St. James’ Partnership with Idunda Parish:

Money sent to Idunda for their construction projects from our All Hands on Debt appeal buys lots of cement.  Part of the money was used to purchase 100 bags of cement to use in the Dispensary (clinic) construction.  This project is a priority for the village to help secure easily accessed medical care for the people in Idunda.  We share our good fortune with our brothers and sisters across the globe! We can make a difference.

The building of a dispensary in Idunda Village

Since formalizing a companion partnership in 1987, the Saint Paul Area Synod and the Iringa Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania have been partnering congregations in Tanzania with ELCA churches in the synod. St. James has been blessed to be a companion congregation to Idunda Parish since 2004. Throughout that time, the church has supported scholarships for low-income families and orphans, provided financial aid for construction costs, and traveled across the world to be together as a community of believers. 

Most recently, St. James sent $1000 in matching funds to support the ongoing construction of a dispensary in the Idunda village. The Government of Tanzania requires each village to have a dispensary built to certain specification. Unfortunately, the government does not always provide the financial resources necessary to meet the requirements. With the generosity of the St. James’ community, the village is currently in the process of laying the foundation for the dispensary (see photos). Once the foundation is finished, they will begin the process of building the walls.

Dispensaries are an important part of health care in Tanzania as they are often the first place someone goes when needing medical assistance. The dispensaries operate like a clinic and pharmacy combined where people can go to receive medication along with basic medical attention.