Shari Johnson, Publisher
Nine years ago, I met a young man through Social Media who discovered my “Jesus Chick” ministry website through his own determination to learn about God as a new Christian. He was studying business in Singida and he and I became fast friends. As I helped him understand scripture, he helped me understand the blessings of living in West Virginia, USA. I’ve always fancied myself as a humble character. One who considered herself in touch with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds but most especially those with less. Sometimes considering myself among them when in reality I’m just a poor manager. But then I met Juma, who taught me much about humility.
In 2013, Juma and I, in his words “were strengthened on the common ground of publicizing the word of God.” He had became a Christian through a missionaries work in the area. We spoke several times a week and he would share with me the goings on of his life and family and allow me a glimpse of living in Tanzania. What struck me most about him, (from a very worldly point of view) was his appearance. He had a very neat and tailored look. I even ask him one day, how he kept his shirts so white and pristine, thinking to myself he laundered them at the local laundromat or perhaps his momma had a special laundry trick. His response caught me off guard and was the beginning of my lessons of humility. He informed me that he took his clothing to the beach and washed them there.
Hello reality spoiled Shari. Not everyone has access to a washer. I had actually realized that fact, but when speaking with a young man in college, using technology, I just assumed he had all the amenities of life.
Juma was born and raised in Kigoma; the region that locates at the west side of Tanzania but he currently lives in Manyara-Magugu, the region in northern side of Tanzania. He moved to the area because he was inspired to continue preaching the word of God. The majority of people in that region haven’t heard the gospel, So Juma preaches the word on the street and does what he describes as a “petty business” that enables him to survive. He’s a chicken farmer! (I was too until a fox, a racoon and a weasel got in my henhouse!) He started small poultry farming in an area where he expects to open a church. He’s hoping the poultry farming will grow so that in the future he can relocate it to another site.
The Manyara region where Juma resides has a population of 1.425 million people according to the latest census, which was actually done 10 years ago. The region depends on small scale agriculture and animal grazing. According to the Tanzania mainland poverty assessment, In 2018 about 14 million people lived below the national poverty line (about 49 percent of the population) living below the $1.90 per person per day international poverty line. Unemployment in their region was 23% among men 15-49 years of age, and was a very high 72.3 percent among women. It is reported that 80% of the youth in the Manyara region are unemployed. Those who do not have jobs live by “hustling” (the selling of small items from agriculture crops such as bananas, yams, and groundnuts.) Juma said that the inadequate employment opportunities, lack of career knowledge and skills, and inadequate social skills for employing themselves was much of the reasoning behind the high numbers. All of it leads to to impoverishment in health, housing, access to nutrition and education. But Juma works to rise above what is typical.
Over the years I’ve watched Juma as he’s attended and began churches of his own. Concerned for his safety, I asked him if there was persecution in the area he lived in. Surprisingly to me, there is none in his area. He informed me that “Tanzania allows all society to do their worshipping freely.” That makes me very happy.
Juma’s church has an average attendance of 15-20 people. He describes young people as hard to reach because they find themselves “being distorted with hustling for survival.” That above all is something that I personally have a hard time relating to. I realize there is no doubt young people living on the streets in America, but generally not in our area. Our children may not have it all but most have the basics of life. Yes, I know there is the exception to the rule and there are those who are not cared for as they should be, but to think of it being a way of life for a great number of children, breaks my heart.
Through his street preaching, Juma hopes to make a difference not only spiritually but economically. He currently works with six young boys that have been reached through Juma’s preaching and telling them how Christ cares about their lives. Of them Juma says “while others deny their values, he’s attempting to teach those for which he disciples in the word of God to create their own income through vocational training to support themselves and their families.
Another lesson in humility for me is to see a young man taking the initiative in a world with far less than we have in America. His excitement encourages my old soul and makes me desire to do more for my own community. I sent Juma a little money to help him out one day and he wrote me back with a list of how he’d spent it. Most of which when on fruit to take to a nursing home. His care for others always touches my soul and raises a consciousness in me that there are children in every land that needs someone to care for them and about them.
