Happy New Year folks!
It was on December 26, 2010 when we visited the Ward for children with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus at CCBRT. There were about 60 children.
We sang together, encouraged them, and gave them some Christmas presents.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Tehillah-Friday with children at CCBRT (Dec 26,2010)
Happy New Year folks!
It was on December 26, 2010 when we visited the Ward for children with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus at CCBRT. There were about 60 children.
We sang together, encouraged them, and gave them some Christmas presents.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Woman of Destiny!!!
The Women of Virtue held its first annual conference, Woman of Destiny, on December 14th-17th. It was literally life changing! If you weren't there, you missed it. But don't fret, DVDs of each night are available for 5,000 Tsh each. You can purchase them at Tehillah Friday services (Tehillah meets at Tangibovu, Mbezi Beach Park building on Fridays @ 8pm). Here are some pictures from the event...
Monday, November 15, 2010
Living Water Praise and Worship Experience
Sunday, November 14th, the Tehillah worship team ministered at Living Water-Kawe. Here are a few pics from the Worship Experience.
The Beauty of His Majesty
Today I was summoned by two of my students, “Ms. Roberson! You have to come outside, there’s something really cool happening right now!” I rushed out the door filled with high expectations, but I was not prepared for what I was about to experience. “Ms. Roberson, look at the sun!” one yelled in amazement. I looked up and saw one of the most magnificent things. It was a sun halo. Personally, I’ve never seen one in my whole life and they are rare, at least one at this caliber. I rushed back into my classroom to grab my camera and phone. I wanted to call and text everybody. I didn’t want anyone to miss this experience! I snapped pictures of it while I was dialing everyone’s number. My students began to ask, “Is the world ending?...Is Jesus on his way?” I chuckled. Actually that thought never came to my mind. When I looked at it all I could do was stand in awe. My heart began to sing His praises.
Many times when I’m caught by His beauty I automatically break into song, especially at night when I look at the stars. I can’t help but sing Oh Lord my God. When I in awesome wonder. Consider all the works Thy hands hath made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder. Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul my Savior, God to Thee. How great Thou art. How great thou art… Sights like the sun halo, stars that we see every night, sunrises, and sunsets…I can’t help but be in awe of His beauty. Every glimpse I’m seeing is a glimpse of who He is. I’m seeing His character. AMAZING!!!! Today when I literally couldn’t stop looking at the sun halo, I started singing...Powerful so powerful, Your glory fills the sky. Your mighty works displayed for all to see. The beauty of Your majesty awakes my heart to sing. How marvelous, how wonderful You are!.....My soul, my soul must sing. My soul, my soul must sing. My soul, my soul must sing BEAUTIFUL ONE!
Now anyone who saw this beauty displayed, stood in amazement. I was thinking, “Wow. God, You are so amazing. To make something this gorgeous, I’m in awe.” Later as I kept singing Beautiful One, I began to think even deeper. Knowing what causes a sun halo (Google it folks. I teach 4th grade, not high school!) with the ice crystals and clouds and all that, I wonder if it wasn’t all of God’s construction? We know that God spoke things into existence and things were brought forth. He didn’t necessarily say I want to make a rose and it will have thorns and have green leaves…they’ll have different colors and have an appealing smell. No, He spoke to the earth and it brought forth millions of striking creations! So, could it be that what I was looking at was an act of worship. Just God’s creation doing what it was supposed to do. The sun joined with a certain type of cloud (cirrus clouds) with these ice crystals and formed this most glorious sight. This made me think, if this breath taking sight came from things that God spoke into existence, what am I creating? I mean, I actua
lly carry the breath of God. Can I actually say that my worship is creating such an experience?
Exactly 2 weeks ago it was reported that there was a sun halo in South Africa. Which makes me wonder if this wave is traveling throughout Africa? Hmm… What would happen if we joined that wave?...my soul my soul must sing. My soul, my soul must sing. My soul, my soul must sing BEAUTIFUL ONE!
Delicia Roberson, Worship Pastor
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
A Worshipper's Cry
Worship truly is an amazing thing. I think it’s deeper than most of us know or understand. Weird to think that we can’t fully comprehend something that we were created to do… created to be. It seems like I’m always learning something new about worship, things that just blows my mind. Lately I’ve been thinking about this question. What can contain God’s presence?… That’s not really it. I guess it’s more like, where can God’s presence reside or what kind of place can God’s presence inhabit in? I know we’ve been taught that when praises go up blessings come down. When we worship (sing unto God) there will be a sweet fragrance of His presence that will fill the room. These things are true…kind of. But surely it’s gotta be deeper than just singing some songs, right?
Many of you know that I’m a teacher. I teach 4th grade to 25 lovely (on most days) souls. One day during break, I stayed in (as usual) to grade papers and get ready for the next lesson. As I was sitting at my desk completely focused on what I was doing, I heard one of my kids crying. Now, I hear crying ALL the time and many times I don’t even bother to see what it’s about because most of the cries are just for show. But this cry was different. It instantly got my attention and I knew EXACTLY who it was. Later this got me thinking. Is this how God is with us when it comes to worship? Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that God doesn’t hear our every cry. But have you ever wondered why God doesn’t visit some of our services? Could it sometimes be that He hears a fake cry…a cry that’s not truly sincere?
Now I’m thinking that God can’t help but be in worship…excuse me, true worship that is. The angels, elders, and all those beings or creatures are constantly crying out, “Holy, holy, holy!” We know that heaven does not contain God, He contains heaven (Thanks Pastor Dan!). So if heaven is just constant worship, reverence of who He is, exaltations, etc. and His fullness is definitely there...what would happen if all that ceased-the worship that is? Would He still be there? I think not. See, there’s a certain type of place that God can dwell. That’s a place where only worship resides.
Now linking this back to my story. This particular child (notice child is singular) instantly got my attention. It made me literally stop what I was doing and focus on that child. I know I have an imaginative mind, but I can’t help but see Him on His throne in all that glory. And all of a sudden in all of His glory, His attention is immediately captured to a certain cry. A cry (worship) that makes Him take Himself from what He’s doing (Go with me folks, I know God is omnipresent) and tend to that cry with haste! Now if I was moved by one voice, what do you think God would do if He heard all His children cry out in worship? Wow, what a thought. My peeps, I think God has been entertained enough. We need to do something that makes our Father move…true worship. So many of our services are dry because THERE IS NO WORSHIP! And honestly, we need to get pass asking for a visitation. Maybe I’m greedy, but I don’t want God to just visit me. I want to dwell in Him! If we would truly worship Him in spirit and in truth…if we were houses of worship, He would be there!
To be continued…
Delicia Roberson, Worship Pastor
A bright Future for the Josephs in Dar
As she sat so close to me and held my hand, Lydia (13) looked at me with a smile and said, “When I grow up, I want to be a nurse”. Even though Lydia (not her real name) is in a remand home waiting for the judge’s verdict on her case, she is hopeful that her future will be as bright as she pictures it.
“I have been here for three months. I know that there are others who have been here longer than that. Every day, I wake up and all I see are these blue walls. That is as far as I could go. I can’t play outside those walls,” she said looking outside from the hall that we were in.
“I feel so trapped and bored sometimes. But I believe that things will get better. I have faith that I will get out pretty soon,” she said. After hearing what Ms. Louise said, she knew that things would get better.
“God loves you and He thinks the best about you, it doesn’t matter what you have done but what He wants to do in your life” said Louise Mwenda, who was among the 37 members of Tehillah-Friday Ministry who `visited the Remand Home in Dar es Salaam on Sunday, November 8 this year.
It was a great day to share the love of God with the children. The team gave the children some food-stuff and some for personal hygiene. There was also a time for one-to-one talks with the children.
Ms. Louise told the children about God’s love and that despite what they have done in the past or what they will do in the future, God thinks highly of them.
The session led by Ms. Louise was very interactive. Ms. Louise asked the children what they wanted to be in the future. Each one of them stood up and shared with the others what his dreams were. “A doctor” one said. “A president” said the other. “A Member of parliament”…. “A pilot”… And it went on and on until Lydia also stood up and said with a smile “A nurse”.
One of the children was very honest with what he felt inside. He stood up and said, “I have dreams alright, but I don’t think that I can fulfill my goals because I have never gone to school” Lydia is among 17 children that we found at the remand home. Of these, two were girls. Most of these kids, says Ms. Lucy, a worker at the remand home, have been charged of theft, being vulgar to passengers, dropping school and sexual assaults.
The Visit
At 4pm we were standing outside waiting to see the children and impart into their hearts a hope that we have in the love of God. Everyone was excited. We had our goodie-bags with us. Our smiles and our cameras weren’t far either. But sadly, taking pictures of the children was prohibited. The children might be in such an environment today, but tomorrow is another day. They wouldn’t want the whole world to remember them as criminals. And we agree on that.
“I have been here for three months. I know that there are others who have been here longer than that. Every day, I wake up and all I see are these blue walls. That is as far as I could go. I can’t play outside those walls,” she said looking outside from the hall that we were in.
“I feel so trapped and bored sometimes. But I believe that things will get better. I have faith that I will get out pretty soon,” she said. After hearing what Ms. Louise said, she knew that things would get better.
“God loves you and He thinks the best about you, it doesn’t matter what you have done but what He wants to do in your life” said Louise Mwenda, who was among the 37 members of Tehillah-Friday Ministry who `visited the Remand Home in Dar es Salaam on Sunday, November 8 this year.
It was a great day to share the love of God with the children. The team gave the children some food-stuff and some for personal hygiene. There was also a time for one-to-one talks with the children.
Ms. Louise told the children about God’s love and that despite what they have done in the past or what they will do in the future, God thinks highly of them.
The session led by Ms. Louise was very interactive. Ms. Louise asked the children what they wanted to be in the future. Each one of them stood up and shared with the others what his dreams were. “A doctor” one said. “A president” said the other. “A Member of parliament”…. “A pilot”… And it went on and on until Lydia also stood up and said with a smile “A nurse”.
One of the children was very honest with what he felt inside. He stood up and said, “I have dreams alright, but I don’t think that I can fulfill my goals because I have never gone to school” Lydia is among 17 children that we found at the remand home. Of these, two were girls. Most of these kids, says Ms. Lucy, a worker at the remand home, have been charged of theft, being vulgar to passengers, dropping school and sexual assaults.
The Visit
At 4pm we were standing outside waiting to see the children and impart into their hearts a hope that we have in the love of God. Everyone was excited. We had our goodie-bags with us. Our smiles and our cameras weren’t far either. But sadly, taking pictures of the children was prohibited. The children might be in such an environment today, but tomorrow is another day. They wouldn’t want the whole world to remember them as criminals. And we agree on that.
There are different drawings on the wall around the playground which isn’t that big. And on them (the walls) are written different messages about children’s rights. Such messages includes: Children have the right to play, the right to enjoy life, and the right to rest.
The boy’s dorm was pretty dark because the windows are very small. And those windows, said Ms. Lucy weren’t there when the place was built back in 1962.
The children seemed happy that we were there. And everyone looked so excited to share what we felt inside – The Love of God that has loved us beyond measure.
The Challenge
“There are new challenges everyday” says Ms. Lucy and continues “Knowing how children think is the biggest of them all I must say”She explained how sometimes the children would pretend to be ill only to come and realize later on that it was just pretence. Without patience, it is not easy to handle these children with love.
But as far as the whole correctional system is concerned, there are still a lot of potholes, she said. Remand homes are meant to be “correctional institutions”, a place where a child will learn different life-skills that would help them when they go back home. The problem is, says Ms. Lucy, there are only five such institutions in the country, namely in Tanga, Dar es Salaam, Moshi, Arusha and Mbeya. And when it comes to facilities, there is still a great challenge to create a conducive environment for children to learn.
The Needs
Ms Lucy explained that the kids don’t come with extra clothes. They are in need of clothes! “On the first day of their arrival, they take a shower and have a meal, and we give them the extra clothes that have been donated,” she explained. Thus, they are in need of clothes.
There is also a need of mattresses of size 3x5’ and bed sheets – as many as possible. The remand home can cater for 60 children at a time, but there are times when it receives up to a hundred children. Ms. Lucy says that even though that hasn’t happened in a while, there is still a need for such items since they aren’t enough even for the few kids that are there at the moment.
The children do have some activities - they play cards or football and they have time to watch TV. Ms. Lucy says it would be nice if they had some children books to read.
And as far as their diet is concerned, they occasionally have meat. And they know that they have rice for dinner on Wednesdays. And someone has recently volunteered to make rice on Sundays. Knowing how important it is for children to eat well, Ms. Lucy pointed out that this is also a need.
Ms Lucy has been at the home for 16 years. She has seen things change for the better. And even though things aren’t as she would like them to be, “I am here to stay. This is more than a job to me, it is a ministry. And I am not going anywhere. Someone has to take care of these kids, teach them things about life. I am glad that it could be me” she said.
Well, maybe Ms Lucy has seen different children at the institution for the past 16 years; Lydia isn’t planning to stay that long. She told me with a smile – “I am glad that you came today, it means a lot to me. I am sure it won’t be long till I see my grandma again and grow up to fulfill my dreams,” As we said goodbye to each other, I almost wished that I would find her the next time I went.
- Written by Esther-Karin Mngodo
The boy’s dorm was pretty dark because the windows are very small. And those windows, said Ms. Lucy weren’t there when the place was built back in 1962.
The children seemed happy that we were there. And everyone looked so excited to share what we felt inside – The Love of God that has loved us beyond measure.
The Challenge
“There are new challenges everyday” says Ms. Lucy and continues “Knowing how children think is the biggest of them all I must say”She explained how sometimes the children would pretend to be ill only to come and realize later on that it was just pretence. Without patience, it is not easy to handle these children with love.
But as far as the whole correctional system is concerned, there are still a lot of potholes, she said. Remand homes are meant to be “correctional institutions”, a place where a child will learn different life-skills that would help them when they go back home. The problem is, says Ms. Lucy, there are only five such institutions in the country, namely in Tanga, Dar es Salaam, Moshi, Arusha and Mbeya. And when it comes to facilities, there is still a great challenge to create a conducive environment for children to learn.
The Needs
Ms Lucy explained that the kids don’t come with extra clothes. They are in need of clothes! “On the first day of their arrival, they take a shower and have a meal, and we give them the extra clothes that have been donated,” she explained. Thus, they are in need of clothes.
There is also a need of mattresses of size 3x5’ and bed sheets – as many as possible. The remand home can cater for 60 children at a time, but there are times when it receives up to a hundred children. Ms. Lucy says that even though that hasn’t happened in a while, there is still a need for such items since they aren’t enough even for the few kids that are there at the moment.
The children do have some activities - they play cards or football and they have time to watch TV. Ms. Lucy says it would be nice if they had some children books to read.
And as far as their diet is concerned, they occasionally have meat. And they know that they have rice for dinner on Wednesdays. And someone has recently volunteered to make rice on Sundays. Knowing how important it is for children to eat well, Ms. Lucy pointed out that this is also a need.
Ms Lucy has been at the home for 16 years. She has seen things change for the better. And even though things aren’t as she would like them to be, “I am here to stay. This is more than a job to me, it is a ministry. And I am not going anywhere. Someone has to take care of these kids, teach them things about life. I am glad that it could be me” she said.
Well, maybe Ms Lucy has seen different children at the institution for the past 16 years; Lydia isn’t planning to stay that long. She told me with a smile – “I am glad that you came today, it means a lot to me. I am sure it won’t be long till I see my grandma again and grow up to fulfill my dreams,” As we said goodbye to each other, I almost wished that I would find her the next time I went.
- Written by Esther-Karin Mngodo
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