How a Tennessee priest and Tanzanian bishop built a cross-continental lifeline
A long-standing friendship between two clergy members has grown into a lasting partnership between two dioceses. The Rt. Rev. Given Gaula, bishop of Kondoa in Tanzania, and the Rev. Charles Fels, a priest from the University of Tennessee, first met while studying together in 2010. Their bond has since led to educational and humanitarian projects linking their communities across continents.
This year, the relationship strengthened further as the dioceses worked together on new initiatives, including a secondary school and improved water access for local villages.
Gaula and Fels became friends while attending Virginia Theological Seminary, graduating in 2010. Their connection deepened when Gaula visited the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Knoxville in 2014, where Fels served as rector. Five years later, in 2019, the Diocese of East Tennessee and the Missionary Diocese of Kondoa officially became companion dioceses.
The partnership has focused heavily on education. East Tennessee Episcopalians have long supported St. Peter and St. Paul’s Pre and Primary School in Kondoa, funding tuition for around 300 students at $400 per child annually. Now, the dioceses are completing a secondary school in the Chemba District, also named St. Peter and St. Paul’s, with classes set to begin in January. Beyond education, the dioceses are improving water access. Collaborating with Healing Hands for Haiti and Water to Thrive, they are building wells in Kondoa, including one in the village of Wizjabe. The Rev. Ingrid J. Schalk has played a key role in this effort. Visits have kept the partnership active. Earlier this year, East Tennessee Episcopalians traveled to Kondoa, while Gaula visited East Tennessee in 2024. The relationship began with a 2015 pilgrimage by parishioners from East Tennessee to Kondoa, marking the start of deeper cooperation.
The secondary school in Chemba District will open its doors in January, expanding educational opportunities in the region. With ongoing water projects and regular exchanges between the dioceses, the partnership continues to deliver tangible benefits. The friendship between Gaula and Fels has created lasting change for communities in both Kondoa and East Tennessee.
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