of our support will be held in reserve for medical and healthcare needs of the center’s residents.
All of this has been made possible because of your generosity with the gifts God has first given. Thanks to you and thanks be to God!