23 January 2005
LEADING THE WAY IN ARUSHA, TANZANIA
Non-Full-Time Ministry Couple Takes Up Leadership of Arusha Church
Like Mount Meru that stands majestically in the horizon of the Tanzanian town of Arusha, Joakim and Eva Pallangyo stand as a towering example in the church there. With the departure in July of this year of the last of a series of full-time ministry leaders from Arusha to return to Nairobi, Joakim and Eva were asked to assume the leadership of the congregation. To this there answer was, "Here are we, send us," thus becoming the first nationals to lead the church in its eight-year history. And they continue to shepherd the Arusha congregation despite the challenge presented by the fact that they are not in the full-time ministry and thus must work around the schedule of their secular jobs as they lead the church.
"It felt strange," Joakim and Eva say about their initial reaction when asked to lead the Arusha church. And it was pretty strange to some of the other members of the church too. "Some have wondered if we will be able to lead the church," share Joakim and Eva. "They are used to getting leaders sent in from Nairobi and so they wondered about us, 'Will the standards be the same as they have been up to now? Will they end up in the full-time ministry? How will they manage given their full-time jobs?"
Joakim and Eva know how they will manage, and how God will help not only them, but the entire Arusha fellowship as well. "We realize that we need to depend on God more than ever before." Yes, depend on the God who moves mountains and is ready to do so again.
Joakim and Eva, both baptized in 1996 soon after the Arusha church was planted, are used to being pacesetters, being the first in the congregation to get married when they wed in 2001. They have some mountain-moving in mind as they express their dreams for the Arusha church. "Our vision is for the church to grow, especially for people to learn how to effectively study the Bible with others. We also look forward to the disciples continuing to live according to the Scriptures. We'd also like to plant a church in the capital, Dar Es Salaam. A lot of people coming from abroad wonder why there is no church in Dar. We even have a sister who is due to start studies soon at the Dar Es Salaam University. We are hoping to start a Bible talk in Dar very soon and eventually a church."
It is courageous of Joakim and Eva to, take on the leadership of the church while holding down full-time secular jobs and raising their little son, Dalton. Joakim is a supervisor at a steel production and distribution company and Eva is a secretary at a tour and travel agency. They understand, as did the people of God in Genesis 22: 14, that "on the mountain of the Lord it will be provided."
Let us all join together in praying for the faith, the fellowship and the family of disciples in Arusha, who are looking beyond the mountain top to the bright horizon of a glorious future ahead.
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