Mwalwigi, Tanzania
Mwalwigi is one of the villages in Misungwi district in Mwanza region Tanzania. The majority of the people of this village are women and children. The main occupation is sustenance farming with the main crops being corn, paddy and cotton. Other crops includes market vegetables-tomatoes, onions, and cabbage. All are done on small scale.
Allow us, to introduce you to Pastor Titus Jason Mashalla in Mwalwigi Tanzania. Titus has registered a charity called "Partners in Hope Tanzania". The Great Commission Foundation (GCF) has taken on this charity as one of their projects. All donations to the project go through the GCF, registered with the Canada Revenue Agency to do charitable work. (#85992 8483 RR0001).
Church partners, The Gathering House in Chesterville, Ontario and Trinity Bible Church in Osgoode/Ottawa area, along with a some regular donors, are assisting Titus with basic monthly expenses (more help is still required).
To hear Pastor Titus’ heart is to hear the heart of God, such love and compassion, such a desire to share the love of Jesus in word and in deed!
Scroll down to learn more about the exciting work being done in Tanzania!!
Pastor Titus, his wife Happiness, sons Shawn and Moses,
and daughter Evelyn
Since the above photo was taken, on June 24/22, Pastor Titus, and his wife Happiness, have been blessed with a healthy baby boy, named Ebenezer.
YFT visits Mwalwigi
In 2018 a YFT team travelled to Tanzania and witnessed firsthand the scope and passion of the work Pastor Titus was trying to accomplish in his community. Since then YFT, along with Pastor Titus and his CBO (a group of locals that work together to develop the community), have worked together with the GCF, and other partners/donors to address some of these needs (see below).
Scarcity of clean and safe drinking water
There are many villages in this area that suffer for lack of safe and clean drinking water. The average distance that the women and children (those who normally fetch water), is 5- 10 kilometers to and from, per day!
Women and children usually spend over 2-3 hours each day walking and collecting water from water holes and streams for their family to drink and use. The walk to get water not only takes a lot of time but can be dangerous as well. Note that: only about half of the people of Tanzania have access to good water.
THE WELL
Drilling took place on Thursday, October 14th and water was found at 90 metres!
Over 300 people come to the well to collect clean, drinkable, safe, abundant water... no longer having to collect water from dangerous lakes and rivers.
On behalf of Pastor Titus and the community, thank you to everyone who donated and prayed for this to happen!!
SEE PICS IN THE PHOTOS SECTION BELOW
THE ISSUE
THE SOLUTION / PROGRESS
Food Security
In many parts of the world that we visit, agricultural production and food security seems to always be at the top of the life-threatening risk.
Our passion to bring change includes bio-tech solutions, raised bed square foot gardening, irrigation schemes, composting and bio-fertilizer production.
Mwalwigi is a typical remote village with intermittent rains, heavy during the rainy season, but for the most part, dry and in need of irrigation.
THE ISSUE
THE SOLUTION / PROGRESS
AGRICULTURE
The focus of the well is for clean, fresh water consumed directly by the community and in abundance, allowing for irrigation.
Fundraising and generous donors have allowed funding to purchase agricultural production land to address the need for food security.
10 acres was purchased close to the well site, which allows incorporation of irrigation.
Through the irrigation we will supply bio-fertilizer, natural compost from sugar cane and animal waste. This technology allows for increase in production by realizing three rotational crops per year, where historically, they may only one get one!
SEE PICS IN THE PHOTOS SECTION BELOW
THE ISSUE
Safety and security of local Albino children
A nearby school in Mitindo village house approximately 200 Albino children, and all stay at the school 365 days a year! These children are protected because many locals believe the evil teaching of witch doctors that tell them body parts of albinos bring good fortune.
THE PROGRESS
ALBINO CHILDREN SUPPORT
Pastor Titus and volunteers in the community care for approximately 200 Albino children who live at the Mitindo School in protective custody.
The local public school houses and protects these children, given that they cannot safely live in their own homes with their families (if they are not orphaned). Food is provided by the local government when school is in session but many personal items such as bedding, clothing and special needs are only provided by charitable organizations.
THEN COVID...
In March of 2020 the school was shut down due to COVID-19. These albino children were left at the school without food or caregivers.
It was during this time it was discovered that many of the children were lacking a blanket and even an actual bed!
Pastor Titus and his ministry team stepped in to assist; YFT partners and friends that support Partners in Hope donated funds for food, and caregivers from Pastor Titus' church came to care for the children.
The You Feed Them team and friends of PIH jumped into action, raising awareness and funds to purchase such basic needs as blankets, mattresses, bed frames, pillows, and mosquito nets.
SEE PICS IN THE PHOTOS SECTION BELOW
Direct email requests, along with the fundraisers "Alone in the Woods" and “The Riddle Rally", and a Go Fund Me effort raised enough money to buy all the bed sets needed so that
every child now has a warm dry and safe place to sleep.
Not only was there enough funds for the bedding, Pastor Titus was also able to purchase food,
school supplies, and even a few soccer balls for the children, PLUS...
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200 + kids were fed for a 4 month period during the COVID pandemic .
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10 acres of land was recently purchased to provide nutritional food for the albino population, as well as widows, and local orphans.
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A Christmas conference was held where 250 kids were fed and taught over a week at Christmas... a very special celebration
OUR CURRENT FOCUS
THE ISSUE
Safety and security at Church
Pastor Titus Mashalla and the community have worked at trying to build a church. The Church is alive and well, and growing, with over 250 people now in attendance, however, the actual building has now been condemned due to structural damage.
At first the church met under some tarps held up by sticks (this is where we worshipped when we were there in 2018) which didn’t protect from wind or rain, etc. The next church he built was of corn stalks with a thatched roof, but the wind blew it down. Then he had a structure made of sub-quality bricks that consisted of a half wall with a basic roof on top. This too was blown down. The last church was made of mud bricks which can last some time; however, the heavy rains came and some of the mud bricks fell down and then a large crack formed and the building was deemed unsafe. Remind you of a popular kid’s story?
SEE PICS IN SEE PICS IN THE PHOTOS SECTION BELOW
So there they are, a church body of 250 people (& growing), with nowhere to worship. The tenacity of constantly trying to build a structure without any money is something to be admired. Titus informed us of the church collapsing on January 19, 2023. He reached out and asked if he could request some funds to build a more substantial temporary church.
After much prayer and deliberation, and discussions with Titus, it was agreed that it would be a very poor use of the Lord’s money to build a fifth temporary structure. The solution ?? --------->
THE PROGRESS / SOLUTION
BUILD A PERMANENT CHURCH
The plan is to build a structurally sound church building that is 12 meters by 15 meters (39’ x 48’). Official architectural drawings have now been completed, and a firm quote from the contractor has been accepted.
This building would be phase 1, with construction done in such a way to add another 15 meters in the future as the need arises, and funds become available.
The cost is $18,700. It sounds like a lot of money, but when you think of being able to build a structurally sound cement block building with a solid roof, with windows and doors, 39ft x 48ft, it is amazing that it can be done for this amount of money.
UPDATE:
We just wanted to share with you the Praise God news and a HUGE thank-you to the people of The Gathering House (TGH) for your generosity and your prayers!!
The total of $2,250. from TGH was doubled by a matching donor, and the balance to get the church started was donated as well. HALLELUJAH!!
So, now we pray that we can help raise the funds for the remaining amount that will be due when the church build is completed
(approx. 4 weeks after the build begins).
The current need for the 2nd half is $11,000.
If anyone has any ideas as to how we can help raise those funds we’d love to chat with you, or if you know someone who might be willing and able to help, please give them this information
Would you help?
For a tax receipted donation please go to The Great Commission website:
https://gcfcanada.com/partners-in-hope-tanzania/
Please be sure to mark “church build” in the comment section
CAN WE VISIT YOUR CHURCH OR ORGANIZATION?
Because of the urgency of this request, we are also asking if you could allow our team to visit your church to ask your congregation to donate towards this urgent need and to pray with us.
We would also be pleased to visit your small group, your business, your family, or anyone who would like to help in any way that they can.
Please contact us if you are able to help.
PHOTO / VIDEO SECTION
BEFORE - Unsafe, dirty & dangerous
NOW - THE WELL - Clean, safe, drinkable!
AGRICULTURE PROGRESS
Future Farmers Kenya program has been started to teach agriculture practices to the youth, along with
other programs benefiting the entire community.
In the dry season, drought is a huge problem, especially when the season is longer than usual.
Land has been purchased to grow food
for the most vulnerable.
In the rainy season, a bountiful harvest is much needed and appreciated. Our hope is to install an irrigation system, aiming to increase one good harvest a year,
to three or even four!
ALBINO CHILDREN SUPPORT
BEFORE
NOW
CHURCH SUPPORT
BEFORE
CHURCH #1 - Winds blew it down
CHURCH #2 - Winds blew it down
CHURCH #3 - Winds blew it down
CHURCH #4 - made of mud bricks which can last some time; however, the heavy rains came and some of the mud bricks fell down and then a large crack formed and the building was deemed unsafe.
This is the church where we worshipped when we were there in 2018
Despite the challenges that have been taking place with the church buildings, Pastor Titus has been visiting homes and ministering to families, to bring hope (and Bibles when available), and invite them to gather with him and others on Sundays.
Once they do, they are able to encourage one another, learn from the sermons, help to serve others and to be baptized. The pictures below show the baptisms that took place when we were there in 2018. Together with Pastor Silas, Pastor Titus baptized close to 90 people in this pond. It was a blessing to be part of the singing, praising, clapping and celebrating as each person was baptized.
NOW
CONTACT US
Currently, Pastor Titus and the congregation are gathering under a tree for their Church services. In this photo, approximately 250 people attended.
During rainy and windy days, many people do not gather so they aren't able to greet each other or provide encouragement and hope.
The new church build will be located close to the well, which will also be helpful to the church people.