Global Partnerships

Tanzania Partnership: Travel Plans

As vice-president of the Meru Coffee Project, Ascension’s Rick Frowein is traveling to Tanzania with two other leaders from the coffee project. During his time in Tanzania, Rick will also spend time in Samaria parish visiting our partners there. We wish Rick safe travels and look forward to hearing about his trip.

If you like the idea of joining a delegation to Tanzania, we are planning a trip for summer 2023, tentatively June 30 – July 10. If you are interested in learning about the trip, we will have an informational meeting on Sunday, Nov. 13, between services.

Use this QR code to donate directly to the Tanzania hunger appeal or mail donations to: The Greater Milwaukee Synod, Meru Hunger Relief—Food Crisis, P.O. Box 341695, Milwaukee, WI  53234.

Drought Conditions: Pastor Makenge and others from Samaria parish ask for our prayers. They continue to suffer from excessive heat and a lack of water. Both people and livestock are suffering. Church attendance has decreased as farmers spend most of their time desperately searching for water for their animals.

School Lunches: The money that Ascension sent to Tanzania this summer was put to good use in purchasing food to provide all of the children at Samaria and Savana Primary schools with a simple lunch every day. For many children, this will be the only meal they receive all day. Thank you for your support!

El Salvador: Hurricane Julia

On October 10, Hurricane Julia hit the Central American region hard, leaving in its wake the death of at least 28 people.

Among them, ten people died in El Salvador, five of them were soldiers who were crushed to death by a retaining wall that collapsed where they sheltered from the heavy rains. In San Jorge, there was no significant damage or loss of life.

Our brothers and sisters in El Salvador have shared with us that this was the strongest storm they have ever experienced and it was a very frightening experience. Ascension is sending a small financial gift to support families with home repairs and lost crops from the storm.

Investing in Our Meru Partnership

The Meru Committee for the Greater Milwaukee Synod compiled this video to share some of the work done within our Sister Synod Relationship. Hear about the Water Project that Ascension funded and the work of Pastor Makenge and members of the Samaria Parish in laying the 9km of water pipes for the elementary school. Click the link to watch the short video. Thanks be to God. Asante sana!

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Harambee means “lifting together.” In a six-part Harambee video series, we will share the three mission priorities of our partners in Tanzania as “a community working together for the common good.” The first priority is training future leaders. The second is supporting their vital medical ministries. The third is providing a bridge for ministries challenged by the COVID economy.

In the Tanzanian culture, pastors serve many roles beyond being spiritual leaders. As part of Ascension-Waukesha’s partnership with Meru, Pastor Nathan Makenge was an active part of digging a 9- km. trench for a community water project that now brings safe water to 3000 people.

Asante sana! Thank you very much!

The GMS Meru Partnership Committee