Living Conditions in Africa

The Living Conditions In Africa

We, at the Gospel Tabernacle Churches, thought that this page was one of the most important pages concerning Africa and our African Churches. Why? Because we want all people to be able to understand the hardships of just everyday life of our fellow African brothers and sisters, as well as for our founder, Rev. D. Loy Smith and his wife Florence. Bro. Smith, or "Mzee" Smith- meaning "Apostle," (as he is called by the African people,) doesn't just visit or vacation a few weeks at a time in Africa. Mzee and Florence have dual residences, spending most of each year residing in Kenya. In fact, they wouldn't even return to the states as often as they do if their missions were funded fully. But instead, they often have to return to the states just to raise the money needed through working and receiving donations just to continue living in Africa and working in the name of Jesus Christ, which incurs many differrent kinds of expenses in itself. Mzee Smith had been a carpenter/contractor for many years as well as a full time pastor and minister. Being a firm believer in "God helps those who help themselves," unfortunately, he has had to come out of retirement to help pay the costs associated with the African work. Because of African governmental regulations, he is not allowed to work for a salary there in Africa, so they have had to return stateside. But his heart is in Africa and most of all his salary is sent to the preachers and missions under his ministry in Africa.

The African people do their best to help and give what they can, but as you will learn through these pages, most of their tithing comes in the form of food such as eggs or chickens, because there just isn't any money. These wonderful people are beyond poor and their living conditions are far beyond "substandard" to say the least. The Gospel Tabernacle Churches donates what we can for our fellow African brothers and sisters and to further the work of the Lord there. We try to help with Mzee's living expenses and for the many missions under his ministry. One such project that we were successful in it's fulfillment was when our members donated the money it took for one of our African Churches to build and install a new well (for drinking,) and a well pump for their school which takes care of mostly orphaned children besides just their education.. We are currently trying to raise money for the African missions to purchase a vehicle of their own such as a mini-van to pack the ministers around so they won't have to incur such heavy travelling expenses on their crusades and revivals. Another project under works also is to help purchase a spot of land where they plan to build a central church or "campground" for all the missions. But we need your help. We want to share with you some pictures and also excerpts from some letters we received from Mzee Smith concerning life in Africa to give you a small window into the world outside our own. We hope that as you see and read about Africa and her truly wonderful Christian people that you will be touched in a special way and that Africa too will grip your heart as it has ours! We also pray that God will lay a burden on your heart to help fund the work there and the various projects involved with its continuance. If you would like to donate to the African Missions, please click on the paypal donate button at the bottom of this page and specify where you would like your money to go to. Or you can mail your payment to the address shown on the "contact us" page. Thankyou and God Bless!

"We got our first offering in Africa: 10 eggs and a sack of maize (about 5 lbs.) and 100 shillings which is about $1.30."
Jan. 30, 2001 - Mzee Smith

TRANSPORTATION

Bro. Mayes supervises while Mzee gives a push!

Not every road is paved with good fortune, or asphault either! Bro. Mayes and Mzee just don't travel the inner cities. They travel the highways and bi-ways, the cities and towns, the villages and out in the bush! Even the smallest of villages is important to them, because God's got people everywhere, and it is their deepest heart's desire to spread the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! The main means of transportation in Africa is primarily walking and bicycling, even for long distances. If you are fortunate to have fare for the "bus" than you would take the "mutatu" which most times is basically a vehicle equivalent to about a mini-van with 25 people in it! The other mode is to take a taxi like the one pictured above. Transportation costs are one of the main expenses incurred by the missions.

With so much heavy travelling that the missionary workers do, it would be wonderful if while on the "road" they could pull over at the local McDonald's just for a drink or even a public rest stop like in America. But such is not the case out in the Bush or any other townships. Most times they stop wherever there is a half-decent looking stream and fill up a cup! Yes the water is murky looking in the photo, but most all drinking water sources in Africa are murky and FAR below standard. One would think it should be every basic human right to have clean, safe and healthy drinking water, but it's not that way in Africa. That is one reason why diseases are so rampant in Africa. Even diseases that were erradicated or no longer even heard of anymore in

America are prevalent there. And although many of these illnesses and diseases like some forms of Malaria are deadly, it is so commonplace there just like the flu is here in America. Pills for the treatment of Malaria are widely available and are like what we would think of as "over the counter" just as if they were vitamins. While working and living in Africa, Florence and Mzee have both became desperately ill at one time or another with conditions varying from Yellow River Fever to bouts of Malaria! A couple of times it was so severe that they both had to go to the hospital because it came down to a life or death situation. But each time, with the grace of God, they came through each illness and after recovering they were both back on the road again, and back to crusading for Christ!

Excerpt from Mzee's Email to America

January 30, 2001

The roads only get worse out in the bush!

Another big problem here for me is transportation. As I have no car, I must either walk, hire a car or taxi, or take a matatu or bus. A matatu is a mini van made by Toyota on the order of the Volkswagen van. It is made to seat a about 14 people, but they crowd in 20 some people. This is the cheapest mode of transportation, if somewhat uncomfortable. Oh, I forgot to mention the bicycle taxi. This is just a bicycle with a seat over the back wheel. Of course they are not much use if you are going very far or have more than one person. Transportation is one of my major expenses. I need a car but even an old used one is expensive, and as I am getting little or no help from America, I see little hope of getting one, unless the Lord moves on someone and

opens their eyes to the great work that God is doing here in Africa. I am sure that the saints in America just don�t understand the conditions here. The people here are so poor that they can�t support their pastors much less me. There is no money, because there are no jobs. It is not that the people are lazy, there are just no jobs. That may be hard for Americans to
grasp unless of course they are old enough to remember the great depression of the nineteen thirties in America, when people had no money and no work. Conditions here are very similar to that time in America.

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