Project Summary
2020
The Faith Comes By Hearing project brings together both literate and non-literate people to listen to the Scriptures communally. Its setting is such that it builds fraternity among the listeners. The program is friendly and well accepted by communal and circular people because it does not directly force them to become Christians, it also gives them opportunity to be group leaders. It use multi- powered devices which include use of batteries, electricity, and mechanical winding, or cranking. That is an advantage to the community because listeners are not subjected to necessity of batteries which they could otherwise not afford to buy and hence make the program unpopular. This Project extends to Zanzibar Island where over 90% Muslim, but there are over 63 churches of different Christian denominations located at different parts of the Islands.
For the coming 5 years, beside the current areas of FCBH promotion, Bible Society of Tanzania plans to put more emphasis on Primary School, Secondary School, Prisons and people with visual disability PVD. This is in response to the Government of Tanzania policy through Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of National Education and Culture, Ministry of Health appealing to Religious organizations to help build a society with good morals. This is a good opportunity to Bible Society.
Reason for Ranking
The Project have been ranked number 4 because the Bible Society is trying to put more emphasis on Scriptures for Schools and Youths where most of them use Proclaimers in Faith Comes By Hearing program.
Other Resources Wanted
- Proclaimers
- Bibles
- Promoters
- Transport
Project Goal
To avail the word of God to readers and non-readers through audio scriptures. Reaching Christians and non-Christians with Scriptures in audio format. For the coming 5 years, beside of the Project going on in churches and villages, we want to putting more emphasis in Primary, Secondary, Schools, Refugee camps and Prisons.
Project goal’s relationship to overall bible society strategy
Our strategic objective is to make the Word of God available to all Tanzanians. This project will reach Tanzanians of different backgrounds through Scriptures in audio format. For the next coming 5 years putting more emphasis in primary, Secondary, Refugee camps and Prisons
Strategic Fit
Connecting your project to your Bible Society’s overall mission strategy
How does your project relate to the Philadelphia Promise?
If your project connects with what we affirmed about our ministry at the World Assembly you may wish to refer to the affirmations in the Philadelphia Promise.
About the beneficiaries
How did you arrive at your beneficiary impact number?
Target to meet
- People with Visually Impared Disability ( PVD) 500
- 20 Secondary Schools @ 800 Students = 16,000
- 50 Primary Schools @ 1,000 Students = 50,000
- 10 Regional Prisons @ 1,000 inmates = 10,000
- 24000 beneficiaries from Churches and Jesus Film
- This will make a total of 100,000 Beneficiaries
Beneficiary focus
People in the rural areas of Dodoma, Kilimanjaro, Singida, Manyara, Arusha, Mbeya, Shinyanga, Mwanza, Kagera, Lindi , Mtwara, Iringa, Kigoma, Morogoro, Nyarugusu Refugee camp ( Kigoma) and Mara Region where Trauma Healing project is taking place. These people normally have enough time to listen to Scriptures particularly in the off season after harvesting their crops.
– Fishermen on the shores of Lake Victoria have time during the day, which can be used by the listening groups to meet and listen the Word of God from the Proclaimer.
-Students in Christian Unions such as Christ Ambassadors Fellowship in Tanzania (CASFETA). Tanzania Students Christian Fellowship (TSCF), Seventh day Adventist youth organisation (SDA) and Young Christian Society, (YCS). Through these Christians unions Students can meet and listen the Word of God from the Proclaimer. The Bible Society intents to engage the youths with the Word of God.
How have the needs and perspective of the beneficiaries helped shape the design of the project?
Through visits, researches and follow ups we learned that both literate and non literate in rural areas ,schools, and people with visual disabilities need to listen to the Word of God. This have helped the project to have a focal point or pre-determined out come which can be easily noticed.
National Context
Initially the project objective was to provide the Word of God to people who did not know how to read. However, with passage of time the programme grew up and became very popular not only among the illiterate people but also those who could read and write.Literates, illiterates will now equally have access to Scriptures .Through listening groups listeners have the opportunity to go through the New Testament from the book of Mathew to the book of Revelation.This project will help Christians strengthen their faith with increased knowledge about God.
The Bible Society has evidence of a number of people from TAZI audience and other non-believers who through Faith Comes By Hearing program have given their life to Christ.
Need
It is a useful tool for church growth and help the community to desist from bad traditions and culture.
It builds unity ,solidarity and help people from different faith to live in harmony.
FCBH program helps increase in distribution of Bibles.
How this project will help the beneficiaries
- Building their faith in Christ.
- Eradicate undesirable traditions and culture like Polygamy, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
- Improved communal lifestyle through discussion – where FCBH provides meeting forum.
- Encourages literacy promotion – where individuals are motivated to own personal copies of the Bible.
Scripture & Prayer
Key Verse
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God.
Prayer points
-Pray that the project continues to grow in popularity amongst Tanzanians.
-Pray that the project gets more support from donors.
-Pray that the programme inspires behaviour change among the listeners.
-Pray that more TAZI audience is reached by this program.
– Pray that the Government continue to support religious activities in Schools and Prisons
Project Activities
Project activities
2020
-Establishing 1,000 new FCBH audio Bible listening groups.
January
– Seminar for promotors, Orientation and distribution of Proclaimers.
February -March
– First follow up visit and writing of status report.
April-June
Receive reports from Promoters for writing progress report.
July-September
-Second follow up visit and writing status report.
October –December
– Third follow up visit and writing of the final report
Reports will be submitted quarterly to Hosanna and in Solomon
Project partners
1.Catholic, Protestant and Pentecostal Churches in Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Manyara, Dodoma, Mwanza, Mbeya, Mtwara, Lindi, Iringa, Morogoro, Tanga, Tabora, Mara in Trauma healing project and Nyarugusu Refugee camp.
2. Prisons – Arusha, Mbulu, Dodoma, Mwanza and Tabora.
3. Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC). It’s a consultant hospital and the second largest in Tanzania.
4. Haydom Lutheran hospital
5. Hosanna – Faith Comes by Hearing Ministry
6. Here is Life – Jesus Film
7. Scripture Union of Tanzania for Secondary Schools
8. United Bible Societies
– validates and approves budgets,
– Coordinates communication between Hosanna and ISP funding of the project.
9.The Bible Society provides the Proclaimers or tapes, mobilises, and organizes the Listening groups.
-Trains promoters and group leaders
-It supervises the whole programme.
10. The Church mobilises formation of groups, appointment of coordinators and follow up on progress of listening groups.
– Here is Life is an important partner. As they Show the Jesus Film many people who saw it are encouraged to join Faith Comes by Hearing groups to learn more about Jesus.
Resourcing the Project
Non-financial Resources
Two Bible Society staffs will coordinate this project. We will have promoters 15 from areas where we are running the project. Promoters will overseer the project in Churches, Schools, Prisons and in TAZI areas where the project is accepted.
Financial notes
Staff costs:
- Bible Society staff 2X250X12= $6,000
- Promoters stipend 15 X12X100= $ 18,000
Other direct cost:
- Promotors Motor cycles 15 @ 1,500 = 22,500
- Fuel 15X12X$20=$3,600
Training for Promoters
- Travel to workshop 15x3x$68 =3,060
- Meals and accommodation 15x3x$35=$1,575
- Bags for proclaimers and stationary 15x$50=$750
- Cameras for reporting 17x$350 =$ 5,950
Follow up costs
- Meals and accommodation 2x3x days10x$40=$2,400
- Car fuel and maintenance 2x3x$450 $=2,700
Outputs & Impacts
Outputs from the project
2020
To every Proclaimer distributed it is will be accompanied by three copies of Bible
We will distribute printed Scriptures to listening groups which are performing well as follow up material
The listening groups will rise from the current cummulative figure of 19,000 to 20,000
We will recieve a Monthly reports and quarterly reports will give the details of the number of groups formed, new churches planted and respective number of participants.
Swahili Bible 2,000
Maasai Bible 100
Ruhaya Bible 100
Iraqw Bible 100
Cigogo Bible 100
Datooga Bible 1000
English Bible 1,000
Chasu NT 200
Kishambala NT 200
Kijita NT 200
2018
Swahili Bible 3,500
Maasai Bible 200
Ruhaya Bible 100
Iraqw Bible 100
Cigogo Bible 100
Nyakyusa Bible 100
Datooga NT 200
English Bible 1,100
Kinyiramba NT 200
Kinyaturu NT 200
Cikaguru NT 200
The listening groups will rise from the current 18,000 to 19,000
-Monthly reports and quarterly reports will give the details of the number of groups formed and respective number of participants.
Each listening group has members ranging from 30 people to 50 depending on the place and situation. In some areas like hospitals the number varies according to the situation. Listeners are encouraged to continue reading the Bible after the listening session; and even after completing listening to the New Testament. That is necessary for growth in faith and spiritual maturity.
Impact
-
Impact 1
Many people will be reached by the word of God regardless of their status, Faith and education as the literacy barrier will be no longer an obstacle.
Tracking unexpected outcomes
– By comparing what we aimed as expected impact and new results which will automatically come such as change in behavior, improvement in life style, literacy and health.
Supporting Information
Supporting Documents & Multimedia Assets
Research
Research done in various parts of the country reveals that there are many people who do not read the printed Bible even if they know how to read and write but are ready to listen to the audio Bible. It has also been revealed that discussion based on Bible listening groups attract many people because they can get answers to many of their questions regarding Scriptures something they cannot get in their churches where it is not customary to ask questions in the course of preaching. The feeling of participation is also an added credit to Faith Comes By Hearing project.
– Research has also shown that TAZI audience is also very much interested in participating and join in FCBH listening groups and some are converted through this program. This has become a useful tool for the church growth.
As a result of FCBH in some areas the number of Christians has grown which has led to built bigger churches to accommodate the growing number of Christians. Also there is a growing demand of proclaimers for more established listening groups.
Testimonies
Sr. Mary Temu a nun who worked in Zanzibar Catholic Primary School, said the TAZI audience in Zanzibar bought from her more than 200 New Testament for their Children; the aim being to use the NTs to teach their children against the Christian faith. Instead the results were quite opposite because some children shifted their faith and wanted to be baptised. After their aim has failed the TAZI parents decided to return the New Testaments to Sr. Mary because according to TAZI faith it is prohibited to destroy a book of faith.
Leadership track record
The Bible Society of Tanzania and other stakeholders have the capacity to implement such kind of project.
External references
Bishop Stanley Ibrahim Hotay.
Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Faith comes by hearing program have been a very useful follow up tool for new convert who come to Jesus after watching Jesus film show.
Best practices
Catholic church in Kilimanjaro and Manyara regions have owned the project as it is a must for all small house hold meetings to have at least once a week.