The Swahili word REHEMA means MERCY. These projects seek to help the poorest of the poor in Tanzania. Read some stories from our Rehema Projects below. If you would like to help with our Rehema Projects click here to donate.
Helping the Poor in Tanzania
During the Christmas season, the Hidden with Christ Ministries team, through its “Rehema Projects,” took to heart the true meaning of mercy by reaching out to those in need. In this season of giving, we were privileged to perform three significant acts of mercy that touched lives, brought hope, and reminded many of the powerful presence of God’s love. These acts of compassion reflect the essence of what it means to give selflessly and bring light to the darkest places.
Blessing the Prisoners of Karanga
HWCM truck loaded with Christmas gifts for the Karanga Prison in TanzaniaOne of the most humbling acts of mercy took place at Karanga Prison, where the Hidden with Christ Ministries team visited 900 prisoners, including both remand prisoners and those serving out their sentences.
Among them were 850 men and 50 women who received gifts that brought joy to their hearts. The gifts we brought may seem very meager and unimportant to those outside a prison setting, but they spoke volumes to the recipients.
900 pairs of rubber sandals were distributedWe had received information that many of the prisoners had no footwear of any kind. So, our Project Manager, Sunday Joseph, traveled to the big commercial city of Dar es Salaam, to purchase 900 pairs of rubber sandals from the wholesale District. He also purchased 900 packages of chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookies so that each prisoner could receive something sweet for Christmas. The final gift was one designed to help the staff of the prison, who are tasked with keeping the prisoners' heads shaved for hygiene purposes. Three professional hair shavers were purchased, two for the men’s side and one for the women’s side of the prison. (We had been informed that the ones they were using had recently broken.)
For many, these simple items were more than just gifts; they were symbols of God’s love and mercy, a reminder that no prison wall can hinder God’s loving hand from reaching them, as the love of God knows no boundaries. They expressed their gratitude, acknowledging that while they may be physically confined, their spirits were uplifted by the kindness shown.
The head prisoner was allowed to address us, and he shared some profound words that touched our hearts. He said, "When you leave, we must remain behind these prison walls...but today we saw that God's love is able to penetrate those walls. We are prisoners with you; the only difference is that you are prisoners of God's love toward us."
They thanked all those who contributed and asked God to remember and bless those who made this Christmas a little brighter for them.
Spreading Hope at the Juvenile Detention Center
Spreading Hope at the Juvenile Detention Center
Former TOA resident now college graduate Innocent Msisi spoke to teens at the Juvenile Detention CenterIn another act of mercy, the Rehema Project team visited a local Juvenile Detention Center, where teenage offenders are housed. We brought rubber sandals, chocolate and vanilla cookies, and candy to 8 young residents, seven boys and one girl, all between the ages of 13 and 15. One of our own Treasures of Africa 
TOA College students Innocent and Samweli carrying Christmas gifts for the Juvenile Detention Center in Moshi TanzaniaKIDZ, Innocent, spoke to them about how God had transformed his life from being a street child to a college graduate. His message was simple yet profound. He encouraged them to believe in the possibility of change. He assured them that, with God’s help, they too could leave their difficult circumstances behind and step into a new life as productive, positive members of society. His words brought smiles in their faces and served as a powerful reminder of God's ability to change hearts and transform lives.
Answering the Call for the Vulnerable
The final act of mercy was an urgent intervention to help victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. A Municipal social worker reached out, sharing an emergency need for food at a safe house that was running out of supplies. The team acted swiftly, providing enough food to sustain them for an entire month. The women and children at the safe house expressed their deep gratitude, as they had not eaten anything since morning and had no resources to prepare a meal. The food provided not only satisfied their physical hunger but also nourished their spirits, offering a glimmer of hope that they were not forgotten and that someone cared for their well-being.
Let us remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:35-40, where He calls us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned, and care for the needy. In these acts of mercy, we are not only helping those in need, but we are also serving Christ Himself.
These three acts of mercy are a powerful reminder that, no matter the situation, kindness, love, and compassion have the power to bring hope to those who feel forgotten and overlooked. We are so thankful to all our donors who have partnered with us on this journey of mercy! Your generous donations allow us to reach those in need and share the love of Christ with those who are suffering.
Faith Kaluse presenting emergency food supplies to the Women's Safe House in Moshi, TanzaniaDuring this New Year of 2025, please prayerfully consider contributing toward our outreaches of mercy in the Kilimanjaro, Tanzania community, and together, we can make a lasting impact in the lives of those who need it most. Let us be the hands and feet of Christ, bringing hope and joy to those who need it most. May God bless you as you bless others. Click here to donate.
A Blessing of Food for the Hungry
The Lord has shown you what is good. He has told you what He requires of you.
You must act with justice.
You must love to show mercy.
And you must be humble as you live in the sight of your God.
Micah 6:8 (NIRV)
Amina smiles as she is informed of the delivery of the food parcel.Amina didn’t always live a life of quiet desperation. But a series of tragedies including the death of her husband, followed closely by the death of her only daughter, left her widowed and caring for a young granddaughter. Her circumstances worsened immeasurably when her diabetic condition resulted in the amputation of her leg. This left her nearly immobilized, in constant pain and unable to work to provide for herself and her grandchild.
Hidden with Christ Ministries was introduced to Amina when she was in desperate need of seeing a doctor but had no money to pay for medical services or medicine. It had been a full year since the amputation of her leg, and she had never had a follow-up medical appointment. The original surgical stitches remained in the stump of her leg, ingrown, irritating, itchy, and robbing her of sleep, night after night.
HWCM paid for the follow-up medical care, suture removal and medicine, then purchased crutches, a wheelchair, and a portable toilet chair to make her life a bit easier. Up to that point, she was dragging herself along the floor or asking a neighbor to carry her to the toilet. When Christmas came around, and a generous church from the USA provided money to purchase food parcels as a Christmas blessing for the needy, we thought of Amina. Delivering a food parcel of 22 pounds of rice, 22 pounds of beans and a large jug of cooking oil was an unexpected blessing that thrilled Amina’s heart and filled a genuine need in her life.
Hidden with Christ Ministries’ “Rehema Projects” are aimed at fulfilling the Biblical injunction found in Micah 6:8 “…You must love to show mercy…” The Kiswahili word REHEMA means mercy. Showing mercy to the poor and needy is something that pleases God.
But it also brings happiness to the one who is merciful to the poor as stated in Proverbs 14:21. So, if you are feeling down or depressed – take this Biblical prescription - Give to the poor!
… happy [blessed and favored by God] is he who is gracious and merciful to the poor. (Proverbs 14:21b Amplified Bible)
In addition, God promises to reward the person who shows mercy and kindness to the poor because God considers it a “personal loan” to Him!
Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward them for what they have done. (Proverbs 19:17 NIV)
Margreth with her two daughters in their home in Moshi.Another recipient of the Christmas food parcels was a widow named Margreth. She lives with her two school-aged daughters, Gillian and Glory in a tiny home in Moshi, Tanzania. Margreth has struggled to provide for her daughters since she lost her husband. She had a small food business which she conducted at the main bus station in Moshi town, but local police drove her away when she was unable to pay a bribe to be allowed to remain. Then she became very ill and was unable to work at all. Hidden with Christ Ministries paid for her medical care, and she was recovering when we delivered the Christmas food parcel to the family. For them, that food gift appearing out of nowhere, felt like a miracle!
There are endless needs in the nation of Tanzania, and our Rehema Projects just scratch the surface of relieving the hardships there. But like the story of the boy who was seen throwing starfish back into the sea, (shared on page 2) it made a difference to each one that was helped. We invite you to donate to our REHEMA PROJECTS and make a difference in the lives of just one family or just one person in Tanzania. Click here to donate.
The Gift of Dignity
You shall give due honor and respect to the elderly, in the fear of God.
Leviticus 19:32 TLB
Imagine your mother or grandmother living in a home for the elderly that has no indoor toilet facilities. Her only option is to use the outdoor latrine which has no flush toilet. But what does she do in the middle of the night? For that, they offer her a bucket.
The above scenario does not exist in our modern western culture. Such a place would be shut down as not “fit” to care for the elderly. Yet it is the harsh reality in East Africa.
In African culture, elderly people are traditionally cared for by the family. There is no common practice of sending the aged to live in a “home” to be cared for by non-family members. However, what happens to those who have no family left to care for them? Perhaps they outlived their children or never had children at all. Unable to continue working to earn a living, many would end up begging on the street for food.
It was this exact situation that caused the local government in Moshi, Tanzania to set up a “Nyumba ya Wazee” or Home for the Elderly a few decades ago. Everyone living there qualified for residency by having no other family to help them. It is a humble place, with multiple buildings built of concrete blocks, in which two elderly people each share a small room. The compound was set up with outdoor latrines as described above. They have running water available outside at a spigot, but no indoor sinks, toilets, or showers. Life is lived very simply.
Hidden with Christ Ministries became familiar with this Home for the Elderly many years ago. Our children from Treasures of Africa Children’s Home would go each Christmas to bring gifts to these lonely and often forgotten souls. Over the last two years, HWCM has taken a serious interest in helping the elderly through our REHEMA PROJECTS. (REHEMA is the Swahili word for MERCY)
It was our deep desire to help remedy this lack of indoor bathrooms and bring some dignity back to these precious senior citizens. Because of some very generous donations to our REHEMA PROJECTS – we were able to begin the construction of indoor bathrooms at this Home for the Elderly. It was a huge undertaking. We hired a well-respected contractor who had a heart for the project, and with his diligent effort, this project came to fruition.
To say that the residents were thrilled with the shiny new bathrooms, sinks and showers, would be an understatement. We can honestly say they are the nicest bathrooms in town! The local government officials were so amazed and grateful when they inspected the project, that they sent Hidden with Christ Ministries a “Certificate of Appreciation.”
The Bible tells us to “give due honor and respect to the elderly …” and we believe this extends to the elderly in our communities. Though this was a very unusual project for HWCM to undertake – we are very grateful to all our donors who helped us give the gift of dignity back to these dear grandmothers and grandfathers in Tanzania.
The next project that we hope to undertake at this Home for the Elderly, is to build an outdoor Dining Gazebo where the residents can take their meals under the cover of shade but with the benefit of fresh air. Currently, the residents eat in their rooms, while sitting on their beds, because they have no room for a table and chairs. There is also the continual problem of spilled food residue attracting rodents. We are having the same contractor draw up plans for this next project. Please consider donating to our REHEMA PROJECTS to help us provide this blessing to the forgotten elderly in Moshi, Tanzania. Click here to donate.