Branch Dedication
Habari zenu?
We recently had the dedication of our new Branch Office here in Tanzania. It is in the capitol, Dar es Salaam. So, at the end of Jan all the missionaries, Traveling brothers, special pioneers and local publishers who have been in the Truth for OVER 30 years were invited to attend. Plus a couple hundred delegates from various branches around the world. Br. Herd gave the talk and we also had Br. La Franca and Br. Weaver from the US BC. Br. Noumair managed to get away from Gilead to be able to attend too. What a treat for all the missionaries! Most had gone thru Gilead since he has been instructing and the older ones served with him when he was here in East Africa 15-20 years ago. There were also missionaries and Bethelites from Kenya, Sudan, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and several other countries here in Africa.
On Saturday, there was a tour for all the guests (about 900) and then the dedication program. On Sunday, there was another program for all the publishers in the country. However, since it can cost a month’s wages to travel to, stay and then return home, only about 25% of the pubs were able to make it. But there were a few from most of the areas of the country, so many congs were able to be represented. On Sunday it started out HOT, then cooled and rained heavily, then it cleared and was HOT again, then more rain! Nearly everyone was prepared with their umbrellas though, as only 1/3 of the arena had a roof.
Then on Monday, many of the missionaries went to the beach for volleyball and some rest. While several thousand of the brothers-n-sisters who came for the Sunday program got a chance to tour the new Branch Facilities.
It was really great to see so many from the early days here in Tanzania. Below are some pics of the weekend. Hope you enjoy taking a look. The first few are of the old Branch. It was a series of houses in neighborhood in town, quite a difference to the new buildings! In some of the pics you see some of the missionaries working at the program. Also circuit and district overseers serving as attendants. They are a great example of self-sacrifice. I have to mention too, the hard work of the missionaries in Dar, they worked hard before and during the program, while many of (who are serving elsewhere in the country) just showed up for the program. They are some awesome missionaries. And the local publishers, many of them Need-greaters, worked all week, some thru the night painting and preparing the stadium and picking up hundreds of guests at the airport. Again it was a real lesson in self-sacrifice!
Just another of the many privileges of being a part of Jehovah’s Organization. Hope you are all doing well in respective assignments. Keep up the good work!
Love, Scott & July
If you don't see any images above (your browser may not support 'iframes'), click this link here
We recently had the dedication of our new Branch Office here in Tanzania. It is in the capitol, Dar es Salaam. So, at the end of Jan all the missionaries, Traveling brothers, special pioneers and local publishers who have been in the Truth for OVER 30 years were invited to attend. Plus a couple hundred delegates from various branches around the world. Br. Herd gave the talk and we also had Br. La Franca and Br. Weaver from the US BC. Br. Noumair managed to get away from Gilead to be able to attend too. What a treat for all the missionaries! Most had gone thru Gilead since he has been instructing and the older ones served with him when he was here in East Africa 15-20 years ago. There were also missionaries and Bethelites from Kenya, Sudan, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and several other countries here in Africa.
On Saturday, there was a tour for all the guests (about 900) and then the dedication program. On Sunday, there was another program for all the publishers in the country. However, since it can cost a month’s wages to travel to, stay and then return home, only about 25% of the pubs were able to make it. But there were a few from most of the areas of the country, so many congs were able to be represented. On Sunday it started out HOT, then cooled and rained heavily, then it cleared and was HOT again, then more rain! Nearly everyone was prepared with their umbrellas though, as only 1/3 of the arena had a roof.
Then on Monday, many of the missionaries went to the beach for volleyball and some rest. While several thousand of the brothers-n-sisters who came for the Sunday program got a chance to tour the new Branch Facilities.
It was really great to see so many from the early days here in Tanzania. Below are some pics of the weekend. Hope you enjoy taking a look. The first few are of the old Branch. It was a series of houses in neighborhood in town, quite a difference to the new buildings! In some of the pics you see some of the missionaries working at the program. Also circuit and district overseers serving as attendants. They are a great example of self-sacrifice. I have to mention too, the hard work of the missionaries in Dar, they worked hard before and during the program, while many of (who are serving elsewhere in the country) just showed up for the program. They are some awesome missionaries. And the local publishers, many of them Need-greaters, worked all week, some thru the night painting and preparing the stadium and picking up hundreds of guests at the airport. Again it was a real lesson in self-sacrifice!
Just another of the many privileges of being a part of Jehovah’s Organization. Hope you are all doing well in respective assignments. Keep up the good work!
Love, Scott & July
If you don't see any images above (your browser may not support 'iframes'), click this link here
posted by Michael at
12:31 PM
