Mission Blog

NOTE: Tom and Linda Gapp stayed in Tanzania an addition two days and spent time visiting Karansi and planning out our school project there. Below is an updated regarding this planning process.

The visit to Karansi was very successful, but also very necessary! We have worked out all the buildings and schedules. The need was even greater than anticipated with children attending school in every area including the front porch of the church. They already have over 200 enrolled and are having to turn children away due to lack of space. They have six (6) teachers now and all were teaching in English, including the preschool. Joshua was his usual dynamic self and his charisma is hard to "say no to". Sheridan has trully chosen a most worthwhile project to help the poor, as well as to evangelize the unchurched of Africa!! The Maasai are a unique tribe, but once becoming Christian, their faith is unmatched. We leave in one hour and others should be home in Nebraska by now. Tom & Linda

WEDNESDAY
First, we had tea. I entered the classroom and met 14 women who had started their projects on ten treadle sewing machines. The women had experience sewing and I was grateful for that. I gave one woman a seam ripper and taught her how to use it and by the end of the day, they all were using a seam ripper! There was no pattern to make the white shirt. So... I spent an hour and a half ripping out a maroon shirt that one of the ladies had sewn. Victoria, my interperter, had a friend run to her home for paper and we drew the patterns for the shirt. Each woman had the opportunity to cut out her white shirt. Also, I gave a demo on hand sewing the hem of a skirt that I brought and three ladies did practice. The ironing bord was a wooden chair with fabric on the seat of the chair.

These women were eager to learn! The chair of the Women at Mudio had never held a scissors before. I could see her excitement when she was the last one to cut her shirt. I knew these women were like me when they wanted to skip lunch and sew! I left at 4:30 but they were going to continue to sew until 6:00 and finish their white shirts.

I hope a member of our church comes next year and has a sewing clinic.

Linda Gapp

MONDAY
This morning, our bus traveled up the mountain past lush tropical forest. Nronga Secondary School is high on the mountain. We were greeted by Headmistress Ester and signed the guest book as is the custom. At assembly, we gave 900 textbooks to the school. The Head Girl responded with words of thanks and ...You did not give us a fish but you taught us how to fish. Members of the mission team brought toothbrushes and a soccer ball. The ball was kicked back and forth between us and the students, including the headmistress. Then we walked down a path and met the 32 orphans in a large classroom. After handing out letters from the sponsors, Nankando asked, "How can you have so much money that you can give us scholarships?" "Why do you do this?" I replied that Americans are so blessed and Jesus commanded us to give to others. This was a beautiful morning and confirmation of all that we do.
Linda Gapp

Today was bumpy, hot, and dusty roads up the mountain to two schools...but a fantastic experience! We have now finished the delivery of textbooks to seven of eight high schools. Each school is unique in both location and characteristics. Natiro was today and overlooked the city of Moshi from about 4000 feet up the mountain. Kidia was in a poor area but the students were still happy and very faithful. The safari group should return tomorrow, with many stories. We have met with pastor Joshua several times and greatly anticipate worship this Sunday....you never know what he has planned for us. We are all still healthy, and continue to pray for a safe journey!

Tom & Linda and all 12 of the Sheridan group

Mudio for the weekend was again a most spiritual experience. Some of us went to the preaching point for early service (7:00) and thus church until 1:00! Their faith is like a strong magnet...bringing you back again and again! Linda even started her sewing instruction early. Today we go to Masama....more upon return.
Tom & Linda

We had a wonderful day at Masama Girls High School. After meeting in the headmasters office and matching orphans, I went to the sewing classroom to teach the 45 girls embroidery stitches. The tailor was in need of instruction. The first group gathered in a circle around me and I started with the buttonhole stitch. I heard a girl say, "Wow!" They were all so impressed! The second group arrived. I showed another stitch and I felt fingers moving up my neck and into my hair. Then I felt more fingers feeling my hair! I said, "Yes, I have fine hair." The third group came up for the demonstration. Then I felt many fingers feeling my hair. It was very funny! Also, the teacher wanted to know how to use the sewing gauge.
I showed the students a wall quilt that I made for the school with the colors of their skirts. This quilt will hang in the classroom. They had never seen hand stitches or hand quilting like I had in the quilt. The teacher was so appreciative of the information that I gave him about sewing.
The mission team arrived and we met the orphans and took pictures. Everyone participated in handing out gifts, letters and taking pictures. The assembly with 400 students was amazing. After several speeches, I presented the textbooks to the school. I was standing next to a teacher and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him kiss the biology book! God works through his people.
Linda Gapp

Friday was an amazing day! We traveled up the mountain to visit Agape High School in the morning. Their singing is powerful! We sang Happy Birthday to Sr. Mlay. In the afternoon, we heard the Vunjo High School sing several of the songs from the Sheridan Worship Booklet that was sent several months ago. We delivered 1,000 textbooks and visited 23 orphans. Pastor John (in Tanzania) thanked us for the pews. Now, the 627 students can sit. "This is great" said Headmistress Sia.

I am told by many church staff that the textbooks are a miracle. All the schools have improved national exam scores.

Later today, we leave for Mudio. Very hot here.
Linda & Tom

From Linda Gapp:
Safe arrival, greeted by Karansi choir and Mudio band. The ND (Northern Diocese) gave us roses!
And Karansi gave everyone a Maasai cross!
Yesterday, was a busy day placing book plates in the textbooks...6,000! I thank

God that he sent such wonderful people to be on our mission team.
Dinner at Bishop Shao's last night where each of us was given a Holy Bible in Swahili and English. Visited the Neema Orphanage, Houses for Health and Machame Hospital including the new nursing school.We met Neema and Sadaka, sponsored nursing students. It was very touching to see these young women. I had tears after a group picture in front of the hospital. The girls sang for us.

We are soaking up the Tanzania culture: we see how much we have in contrast to these Christian people.
Linda Gapp

Attached are some updates from two of our global partners you might enjoy reading. One is a letter from one of our partner churches in Tanzania, Mudio Lutheran Parish. It is refreshing to read about their ministry and focus as a congregation. The second is a letter from Habitat for Humanity El Salvador about the upcoming dedication of two of the projects our Sheridan teams have worked on. Thanks to all of those who have traveled to El Salvador and Tanzania and their work with our partners.

Attachment	Size
Mudio Letter.pdf	304.54 KB
Villa Esperanza-Thrivent Dedication Invitation_Sheridan Lutheran Church.pdf	383.03 KB

Over the past three years Sheridan has experienced tremendous growth in our service to the community. We have begin serving at Clinic with a Heart, started the Barnabas Project, adopted two schools through the Backpack Program, and partnered in building three Habitat Homes. With all of these ministries, comes the need to schedule hundreds of volunteer shifts throughout the year.

Last Fall we completed a volunteer opinion survey, sent out to over 200 volunteers with 88 responses. The survey had a number of questions (You can see the full results at https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/sheridanlutheran.org/gform?key=0AjgDHQ...) The most significant portion to us was the response to the statement, "Volunteer Scheduling & Planning - I would like to select my own volunteer shifts" Our volunteer's opinions were clear... 80% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with this statement, 20% were neutral. Not a single person disagreed with the statement that they want to select their own shifts.

So now, the chance is yours! After significant time investigating options we have settled on using an online solution called Volunteer Matters. Currently Volunteer Matters is configured to allow self-scheduling for shifts for the Barnabas Project, the Backpack Program and Clinic with a Heart. Combined these three ministries require over 1600 individual volunteer shifts throughout the year and represent thousands of hours of service to our community. I invite you to visit our volunteer scheduling site to learn more about Sheridan's volunteer opportunities and schedule yourself for one of our hundreds of shifts available throughout the year.

Volunteer Matters is available at www.sheridanlutheran.org/serve Please don't hesitate in calling the church with any questions you have.

Serving together in Christ,
Pastor John

With 11 homes under construction, the work site resembled a hive of colorful bees, buzzing around their assigned tasks with good-natured laughter.
El Salvador is a country bursting with youthful energy—young people who are dedicated to lifting their homeland out of the poverty exacerbated by the civil war. The local leaders of Habitat work tirelessly, long hours spent planning, caring for volunteers, encouraging and counseling homeowners.
Jody’s team, volunteers of all ages came from Nebraska, Florida, and Illinois—students, teachers, and retirees. Quickly, we are no longer team but family. We also are determined to do our utmost for this project. This is where God wants us to be.
After the first morning devotion we meet the masons who will supervise us. Smiling a warm welcome, they patiently show us our tasks. Some volunteers dig, some move piles of soil, some paint, several dig out tree stumps or apply chispa between blocks.
Luis and Ronald circulate, making sure the volunteers are hydrated, happy, and not over-exerting in the heat. At morning break time the young volunteers are sweaty, filthy—but elated to be in El Salvador.
One team member confessed, “I tried to ignore God—my life was all about me. Two years ago I realized that something was missing. God was calling me to service—to reach out to others.”
A college student spoke up. “It feels good to help others. Makes me appreciate what we have in the States. Digging out the stumps was my high point so far.”
One husky student worked beside his mason all day. At that end of that long hot day, the mason folded his hands, bowed his head, and said, “Thank you. Thank you so much.” Tears stood in his eyes as the young student shared this with us.
A young teacher expressed her feelings in the words of a hymn. “I keep thinking of the words, ‘Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord.’ We in the United States tend to be so prideful. I appreciate more my home and my family.”
We share stories of how kind and appreciative the masons are. We know it’s not easy working with volunteers who are willing, but inexperienced. Miguel says, “I want always to work with Habitat. I never had a problem with volunteers, and they help me with my English.”
At the end of the week, as we prepare to leave the worksite, a mason says quietly, “You American volunteers coming here to help are a blessing to us. You are indeed a blessing.”
We helped build homes – but most important – we built relationships with our sisters and brothers in El Salvador. We were blessed by their love.