By Diana Vance
For The Monroe Times
MONROE - Bishop Oscar Mnung'a from the Diocese of Newala in Tanzania Africa visited Monroe Oct. 13 to visit St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and to tour the off-the-grid, sola- powered farm of Fr. Brian and Marilee Backstrand. Backstrand is the church priest.
The bishop toured their farm to bring back information on farming.
At the farm, the bishop saw and had many questions about solar power. He was particularly interested in solar power for wells. "We had much discussion on that," Backstrand said.
"The bishop was interested in the kind of grass we have and how we make hay. He also was intrigued by the solar electric fence charger and the portable fencing system that goes with it," he said. The bishop said such a system would be useful in areas where the people of Newala farm with cattle.
At noon, the bishop, his wife Agnes, and Sister Helena Nogea of the Community of St. Mary and others in the entourage were welcomed by members of St. Andrew's with a written in Swahili. Balloons and ribbons in the national colors of Tanzania decorated both sanctuary and dining area.
A buffet lunch with Tanzanian-flavored food prepared by Susan Gillespie and others from St. Andrew's was held in the St. Andrew's dining area. Members of St. Andrew's on hand for the lunch were eager to meet the bishop and the people who were with him - some American and some African. St. Andrew's members greeted their visitors in Swahili.
During the lunch, the bishop answered many questions. With the help of an interpreter, Elisante, who is a student in Madison studying to be a missionary, questions and answers went back and forth. Mnung'a described what life was like for his people.
"In Newala every parish has a farm," he said. "The people are poor and they farm to survive."
In one village in the Diocese of Newala there are only 12 people. "But they had the hearts to build a church. It was a big church and the villagers hoped to draw in more people," he said..
The Diocese of Newala is a new Diocese and it started with 16 parishes. Now there are 222. "We started with 18 priests but five died and six are now retired." Currently, more than 30 priests now serve more than 50,000 members of the Diocese.
"Many churches cannot support a full time priest on their own, so clergy serve multiple churches. Most people travel to their farms, their homes and their church by walking," Mnung'a said.
Clergy travel between three and eight churches and need better transportation, because the distances between churches are too great to walk. Also there are only 2 kilometers of paved roads. Mnung'a proposed that help be given to the priests by buying "pikipiki" or small motorcycles, locally available and easily maintained in Tanzania.
His other dream is having a cashew farm. Cashews are a major cash crop in southern Tanzania. Cashew trees are growing elsewhere. The bishop dreams of a fair trade business selling their cashews in Newala and abroad.
Nogea is traveling with the bishop. "Our convent received two cows, some sheep and chickens," she said. "We have solar power which is connected to the incubator and chicken house." The chickens provide the sisters with eggs to sell. There are 10 convents of the Community of St. Mary in Tanzania.
After the meal, Backstrand led prayers drawn from The Book of Common Prayer as well as from the people of St. Andrew's. The bishop gave the blessing in Swahili.
It started to rain when the bishop and his entourage left St. Andrew's, but he left many warm hearts behind. His presence in St. Andrew's Monroe as well as in many churches throughout The Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee has created a powerful and continuing bond between two communities of faith half a world apart.
For The Monroe Times
MONROE - Bishop Oscar Mnung'a from the Diocese of Newala in Tanzania Africa visited Monroe Oct. 13 to visit St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and to tour the off-the-grid, sola- powered farm of Fr. Brian and Marilee Backstrand. Backstrand is the church priest.
The bishop toured their farm to bring back information on farming.
At the farm, the bishop saw and had many questions about solar power. He was particularly interested in solar power for wells. "We had much discussion on that," Backstrand said.
"The bishop was interested in the kind of grass we have and how we make hay. He also was intrigued by the solar electric fence charger and the portable fencing system that goes with it," he said. The bishop said such a system would be useful in areas where the people of Newala farm with cattle.
At noon, the bishop, his wife Agnes, and Sister Helena Nogea of the Community of St. Mary and others in the entourage were welcomed by members of St. Andrew's with a written in Swahili. Balloons and ribbons in the national colors of Tanzania decorated both sanctuary and dining area.
A buffet lunch with Tanzanian-flavored food prepared by Susan Gillespie and others from St. Andrew's was held in the St. Andrew's dining area. Members of St. Andrew's on hand for the lunch were eager to meet the bishop and the people who were with him - some American and some African. St. Andrew's members greeted their visitors in Swahili.
During the lunch, the bishop answered many questions. With the help of an interpreter, Elisante, who is a student in Madison studying to be a missionary, questions and answers went back and forth. Mnung'a described what life was like for his people.
"In Newala every parish has a farm," he said. "The people are poor and they farm to survive."
In one village in the Diocese of Newala there are only 12 people. "But they had the hearts to build a church. It was a big church and the villagers hoped to draw in more people," he said..
The Diocese of Newala is a new Diocese and it started with 16 parishes. Now there are 222. "We started with 18 priests but five died and six are now retired." Currently, more than 30 priests now serve more than 50,000 members of the Diocese.
"Many churches cannot support a full time priest on their own, so clergy serve multiple churches. Most people travel to their farms, their homes and their church by walking," Mnung'a said.
Clergy travel between three and eight churches and need better transportation, because the distances between churches are too great to walk. Also there are only 2 kilometers of paved roads. Mnung'a proposed that help be given to the priests by buying "pikipiki" or small motorcycles, locally available and easily maintained in Tanzania.
His other dream is having a cashew farm. Cashews are a major cash crop in southern Tanzania. Cashew trees are growing elsewhere. The bishop dreams of a fair trade business selling their cashews in Newala and abroad.
Nogea is traveling with the bishop. "Our convent received two cows, some sheep and chickens," she said. "We have solar power which is connected to the incubator and chicken house." The chickens provide the sisters with eggs to sell. There are 10 convents of the Community of St. Mary in Tanzania.
After the meal, Backstrand led prayers drawn from The Book of Common Prayer as well as from the people of St. Andrew's. The bishop gave the blessing in Swahili.
It started to rain when the bishop and his entourage left St. Andrew's, but he left many warm hearts behind. His presence in St. Andrew's Monroe as well as in many churches throughout The Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee has created a powerful and continuing bond between two communities of faith half a world apart.
