Category Archives: About

Work in Tanzania

“We came with our family to Tanzania in late 2012. Coming here, after living some of my childhood in Africa, was a dream come true. We are working in a remote village, close to the Serengeti Game Park and Lake Victoria. At present the projects are still in their starting phases. We are helping a new church group build their first chuch building. They are very excited, as are we. Also, in the village of Bulamba, we have assisted in building a little bakery/cafe. The banana cake sold here is a runaway success. The plan is to expand the menu a bit, as the funds to hire more staff grows. This cafe currently gives 2 families a steady income, as well as providing for the church building project.”

This first paragraph is where we were at the beginning of 2014. There have been a few changes since. Due to our remote location and family needs, we had to relocate to Canada. (Our son needed to finish his schooling, and coming to Canada was the only way to get this done at this time.) We are still working with the locals in Tanzania, and the work is just increasing. There have been 4 church building projects that we have been able to assist in. 1 of them was a complete church build, the others were by helping them get a roof on a church that had been sitting without a roof for many years. Another new church plant needed a piece of property so they could build, and we were able to secure them a nice slice of land.

At the end of 2014 we were able to get some paperwork finished, for a non-government organization, so that we would be able to get some financial help in educating women. This is still in its infancy phase, but we have an office and staff now. They are doing research on the costs, and the beneficiaries. The Sara Maxwell bag sales also help us send more money to these people in need.

If there is any part of our work that you would like to assist in, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Sara Maxwell Bags

See the Sara Maxwell Shop

This picture is a small representation of what has been, and what will continue to be for sale. For the last 10 years I have been sewing and selling bags. This, what started as a hobby, is turning into a way to help the ladies in Tanzania earn an income as well as a new skill. Now, as the new year is on us, you will continue to see an assortment of bags available to purchase. With these profits we are able to continue funding the work we are doing, as well as enabling women with sewing skills to earn some income for their families.

Here is a picture of Celina sewing in her little shop. She is single mother of 2, and wants to see her children educated, giving them opportunities to go further than she has.

Celina sewing

Click here to see the latest bags that are available.

Hello from Sara Maxwell

What you see is what you get. Someone who loves to explore the world we live in… encompassing the areas of faith, travel, fashion, and education. Often you will see an overlap, because for me they do.

For the last 10+ years I have been making and selling bags under the Sara Maxwell logo. There have been days when I wondered if it would be more than a hobby, and then God gave me the opportunity to teach this skill in Africa.

Our family had the joy and privilege of working in the beautiful country of Tanzania from 2012 to 2014. (We still have property there, and hope to someday return for extended periods of time.) For now we are serving at our local church here in Thunder Bay, Canada, as well as working with a team of locals in Tanzania. It has been such a pleasure to use this hobby of mine to provide employment and education for Tanzanian women. It is also my prayer to take this to the next level as we develop the small NGO we have registered there. JengoLife is the name of the organization we are working on. Stay tuned, and keep us in your prayers.

Blogging is quite an adventure. As a bit of introvert, I enjoy watching and thinking about what is going on around me. These blogs are a reflection of what is going on in my life, and what I feel stirring in my spirit. I hope that they are able to raise some dialogue and thought in your life as well. I won’t hide my faith, and I hope to challenge yours.

Click here for more about the Sara Maxwell name.

If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.