History of the Church of Christ Sukuma Work

The church planting work among the Sukuma people began in the early 1990’s with the Bentley and Newton families.  They moved to Mwanza in ’90 and began working south of town planting churches, maturing Christians, and training leaders.  The Bentleys moved to Nairobi in 1998 and the Newtons returned to the US in 1999.  Together, they planted some 70 churches.  From 1998-2007 Bob Bentley made quarterly visits to the Sukuma churches teaching leaders and encouraging Christians in the south.

The second chapter of church work began in 1999.  For two years, 1999-2000, the Thomas family lived in Mwanza and planted churches east and west of town. The Thomas family returned home to the US at the end of 2000 due to family illness.  The Guilds moved to Mwanza in the fall of 2000 and the Groens followed seven months later in 2001.  These families continued the church planting, maturing and leader training work primarily in the areas east and west of town.  For about four years, during 2002-2005, Chris Boyce (and later his wife Teresa) joined the Groen-Guild team and worked primarily in Mwanza town.  They taught many Christians in the neighborhoods of Mwanza in their efforts to plant three churches.  The Boyces returned to the US in 2005. 

The third chapter of work among the Sukuma began during 2005 when three new families joined the Mwanza team.  The Baileys moved to Mwanza in 2005 and Lindermans and Millers moved to Mwanza in 2006.  These families joined the Groens and Guilds to continue church work both in urban Mwanza and rural Sukumaland.  In 2007 the Bentleys returned to the US and the Groens began to transition to a new team planning to work in Geita, the westernmost part of Sukumaland.  The remaining four families of the Mwanza team continue to work with the Sukuma churches, which now number about 115, up to the present (2009).