Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
On behalf of the Africa Inland Church Tanzania – Diocese of Mara and Ukerewe (AICT- MUD), I write to extend our deep and heartfelt gratitude for your faithful partnership, prayers, and generosity over the years towards the Transform Tanzania Initiative in the Northern Mara Region of Tanzania. When we did our first well in 2008 no one except God new that this initiative would grow into what it is today and impact the number of people that we have registered and become witness of today- so thank you. God has amazingly used your partnership this year to bring about holistic transformation—addressing both immediate physical needs and long-term church and community empowerment and holistic transformation. Through this shared mission, the church continued to proclaim and demonstrate the Gospel in word and deed in such incredible ways to His Glory.
Deep Water Wells: Meeting a critical need with compassion
Through your support, AICT MUD continued to implement the deep-water wells program among some of the most impoverished and water-stressed communities in Northern Mara and Ukerewe regions of Tanzania. This year alone, we successfully drilled 25 new deep-water wells, bringing to 187 the total number completed functioning wells since the start of this initiative in 2008. Of course, God used Mclean Presbyterian church this year in a special way that through their thanksgiving offering, they have been able to support the drilling of 15 new wells out of the 25 drilled this year thus surpassing all the years since when we started this ministry 17 years ago. The drilling of these wells resulted in profound impact across the region including
- Families now access safe and clean water close to their homes, restoring dignity and saving time thus significantly improving people’s wellbeing.
- School attendance has improved, as children no longer miss classes to fetch water.
- Waterborne diseases have significantly decreased, leading to improved health and sanitation.
- Women and girls are now safer, no longer forced to walk long distances—often at night—in search of water exposing them to many dangers’ attacks by crocodiles in the rivers but sadly so were also being sexually abuses by wicked people along the dark bush filled streets as they would go looking for water far away from their homes.
- Local churches have become stronger witnesses, recognized as relevant and caring institutions serving their communities thus making witnessing and evangelism easy for the church.
As Jesus declared, “Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones… will certainly not lose their reward” (Matthew 10:42). Through this ministry, living water is flowing—physically and spiritually to now over 500,000 people in Tanzania.
The Church and Community Mobilization Process (CCMP): Building Lasting Transformation
Alongside the water wells initiative, we continued to integrate the Church and Community Mobilization Process (CCMP) an initiative that equips churches and communities to discover, steward, and mobilize their God-given resources to meet their own needs sustainably. The initiative is grounded in biblical truth and sound development practice and presupposes that God has already placed resources within His people (Genesis 1:28; Matthew 25:14–30), and that the church is called to equip the saints for works of service (Ephesians 4:12). Rather than fostering dependency, CCMP continued to mobilize the targeted churches and communities towards ownership, participation, and accountability in their own transformation journey.
This year again marked a significant growth in the program whereby we started to train 20 new CCMP facilitators, increasing the total number of trained facilitators in the Diocese from 10 to 30. Due to the additional facilitators, we scaled up the CCMP mobilization work to 15 new churches and communities in the Diocese thus bringing to 67 the total number of churches and communities engaged and being transformed by the CCMP process in the Diocese.
Through CCMP, we continued to register more churches and communities experiencing a shift in mindset—from seeing only needs to recognizing God-given assets, skills, and opportunities. Churches were now stepping into their calling as agents of transformation, addressing issues such as water, sanitation, livelihoods, education, and family well-being from within the community itself using their God given resources.
An Integrated Model of Holistic Mission
The integration of clean water access and church-led community mobilization continued to prove to be a powerful and effective model of holistic mission for transformation of very marginalize populations here in Tanzania. While deep water wells addressed the urgent physical water needs, CCMP ensured that change is owned locally, sustained over time, and multiplied which strongly reflected Christ’s ministry—compassion that meets immediate needs, and discipleship that transforms lives and communities for the long term
Therefore, thank you for walking with us in 2025 as co-labourers in God’s mission. We are deeply honoured by your Love, compassion, and generosity in this partnership journey, and we continue to pray that the Lord will bless you abundantly as we together continue to bring living water and lasting transformation to those living in the margins in Tanzania.
A Story of Change: From Discouragement to Hope- Lameck Buhumbi
Lameck Buhumbi Mathayo.(above) is a 35-year-old evangelist serving with the Africa Inland Church Tanzania (AICT). He is married to Gedalia, and together they are raising three children. When Lameck arrived in Kwikuba in 2022, fresh from Bible school, the future looked uncertain.
The Kwikuba Local church initially thriving under Pastor Jeremiah Joseph had gone through a long season of hardship following pastor Jeremiah’s retirement in 2018. For over three years the congregation had survived without a strong spiritual leadership under the care of one of the church elders. During that time, church attendance dropped from an average 52 members to about only 20 members. The people were discouraged, resources were few, and the church’s witness in the community had grown weak.
As a young pastor fresh from a Bible school with a young family, Lameck felt overwhelmed. In fact, the only visible sign of hope he could see in the village was a clean water well—drilled years earlier through the Transform Tanzania Initiative being stewarded by the church. At one point, Lamech even considered requesting a transfer to a city church, believing that there were no real opportunities for life or ministry in Kwikuba.
However, in 2023, God opened a new door. Lameck was invited by Peter Ngwili – the transform Tanzania Director for Tanzania to attend a Church and Community Mobilization Program (CCMP) training in Bunda town to take the place of his predecessor- Pastor Jeremiah. During the training, Lameck was introduced to a biblical approach to development that teaches churches and communities to recognize and use the resources and opportunities that God has already placed in their hands and localities. This training changed everything for Lameck and became his turning point.
For the first time, Lameck began to see Kwikuba not as a place of lack, but as a place of God-given potential. He started to identify with the stories he was hearing from the congregants of how Kwikuba was one of the poorest villages in the District but how the process had changed individuals in the village, caused a clinic and a secondary school to be build using own resources. He realized that with the right mindset, stewardship, and faith, both his family and his church could thrive again—right there where God had planted them.
Above – Lameck and His wife Gedalia attending to their farm affected by rain shortage
Upon returning home from the training, Lameck decided to start small by acting on what he had learned. He began raising ducks and sought his congregations support to lease four acres of land to plant rice and cassava. These were simple steps, but taken in faith and obedience. Within one year marked by two farming seasons, and with intentional care, the ducks multiplied, the harvest was abundant, and the income from farming significantly improved his family’s stability. He also re-mobilized his congregation to do awaken their personal journeys of change. Within a year what once felt like survival ministry became joyful, hopeful service. With renewed confidence and vision, Lameck became even more intentional in mobilizing the Kwikuba church to take ownership of its future. The congregation united around prayer, discipleship, and practical action. In the last two years of re-mobilization under Lameck’s leadership:
- The church improved its facilities and brought to live the church ministries that had declined including the youths, women and the choir group.
- The congregation constructed a parsonage valued at approximately USD $4,800 (TZS 12,000,000) and therefore Lameck and his family are no longer living in a tiny borrowed premises like before
- Church evangelism and discipleship have been reignited
- Church attendance has grown from the average 20 people to 76 people
The church is once again alive—serving, witnessing, and growing while the village has clean water, the pastor has discovered hope instead of despair, the congregation has moved from decline to growth while the community is experiencing lasting transformation.
This is a witness of what happens when compassionate giving is combined with biblical discipleship and community empowerment. You are not just meeting needs—you are equipping God’s people to flourish- so thank you for all your prayer and support that make this possible.
How You Can Pray With Us
1. Pray for Peace and Stability in Tanzania
Following the national elections on October 29, riots erupted in several major towns, disrupting daily life and leaving behind ongoing tensions across the country. While many communities remain calm, uncertainty has created fear and anxiety for families, churches, and local ministries. Pray that God’s peace would prevail, that leaders would act with wisdom and restraint, and that the church would continue to be a voice of hope, reconciliation, and calm during this sensitive season (Psalm 34:14).
2. Pray for Rain and Food Security
Nearly 90% of Tanzanians depend directly on rainfall for their livelihoods. We expected the seasonal rains to begin in October, but reliable rains have not yet come. As a result, crops are failing, and in some areas, livestock are beginning to die like in Arusha due to lack of pasture. Please pray that the Lord would send timely and sufficient rains, preserving lives, livelihoods, and food security (Zechariah 10:1).
3. Pray for the Women’s Leadership Conference (January 26–30)
Please pray for the upcoming Women’s Conference, where 300–400 women leaders from churches and communities will gather for spiritual renewal, discipleship, and leadership empowerment. Pray for safe travel of the teachers from the USA, unity, and that God would deeply encourage and equip these women—many of whom serve faithfully under challenging conditions—to return home strengthened and ready to lead (Proverbs 31:25).
4. Pray for Resources to Expand Church and Community Mobilization (CCMP)
The impact of CCMP has led to growing demand, with many new churches and communities requesting to join the program. While this is deeply encouraging, our financial and training resources are limited.
Please pray for provision so we can train more facilitators, equip more churches, and respond faithfully to God’s open doors (2 Corinthians 9:8).
5. Pray for the Training of Pastors and Evangelists
Church planting is growing rapidly across our Diocese, but Bible schools and training resources are not keeping pace with the demand for new pastors and evangelists.
Pray for resources, trainers, and strong theological institutions so that new churches may be shepherded by well-equipped, spiritually grounded leaders (Matthew 9:37–38).
6: Thank God with us for the successful mobilization of resources towards the procurement of Bishops pastoral vehicle. We have experienced tremendous generosity of Gods people.
Otherwise praying that you have a very Merry Christmas and a happy and blessed new year 2026
With deep gratitude and joy in Christ,
Peter Ngwili Kamanda
Africa Inland Church Tanzania- Transform Tanzania Initiative