Map of Tanzania, showing the Tabora and Mpanda regions where Bishop Hezron has churches in refugee settlements.

Bishop Hezron has several small churches in refugee camps in the Mpanda and Tabora region of the country. These camps have been in existence since the early 1970's, with most of the refugees fleeing Hutu-Tutsi violence in Burundi. Most are settled in villages with access to land for housing, cultivation, some medical care and water.

Poor rainfall means Tanzania is currently facing food shortages across the country. The problem is especially severe in the camps. Hezron also told us that the camps in Tabora and Mpanda are not as well served by NGO's as the camps in the Kigoma region. This makes medical aid as well as food in desperately short supply.

ezron has refugee camp churches in three main areas - in Mishamo and Katumba in the Mpanda region, and in Ulyankulu in the Tabora region. The camps hold huge numbers of refugees - there are roughly 32,000 in Mishamo, 95,000 in Katumba and 45,000 in Ulyankulu. Hezron has between 7 and 16 small churches in each area. Most of them have congregations of 20-40 people, although one church in Ulyankulu has a congregation of 200.

I asked Hezron how, given the dreadful circumstances, people in the camp churches showed the love of Jesus to the people around them. He said they show it by welcoming and helping new arrivals to the camp, by worshipping and praising God, and by sharing what they have. Refugees in Katumba camp once had enough food to be able to send some to the refugees in Ulyankulu.

We hoped to visit the refugee camps on this trip but we didn't have the time or the money. Do pray for God to guide us in this new area of ministry.