One of the true blessings of the assembly was the presence of the Rev. Shadrack Manyiewa, bishop of the South Central Diocese of the Lutheran Church in Tanzania. Accompanying Bishop Manyiewa was his wife, Mariamu Tulasivona Manyiewa, known as Mama among the people of the diocese. A warm and gracious couple, Bishop and Mama chatted with voting members and visitors, sharing stories of their people and their country.

During his greetings in the opening session, Bishop Manyiewa presented Bishop Strobel and the synod with the gift of a beautiful carving-a large giraffe with a small giraffe.

“These animals are very different from each other,” the bishop said, “But they walk through the same jungle. You may be the large giraffe and we may be the small one, and sometimes we’re the big one and you are the small one. What is important is that we walk together.”