Teaching Others About Faith

When I was in Tanzania as a fellow, I tried to go to morning devotions at the church office as often as I could. One day a retired pastor asked that I do the reading and give the sermon the next day. At that point I was halfway through my fellowship and still struggling to get through simple conversations in Kiswahili with this man on a daily basis, and I was very nervous.

The verse I was instructed to preach on was Luke 10:21:

At that moment I thought of Jonathan. Jonathan is a young man with Down syndrome who has attended one of the Mosaic supported centers in Moshi and is now in the young adult program funded by a World Hunger Grant from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Since childhood, Jonathan has dreamed of becoming a pastor. He has a very strong faith and his relationship with God is central to his life.

In Tanzania, many families still view disability as a curse put on them as a result of sin by someone in the family. There is an incredible amount of stigma associated with it. In this context Jonathan is considered one of the “little ones” – poor, marginalized, denied education, and considered lesser than.

During the BCC Olympic Day, Pastor James Nkyia, Spiritual Director of BCC, asked Jonathan to deliver the closing prayer. To see a pastor, one of the “wise and learned,” turn over what would usually be associated with his high-status position to Jonathan showed the words of Jesus are indeed true. Anyone who sees Jonathan pray cannot help but be moved. He has a lot to teach others about faith.

In a country with as strong a religious tradition as Tanzania, working with the Church brings a moral authority that helps fight the stigma associated with disability. With BCC, Jonathan is able to practice his faith and be included as a member of the church community. He has been able to grow and develop as a whole person: mentally, physically and spiritually. And he can share his gifts with others in a way that is pleasing in God’s sight.