Light to the Tongwe

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”      Matthew 5:14-16


Due partly to the slave trade in Tanzania’s history, Islam is fairly well ingrained in the western part of Tanzania. Some of the people groups migrating from the Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo)  crossing Lake Tanganyika, settled on what was then the Arab slave routes; becoming involved in the capturing of other tribes, they worked with the Arabs to transport slaves to Bagamoyo, Tanzania for shipment out to Europe.  Back in the day, this was a big enterprise and many different people groups were involved.  This explains why, today, there are so many Islamic people groups in Tanzania, even in the interior.

Rural Mosque among the Tongwe people.

Living along the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika in Western Tanzania, while not specifically part of the slave trade, the Tongwe are an Islamic people group.

Our plan, as we set out today, is to travel along the eastern lakeshore road, hoping to meet some Tongwe people.


As with most people groups in Tanzania, the Tongwe live alongside other people groups. So the villages we visit will not be exclusively Tongwe people – there will be a mixture of people groups within them.

The drive is beautiful along the lake, even though the road is rough – poor Jerry, he does not get to see much as the driver must keep all of his attention on the road so we do not break an axle.

How would you like to wake up to this picture every morning?
Beautiful, isn't it?

While the Tongwe grow the food they eat, those living along the lakeshore are fishermen as well. As we pull into the village of Lubengela (Loo-ben-ghe-lah) and look out across the lake, we see them at work in their hand-dug canoes.

Evangelical congregation.

There is an evangelical church in this small village but the Tongwe do not attend. To be Tongwe is to be Muslim.

Living in relative harmony, the members of this small congregation do not understand the importance of witnessing to their Tongwe neighbors, not even just a little bit.




*Ask God to burden the hearts of believing villagers for their Tongwe neighbors, that they would let their light shine forth.

*Pray that God would visit the Tongwe with dreams and visions, that they then would seek council among believers, asking questions about the God of the universe.

*Pray for God’s appointed messengers to gird themselves with the armor of God, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit/Word of God to minister to the Tongwe.