Over the last year Phil has joined Rafik in training leaders in Tanzania. Rafik grew up and lived most of his life in Tanzania and ICM’s key contact in Dar es Salaam is his friend, Pastor Dondo. He was an elder in Rafik’s first church that he planted in Tanzania and now pastors a church close to Dar es Salaam that focuses on university students and young professionals.

Rafik and Phil had a chance to share with several Christian Unions in some of the local Universities. Franklin is the point person and is now using our Mentoring materials to mentor two leaders in each of eight Universities. We look forward to continuing to work with these young leaders.

Rafik was one of the first  Indian (ie. South Asian) to find Jesus (well, Jesus found him!) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. His family was Muslim and had lived for generations in East Africa. The Indian community is made up of those who have lived there for generations as well as expats that work in the country.

After Rafik became a follower of Jesus (go to icmcanada.org to see his testimony on our Youtube channel), he served in several African churches before  eventually beginning a ministry among the minority Muslim/Hindu Indians of Tanzania.

The early 1990s were a unique time in Dar es Salaam as hundreds of Indians came to know Jesus and several churches were established. When Rafik moved to Canada nearly fifteen years ago, he passed on the leadership of one of these churches to a Japanese missionary couple, who has now been in Dar es Salaam for nearly twenty years.

In addition to the leadership training among several African groups, in May Phil and Rafik were also able to encourage these Indian churches planted many years ago by Rafik.  They will be returning to Tanzania in October to continue the training with Pastor Dondo’s leaders, the University students, as well as the leaders of the Indian church in Dar es Salaam.