Tanzania has a population of nearly 40 million people and is one of the African countries that has seen some stability. The country, according to UNICEF, hosts one of the largest refugee populations in Africa due to conflicts in neighboring Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Tanzania’s challenge for the future is to control the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases while developing improved sustainable living conditions for its rural poor.
HIV/AIDS infection rate is nearly 10% according to some studies and has orphaned nearly a million children and has forced still others to assume household responsibilities beyond their years in order to care for ailing parents.
According to UNICEF’s Unite for Children Site, Malaria is the leading killer of children in the country. The United Nations World Population Prospects reports says that 44% of the population is under nourished.
Alpha Mordekai Mashauri – Church Leader
Mordekai was born in Mwanza, Tanzania and was raised in the Islam religion by his family. In 1985, while attending an open air style Christian Crusade, Mordekai was drawn to the preacher, Moses, who was preaching from the Bible and teaching John 3:16. Mordekai began to question his teachings on Islam and decided to go forward to have the preacher pray for him. It was at that time that Mordekai became a Christian. His family rejected his new religion and forced Mordekai to leave his home. His Pastor took him in and began teaching Mordekai more of the Bible. Soon, Mordekai was preaching on his own in the markets. After preaching for a year in the markets, Mordekai decided to move to the villages out in the bush to preach. He began giving them Bibles and teaching others to lead their people to Christ. Since these humble beginnings, Mordekai has grown to more than 50 village Churches with more than 5000 members.
New Orphanage Center
Mordekai and his church members were moved to reach out and help their own community. They recently were given 20 acres of land and have opened an orphanage to take care of the children that have been orphaned due to AIDS and Malaria. They are currently caring for 10 children full time with the hope of being able to care for more in the near future.
Community Development
Mordekai has also begun building a school on the orphanage property to educate both orphans and local children. They are working to start a small clinic to serve the local needs of those in their community. They are also working on several projects to improve the sustainability of the children as well as others in the area. They plan to start a small cattle heard and are working on farming the land to generate food and some support for the orphanage.
