Asneth Kilevo, Krista & Rhodes Woolly, Mesiaki Kilevo
(Mesiaki is an Anglican pastor in Arusha)
Team leader
Pastor, Bethel Lutheran Church
"It seems that God has been quite persistent in opening up doors for our involvement in global missions work. My own graduate work in international studies and the chance for Krista and me to take several shoe-string trips overseas while in school established a wonderful sense of wanderlust. But members of Bethel provided the most inspiring witness – from those who will never venture overseas but keep our global partners in their daily prayers … to those who have committed tremendous resources (time, money, etc) to God’s mission in Tanzania, The Philippines, and India. Seeing their passion inspires our own love for God’s global church.
When Krista and I joined the McAllisters in Tanzania seven years ago we both knew that our interest would become a life-long endeavor. To share that experience with this missions team is an honor. Knowing that their own interests will soon morph into life-long endeavors is exciting.
And there’s more! Worshiping with Maasae in the bush will be thrilling; trying to keep up with girls who sing in 15 part harmony will be entertaining; visiting with Timi’s family, sharing Prayer Shawls with each of our mission partners, setting up Skype cameras at the new hospital, tutoring Maasae girls who just a few years ago didn’t even have access to secondary education, driving through the Serengeti during the Wildebeest migration …… it’s all somewhat surreal at this stage. But what an honor.
God will continue to open up doors for our global missions work. I look forward to seeing what lies inside the threshold!"
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Irene Cockerham
School Team
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Karie Wratchford
School Team
"I am a Christian single mother of three, a Fitness Trainer, an outdoorsy recreationalist, a handywoman, and a lover of dogs, chickens, and goats. I grew up in Maryland, moved to Virginia while in high school, and graduated from the College of William and Mary with a Kinesiology degree. I spent 10 years as a full-time mom. My kids and I now share a small farm with my parents. I am gifted athletically, enjoy physical work, am comfortable with tools and a paintbrush, and am a patient troubleshooter. I am also organized, creative, okay on a computer, goal oriented, and can modestly play a few instruments. I have some teaching and instructional experience: I was a facilitator for adventure games, taught group exercise, led a women’s bible study, taught K-2 Sunday school, and VBS music class. I was a third grader when my mom started taking my brother and me to church. I can remember my first day in Sunday school being so confused that Martin Luther was white. (Up until then, I attended public school and had only heard of Martin Luther King, Jr.) I was baptized when I was seven, attended a Lutheran parochial school thru the 8th grade, and loved youth group and church. It felt like family. It wasn’t until I was a freshman in college that I felt like my faith had matured into my own and became personal. I’ve prayed for opportunities to share my joy of Jesus or just bring a smile to someone who may need it". This is my second mission trip. I am looking forward to seeing a different way of life in Africa. I often think life (here in the United States) should be simpler.
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Gary Nichols
School Team
"My purpose for going to Tanzania is to meet, get to know, and worship with people from Africa. I am looking forward to spending time with people whose culture, language, and society is so much different than our own. Being able to share that experience with other members of our congregation will be an unbelievable experience".
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Helen Ritchie
School Team
"With my educational, career and volunteering ties to the medical profession, I welcomed the opportunity to see our Bethel mission projects in Tanzania. Availability of basic medical care and the opportunity for education, for women as well as men, are essential to a reasonable quality of life. I hope to learn a lot from the people we meet and I expect to get insight into the various ways we can be of help".
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Rex Ritchie
Hospital Team
"Two mission trips to Ethiopia exposed me to poverty and health conditions significantly worse than anything I’d ever seen in America. God, through his scriptures, has clearly called us to help those who are least able to help themselves. I’m eager to learn how we at Bethel can best serve the Tanzanians, partners and/or any others, who need our help".
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Dr. Jack McAllister
Hospital Team
Retired Neurosurgeon
"I am a retired Neurosurgeon who went to Tanzania in 1986 to climb Mount Kilimanjaro as a walk-a-thon to raise money for a children's hospital I has heard about. That was my introduction to Rev J. David Simonson, his wife Eunice and on the same trip I became friends with Dr. Mark Jacobson. Mark is the physician in charge of the Selian Lutheran Hospital. Since then I have been to Tanzania (TZ) 13 times trying to help improve health care for the people of Northern Tanzania, From a humble beginning of 12 beds in an old clinic, the project has grown to a full service 120 bed hospital that last year had over 50,000 patient visits, did 1700 surgeries, and a place for preventive medicine, free immunizations, free maternal pre and post natal care, a hospice program, and is now building a second facility in downtown Arusha. This is a major step to deliver compassionate health care to those in desperate need.
An orthopedic Institute is being built, and the future will include neurosurgical care. I believe God has called me to this mission".
Stephanie Mahan
Hosptial Team
Physical Therapist
"I never pictured myself as a missionary.
I never thought of myself as someone with a mission in life.
I never recognized being 'called' by God.
However, when I was told about the opportunity to join a mission group from Bethel, to travel to a Tanzanian hospital, to help equip a new physical therapy ward and to share my physical therapy experience and skills it never occurred to me to say no. As it turns out, I do 'have the heart of a missionary' ".
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Bruce Lothrop
Hospital Team
"One day, about a year and a half ago, I heard a program on National Public Radio about the growth of Christianity in the Southern Hemisphere. The guest on the show discussed the similarities between life in 1st century Palestine, and modern life in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South Asia, and parts of South America. He discussed the meaning of Christ’s message of hope and healing to people in parts of the world facing crises of disease, poverty, violence, and lack of clean water. This perspective made my own doubts, and the challenges to my faith seem foolish and empty. I was reminded that Christ lives not in the cold logic and rigid arguments of academics but in the suffering and relief of real people, across the globe, every day. Last spring I was presented with the opportunity to participate in the Tanzania mission. I could not refuse the opportunity to witness the impact of Christian Faith on people in need of hope and healing. I don’t expect to find resolution to my challenges in Africa nor do I expect to offer resolution to the challenges our hosts face. I look forward to fellowship with our brothers and sisters who have a different experience of The Living God’s presence in the world".
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