STEMM (Siouxland Tanzania Educational Medical Ministries)

STEMM (Siouxland Tanzania Educational Medical Ministries) Changing lives for Christ through compassionate care and transforming Tanzania into a thriving Christian community!

Changing Lives for Christ through Compassionate Care

Transform Tanzania into a thriving Christian community!

🏆 The STEMM Educational Sports Cup is heating up in Mbuguni! ⚽🏃‍♂️🏐There is a lot more happening in these pictures than ...
08/12/2026

🏆 The STEMM Educational Sports Cup is heating up in Mbuguni! ⚽🏃‍♂️🏐

There is a lot more happening in these pictures than just a game.

Each year, STEMM sponsors the STEMM Educational Sports Cup (SESC), bringing local primary schools together to compete in soccer, netball, running and other events. Students first compete for a place on their school team, and then the schools face one another to determine the champions of our community.

But there’s a catch:

📚 To play, you have to be in school — and you have to be making the grade.

Students must meet attendance and academic requirements to participate. If a student is failing, they don’t play. Combined with STEMM’s school feeding program, the SESC has become another powerful incentive for children to attend school, work hard in the classroom and take pride in representing their school.

This week the semifinal action included:

⚽ Football: Msitu wa Mbogo Primary vs. Kikuletwa Primary
🏐 Netball: Oldeves Primary vs. Kikuletwa Primary

And now the finals are set!

🏆 Football: Kikuletwa vs. Oldeves
🏆 Netball: Kikuletwa vs. Tanzanite

The champions will be celebrated on August 19, alongside the STEMM Academic Cup (SAC) — where students put their knowledge to the test in subjects such as math and science.

Whether on the field or in the classroom, the goal is the same:

Give children another reason to show up, work hard, discover what they can do — and celebrate their success. ❤️🇹🇿

And to everyone who supports STEMM — thank you. Your generosity makes programs like the STEMM Educational Sports Cup possible and gives these students another opportunity to learn, compete, and succeed. ❤️

🇹🇿 ❤️🌍Tanzania Through Their Eyes – The End of the Adventure❤️🌍Following the medical outreach, our interns spent their r...
07/17/2026

🇹🇿 ❤️🌍Tanzania Through Their Eyes – The End of the Adventure❤️🌍

Following the medical outreach, our interns spent their remaining days experiencing even more of Tanzania and the people who make this country so special.

They visited the beautiful Chemka Hot Springs, spent time with the grandmothers STEMM supports, witnessed firsthand the devastation left by this spring’s floods, served meals through STEMM’s feeding program for nearly 5,000 schoolchildren each day, worshiped alongside our Maasai brothers and sisters in Nakweni, and celebrated Godlid’s birthday with cake, laughter, and worship around the piano.

Each experience reminded them that this trip was about far more than medicine. It was about relationships, faith, culture, and learning to serve with humility.

Tripster Reflections

Syd
“This trip reminded me that God is always at work. My second time in Tanzania was even more meaningful than I expected. With a smaller group, we were able to build deeper relationships and truly be present with the people around us. The Holy Spirit is moving in powerful ways, and I leave with a heart full of gratitude and anticipation for all that He will continue to do there.”

Joy
“Every time I travel internationally, I appreciate how great our God is. Every country is unique because of its cultures, lifestyles, environments, and languages. Tanzania is a place filled with laughter, hospitality, and friendship. During my stay, I learned to better reflect God’s unconditional love—a love that isn’t limited by race, age, personality, or background.”

Jake
“My trip to Tanzania allowed me to experience different medical and cultural practices with a fun and caring STEMM team. Every day taught me something new. The combination of medicine, education, service, adventure, and culture made this an incredibly rewarding experience. And I have to say—the lodging was better than any hotel I’ve ever stayed in, the meals were fantastic, and every staff member was outstanding.”

Blake
“God challenged me on this trip by helping me realize that I was served and changed more than I served the people of Tanzania. I came hoping to help others, but in the end, I was the one who was transformed. It was a humbling experience that helped me grow tremendously as a person.”

Bethany
“I started this trip nervous about traveling without anyone I knew, but I ended up finding lasting friendships. Spiritually, I learned the concept of pole pole—to slow down so I don’t miss what God has for me in each moment.”

As our interns boarded the plane home, they carried far more than souvenirs. They carried new friendships, unforgettable memories, a deeper understanding of compassionate care, and a greater appreciation for how God is at work around the world.

Asante sana, Tanzania. Until next year. 🇹🇿❤️

This concludes our “Tanzania Through Their Eyes” series! 🇹🇿

We hope these posts have given you a glimpse of what it’s like to experience Tanzania through the eyes of our Tripsters.

If this series has sparked your interest, we’d love to talk with you. STEMM typically leads a medical outreach each summer (along with a smaller January trip), but mission experiences can be tailored to a variety of interests and skills.

Whether your passion is medicine, nursing, education, agriculture, social work, construction, community development, or simply serving others, there may be a place for you on a future STEMM team.

If you’d like to learn more, we’d love to hear from you!

📧 Contact our Trip Coordinator, Janet C**n, at:
Janet.C**[email protected]

🇹🇿 Tanzania Through Their Eyes – Medical Outreach: Final DayToday began with breakfast on the patio before we loaded up ...
07/11/2026

🇹🇿 Tanzania Through Their Eyes – Medical Outreach: Final Day

Today began with breakfast on the patio before we loaded up and headed back to Lengasiti for the final day of our medical outreach.

By now, the students had settled into their roles. The flow of the clinic was smooth because of everything they had learned over the previous two days, and our interns performed beautifully—serving patients with grace, compassion, and growing confidence.

Our future nurses once again staffed the triage station, taking vital signs, listening to patients’ concerns, and preparing them to see the doctors.

One of the highlights of the outreach was watching the older students from the STEMM Children’s Village (SCV) work alongside our nursing interns as interpreters. Together, they cared for patients with kindness and empathy, becoming the welcoming front door to the clinic.

Meanwhile, our future physicians continued shadowing the doctors. Jake spent another day with Dr. Meyer in orthopedics, while Blake continued learning alongside our ophthalmologist.

One fascinating difference our students noticed involved eye exams. Instead of reading letters, the eye chart uses the direction an “E” points—up, down, left, or right. Patients simply point in the same direction. Because literacy levels vary and multiple languages are spoken throughout the region, this allows nearly everyone to participate in a vision screening.

As always, our spiritual team continued faithfully serving alongside the medical team. They prayed with patients, shared the hope found in Jesus Christ, and had many meaningful conversations with people searching for peace, purpose, and hope.

❤️ Faces in the Crowd: Namiyan and Elias

Meet Namiyan and her son Elias.

Namiyan has lived in Lengasiti her entire life. She first learned about the outreach through her local church and wanted us to know just how important this clinic is to her community.

She came seeking care because she hasn’t been feeling well. She explained that healthcare in this region is difficult to access. Doctors are scarce, pharmacies frequently run out of even common medications, and illnesses that would normally be easy to treat often become much more serious simply because the medicine isn’t available.

She was deeply grateful to everyone who made this outreach possible and asked us to pass along her heartfelt thanks.

❤️ Faces in the Crowd: Babu Lazaro

Meet Lazaro Mollel, an elderly Maasai elder who has spent his entire life living in the bush.

Lazaro shared stories of traditional Maasai life, including a coming-of-age ritual where young men spend thirty days in the wilderness surviving on a white soup made from roots and mint. Traditional Maasai medicine has long relied on plants and herbs gathered from the land to treat illness.

Today, however, age has brought severe knee pain. Walking has become difficult, and he now depends heavily on a walking stick.

He told us that nearby pharmacies rarely have the medication he needs, but today he received the proper treatment.

With tears in his eyes, he thanked everyone who helped make this outreach possible and said something that humbled all of us:

“STEMM is a gift from God. God sent you here today.”

We believe that too.

We pray God’s blessings over Lazaro as he continues this next chapter of his journey.

Outreach Totals

Over the course of three days…

• Nearly 1,000 people received medical care.

• Local pastors collected contact information from nearly 500 people interested in connecting with local churches. We pray we’ll return in the months ahead to witness many baptisms and transformed lives.

• More than 600 Bibles were distributed. For many families, this will be the only book in their home.

None of this would have been possible without your prayers, generosity, and support.

To every donor, volunteer, translator, pastor, physician, nurse, student, and SCV child who made this outreach possible…

Asante sana. Thank you.

We pray these efforts honored both God and the trust you placed in us, and we look forward to sharing the stories of lives changed in the months ahead.

Tomorrow, our interns get a well-earned day of rest at the hot springs with Pastor Nelson before worshiping at Nakweni Lutheran Church on Sunday.

Then it’s home on Monday.

What an unforgettable journey it has been.

❤️ Changing Lives for Christ Through Compassionate Care.

🌍Tanzania Through Their Eyes – Day 1: Lengasiti Medical Outreach 🌍❤️👊This is why they came.The five students who travele...
07/10/2026

🌍Tanzania Through Their Eyes – Day 1: Lengasiti Medical Outreach 🌍❤️👊

This is why they came.

The five students who traveled to Tanzania with STEMM came to experience medicine in a way that simply isn’t possible in the United States. Day one of the 2026 Lengasiti Medical Outreach did exactly that… and much more.

Although it was local market day—which typically keeps attendance lower than normal—we estimate that we served more than 500 patients during the first day of the outreach. Patients came with everything from diabetes and hypertension to traumatic injuries from motorcycle accidents and even a case of hydrocephalus.

For our future nurses, the day began in triage.

Working alongside Tanzanian interpreters—many of them older students from STEMM Children’s Village—they checked vital signs, assessed patients, recorded medical histories, and directed each person to the appropriate physician. It was fast-paced, overwhelming at times, and absolutely essential to the success of the outreach. They handled it with professionalism, compassion, and remarkable maturity.

Our future physicians were assigned directly to doctors.

Jake spent the day alongside Dr. Steve Meyer in orthopedics, while Blake worked with our ophthalmology team, helping evaluate patients with vision problems and distributing glasses to those whose lives would be changed by something as simple as seeing clearly again.

Both commented afterward that they witnessed medical conditions and patient interactions unlike anything they had ever seen before. It was an unforgettable first day.

One of the most meaningful moments happened before the first patient was even seen.

Our Tanzanian pastors gathered everyone together in prayer, asking God to bless the patients, volunteers, and medical team. Throughout the day they continued sitting beside patients, listening to their stories, praying with them, answering questions about Jesus Christ, and connecting those who desired to grow in their faith with local churches.

Medicine opened the door. The Gospel walked through it.

By the end of Day 1, 250 people had requested follow-up from local churches. That may ultimately become the most important number of the entire outreach. Long after the medicine is gone and the glasses are worn, local believers will continue walking alongside these families.

Faces in the Crowd

Meet David.

David is a farmer originally from the Kilimanjaro region who now grows coffee on a small shamba near Lengasiti. He came hoping someone could examine his eyes, provide glasses, and evaluate his prosthetic leg. David lost his leg several years ago due to complications from diabetes, yet he continues farming and providing for his family. He expressed deep gratitude to everyone who helped make this outreach possible.

Meet Catherine and her daughter, Chalice.

They walked nearly 30 minutes to reach the clinic after hearing that free medical care was available. Chalice has struggled with chest congestion and breathing problems since she was five months old. Catherine lives with debilitating ankle pain that often prevents her from working. Both left encouraged and deeply thankful for the care they received.

Meet Silas.

Silas is a 19-year-old Maasai who recently graduated what Americans would consider high school. Throughout the outreach he served as one of our volunteer translators, moving effortlessly between English, Swahili, and Maa. His dream is to become a medical engineer and attend university in Dar es Salaam next year if he can find funding. His hope is to return home and use those skills to serve his own people. We are incredibly grateful for Silas and all of the volunteers who made this day possible.

As remarkable as the medical care was, perhaps the most encouraging part of the day was watching our students serve with confidence, humility, and compassion.

They came to Tanzania hoping to discover whether medicine was truly their calling.

After just one day, I suspect Tanzania answered that question for several of them.

Tomorrow is expected to be significantly busier, as market day will be behind us. Please continue praying for our doctors, nurses, students, pastors, interpreters, volunteers, and most importantly, for every patient who walks onto the outreach grounds.

Thank you for praying.
Thank you for giving.
Thank you for making this ministry possible.

Changing Lives for Christ Through Compassionate Care.

Tanzania Through Their Eyes – Week 3: Safari!After two busy weeks of ministry, our interns had the opportunity to experi...
07/09/2026

Tanzania Through Their Eyes – Week 3: Safari!

After two busy weeks of ministry, our interns had the opportunity to experience one of Tanzania’s greatest treasures—a two-day safari through Tarangire National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater.

The adventure began with an early breakfast before heading to Tarangire, where they quickly discovered why Tanzania is considered one of the world’s greatest wildlife destinations. Seeing massive African elephants, Maasai giraffes, lions, hippos, zebras, wildebeest, and countless other animals roaming freely was something none of them will ever forget.

Lunch… According to the Monkey Cartel

Lunch was served at one of Tarangire’s designated picnic areas.

Unfortunately…

The local monkeys apparently believe they’re entitled to a share.

From the trees, they quietly watched the tourists, patiently studying who was paying attention—and who wasn’t.

Then, almost as if someone gave a silent signal, they struck.

One monkey grabbed a sandwich. Another stole a banana. Another disappeared with someone’s juice box.

Within seconds, laughter and surprised shrieks echoed across the picnic area as unsuspecting tourists realized their lunches had become someone else’s.

The monkeys quickly retreated to the trees to enjoy the fruits of their labor while patiently waiting for the next busload of unsuspecting visitors.

Tripster Quote – Jake:

“The monkeys were by far the best part of the day. Watching them plan and execute the whole operation was amazing.”



A Moment to Remember

Leaving Tarangire, we traveled toward Karatu for the evening. Along the way, we stopped at the memorial honoring those who lost their lives in the tragic Lucky Vincent School bus accident on May 6, 2017.

For STEMM, this isn’t simply another roadside monument.

It marks an event forever woven into our ministry’s story.

The interns learned about the lives that were lost, the extraordinary response that followed, and the three young survivors—Wilson, Sadhia, and Doreen—who today are preparing to begin their senior year at Morningside University.

Standing there together was a reminder that God often writes stories of hope in places marked by unimaginable sorrow.

We continue to pray for every family who lost a loved one, for the survivors, for the first responders, and for all whose lives were forever changed that day.



That evening we arrived at the Karatu Safari Lodge for a wonderful dinner and a good night’s rest before another unforgettable day.

The next morning, as we approached the entrance to Ngorongoro Crater, we were unexpectedly delayed by the passing of Tanzania’s Uhuru (Freedom) Torch.

The torch travels throughout Tanzania each year as a national symbol of freedom, unity, and hope. Watching it emerge from the crater was a unique moment that few visitors ever experience.

From there we descended into one of God’s most spectacular creations.

The Ngorongoro Crater is difficult to describe with words alone. Surrounded by towering crater walls, the landscape is home to an incredible variety of wildlife. We watched lions resting in the grass, hippos lounging in the water, Cape buffalo grazing across the plains, and countless zebras, wildebeest, and other animals roaming freely across the crater floor.

The beauty of creation pointed us back to its Creator.

As we made our way home, however, our hearts turned toward the reason we came to Tanzania in the first place.

Tomorrow we begin preparing for the medical outreach in Lemgasiti.

The safari was unforgettable.

But serving people in Christ’s name is why we’re here.

Tanzania Through Their Eyes: Week Two | Preparing to Serve 🇹🇿❤️Some weeks teach you medicine.Other weeks remind you why ...
07/06/2026

Tanzania Through Their Eyes: Week Two | Preparing to Serve 🇹🇿❤️

Some weeks teach you medicine.

Other weeks remind you why you’re here.

As week two came to a close, our interns traded hospital hallways for dusty village roads, mountain trails, and conversations that reminded all of us what this trip is really about.

Our first stop was Lengasiti, the remote Maasai village that will host this summer’s Medical & Spiritual Outreach.

Before a single patient arrives, there is a tremendous amount of planning that must take place. We met with local pastors and community leaders to discuss everything from patient flow to registration, pharmacy logistics, and how we can best serve what may become nearly 3,000 people over the course of three days.

Looking around Lengasiti, it’s easy to understand why this outreach matters.

The village is beautiful… but it is also isolated. Access to healthcare is limited, making this exactly the kind of community STEMM hopes to reach.

We left encouraged and excited for what God has planned later this week.



That evening we celebrated something a little closer to home…

America’s 250th birthday.

Thanks to a little creativity—and a shopping trip through Arusha—we introduced our Tanzanian family to an American campfire tradition.

S’mores.

Explaining marshmallows to people who have never seen one before turned out to be almost as entertaining as watching everyone try one for the first time.

Between chocolate-covered smiles, sparklers, laughter around the fire, and children asking for “just one more,” it became one of those evenings none of us will soon forget.

Sometimes fellowship looks a lot like sticky fingers around a campfire.



On Sunday we traveled to Moshi to visit the Kilimanjaro L***r Colony, where STEMM has partnered with residents for many years.

Nearly twenty residents joined us as we shared a few simple gifts—cookies, soda, words of encouragement, and Scripture.

It wasn’t a complicated ministry.

It was simply spending time together.

One of our interns later shared:

Tripster Quote – Bethany

“Sitting down and talking to the children and learning their names was the highlight of my day. The joy on their faces was inspiring.”

Moments like these remind us that ministry is rarely about having all the answers.

Often, it’s simply about being present.



We wrapped up the week with a hike to Ura Mashariki Falls near Moshi.

Normally the trail is fairly manageable.

Normally.

Unusually heavy rains had turned the path into one long stretch of slippery East African mud.

There may—or may not—have been several spectacular falls by your Executive Tour Director. The interns have promised not to exaggerate…

…though I have my doubts. 😂

By the time we reached the falls, muddy boots and soaked clothes didn’t matter anymore. Standing beneath one of God’s incredible creations, every slippery step suddenly felt worth it.



Next week brings the final chapter of this year’s internship:

🦁 A two-day safari.

🏥 A three-day Medical & Spiritual Outreach in Lengasiti.

👩‍⚕️ A visit to KCMC Hospital in Moshi.

We would appreciate your prayers as our students move from learning… to serving.

God has already done so much.

We can’t wait to see what He has planned next.

🇹🇿❤️

Tanzania Through Their Eyes: Week Two | Off Duty 🇹🇿❤️Some of the best lessons in Tanzania don’t happen inside a hospital...
07/05/2026

Tanzania Through Their Eyes: Week Two | Off Duty 🇹🇿❤️

Some of the best lessons in Tanzania don’t happen inside a hospital.

They happen on village roads.

They happen around a dinner table.

They happen while skipping stones across a river, bargaining in a crowded market, or watching the sun set behind Mt. Meru.

After long days at Mt. Meru Hospital, our interns spent their evenings discovering the rhythm of everyday life in Tanzania.

One afternoon we wandered down to the river, where stones skipped across the water, laughter echoed down the bank, and two young boys—with the help of a pair of oxen—were plowing a field beneath the shadow of Mt. Meru and we met Saome… a Bibi (Grandma) shelling her corn who insisted on a picture… It was one of those moments that reminded us how beautiful simple things can be.

The interns also sharpened another important life skill this week…

Negotiating.

The Maasai Market quickly became a favorite stop. What began with a little nervousness soon turned into confident bargaining, plenty of laughter, and a few well-earned victories.

By the end of the week, everyone understood one of the unwritten rules of Tanzanian shopping:

Never make the first offer… because the price only goes up from there. 😂

Even our meals became opportunities to learn.

Each evening we gathered around the table to process everything we’d seen that day—the victories, the hard moments, the surprises, and what God might be teaching each of us through them.

And then…

There was El Chappo.

A very confident restaurant cat who survived almost entirely on leftovers from unsuspecting tourists.

He appeared calm and dignified…

…right up until the moment the fries arrived.

Then it became very clear who was actually running the restaurant.

One intern summed it up perfectly:

“That cat has total mob boss energy.”

From that moment on, he was known simply as El Chappo. 😂🐈🍟

As it turns out…

Cats cannot live on scraps alone, but from every fry that comes from the hands of tourists.

(We may not have remembered that verse exactly right… 😄)

The hospital taught our interns medicine.

The villages, the markets, the meals, and even one opportunistic cat taught them something just as valuable:

Sometimes the best part of a mission trip isn’t what’s on the itinerary.

It’s everything that happens in between.

🇹🇿❤️

Tanzania Through Their Eyes: Week Two | Learning Medicine… and Feeling Called ❤️🇹🇿Happy Birthday America!  🇺🇸For the pas...
07/04/2026

Tanzania Through Their Eyes: Week Two | Learning Medicine… and Feeling Called ❤️🇹🇿

Happy Birthday America! 🇺🇸

For the past week, our five STEMM interns traded classrooms for operating rooms at Mt. Meru Hospital in Arusha, Tanzania.

All five are currently pursuing careers in healthcare—three future nurses and two future physicians—and this week gave them an opportunity few students ever experience.

The doctors and staff at Mt. Meru welcomed them with open arms. They patiently answered questions, explained procedures, and made sure our students weren’t simply watching medicine happen—they were learning from it.

Over the course of the week, our interns observed abdominal surgeries, hernia repairs, benign tumor removals, ear surgery, exploratory procedures, treatment of a collapsed lung, circumcisions, and many other cases.

Joy spent the week in the neonatal unit, where she experienced both the joy and heartbreak that comes with caring for newborns. She helped draw blood, observed treatment for jaundice, comforted tiny babies, encouraged new mothers, celebrated healthy discharges… and also witnessed the heartbreaking loss of a premature infant.

Medicine has a way of reminding us that every life is precious.

More than once this week, our interns commented that healthcare in Tanzania looks very different from what they’re accustomed to in the United States. Resources are often limited, but the compassion, dedication, and ingenuity of the medical professionals they worked alongside were impossible to miss.

One moment from the week perfectly captured why experiences like this matter.

Tripster Quote

“This experience confirmed God’s call on my life to use my nursing degree in the mission field.” — Sydney

As a ministry, hearing those words makes every hour of planning worthwhile.

At STEMM, our hope has never been simply to help students become excellent healthcare professionals.

Our prayer is that they become healthcare professionals who love people well, serve with humility, and use the gifts God has given them wherever He calls them—whether that’s across the street or across the world.

We are deeply grateful to the physicians, nurses, and staff of Mt. Meru Hospital for investing in these students. Their willingness to teach, encourage, and mentor has left an impression that will last far beyond this trip.

Week Two was a tremendous success.

And somehow… it’s hard to believe we’re only halfway through.

🇹🇿❤️

Tanzania Through Their Eyes – Day 6: A Day of Perspective (and One Very Memorable Lunch Date) 🇹🇿❤️Some days don’t need d...
06/30/2026

Tanzania Through Their Eyes – Day 6: A Day of Perspective (and One Very Memorable Lunch Date) 🇹🇿❤️

Some days don’t need dozens of pictures to tell a story.

Yesterday our interns spent the morning touring a Tanzanian hospital. Out of respect for patient privacy, photos weren’t allowed inside—and rightly so. But what they experienced behind those walls sparked some incredible conversations.

We talked about the differences between healthcare in Tanzania and the United States. We talked about limited resources, incredible ingenuity, and the resilience of both patients and healthcare workers. Most of all, we talked about gratitude.

One intern made the observation that where you’re born has a tremendous influence on what you consider “normal.” Another reflected that success and happiness can look very different depending on where you live—and neither is always measured by the size of a paycheck or the latest technology.

Sometimes the greatest lesson isn’t found in a classroom. Sometimes it’s found in simply paying attention.

After leaving the hospital, we slowed the pace a bit. We wandered village roads, watched two roosters settle a disagreement the old-fashioned way 🐓, stepped aside for a herd of cattle and goats heading home, shared lunch together, and enjoyed the kind of conversations that only happen after a meaningful day.

And then… there was our final surprise.

The restaurant sits right next to the hospital, and a gentleman came in carrying his CPR training mannequin. Naturally, he sat “Resusi Annie” in the chair beside him while he ate lunch.

Let’s just say Annie made for a very quiet lunch date. 😂

Travel has a funny way of balancing the profound with the unexpected. One moment you’re reflecting on life, purpose, and medicine. The next, you’re trying not to laugh as a CPR mannequin joins someone for lunch.

Both moments become part of the story.

That’s what makes this journey so special.

🇹🇿❤️

🇹🇿 Tanzania Through Their EyesDay 5 – GrowthToday began a little slower than most.While many of the interns enjoyed a we...
06/29/2026

🇹🇿 Tanzania Through Their Eyes

Day 5 – Growth

Today began a little slower than most.

While many of the interns enjoyed a well-earned morning of sleeping in, some ventured out for an early morning walk through the neighboring village and local shambas (family farms). As the sun rose, we were greeted by breathtaking views of both Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru—a reminder that God’s creation is never in short supply here in Tanzania.

Life in Mbuguni is deeply agrarian. Nearly every family home is surrounded by a shamba, complete with banana trees, irrigation canals, and livestock. It is a peaceful, beautiful way of life that has become one of our favorite parts of each morning.

After breakfast, we loaded up for church…or at least we tried to.

Our faithful Land Cruiser decided it needed a little encouragement before heading to Arusha. Thanks to a team effort from several of the boys and our staff, it was successfully push-started—a mildly hilarious reminder that flexibility is simply part of life in Tanzania!

At Vineyard Church, we heard an encouraging message from a missionary couple who had faithfully served in Tanzania for eleven years and are now returning home to Sweden. Their message centered on trusting God through seasons of uncertainty—a lesson that seemed remarkably relevant to all- the missionaries, the experience of STEMM, and the interns themselves, being visitors in a country, far from home.

Before the service began, each table was challenged to build the tallest tower possible using nothing but paper and masking tape.

We’re proud to report that Team STEMM brought home the championship. 🏆

After church we visited Shanga, an incredible nonprofit that employs talented artisans with disabilities. Originally known for beautiful handmade beadwork, Shanga has expanded into glassblowing, weaving, textiles, paper products, and many other handcrafted works of art—all created from recycled materials.

Watching these artists at work was inspiring.

Shanga reminds us that every person has gifts worth cultivating. Rather than focusing on disability, they focus on ability—creating meaningful work, restoring dignity, and allowing people to earn a living through something they create with their own hands.

Tripster Quote

“It was beautiful to watch Shanga give purpose to the lives of people with disabilities.”
— Joy

We wrapped up the afternoon with lunch at The Peaks before returning to STEMM to process the day’s experiences, enjoy dinner together on the patio, and begin what may become this week’s greatest challenge…

…a 1,000-piece puzzle. 😄

Tomorrow, our interns begin their clinical rotations at Mount Meru Regional Hospital.

The classroom learning is about to become very real.

Thank you for following along with us.

Asante sana! 🇹🇿❤️

Address

PO Box 871
Sioux City, IA
51102

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+17122588282

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