Tanzania Darkness
Paschal with discipleship manual in hand, Noah (middle), Pastor Enock (R)
See below for Paschal’s story.
The apostle John describes Jesus’ coming into the world as light coming into the darkness (Jn 1:5). When John uses ‘darkness’ in this way he wants us to understand that our God is the source of all light, love, truth and goodness. Wherever He is known and loved, a blessed light shines. It is in this vein that Matthew, the writer of the first Gospel writes, “THE PEOPLE LIVING IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT; ON THOSE LIVING IN THE LAND OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH A LIGHT HAS DAWNED.” (Mt 4:16). Wherever in the wide world where Christ is unknown or dismissed, a dread darkness descends upon the people who live there.
It happened that in the 1700’s in Western Tanzania, Arab raiders descended upon the people living there and killed and captured countless thousands. The region was virtually depopulated. Families were decimated, traditions and cultures erased and a time of paralyzing fear and alienation fell upon the poor souls who were left. Even while the Gospel was spreading all over the world, Tanzania remained untouched. There are still millions who have never heard the name Jesus. Pastor Ruben had the following exchange with a man who he met at the Saturday open-air market in Igunga:. The Following words are from Charles Masanja (Ruben’s English-speaking church elder):
People from all neighborhood towns and villages come to Igunga for selling and buying various commodities. Apart from clothes, food, shoes, etc. the market also includes cattle, goats, lambs and other animals. One Saturday pastor Ruben was at the market, there he met a person from Bungula village. He decided to ask him if he has heard about Jesus. The man's response was completely negative! He said "I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF JESUS SINCE I WAS BORN.
Ruben: Would you like to know who is Jesus?
Man: Yes, I would like to know who is Jesus and the village he is living, whether it is in Igunga town or one of the villages around. Is Jesus a farmer or a herdsman like me?
Ruben: Jesus is both, and much more. He is a wonderful person!
Man: I would like to know this man.
Imagine not even hearing the name of Jesus!
What is more common is a vague awareness of Christianity but being utterly clueless beyond that. Here is another story from Jan 2026. Our Tanzanian partners were holding a discipleship conference in Nzega. Into the midst of the gathering of church leaders wandered Paschal. Charles narrates what happened next.
We were surprised to see a boy introducing himself by the name as Paschal M. who was completely a nonbeliever! Noticing that he is not a Christian, I (Charles) stopped the introduction process (at the start of our conference) and I wanted to know how it happened he came to join the church leader’s conference, while he is not neither a Christian nor a church leader. I wanted him to give us more details.
Q. How do you come to be here?
A. My name is Paschal M. I live just half a kilometer from this church, I am a farmer who lives with my parents in the village from my childhood. While in the village I used to hear that there is something called religions which is divided in two groups Christians and Muslims.
Q. What is your religion between the two?
A. I am not a Christian or a Muslim, because my parents are not religious people, but they have always been speaking that there are religions. There were also our neighbor family who were Muslims. But our father was reluctant to join any religion.
Q. If so who influenced you to come in the church?
A. I heard one of the church members saying there will be a gathering of church leaders in the church this week, having noticed that the gathering will take place on Wednesday, I decided to come to join the church.
Q. Have you heard anything about Jesus?
A. Yes, I heard Christians speak about Jesus, but I don’t know him. But I love the way Christians live and worship. So I have decided to join the church. I know that my father will not be pleased with my decision, but this is the way I have to go now. I am grown up, I want to be a Christian.
This last answer was enough to ask pastor Enock to lead the boy in prayers. This was a new experience in our ministry, that God had one soul coming to Christ right in the conference introduction process...!!! It happened.
One of the reasons this story impresses me is that it is obvious how important it is to have a healthy local church in place in a land where there is so much darkness! As people take instruction from Jesus and worship and live in community it shines a bright light into the lives of those who are living in the dark. If we had been in the back of the church watching the drama of Paschal coming to Christ (surely he has much to learn!!) we could say with Matthew, “on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”