Oct 20, 2026
Asante Sana ("Thank you very much") from Mama Shoonie
This reflection was written by Mwangaza founder Dr. Shoonie "Mama Shoonie" Hartwig to mark Mwangaza's 30th anniversary. Mama Shoonie was not able to travel to Tanzania to deliver it, but it was read for her at Mwangaza's 30th anniversary celebration in Arusha, Tanzania, in September 2026.
Salaama wote! (Swahili phrase meaning “peace be upon all” or “peace to everyone")
We couldn’t have imagined that ELCT and ELCA teachers, gathered in Arusha after a seminar in 1986, would be vibrant and thriving in 2026.
At the end of our gathering, one teacher asked, “Who are we? What should we call ourselves?” Without missing a beat, Margaret Bulugu, from the Eastern Coastal Diocese, said, “We are MWANGAZA!”
And indeed, not only has our naming been prophetic, we continue to provide enlightened educational leadership for teachers in Tanzania and in the US. We are discovering these thirty years what it means to learn with.
We couldn’t have imagined that we would occupy space at the end of Ilboru Road in Arusha, space for seminars, for sleeping, for eating. We couldn’t have imagined that the extraordinary leadership of John Kavishe, Salome Lally, Richard Mbando, and bursar Nemayan King’ori would provide seminars bringing teachers from all over Tanzania and the U.S. to learn together.
We couldn’t have imagined boards in the U.S. and Tanzania, and the staff of cooks, cleaners, guards, and driver would attend to all the details of living well and safely. We couldn’t have imagined Global Mission in ELCA with Lynda Minnich’s advice, supporting us all these years.
Today, with the faithful advice of Salome Lally, Daudi Msseemmaa, and Philip Wilder, we look to the future with confidence, celebrating our thirty years of learning together. Our thanks to all of you who have and continue to keep the spirit of Mwangaza living!
Asanteeni sana! (Swahili phrase used to express plural gratitude)
Mama Shoonie