Good Samaritans in Tanzania

Posted in the February 2024 Newsletter

I remember when I first heard the story of the Good Samaritan, I was confused and a little angry that someone would just walk by. Growing up in the church you start to hear explanations of why the priest and the rabbi walked by and the allegorical role those characters played, but I think there is always a little bit of that anger that someone could just pass by someone obviously in need.

Wesley College exists in no small part to put more Good Samaritans into the world. When I first sat down with Sophia last year she shared with me that her favorite class was pastoral care and counseling and that her goal was to see that the world could come to know God’s love.

She then told me a story about her field placement where she worked at a help center providing after care and counseling for those diagnosed with HIV/AIDs. There is so much stigma, depression, and isolation that comes with a person’s diagnosis so Sophia would work with people to ensure they got onto a schedule with their medication and were given tools to figure out their next steps.

One woman in particular stood out to Sophia because Mary’s* husband brought HIV into their marriage and then left when Mary found out she was also HIV positive. Sophia helped Mary ensure a legal end to her marriage, helped her secure funding to start a business which her husband had forbid her to do, and made sure that Mary was setup to support her family even as she dealt with the health challenges that come with being HIV positive. Mary easily could have ended up on the street, turning to prostitution, or dead.

*not her real name

Sophia decided that she could not be the priest or rabbi, could not just pass on by. Sophia knew that she wanted to be the one to help and because of her education, had the knowledge and confidence to be able to help.

When I asked Sophia why it is so important to have trained, educated servant leaders in Tanzania she said:

“A servant leader is a person who has a call to service in their life, like me. I love to be of service to my community just as Jesus was as shown in the Gospel of Mark 10:45. It is important for a servant leader to be trained and prepared as I was prepared at Wesley College as a servant leader to serve the community. Today I am ready to serve my community, show love to others, and to teach the Good News."

Sophia finished her education this month and is already lined up to join Wesley House in Tarime where she is excited to get to join a house church planting movement and engage in the neighborhood development work that Wesley House does. She will get to do what she is called to and what she does best, being a Good Samaritan, spreading God’s love to others.

I want to make sure to also thank you all, everyone that supports Wesley College, provides a scholarship to students, and makes this work possible for not being one to cross to the other side of the road, but step up to make the education of leaders like Sophia possible.