Along the remote southwestern shores of Lake Victoria in northwest Tanzania, over 80,000 Zinza people reside on Kome Island. Many are fishermen, working at night and living a semi-nomadic lifestyle. The remainder are agriculturalists, growing a variety of crops such as millet, beans, plantains, and a wide range of tropical fruits. They also raise cattle, sheep, and goats.

Although Swahili is used as the main language of communication between the different people groups in Tanzania, the Zinza are proud of their mother tongue and interested in learning to read and write in Echizinza (the language of the Zinza people).The Zinza religion is rather secretive, following traditional animism. Outsiders are rarely invited to their religious ceremonies. Their faith, which attempts to appease actual beings, is one of the strongest traditional faiths in Africa. Many of these beings are admittedly demonic.

Although there are some churches in the populated towns, many in the villages and rural areas have never heard the Gospel! Traditional religion, rooted in ancestral worship and witchcraft, still has a grasp on much of the population.

On this expedition, we will work alongside local believers to show Christ’s love to the Zinza people. Through hut to hut evangelism, sports clinics, and public health education, we will have the opportunity to meet some of their most basic needs while sharing the Gospel along the way. We will also have a small team traveling to Shinyanga, about 2 hours from Mwanza. This team will focus on Community Transformation follow-up with new groups that were formed within the last year. We will evaluate the health of these groups and encourage and strengthen them by helping with hands-on participation in their projects. We may also be providing training in areas that will help take the groups to the next level.

Are you ready for the adventure to begin? This expedition is labeled "extreme," as our accommodations on Kome Island will be tents and sleeping bags. If you have any questions, please contact Yusuph Emmanuel. He can be reached at yusuph.emmanuel@e3partners.org.