Saturday, August 25, 2007

Tanzania - The Massi


Everywhere we teach people ask us if God is white and why then did He make black people look different. We explain that Jesus was not white but it is just that many of the images that people see are made in the "western" countries where people like to make Jesus look like them. So sad that in the school we see why people ask us ... even in Massi land ... Jesus is white.

This is said to be one of the last true tribes in the whole world. When you think of Tribal ... this is it. The Massi men traditionally became men only after killing a lion with their own hands. The women, wow ... these women work. The men marry many women and it is the woman's job to provide for her husband. So she has to cook for him ... so that she can be a worthly wife or he will go and get another one.
The meat of a cow is mostly allocated to being eaten only by men. The women can only eat the intestines and small other parts. The children are next in line after the women ... so often the Massi women and children are malnutrised because all the food has gone to the men. The girls are also circumcised around 13 to prepare them for marriage.
This is a hard life ... they live where it is so dry nothing grows and there is little to no water. They have thatched thorn fences to keep the wild animals out ... yep lions and the like. These guys are incredible ... visiting them was awesome.

Tanzania - Teaching

This is our incredible first group of students. I can say they became friends. They walked with me through the challenging first teaching and loved me inspite of me needing to read from notes and getting stuck once or twice.
They even gave us a gift because during my preaching I talked about how Australia is a warm country so I am looking foward to some warmth ... they presented us with Massi traditional blankets that they wear everyday to keep warm like we would wear a jacket. Very cool.
The seminar confirmed why we are hear and why this teaching is so important. When the group were asked if non-Christians were made in the image of God ... the PASTOR answered proudly "NO". Then later when we were talking about Abraham, the same pastor said that Abraham was not saved. This man was truly a great pastor, head of 15 churches and loved God deeply. Teaching that is just a little "off" from the biblical truth can be devastating. Think about it ... if all people are not made in the image of God then why care about anyone but those that you think ARE created in God's image. That wipes out more than half of God's people who just don't know Him yet. Man, this TRUTH stuff is sooooo important and I feel overwhelmed and excited to be teaching it!