Team from Covenant and Crossroads goes Glocal

We are headed back to Tanzania for another round of ministry. Below is critical information for our time including purpose, travel, plans and prayer needs. The team will be just two … Pastor Ken Souers, of Crossroads Christian Fellowship in Bakersfield, California, and Randy Martin, ICM USA Board Member, Covenant for Tanzania Children Founder and Covenant Community Services CEO.

The team will travel to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and visit the Covenant for Tanzania Children (CTC) Orphan Home that is a partnership with International Christian Ministries of Tanzania (ICM-TZ). The team members will preach in different churches Sunday and  then travel seven hours into the interior to Mafinga. In Mafinga, the team will hold a four-day conference with local church leaders before travelling back to Dar to preach in different churches. The fast-paced journey will end as flights leave back to the USA on Monday evening!

Thanks for covering the mission to Tanzania in prayer. We are expecting great things from God and to use us to bless the African church, leadership and orphans.

We believe God is going to impart spiritual truths to pastors and church leaders for their growth and impact. We also believe our work will impart community and compassionate ministries to the local church as we engage them in resisting religion and walking in wonderful relationship with Jesus Christ.

We I will be traveling to Tanzania to teach through International Christian Ministries of Tanzania (ICM- Tanzania). Our main purpose is to train existing pastors and church leadership. Our extended purpose is to encourage the ICM Tanzania ministry staff and leadership and to visit and supply the needs of our partner ministry Covenant for Tanzania Children (CTC).

To share the current situation for children in Tanzania consider the quote from an article in the Guardian by Alex Duvall Smith citing an international study conducted last year,

Now for the first time, an African country – Tanzania – has subjected itself to international scrutiny of the rates of mental, physical and sexual violence suffered by girls and boys, and their impact.

The study (pdf), published on Tuesday by Dar es Salaam’s Muhimbili University in collaboration with the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, finds that nearly three out of every 10 girls and nearly three out of every 20 boys in Tanzania claim to have experienced sexual violence.

Almost three-quarters of girls and boys questioned had experienced physical violence before the age of 18 at the hand of an adult or an intimate partner. Around 25% had been subjected to emotional abuse by an adult during childhood.

Guardian Article: Poverty Matters Blog

Our Purpose

To come along side the African Church, through teaching, training and encouragement, for the purpose of equipping pastors and church leadership for the salvation and discipleship of Africa. To engage the faith-filled in Tanzania to replicate the ministry of Covenant in Tanzania … to move people from “pew to purpose”!

The Orphan Home

We will be visiting the staff and team at Mamma Teddi’s to provide encouragement, needed supplies and to purchase cows, chickens and other goods for the home.

Please pray for: health and safety, our teaching and training of local pastors, Mamma Teddi and the orphans she serves, favor in purchasing cows, chickens and other items for the home,  meetings with the Covenant team in Tanzania, ICM-Tanzania ministries and James and Mary Kamau.

About Covenant Community Services

Covenant Community Services, Inc. (Covenant) is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) social service organization serving foster children, former foster youth and their families in Kern County and through replication efforts, the United States and the world.  Covenant provides hope to foster children, former foster youth and families through a diverse and creative team of dedicated individuals. At Covenant, our purpose is transformation of lives and thus our community.  Covenant meets the needs of “hurting and hopeless” children/youth and families through partnerships with local churches, community-based organizations, individuals and businesses. Covenant exists to transform our community with the love and hope one child at a time! Learn More at www.covenantcs.net