Light a Holy Fire

Receive this holy fire.
Make your lives like this fire.
A holy life that is seen.
A life that has no end.
A life that darkness does not overcome.
May this light of God in you grow.
Light a fire that is worthy of your heads.
Light a fire that is worthy of your children.
Light a fire that is worthy of your fathers.
Light a fire that is worthy of your mothers.
Light a fire that is worthy of God.
Now go in peace.
May the Almighty protect you
today and all days.

Masai, Tanzania
from An African Prayer Book by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, copyright 1995

Note:  We have been in Tanzania for two months now.  We are living in a Christian compound with several other Christian families.  It is so wonderful to have this opportunity to get to know these African believers.  Last night our whole family walked down to the house of a retired pastor, a man who has been in ministry for 47 years.  He and his wife welcome us to come anytime to visit and have tea or coffee, often with some groundnuts. We arrived after dark, and Baba was heating up a pan of milk for us on his charcoal stove.  Mama and their two young grandsons were getting some chairs and tea/coffee set up for us.  We all sat around with a kerosene lantern, and after getting our drinks, my daughter started us singing 'Shalom, oh my friends, Shalom, oh my friends, Shalom, May peace be with you. May Christ be with you, Shalom. Shalom." We were singing in a round, and our African friends were singing with us - an easy song to pick up quickly.  There was such a great spirit of unity among us.  We continued singing other church songs, and then Baba sang us "Joy to the World" in the Sukuma language.  It was beautiful to hear.  Then we sang "Joy to the World", and he continued to sing it in Sukuma with us.  Later he sang us a Sukuma blessing upon our stay in Tanzania.  We had such a blessed visit, and as we were saying goodnight, Baba told us we really touched his heart.  The Holy Spirit is joining our hearts together, and we are grateful for this privilege. Bwana Yesu asifiwe. ( Jesus be praised.)  This is a common greeting among believers, and the reply is "Amin".

An African Canticle

All you big things, bless the Lord.
Mount Kilimanjaro and Lake Victoria,
The Rift Valley and the Serengeti Plain,
Fat baobabs and shady mango trees,
All eucalyptus and tamarind trees,
Bless the Lord.
Praise and extol Him for ever and ever.

All you tiny things, bless the Lord,
Busy black ants and hopping fleas,
Wriggling tadpoles and mosquito larvae,
Flying locusts and water drops,
Pollen dust and tsetse flies,
Millet seeds and dried dagaa,
Bless the Lord.
Praise and extol Him for ever and ever.

Traditional African
from An African Prayer Book by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, copyright 1995