what it means to have food
WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE FOOD Westwood has for 10 plus years been packing nutritious food for people we never get to meet who live in the Dodoma Region of Tanzania. Last year, the effort resulted in 100,000 pounds of food being sent to Tanzania.
On January 28, 2017, the monthly distribution was made on the grounds of the Arusha Road Lutheran Church in Dodoma. Karl Cambronne, Westwood member, was there to help in the distribution and gauge the impact of the gift of food on the children of the Dodoma Region. When cooked it is called “Pilau” and is served with local vegetables. The recipients have one common trait. They are orphans. They are from the area. They need not be Arusha Road members and in fact, on the 28th about half of the recipients were Muslim. Most live within 3 kilometers of the Church. Either one or both parents are dead which poses an enormous and life changing barrier to success and health, especially in an impoverished part of the world. The next distribution will take place on February 24th. The Arusha Road Lutheran Church is a sister congregation to Westwood and periodically, members from the two congregations visit each other to form a close and enduring bond.
Each recipient of food from the Westwood food pack—which now number 127 young people— has a story. Consider the lives of Christopher Chima (22) and Beritha Elias (19). Christopher Chima Christopher was born in Kisasa, a few kilometers from Dodoma. He has one sister. Both parents are dead. His father, who was a soldier, died in an accident when he was very young. His mother died in 2008 of AIDS. He has been a member of Arusha Road since he was 5 years old. He lives now with his grandmother near Arusha Road Church. Christopher has finished high school and since graduation, has been a student at the Local Government Institute located in Humbolo, which is about 25 miles from Dodoma. He now actually attends a branch of the Institute which is in Dodoma. He has received his first diploma in Accounts and Finance. Next year he will receive his second diploma. After that, he intends to seek a college degree and become an accountant. He is a good student. This past year, his teachers have designated him as a tutor for other students. How would the life of Christopher been different if he had not receive food and clothing from Arusha Road Church? “Life would have been very--very tough. I would have been on the streets.” In the Dodoma region, being on the streets usually means drug or alcohol addiction and surviving by crime. Christopher says he is very thankful to Arusha Road Church for all he has received. “I would not be where I am without the help I received.” He has no girlfriend but “someday” he says. Beritha Elias Beritha has a similar story. She was born in Kigwe which is a short distance from Dodoma. She has two older sisters. One of her sisters is also supported by Arusha Road Church. Beritha is in the US equivalent of the 11th grade. Next year she graduates. She wants to pursue further education and has a goal of becoming a primary grade teacher. She cannot remember her father. Her mother is a farmer in Kigwe and Beritha lives with her. Also in the village home is an older unmarried sister (24) who has 2 children of her own (7 and 1). All five live in the same small village home. Her mother is Catholic and does not attend Arusha Road. Without the food and clothing provided by Arusha Road, Beritha would have likely been like her sister—a mother at a young age with no real
hope for a different life. “I would not have gone to school.” Her only future would have been as a subsistence farmer like her mother—extreme poverty and the likelihood of more children to feed. Beritha has no boyfriend and plans to keep it that way. The stories of Christopher and Beritha are somewhat different but are at base, the same. Each has been blessed by an orphans’ ministry at Arusha Road Lutheran Church. And, because of the relationship with Westwood, Arusha Road can provide basic nutrition and other help to the children of Dodoma Region. Karl thanks Alphonce Mutajwaa and James Mtae for acting as interpreters.
On January 28, 2017, the monthly distribution was made on the grounds of the Arusha Road Lutheran Church in Dodoma. Karl Cambronne, Westwood member, was there to help in the distribution and gauge the impact of the gift of food on the children of the Dodoma Region. When cooked it is called “Pilau” and is served with local vegetables. The recipients have one common trait. They are orphans. They are from the area. They need not be Arusha Road members and in fact, on the 28th about half of the recipients were Muslim. Most live within 3 kilometers of the Church. Either one or both parents are dead which poses an enormous and life changing barrier to success and health, especially in an impoverished part of the world. The next distribution will take place on February 24th. The Arusha Road Lutheran Church is a sister congregation to Westwood and periodically, members from the two congregations visit each other to form a close and enduring bond.
Each recipient of food from the Westwood food pack—which now number 127 young people— has a story. Consider the lives of Christopher Chima (22) and Beritha Elias (19). Christopher Chima Christopher was born in Kisasa, a few kilometers from Dodoma. He has one sister. Both parents are dead. His father, who was a soldier, died in an accident when he was very young. His mother died in 2008 of AIDS. He has been a member of Arusha Road since he was 5 years old. He lives now with his grandmother near Arusha Road Church. Christopher has finished high school and since graduation, has been a student at the Local Government Institute located in Humbolo, which is about 25 miles from Dodoma. He now actually attends a branch of the Institute which is in Dodoma. He has received his first diploma in Accounts and Finance. Next year he will receive his second diploma. After that, he intends to seek a college degree and become an accountant. He is a good student. This past year, his teachers have designated him as a tutor for other students. How would the life of Christopher been different if he had not receive food and clothing from Arusha Road Church? “Life would have been very--very tough. I would have been on the streets.” In the Dodoma region, being on the streets usually means drug or alcohol addiction and surviving by crime. Christopher says he is very thankful to Arusha Road Church for all he has received. “I would not be where I am without the help I received.” He has no girlfriend but “someday” he says. Beritha Elias Beritha has a similar story. She was born in Kigwe which is a short distance from Dodoma. She has two older sisters. One of her sisters is also supported by Arusha Road Church. Beritha is in the US equivalent of the 11th grade. Next year she graduates. She wants to pursue further education and has a goal of becoming a primary grade teacher. She cannot remember her father. Her mother is a farmer in Kigwe and Beritha lives with her. Also in the village home is an older unmarried sister (24) who has 2 children of her own (7 and 1). All five live in the same small village home. Her mother is Catholic and does not attend Arusha Road. Without the food and clothing provided by Arusha Road, Beritha would have likely been like her sister—a mother at a young age with no real
hope for a different life. “I would not have gone to school.” Her only future would have been as a subsistence farmer like her mother—extreme poverty and the likelihood of more children to feed. Beritha has no boyfriend and plans to keep it that way. The stories of Christopher and Beritha are somewhat different but are at base, the same. Each has been blessed by an orphans’ ministry at Arusha Road Lutheran Church. And, because of the relationship with Westwood, Arusha Road can provide basic nutrition and other help to the children of Dodoma Region. Karl thanks Alphonce Mutajwaa and James Mtae for acting as interpreters.
