A Tanzanian Journey

By YVONNE O'NEAL

Editor’s Note: Yvonne O’Neal and Donald Bookall traveled to the Diocese of Central Tanganyika in Tanzania for our diocese in early November.

We lead, they follow! is the unofficial motto of the Diocese of Central Tanganyika. Under the guidance Bishop Mdimi Mhogolo, the diocese is a leader in many areas. Though primarily involved in outreach and mission, evangelism and pastoral care, the diocese is also the leading employer in central Tanzania, with over 1000 employees.

We stopped by to visit the Rev. N. Masima at the Furaha Hostel, one of the diocese’s commercial enterprises. When this space became vacant after two failed businesses, Bishop Mhogolo had the foresight to rent it and turned it into a thriving conference center and student dormitory.

At Matambulu, some 25 km south of Dodoma, we worshipped at St. Thomas Church. We were amazed to see so many children in a congregation of about 300. More than 60 children came forward who are HIV/AIDS orphans; there were many more who were not present.

A leader in healthcare
Mackay House in Dodoma is a bustling center of healthcare activities. Mackay House Health Centre (MHHC) has a medical clinic with outpatient services and a diagnostic lab; a dental clinic with a treatment room and dental lab; and a vision clinic with a room for consultation and refraction and a second room for making glasses. Mackay House also runs a pharmacy that has a reputation as being one of the best in Tanzania. The histopathology department was started this year; Dr. Martin McCann, a missionary from Atlanta, actively solicits area hospitals for tissue specimens to process and diagnose infections and cancerous diseases.

Despite their many services to the community, MHHC is in dire need of more current medical equipment.

We visited the Angaza Voluntary Counselling Testing Centre for HIV, an annex to MHHC. It is funded through USAID, the Tanzanian Government and Africa Medical Aid (AMREF). The latter not only provides funds and training for new counselors, but is responsible for maintaining the quality of the counseling and testing at the center. This center is part of DCT’s HIV/AIDS program, which is headed by Dr. Simon Walton. The HIV/AIDS Orphans, “The Carpenter’s Kids,” are an integral part of this program. The Carpenter’s Kids is a partnership project between the Episcopal Diocese of New York and the Diocese of Central Tanginyika, which will provide HIV/AIDS orphans with a basic primary school education.

The diocese also operates the Mvumi and Hombolo Hospitals, and has plans to open a third hospital, Amani, in Dodoma nearby to Mackay House. Mvumi Hospital is known worldwide from Paul White’s Jungle Doctor book series. An accredited hospital, Mvumi’s training institutions include Clinical Officers, Nursing, Laboratory, and Hospital Technology. The hospital has 280 beds, serves a population of about 230,000 people and has one of the best eye care centers in East Africa. The hospital, however, is in need of state-of-the-art medical equipment and the water supply system needs rehabilitation.

Hombolo Hospital is for the treatment of leprosy. The government ran the hospital at another site where there was not enough water. The diocese approached the government to allow it to take over the work with leprosy patients. Hombolo Hospital ministers to a group of people who tend to be stigmatized and marginalized. The hospital also teaches health education about how leprosy is spread and how it can be prevented and treated.

Education
Education is a key component in the activities of the Diocese of Central Tanganyika. There are three primary schools and three secondary schools. In 1998 in Dodoma, Holy Trinity Primary was the only school teaching in English, soon after others sprang up – DCT leads, others follow. An English language primary school education gives an edge in Tanzania, because Swahili is the language of government primary schools, while English is the language medium in secondary school. We visited Holy Trinity and Bishop Stanway Primary Schools, as well as Jubilee High School and Buiguiri School for the Blind.

The Buigiri School for the Blind was founded by the diocese in 1950 and was the first school for the blind in Tanzania. Throughout the years it has produced many distinguished former pupils, including the current dean of the Open University of Tanzania. This school ranks in the top 1% of all primary schools in the country. The head teacher, Mr. Hosea, assembled the children in the chapel to regale us with their lovely voices and musical instruments. Buigiri School has 70 visually impaired students who board, and 24 sighted students from the villages nearby.

The Bishop Madinda Christian Formation Centre (BMCFC), a residential facility that trains catechists and lay people in a variety of subjects, is located in Matambulu. Students can take a one- or two-year certificate in theology, and those called to ordained ministry go on to the Msalato Theological College.

A visit to Msalato Theological College saw us engaged in a discussion with the students about the orphans and the HIV/AIDS epidemic in general. The diocese has launched a Pastors/Catechists Education Support program to train pastors and catechists about HIV/AIDS, as they can have a major impact on stigma reduction and the promotion of community care.