FIELD OF DREAMS

Believing God for property to build our new orphanage

By Rita Langeland
Executive Director - Hidden With Christ Ministries

There is a five acre piece of land just outside of Moshi Tanzania, where maize is grown for harvest. Near to a local river and not far off of a very good tarmac road, this acreage is a field of dreams for the Treasures of Africa Children’s Home.

We dream of purchasing this land and building our new facility that will house 50 children. We plan to have separate cottages for infants, toddlers, primary school age children and high school age boys and girls.

In our dream, a central kitchen with a dining area and multipurpose room will be the hub of family life, where the children and staff will gather for meals and activities. A main administration building will house our offices as well as the tutoring center, computer lab and medical clinic. We plan to construct two vocational buildings – one where the mechanical and woodworking trades will be taught and the other for tailoring and music. The outdoor area will have a soccer field, basketball court and playground. Staff housing for our missionaries will be built inside the compound for the sake of their safety as well as convenience. We also would like to build a dormitory that can be used by visiting short term missions teams coming from the U.S.

Two acres will be set aside for agriculture, so that food for the orphanage can be grown onsite, thus reducing the weekly shopping expense. Another acre will be designated for raising animals and teaching animal husbandry. There we will be able to produce eggs, milk and some of the meat consumed by the children and staff, helping to make the orphanage as self sufficient as possible.

Our dream includes equipping the entire facility with solar panels that can power every building in the event of major failure of the electrical grid. Instability in the distribution of electricity has been a continuous problem in Tanzania.

Currently, Treasures of Africa Children’s Home operates in a building leased from the Lutheran Diocese of Northern Tanzania. They have been good landlords but are legally constrained from selling the property to Hidden With Christ Ministries as we proposed to them. We have used every square inch of the current property and building and realize that we truly do need more space in order expand and take in more children. This five acre plot would also enable us to have the room to construct our own school on the premises in the future.

This property is available for approximately $10,000 per acre. We would need $50,000 to purchase the five acre parcel. After that purchase is made, we would begin the planning for the building of our new facility. We have partnered with a wonderful non-profit organization called “BuildingAfrica”. They are primarily builders and architects who work to help other non-profit organizations with building projects on the continent of Africa. They help with design and construction project management oversight. Once the land is secured and power is brought to the site (an expensive piece of the project) they help vet and hire a team of “in country” contractors and other professionals needed for the project. Then they stay to oversee the construction.

Our job is to believe God for the finances needed for this major undertaking. However I am confident that there are people who have a heart and vision for the long term investment in the orphans of Tanzania as we do. Our main goal is to see the children that we serve at Treasures of Africa become leaders in their nation. We know that nothing will change in the nation unless the heart and character of the national leadership changes. Like many African nations, corruption in government has been a major factor which has held back the progress of the country. It is our belief that we will produce national leaders from TOA who will have godly character and wisdom and a heart for the disenfranchised people in Tanzania.

We are starting a building fund that will be used exclusively for the expenses involved in purchasing the land and building the new TOA facility. If you would like to make a contribution toward this “field of dreams” please mark your donation - TOA BUILDING FUND. And pray with us for God to bring this to pass!

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