Why we chose to sponsor the children of Magugu, Tanzania. By Ps Peter & Bev Mortlock
Back in 2005, our church kicked off something truly special. We started sponsoring an entire school in the village of Magugu, Tanzania. For us, it wasn’t just about sending money off to some big aid organisation and hoping for the best. We loved the idea of actually “taking ownership” of a village, not in the controlling sense, but in the sense of taking real responsibility as a Church. Through our established ministry relationship we could see exactly where our support was going, and in Magugu, the results were so real, and continue to be so encouraging.
The heart behind Joshua School, Magugu came from Linda and Alan Stephenson. We met them years ago at Ps Rob Wheeler’s Bible College, back when they were pastoring a church they’d taken on from Owen and Lois Wagner. These days Brent Douglas pastors that same church, but back then it was in the Epsom/Greenlane area.
Alan and Linda headed to Tanzania in 1988, and by 2003 we had the privilege of visiting the work they were doing. Even before we started the child sponsorship programme, we’d been sending support, but after seeing the need first-hand, it was clear we could (and should) do more.
Joshua School, Magugu was proudly Christian in everything they did. They made it clear to both students and parents (many from other religious backgrounds) that faith was at the heart of their vision. The school didn’t just teach, it provided food, clothing, and a way forward for its children. After school, many students went on to get teaching degrees, which meant Christian teachers were being raised up for the next generation of Tanzania.
Honestly, when we went there the kids just melted our hearts. Here in New Zealand, we have so much, and seeing how little they had made it impossible to walk away unchanged. Sponsoring them felt like the most natural thing to do and a way to make a real, lasting difference in children’s lives.
While things have shifted over the years, the heart has always stayed the same: love people, serve them, and invest in a future full of hope.