Monday, March 1st - part 2

I'm back again with some internet so will try to catch up!

First, let me clarify who the Leonard was that met me at the airport and will be my guide through this time in Tanzania. He is the Rev. Dr. Leonard A. Mtaita, General Secretary of the Christian Council of Tanzania. He is the one who works closely with Wendy Girichu of our United Church's Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit on matters of partnerships. This picture is of him, his wife and one of his daughters.

The Workers Training Centre as it is more commonly known is formerly called the Bishop Kisanji Women Training Centre, Morogoro (MWTC). It was developed in 1979 for the purpose of empowering women from member churches to acquire knowledge and skills to participate effectively in the life of the church, family and community at large. It is a self-accounting unit of the Christian Council of Tanzania. Its current goal in the 5 year strategic plan is to extend the empowering of women beyond church women, focusing on gender issues, entrepreneurship, peace and reconciliation, budget tracking, advocacy skills and HIV/AIDS.

It was so pleasant to walk through the large garden area where currently plans are to expand the food production of the facility to not only teach skills but to move towards sustainability. I saw lots of maize (corn) banana trees (picture), oranges not yet ripe, mango trees, potatoes, spinach, and much more. This facility operates as a general conference centre for faith and civic organizations with accommodations available for a maximum of 60 people within their own communities and able to pass on skills and knowledge. (I since learned that many of the participants are the wives of the pastors and administrators within the various churches. As is still the norm in many church cultures, the wives are expected to work for the church and its impact on the society when their husbands became ministers/pastors. Leonard noted to me that there were very few women in ordained ministry within the various ecumenical partners. He made it a notable norm to introduce me with an emphasis on the "Rev" and that made for some interesting looks from men that were different to my experience from the interesting looks from the women.)


But I believe the heart of the Centre was indeed in the small rooms with sewing machines, embroidery materials and in the kitchen where batik dyeing takes place. The purpose is to not only teach transferable skills but to teach the women how to teach others. Those women then would be able to begin the process of improving their lives and the lives of their families. Talking about these courses that were taught at the WTC put a very different perspective on the multitude of women that I saw along the roadside, sitting with a handful of products just waiting for someone to buy from them. Each product represented an improved sense of well-being, a choice about some small element of their life and an improved future for their children. Somehow I personally sense many Canadians have lost all touch with the importance of such things that are mass produced in our society. Perhaps one of the places we Christians can be directly helpful is with the strong support and continuous support of fair-trade both in our homes and in our churches. It may cost us a little more per cup of coffee or for a Christmas gift but what a significant difference it makes to each and every mother involved in places across the world.

The United Church of Canada through their Mission and Service funds, helps to sustain this unique training centre. Like the new administrator, I too see great potential for growth both through new programming and through building additional accommodations. After all, the empowerment of women in a society can only lead to positive outcomes in society, family, community and individual.

Before supper, General Secretary Leonard and some staff members and I had a good conversation about the nature of training in Canada, the state of our respective churches and the challenges that face both countries. Then off to a communal meal which was followed by a quiet conversation outside with the director and myself. That night was a very restful sleep under the mosquito net and with the warm breeze through the window.