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Our Missions:
Ghana | Kenya | Liberia
Tanzania | USA

Becoming a Missionary:
SMA Missionary Priest
SMA Lay Missionary

I've been here in Tanzania for almost two years now, and it continues to be a tremendously blessed experience. My mission placement is at Shaloom Care House, an HIV/AIDS outreach and care center under the health department of the Archdiocese of Mwanza. I spend most of my time at the youth center with the orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs). In the mornings I coordinate the program for the littlest kids, pre-school age, who come for nutritious food, lessons on their ABCs and reading and writing, and time and space to play and just be children. We have about 20 children registered and they are doing very well. The school year in Tanzania runs from January to December so many of the kids will enter first grade in a few months. It's an exciting time for them in their little lives, and as sad as it is to see them go, I know that each of them has benefitted from the preschool program in terms of their health, and social and academic development...all thanks to the the Candle Fund. The entire preschool program at Shaloom is funded through the generosity of SMA donors. Thank you to all those people, on behalf of 20 very grateful orphans!

Another exciting addition to my mission activities has been my involvement in a new nutrition program at Shaloom. The pilot project, called "Nutrition by Prescription", provides a nutritious breakfast every weekday for 100 HIV positive clients - 50 kids and 50 adults. Their Body Mass Index (BMI) and CD4 counts were measured at the beginning and will be measured again at the end to see if the program has had a significant impact on the health of the participants. If so, the plan is to continue the program in the form of community kitchens. It's incredibly life-giving to be involved in something that I believe in so strongly.

One of my favorite ways to spend my free time is at the home for abandoned and orphaned babies, called Forever Angels. There are about 40 babies there and they are sweet and lovable. It's impossible to have a bad day after spending time with them. On Saturdays I've started teaching English for the beginners English youth club. Primary school in Tanzania is taught in Swahili but secondary school is taught in English, so many kids understandably have trouble with that switch and need extra help. I've also had the opportunity to visit a few of the mission sites of SMA priests here in Tanzania which is always an incredible experience.

I am including some photos of the various activities...I hope they help give a "picture" of the blessings of mission life here in Mwanza!