Friends of Huruma is Official

This Blog was originally published on September 9 - then promptly disappeared. Now it's back!

At its August 14 meeting, the Iringa Committee of the Saint Paul Area Synod approved Friends of Huruma as an official affiliate of Bega Kwa Bega. Thank you to everyone who helped us along to get to this point, especially, BKB Director Peter Harrits and Iringa Committee Chair Kirsten Levorson. If you’d like to have a look at the Friends of Huruma Charter, just email me at friendsofhuruma@gmail.com.

Advisory Board Meets

And there’s more! Last week on September 14, the Advisory Board Friends of Huruma held its first meeting and it was wonderful. Advisory Board members Mary Blomquist and Don Fulz educated us on the history of the Huruma Centre orphanage and answered all of our questions. We also discussed my upcoming journey to Iringa and how to maximize my time with DIRA leaders and with Centre Director Joyce Ngandango, and closed out the meeting with discussion about the Iringa Day gathering on November 11 and, of great importance, raising funds to support the children of the Huruma Centre. You can see nearby the photo of Don, Mary, Advisory Board member JoHanna Pokorny and me. Not pictured are Board members Eunice Fulz and Rachel Beaudin.

Traveling Soon to Iringa

I leave for Iringa on October 4. I’m looking forward to working with the new BKB volunteer in Iringa, April Trout, meeting with DIRA leaders about the ministry of the Huruma Centre, spending many days with Pastor Joyce and the children, and meeting with leaders of parishes in the Iringa area who can offer their own support to the Huruma Centre. I ask for your prayers as I take this inaugural journey on behalf of the children of Huruma.

Upon my return, I’m going to be making calls and visits to raise money toward the central mission of Friends of Huruma, supporting a safe and nurturing home and education for the children. If you want to beat me to the punch, you can send gifts to the Saint Paul Area Synod. Please make checks out to “Saint Paul Area Synod,” with “Friends of Huruma” in the memo line. Send your gift to:

          Saint Paul Area Synod, ELCA

          C/O Greg Triplett

          105 University Ave W.

          St. Paul, MN 55103

And, if you want more information about Friends of Huruma, email at friendsofhuruma@gmail.com or PM me via FaceBook.

Look for travel updates in November.

With Gratitude,

Pastor Chris Smith

Introducing Friends of Huruma

A New Affiliate of Bega Kwa Bega

Bega Kwa Bega, the partnership between the Saint Paul Area Synod (ELCA) and the Iringa Diocese (ELCT) has been long and fruitful. Through BKB more than 60 congregations in the Saint Paul Area Synod (SPAS) partner with parishes in the Iringa Diocese in Tanzania, supporting community and parish development. Up to now, the Huruma Centre, a children's home in Iringa, Tanzania, has had no partner within the mission of BKB. The time has come to form Friends of Huruma, an affiliate of BKB with the purpose of being a supportive partner with the Huruma Centre through the Iringa Diocese.

The Mission of Friends of Huruma

The Huruma Centre, a ministry of the Iringa Diocese, is a children’s home in Iringa, Tanzania, which provides a safe home, nurture, nutrition, and education for children who, for a variety of reasons, have no family or others to care for them.

The goal is sustainable support for the children of the Centre. Friends of Huruma will pursue that goal by creating a community of supporters, locally in Minnesota and around the world, who want to make a difference in the lives of the children who make the Huruma Centre their home. Friends of Huruma will also help build relationships with communities and leaders in Iringa to expand support of the Centre in the Iringa Diocese.

Friends of Huruma will help care for the children of the Huruma Centre through mutual relationship, prayer, financial support, and programs that enrich the lives of the children. Friends of Huruma will engage with those who support and visit the Centre, and provide regular communication to all who have an interest in this vital ministry of the Iringa Diocese.

Want to Help?

So many people have visited the Huruma Centre through BKB over the years and been moved by this vital ministry with children. As development of Friends of Huruma continues, here’s how you can help:

Pray—Keep the Huruma Centre and the synod’s partnership with the Iringa Diocese in your prayers

Visit—Traveling to Iringa? Visit the Centre to meet its leaders and the children they serve. You are always welcome!

Participate—Help by being an advocate for the Centre in your congregation, helping to organize events that support the Centre, or serving on the Advisory Board of Friends of Huruma.

Give—Funds to support the general operation and special projects of the Huruma Centre can be given to the Saint Paul Area Synod. Please make checks out to “Saint Paul Area Synod,” with “Friends of Huruma”   in the memo line. Send your gift to:

          Saint Paul Area Synod, ELCA

          C/O Greg Triplett

          105 University Ave W.

          St. Paul, MN 55103

Thank You!

More to Come

In coming weeks, I’ll be blogging more about Friends of Huruma – what’s been done so far and what’s coming up. In the meantime, if you want more information, email at friendsofhuruma@gmail.com or PM me via FaceBook.

Amani Katika Kristo,

Pastor Chris Smith