Branch Dedication Expedition

On January 25 we once more boarded the coach headed for Dar - for a rather less scary reason than two weeks before. The newly-constructed branch office, which was completed last year, was to be dedicated to Jehovah - the moment where the building is 'given' to God by its constructors, much like what King Solomon did after the Jerusalem's temple was completed (- 2 Chronicles 6.)

We were not invited to the ceremony itself, which took place in the grounds of the Bethel itself. The following day, however, in Tanzania's national football stadium, the programme was reprised for a larger audience, which included many of the brothers from Dar's 20 or so congregations, as well as many visitors. The audience was 4,480-strong, one of the largest gatherings of Jehovah's Witnesses ever to be held in Tanzania.

The stadium was interesting in itself. It has apparently been standing for several decades, and I was told that all the nation's presidents since independence from Britain were sworn-in in that very stadium. Understandably, the ground is considered to be part of the nation's heritage, a sacred site. As a result, throughout its history, the authorities have never permitted any other events to take place in it, with the exception of the nation's unimpressive footballing exploits. Not so sacred, though, that they had put money aside to paint it...

The witnesses started work on the site some weeks ago and painted both of the grandstands and the perimeter wall, and also cleaned the site throughout. Thus they became the first organisation ever to be permitted to use the stadium for a religious purpose. Avril was told by one of her return visits that it was on the news here.

The programme included a watchtower summary, and a lengthy exposé of the history of Jehovah's Witnesses in Tanzania, and then a series of reports from countries both far and near, relating news of the work's progress.

The final discourse was given by Brother Samuel Herd, of the governing body. He reminded listeners that they needed to brace up their minds for activity, alert to signs of a weakened mind, and aware of ways to be firm and steadfast despite trials.

Following the 10am programme, brothers and sisters stayed for several hours to associate, a chance for many to renew acquaintances from long ago. Tanzania is a pretty large country, and though transport is not difficult or expensive for us, it is nevertheless beyond the reach of many of the poorest people here in Tanzania. A single one-way ticket from Arusha to Dar costs at least two weeks' wages for ordinary folk, so you can appreciate that attending is a major project that requires much forethought.

We were able to meet with many brothers and sisters, including Tanzania's missionaries, who hail from the US, the UK, Scandinavia and Germany as well as a host of other countries. We met with Mark Noumair, formerly a Gilead missionary himself in neighbouring Kenya, but now an instructor at Gilead Missionary School in Patterson, USA. He related to us different facts about the school and tips on how to apply.

The following day we were able to tour the new offices and meet the brothers once more. Thankfully we were staying with a kind sister, Lorraine from Southport, England, very close to the branch complex. That afternoon the missionaries and many others went to the nearby White Sands beach to enjoy the sunshine and the surf and play volleyball.