“Even Cows Have a Leader”

In the rugged yet breathtaking landscapes of northern Tanzania, among the traditional Maasai villages, a remarkable story of faith and transformation has been unfolding. Missionaries from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Poland have been witnessing how God reaches hearts in extraordinary ways.

In 2022, a missionary group from Poland led by Adam Grześkowiak, an Adventist pastor, arrived in Tanzania, where they learned about the village of Matale and its newly formed Seventh-day Adventist congregation. Intrigued, the team visited Matale, discovering a vibrant community whose journey to Adventism was nothing short of inspiring.

Years earlier, a young man from Matale traveled abroad in search of work. While overseas, he encountered the Adventist message and was baptized. Returning home, he began worshipping in the only local church available, which met on Sundays. His knowledge of Scripture soon became evident, and within two years he was elected elder. As they studied the Bible together, the entire congregation was convinced of the Sabbath truth and collectively decided to become Seventh-day Adventists.

When visiting Matale the missionaries asked the congregation how many Bibles they had. “Only three,” came the reply. Moved by their need, the missionaries decided to bring more Bibles on their next visit. Returning with four additional Bibles in the Maa language, the team considered how best to distribute them. Janusz Smyk, one of the missionaries, looked at a solidly built Maasai man and said, “This one is for you.” The man stepped forward gratefully and said, “I am very happy because I was recently baptized and I have 15 people in my village with whom I study the Bible, yet I don’t have my own Bible.” This encounter would later lead to remarkable growth in yet another Maasai village.

During a previous trip the team had brought along books printed in Poland by the Springs of Life Foundation. These Swahili-language books, initially set aside by the publishing house because of minor printing errors, became a cherished resource among local evangelists, who valued them greatly and used them eagerly to deepen their spiritual understanding.

Recognizing the evangelists’ dedication despite their modest means—surviving on a minimal US$100 monthly support from Polish and German donors—the Polish missionary team arranged funding for two used motorcycles during a subsequent visit. Equipped with these motorcycles and armed with valuable literature, the evangelists began reaching more distant communities, expanding their outreach significantly.

Just before another mission trip in October 2024, news arrived: an entire Maasai village wanted to join the Adventist faith. The missionaries traveled to the remote community and found believers gathered under a tree. During the meeting the village chief stood and declared, “Even cows have a leader. If you have traveled all this way to share what the Bible teaches, and we see its truth, we want to join you. You have good leaders,” Marek Micyk, a pastor in charge of Global Mission in the Polish Union Conference, reported.

That candid moment was followed by a unique baptismal ceremony. Finding enough water proved challenging until an innovative solution emerged: villagers created a makeshift baptistery in a crevice by lining it with waterproof tarps and then carrying water in containers on motorcycles to fill it. Eventually, 19 elders from the village were baptized, publicly affirming their commitment to Christ and leading the entire village to join the Adventist Church.

By January 2025, Grześkowiak and a few friends returned with additional resources, initiating construction of a simple yet essential roof for the new congregation. When the team visited again in February, they were warmly welcomed by grateful hearts and a roof standing as a testament to faith, perseverance, and global Adventist community support.

The story unfolding in these Maasai villages is more than just a series of events; it is evidence of God’s work among people living humbly yet earnestly, willing to follow wherever the truth leads them—even to the ends of the earth.