CYNTHIA ATKINSON reflects on Tanzania...
I just returned from Tanzania. MEDA has a bi-national board and every three years they
have their February board meeting at one of our international offices and this year it was
in Tanzania. This was my second trip for MEDA. In 2002 I spent a week in Haiti. But it
was the first time in Tanzania.
I was amazed that people are still living in mud huts with grass roofs - if they have a
roof. I expected there would be more people living in homes. That surprised
me. The land is absolutely beautiful. The people are very warm and friendly.
The trip moved me in so many ways. I was so amazed that in spite of the adversity and
the major challenges the people of Tanzania have, they are so close to God in all aspects
- in the good times and the bad times. We had a chance to meet with the MEDA
Tanzania staff made up of local people. The first week we also split into 6 groups and
went to 6 different Mennonite churches. We got to experience first hand doing church in
Tanzania.
Some churches didn't even have walls. But the church that I attended had a wonderful
choir. It was 40° Celsius (104° F). The church leaders were all formally dressed and the
choir had coordinated shirts with ties. They were serious about doing church. It was
interesting that in the church we attended the women sat on one side and the men sat on
the other. Normally their services go on for 3 hours in this heat, they do not have air-conditioners.
They were so welcoming.
Cynthia joined MEDA in 1995. Prior to joining MEDA, she was Contracts Administrator
for Chicopee Manufacturing Ltd. in Kitchener, Ontario for 14 years. Currently, she holds
the position of treasurer and founding director of the board of Solid Ground Bible Study
Ministries (1999-2007). She attended Western University in London, Ontario.
