We returned from Tanzania with photographs, plans for the year ahead, and plenty of stories. But the most meaningful discoveries were about the people, the progress, and the responsibility of what comes next.
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The Joy of Being Together
Our September visit to Tanzania was filled with celebrations, conversations, and moments that reminded us why this work matters.
At Lawrence Academy, the students and staff made Heidi’s birthday an occasion to remember. Their enthusiasm, thoughtfulness, and joy turned an ordinary school day into something special.
A few days later, we experienced that same spirit during worship at the new church plant in Msata. The congregation gathered for singing, prayer, and fellowship, followed by baptisms that made an already meaningful day even more memorable.
These were different celebrations, but both reminded us of something important.
Gratitude has a way of turning ordinary moments into celebrations.
There was joy in being together, in worshiping together, and in recognizing what God is doing in these communities.
And amid the celebrations, we also had the opportunity to see how much has changed since our last visit.
Learning in action at Lawrence Academy, where a growing team of teachers is helping students thrive.
A School Growing in More Ways Than One
One of the most encouraging parts of our visit was spending time with the teachers and staff at Lawrence Academy.
The school has grown considerably since opening with just eight preschool students in 2020. Today, a larger teaching team is doing remarkable work in the classroom. Lawrence Academy ranked 6th out of 83 schools in its district at the start of this year and last month they ranked 4th in the mock exams reflecting the dedication and hard work happening there every day.
We also saw the continuing impact of a project completed last year: bringing electricity to the school.
Electricity has given teachers greater access to computers for lesson planning, record keeping, and communicating student progress to AFAC. It’s helping strengthen the systems behind the education students receive.
But the benefits extend beyond the classrooms.
Electricity has improved teacher housing and the boarding experience for students, contributing to a safer and more supportive environment. Female teachers are now expressing interest in teacher housing as well.
It’s a reminder that one improvement can create opportunities we hadn’t fully anticipated.
During our visit, we also worked with our partners to identify the school’s development priorities for 2027, including projects that will require additional funding.
As we look toward the future of Lawrence Academy, we’re thinking beyond additional classrooms and buildings. We’re thinking about the teachers, students, housing, resources, and systems that will help the school continue to thrive.
“There’s joy in celebrating what has been accomplished. And there’s joy in faithfully preparing for what’s still to come.”
The Kiromo Medical Clinic during its September dedication. The building is taking shape, with more work ahead before it can open.
Across the road from the clinic, Kiromo Church is growing into a gathering place for the community.
Bigger Than We Imagined
At Kiromo, two construction projects surprised us with their scale.
The Kiromo Medical Clinic is considerably larger than we had anticipated. Walking through the unfinished building, we saw multiple examination rooms and a space planned for maternity care.
What began as a vision for greater access to healthcare is taking shape as a facility with the potential to serve many people throughout the surrounding community.
Across the road, Kiromo Church is also larger than we expected.
Seeing these buildings in person helped us appreciate both the opportunities ahead and the responsibility involved in completing them.
During our visit, we received an updated quote for the clinic’s windows and doors. Thanks to our supporters, that amount was fully raised, and the funds have been sent. A few days later a generous donor sent us the funds for the church windows and doors and the funds have been sent as well. This was very timely as a strong El Niño is heading toward the area toward the end of October and we needed to secure the buildings.
There is still work ahead before the clinic can open and the church is fully enclosed. But standing inside those buildings gave us a much clearer picture of what they could mean for Kiromo.
Medical care on one side of the road. Spiritual care on the other. And a community growing around both.
Growing Projects Need Stronger Systems
As the work expands, so does the importance of how we communicate and remain accountable. We want our donors and supporters to know what’s happening, not just when a project begins or a fundraising goal is reached, but throughout the process. That means sharing progress, challenges, changing needs, and prayer requests more consistently.
It also means strengthening our financial records, project documentation, and communication with our partners so we can clearly account for how funds are used. These may not be the most visible parts of AFAC’s work, but they are essential. As projects become larger and more complex, our systems need to grow with them.
We returned with a renewed commitment to that responsibility, recognizing that good stewardship involves not only what we accomplish, but how we accomplish it.
Behind every lesson are the everyday resources, planning, and record keeping that support a growing school.
Caring for the People Carrying the Work
One of the most meaningful parts of our visit wasn’t about a building or a project. It was the opportunity to spend time with our local partners, not only discussing the work ahead, but investing in the relationships that make it possible.
As projects grow, so do the responsibilities carried by the people leading them. And we recognize that faithful stewardship includes caring for those people, not simply supporting the work they accomplish. During our visit, we had meaningful conversations about the importance of rest, family, relationships, and creating space for life beyond the daily demands of ministry and community development. We want to build partnerships where people feel supported, where responsibilities can be shared, and where there is room to rest and be renewed. Because partnership is more than accomplishing projects together.
It’s caring for one another along the way.
We believe God calls us to steward not only the financial resources entrusted to us, but also the relationships and people who make this work possible.
And as AFAC continues to grow, we want that commitment to remain at the heart of how we work.
New development in the Bagamoyo region is changing the landscape between our visits.
A Changing Landscape in Tanzania
Even the drive toward Bagamoyo told us something.
Compared with our previous visit, we noticed considerably more development along the route new buildings, construction, and signs of communities changing. The pace of growth was striking. And it reminded us that the places where AFAC works aren’t standing still.
By the time we return, we expect the landscape will have changed again.
As communities develop, needs and opportunities change with them. We want to remain attentive to those changes, listen carefully to our local partners, and make thoughtful decisions about where AFAC can be most helpful.
The Joy of What Comes Next
Our suitcases are unpacked. The student portraits have been sent to sponsors. The photographs are being sorted, and conversations from Tanzania are continuing across the miles.
There’s plenty of work ahead.
We have a school that’s growing, teachers who are doing remarkable things, a clinic and church taking shape, and communities that are changing around them.
We also have systems to strengthen, relationships to nurture, and important decisions to make about how we move forward.
We don’t have every answer. But we have a clearer understanding of the opportunities in front of us and the responsibility of stewarding them well.
And perhaps that’s where the joy of this trip continues.
The celebrations we experienced at Lawrence Academy and in Msata reminded us of the gratitude that comes from recognizing what God has already done.
Now, back home, we’re grateful for the opportunity to participate in what comes next.
Not simply to build more, but to build well. To listen carefully. To care for the people who carry this work forward. And to invite others into the story as it continues to unfold.
There’s joy in celebrating what has been accomplished. And there’s joy in faithfully preparing for what’s still to come.
Thank you for being part of this work. We look forward to sharing the next chapter with you.
One last moment of joy with the students of Lawrence Academy and a reminder of why we’re grateful to be part of this work.
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