Driving west of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Sunday morning, our destination was a village church in the heart of the Zalamo homeland. Over the past 200 years, the 764,000 Zalamo have moved into the hills surrounding Dar es Salaam. Although a few live in cities as modern professionals, most Zalamo continue to live in the countryside and earn a living by farming.
My guide shared with me the story of the village church we would attend. The pastor was a prosperous businessman in Dar es Salaam and decided to purchase a piece of property in the hills west of the city. Later, the Lord spoke to him and his wife about giving themselves for full-time pastoral ministry. They sold their business and attended Bible school for three years.
Following the completion of their training, the couple felt it would honor the Lord to give their plot of ground in the hills to the church. After this generous act, the church asked them to be the ones to establish a church on that piece of property. It was a challenge, for the area was 100 percent Islamic.
The couple built a small home as well as a church shelter with a grass roof and mud walls. Five years slipped by, and the congregation reached an attendance of 40. The little church also opened three new churches in neighboring villages, one with a full-time pastor and the other two led by lay members from the mother church. It is a remarkable testimony!
Following the service, the pastor invited us to go with him to visit an elderly woman whom the Lord had marvelously healed. The village is Islamic but still practices animistic customs, such as taking a sick person to a particular tree in which a healing spirit dwells. Sacrifices are offered and the spirit petitioned to come out of the tree and heal the person.
The healing spirit in the tree had nothing to offer the old woman. When the pastor visited her, he prayed for her in the name of Jesus and healing came. With the evidence of that miracle, the elderly woman accepted Jesus as her Savior. However, her sons who provided for her would not permit her to attend the church.
Under the shade of a large tree, we visited with the old woman and her family. I showed her pictures of my wife and family. As I spoke to her in English, my words were interpreted into Swahili. I was the first native English speaker she had ever met and she commented, “Your language is very beautiful!”
On that day I met other secret believers. It opened my eyes to Islam’s stranglehold on the society and the challenge of establishing a worshipping body of believers in that community. Truly it takes a clear presentation of the Kingdom accompanied by a manifestation of Jesus’ power and glory.
Zalamo Profile