We built a church. In Nyaminywili Village along the Rufiji River, not far from the Dinner Clubs, our local pastor who we’ve been supporting as a mission purchased a small piece of land.

Since 2018 we’ve invested in this pastor’s family, sending leadership from North American churches to disciple him and providing groceries for his wife and kids. He saved his money to buy land to build a church. He already pastors one church in his native village of Ngorongo. But his heart is for his entire tribe. In particular, all ten villages along the river, from Mloka to Kilimani.

In the spring of this year, EastARM equipped this pastor with a motorcycle. This would enable him to pastor multiple churches on any given Sunday, which is his vision. When our mission learnt about the land he had purchased in Nyaminywili, with the intent of building another church, we learned at the same time that the village was threatening to take the land back if he didn’t break ground by the end of December, 2025.

With no time to waste, East Africa River Mission kicked herself in gear. We found a Christian organization in Tanzania that specializes in providing a ‘church-in-a-box’, complete with metal beams, rebar, cement bags, wood for trusses and tin roofing all delivered to your building site. It was upon us to make cement blocks ahead of time for the foundation, which was not a problem. We recruited help from Dar es Salaam, friends who serve with other missions. We made it a father and son week.

We opened up the new BackPacker Lodge at Baker & Sons for the ragtag construction crew to sleep, and the rest is history. We quickly raised financial support from two locations, one in Netherlands and the other in Pickering, Ontario, Canada; Christian friends who we knew would send money quickly. In one week we raised the church, a simple structure that will allow people to gather into the wet season, and fulfill the village’s requirement to break ground or lose the land.

LORD-willing, in the coming days East Africa River Mission will come alongside our local pastor to give support and leadership where needed to this, the first, of many church plants in the Rufiji, until all ten villages have a thriving church community and structure to meet and honor God in Christ Jesus.

Enjoy the photos below. This ‘church’ is the first in the village of Nyaminywili, Rufiji.