Tanzania
July 15-28, 2026
In July, 2026 Saint Peter members are traveling to Tanzania for the third time! The trip will include visits to many of the medical missions supported by our annual 5K race, including Selian Hospital, Kafika House, and Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre’s (KCMC) Brain Cancer Initiative. There will be an opportunity to witness a nursing school graduation ceremony and attend a church service conducted in Swahili. A feature of this trip is learning about several projects that promote justice for the women of Tanzania.
From July 15 through 28, you are invited to join the journey through shared devotion, pictures, reflections, and more!
Daily Devotional
During the journey, the travelers will share a daily devotional — you can follow along in faithful community here.
July 18 Reflection from Pastor Dan
Karibu (welcome) Saint Peter!
I hope this letter finds you well. It is Saturday morning here in Arusha, Tanzania (Friday night in Colorado). We arrived safely and the other half of our group is about halfway here.
Our first full day included a trip to Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Moshi. This hospital began as a request of the government to Protestant churches in 1961 to build a referral and teaching hospital for the northern part of Tanzania. With the help of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Tanzania, the money was raised and the hospital first began serving their community in 1971.
The hospital has continued to grow and to provide care as well as training for future doctors and nurses. In the last ten years they have been able to develop their treatment options for those dealing with cancer. The cancer center has been able to expand from providing outpatient services, such as chemotherapy, to providing inpatient care with 48 beds, to recently providing Radiotherapy. 78% percent of the people who come to KCMC seeking cancer treatment are already in stage 3 or stage 4 when they are diagnosed. The medical center is working to improve screening and early intervention measures to help bring these numbers down and improve people’s life expectancy. Grant money from US AID was able to provide new equipment that is used at hospital’s like the Mayo Clinic to treat patients in the United States.
On the day of our tour, it was an important day for the hospital as they were using brachytherapy treatment for the very first time. Brachytherapy is a type of internal radiation where radioactive sources are able to be placed directly inside or very close to a tumor. This helps minimize the damage to the healthy surrounding tissues.
Saint Peter has helped to support KCMC and the Cancer Care Centre with money raised in our “We run so they may walk” 5K race. Our recent fundraising opportunities have been in honor of the late Dr. Mark Jacobson and the development of the Brain Cancer Initiative at KCMC.
As I think about these parables we receive from Jesus in Matthew 13, I realize that the work to which we are called is one in which we are able to serve near and far. Sometimes we are tempted to serve those things that we determine to be worthy of supporting. We want our money to go to things we want to see succeed. As I step into a country and a culture that is new to me, I find my heart being filled by the universal language of love and care that transcends words and human created boundaries and lines.
My eyes are opening. I’m reminded that what I think and what I want is eclipsed by a much greater vision of what God offers to all of us. When we serve those who are in need, when we scatter the seeds of God’s love, grace, and mercy, the kingdom of God flourishes. And in that flourishing we find that the blessings of God are more than enough for all.
Asante Sana (Thank you so much), Lord!