IN THE MAKING OF THE CHURCH
7. Sodalities of the Anglican Church of Tanzania 1. Mothers Union (MU)
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There were several attempts to establish a community for the men as well. For example, the Community of St. Johns of the Gospel had a priory at Mkuzi in Tanga.
The priory was closed because there were no Africans joining it. 518 It was not until 1970s that the Society of St. Francis of Assisi which was strongly connected with the essence of Ujamaa was established in Dar es Salaam.519 But with the fall of Ujamaa, the society closed its houses too. It can thus strongly argued that although Sister Hilda-Mary continued with her CSMCs vows, the CMM was the only strong religious community in existance in the Anglican Church of Tanzania. There was no written document about the CMM and therefore very few Anglicans knew about this community.
7. Sodalities of the Anglican Church of Tanzania
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There was no recorded academic work regarding Mothers Union in Tanzania.
Available sources were some diploma and certificate projects conducted by students from St. Mark‘s and St. Philips Theological Colleges. These projects were used in this discussion as show case that although there was no recorded material about the MU, it had brought together married Anglican women from parishes, deaneries, archdeaconries and dioceses to pray, read scriptures and discuss issues related to the church‘s marriages. Isaya J. Mugaragu, for example, pointed out that bringing together married women was an important aspect of the MU through which both the church and state had benefited in Tanzania.525 Devota Lupaa hinted at the fact that even though the MU had grown in numbers and had assisted women to gain a position in the church meetings, it had not been able to rescue Anglican women from gender imbalances and sexual harassments.526 Anna Challoh pointed out that this depended on the ‗type‘ of a woman herself.527 Prichard indicated that this was born out of the missions set up which gave women no say against men.528 Ngayaula identified several issues which she believed could be dealt by the MU for the better lives to Anglican Women in Tanzania.529 Nyalaula, for example, showed that the MU could initiate programs which could curb challenges facing young girls in secondary schools.530 Among the pride of the MU was its Training Centre at Mtumba in Dodoma where courses such as teaching, hotel management, cookery, and secretarial work are offered to women. However, at the level of dioceses and parishes the MU had been very rigid to change some of their rules and, as a result, it became irrelevant to many young women. Perhaps more research might help to indicate the need for change and accommodate young women.
525 Isaya J. Mugaragu, A Critical Study of Women Ordination in the Anglican Church of Tanzania, Unpublished Diploma Research Project, St. Philips Theological College, Kongwa, June 2003, pp. 23- 25. 526 Devota Lupaa, Umaki Katika Dayosisi ya Rift Valley, Unpublished Certificate Research Project, St.
Philips Theological College, Kongwa, 2003.
527 Anna Challoh, Umaki Katika Dayosisi ya DMK/Kiteto, Unpublished Certificate Research Project, St. Philips Theological College, pp. 24-25.
528 Andreana Prichard, ‗Industrials and School-Girls‘: The Education of a Female Intellectual Elite in East Africa, Unpublished paper, 31 May 2006.
529 Verian Amos Ngalaula, Umuhimu wa Mwanamke Kanisani hasa katika Dayosisi ya Rift valley, Unpublished Certificate Research Project, St. Philip‘s Theological College, Kongwa, 2005.
530 Verian Amos Ngayula, Umuhimu wa Mwanamke Kanisani.
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7.2. Tanzanian Youth Organisation (TAYO)
So far the only written document about the TAYO was their constitution which states that it was found to bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood, and to foster young Anglican in Tanzania so that they may became mature Christian parents.531 Mnkai noted that, although TAYOs specific objectives were clearly stated in the constitution, very few among the youth of the church knew what it was all about.532 Even though there was no study which has been conducted about the effectiveness of the TAYO, but with the growing consciousness of gospel music, and the decline of traditional dances, many young people identified it with the church choirs most of which were gospel music groups.533
The establishment of Tanzania Christian Students Fellowship (TCSF commonly known in Kiswahili as UKWATA (Umoja wa Kikristo wa Wanafunzi Tanzania) which after its founding in 1969 took over youth activities of all the church members of Christian Council of Tanzania in schools, was yet another challenge to the TAYO.
According to Daffa, many young Anglicans in secondary schools felt at ease with the TCSF.534 The challenge, according to Daffa, was that many branches of the TCSF
*B104*were influenced by the Pentecostal movement and therefore those who felt uncomfortable with such movement, found it hard to join.535 Mnkai felt that the more notable critical challenge was about the young Anglicans who had never joined secondary schools.536 They found themselves side-lined by those from schools.537 I argued therefore that as far as the youth in the Anglican Church of Tanzania was concerned, there was no any effective ministry which solidify and fostered Anglican youth. Similarly, there was no any meaningful bridge between child-hood to youth- hood. There was a gap between those young women who emerged from the TAYO
531 ASL/ACT/Province of East Africa, Kanisa Anglikana Tanzania, Katiba ya Tayo, 1970
532 Emmanuel Mnkai, interview conducted by Maimbo W. F. Mndolwa on 09 Septemba 2011 at Korogwe.
533 ACT/ADD/Dar es Salaam, TAYO Eater Beach Report, Diocese of Dar es Salaam, 18 March 2008.
534 Stephen Daffa, interview conducted by Maimbo W. F. Mndolwa on 07 September 2011 at Kerenge.
535 Daffa, same interview.
536 Mnkai, same interview.
537 Mnkai, same interview.
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and who could be directly connected to UMAKI but such bridge had not been established. The situation was even more unclear as to how a young man who emerged from the TAYO would go to which group after maturity. So far as men‘s ministry was concerned, there was no any sodality which dealt specifically with men in the church. More research which would highlight why the church was ineffective on youth, women and men‘s ministries was needed.