Our Small and Beautiful Church of Mbagala

 

Adeladius Makwega – MBAGALA

The original residents of Mbagala have their very small church which was built many years ago when Christianity was first arriving in the village of Mbagala. This small, beautiful church contains many wonderful things inside that Mwanakwetu saw from childhood, especially during the days of watching films about Jesus, particularly at Christmas.

Inside the church there is very fine and strong furniture made from durable coastal Tanzanian woods such as mvule, mininga, and mpingo. These woods reflect the cultural heritage of people from the coastal regions of Tanzania, including Lindi, Morogoro, Dar es Salaam, and even Mtwara.

At the front of this strong church, on the right-hand side, there is an image of the Virgin Mary decorated with several stars. The picture is beautifully ornamented with carvings surrounded by shells from snails of the Indian Ocean. While inside the church, from the side you can clearly see the scenery of the Indian Ocean through Buruda Hospital, which is owned by the Consolata Sisters.

These Consolata Sisters treated many people like Mwanakwetu during the 1970s and 1980s when they were suffering from diseases such as kwashiorkor, tetanus, schistosomiasis, malaria, malare, kifadulu, and cholera. During that time, the church played a very significant role.

Our small and beautiful church of Mbagala is truly admirable.

Inside this small church, on the left side, there is an image of Saint Anthony of Padua, who is the patron saint of this church and the original parish of this area since those early days. Above, the church has old-style windows that open on both sides, with frames designed to hold small wooden slats that allow air to flow inside at all times. When you look up, your eyes first meet the heavy mininga beams, followed by strong roofing tiles that have existed since those early times.

When entering the church, there are a few steps at the door. On the right-hand side there is the confessional booth, and on the left there is a large old bell from long ago. In the past, when this bell was rung, it could be heard across the whole of Mbagala, Mtoni, Temeke, and even Tandika.

This heavy bell had quite a story. It once tossed Mwanakwetu upward when he was on duty ringing it—back when he was just a young boy.

 

Now one wonders: if the bell were to see Mwanakwetu today, would it still play the same tricks on him?

Certainly not—this bell would not dare embarrass him anymore.

“I know it would fear Mwanakwetu now because he has a beard, he has grey hair, his voice is deep, and now Mwanakwetu is an elder.”

Outside the church stands a beautiful statue of the Virgin Mary, which reminds Mwanakwetu of his childhood. As a child he would sit in front on the ground while the elders sat on chairs. Then the Hail Mary prayer would begin, led by the women of Mbagala such as Mama Mwingizi, Mama Ngunga, Mama Mtinda, Mama Maufi, Mama Kazigoma, Mama Mkundi, and many others.

Now Mwanakwetu himself is an elder, and the young ones sit on the ground while the elders sit on chairs.

Later a large church was built, but it was eventually demolished and the parish was relocated to Mbagala Zakhem. While we native Christians used to live close to our parish, we suddenly became strangers when it moved to Zakhem. To attend Mass we must now take a vehicle, and if you have no fare you must walk a long distance.

Truly, the first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Where the large church once stood, houses for the Little Sisters congregation were built.

The good thing is that our small church still exists. It was not demolished. But the Little Sisters have taken over our church. Yes, we still go there to pray, but the Sisters control it. A big wall now surrounds it, and when we enter through the gate we are asked many questions by the guards.

In the past we were never questioned—we were the owners of our church. It is God’s house, where Jesus grants grace.

As a native Christian of Mbagala, despite all my weaknesses, my true spiritual wealth is that small Church of Saint Anthony of Padua which taught me Christianity. That is why I feel troubled by the many questions asked at the gate. Please reduce the questioning. Truly, the Little Sisters have taken our church.

Today Mwanakwetu simply remembered their original church of Mbagala. This was the first church of Mbagala. If there were no guards like in the past and no questioning, this article would have been accompanied by many photographs:

“the bell that once disrespected Mwanakwetu, the wooden confessional booth, the image of the Virgin Mary decorated with Indian Ocean shells, the statue of Saint Anthony of Padua, our altar, the wooden-louvered windows and the furniture made of mpingo, mvule, and mininga wood.”

But today, when you enter our church, you are questioned.

Today, March 9, 2026, if I wanted to take these photos, the guards would ask:Who are you? What are you doing here?

What would Mwanakwetu answer? I might appear troublesome, yet this is our church.

Our elders tell us that where Mbagala Spiritual Center now stands, there used to be that small church and only one priest’s house. The catechist was given land outside by the native Christians—Makonde, Zaramo, Matumbi, Ngindo, Pogoro, and Goa—who built him a mud-and-thatch house. That is why many catechist families from Songea remained in Mbagala until today.

What is Mwanakwetu saying today?

He says that if Cardinal Laurean Rugambwa were still alive, he would send him this article. He remembers when the Little Sisters’ congregation was first established in Mbagala. At that time there was one big church, this small church described today, a small priests’ house, a wooden storehouse, and two small houses.

But where Cardinal Rugambwa now rests, Mwanakwetu is not sure whether he can read this article.

However, Mwanakwetu hopes that the priests living here and the Sisters of the congregation will tell the guards at the gate: the natives are here. We come only occasionally because we work in other regions. When we return, we are not strangers—we are the original people. Please reduce the questions for us. We are not coming to a hotel; we are coming to our small and beautiful Church of Saint Anthony of Padua in the Mbagala Spiritual Center.

 

That is why Mwanakwetu described the beauty of the church, not the beauty of hotel rooms or the food cooked at the center.

Today the Church in Tanzania runs many activities: hotels, dispensaries, health centers, hospitals, and even universities. This is important—these are our enterprises. But our king is not money; our King is someone else.

“Let us learn from the dispensary of the Consolata Sisters at Mbagala Mission, famously known as Buruda, how it protected the lives of children of Mwanakwetu’s generation. When they suffered from diseases such as kifadulu and kwashiorkor, even today—52 years later—Mwanakwetu still tells its story. Sick children were treated and given free food such as porridge and milk, and even clothes, regardless of their religion. Let us remember: for us Christians, our King is not wealth but the Risen Christ Jesus.”

Indeed, security is important. But our security, our positions, our schedules, our guards, our gates, our businesses, our institutions, and our money should not become idols that prevent a human being—a Christian—from receiving spiritual service.

Mwanakwetu, are you there?

Remember:

“Our Small and Beautiful Church of Mbagala.”

Have a nice day.

makwadeladius@gmail.com
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