Dear Friends,

At the end of May, I will be leaving Columbia, Missouri and traveling to Arusha, Tanzania! For three months, I will be in Africa working with Pamoja Ministries, a group that is discipling cultures using by leveraging the uses of media.

If I were you, I’d probably be thinking, “Amanda is going to Africa?” That’s a completely fair thought. I keep asking myself that too. I’m not the first person people think of when it comes to international missions. I’m the person eternally attached to my computer and all things technology... not exactly what you think of when you hear the word “Africa.” Plus, I’m so busy. Work at the BSU is really intense right now with three ACMs preparing to leave and nobody intending to take their places. But I’m not sure if there is ever a “good time” to go on a mission trip. And I could probably come up with a list of reasons why I shouldn’t go, but I keep coming back to the one reason I should—God loves people.

You might also think it’s strange that I just used the words “Africa” and “media” in the same sentence, but I’m not talking about the Africa that we see on our television screens. Media is taking Africa by storm. An invasion of MTV, Hollywood, and Bollywood is taking place right now, and it’s of incredible proportions. It used to be that the street vendors in Arusha, Tanzania, were hawking tourist curios and fruit. They still are, but for every one selling a carving or a mango there are three selling ripped DVDs and three others selling cellphone cases and holsters. It’s eye opening. People living on $70 a month now feel compelled to buy a DVD player and TV (if they can get access to electricity), so they can watch B-rated kung fu movies in Korean. To say the least, it can be culture shock.

Right now, the Church has an opportunity now to do something timely, transformational. We have the chance to use technology and to be the voice. We’ll not match Hollywood’s production budgets or keep up with the sheer quantity of movies coming from Bollywood, but what we can do is change the game.

Let’s train church leaders without them having to leave their families and communities for years. Let’s focus on the most neglected demographic out there—the children—and bring them hope and a future by using animated heroes and by planting Christian teachers where secular ones won’t go (Maasailand might be a good place to start) and give them access to resources that are the best available. Let’s think one of God’s thoughts about the education systems of the third world and apply some of the best of the West’s media savvy to the desperate needs for training in the developing world. Let’s use the strengths of Africa (relational) and couple them with the strengths of the West (technical) and create products that will shine a new light on our great God and reveal his incredible appeal in both the West and the East! Pamoja is tackling some parts of that, but you may have a part to play as well.

“Those who don’t have the opportunity to live a life worth dreaming of need you to pursue great dreams for them. They need you to live up to your opportunity so they might have one.”
—Erwin McManus, Wide Awake

For me, making the decision to join Pamoja for the summer wasn’t a hard decision. When it comes down to it, Jesus laid out a pretty simple religion for us, didn’t He? Love God, love others, and love ourselves. No, deciding to go was easy. Paying for it however, is a real challenge.

Pamoja means “together” in Swahili and to be honest with you, I can’t do this alone. I just don’t have the $5000 (needed for travel, food and expenses) laying about the house. That’s one luxury that the past two years hasn’t quite given me. So, instead of selling my plasma 87 times, I decided to send letters to people I don’t usually write and ask for something I don’t usually ask for, money. I’d love if you could financially support me on this mission. A little, a lot, any would be great. And if you want to know any more about the trip, please let me know and I will give you a call.

I simply cannot wait for this amazing opportunity and adventure to begin. I am asking that you please be a part of this awesome opportunity too, for I know that you will be blessed. Together, we can do SO much to create a lasting change in the lives of Tanzanians.

Sincerely,
Amanda

Email: iman@mizzoubsu.org
Cell: 573.289.1265
Address: 812 Hitt St. Columbia, MO 65201