Companion Congregation Ministry

Bulongwa, Tanzania and St. Paul’s, Fleetwood, PA – Companion Congregations.  We may be worlds apart geographically and worlds apart in life experiences but we are brothers and sisters in Christ.  We’ve witnessed the joy of the Bulongwa people despite challenging living conditions, their love of God and their sense of community.  While the teams we’ve sent to Tanzania have been able to share tangible gifts, in return they experienced joyful welcomes, beautiful voices raised in song, and time to connect and build relationships in the name of Jesus Christ with a people who are so willing to share the faith they live every day. 
 
St. Paul’s has sent three teams to Bulongwa since 2005.  Some of the projects have included repairing a generator and hydro-electric plant, purchasing animals to help the people of Bulongwa to be more self-sufficient, providing fabrics so their children can attend school, and providing school supplies.  In conjunction with the Northeast Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA, in 2005 a sea container filled with a grain mill, medical and school supplies, clothing and tools was shipped.  We are planning a fourth trip for July of 2012.
 
The Bulongwa Lutheran Church is a member of the South Central Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania.  The village of Bulongwa is located in the Livingstone Mountain Range of Southern Tanzania near Lake Malawi.