Murnyak Mission

Beginning in 1983, Dennis and Meredith Murnyak were agriculture missionaries in Tanzania under the ELCA Missionary Sponsorship Program. They worked in the area of food production. Originally, they went to Tanzania to develop fish farming as a source of food and income for farmers. The idea caught on and spread to the point that it expanded across most of Tanzania.
In 2001, they moved to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania where they began work with Heifer Project International. Their new responsibilities included organizing workshops focusing on capacity-building and project sustainability, a chicken project targeting primary school aged children, monitoring dairy cattle and dairy goat projects, and long term planning within the Heifer Project. They also edited and published the Heifer Project Tanzania newsletter, provided village training programs and field trips for farmers, and expanded the fish farming development work.
On March 24, 2006, Meredith passed away after fighting cancer for several years. At that point, Dennis, who had moved back to the States to be with Meredith who was receiving treatment for cancer, returned to Tanzania with his youngest son, Jesse.  His older son, Chris, remained in the U.S.   Dennis and Jesse live in Northeast, Tanzania while Dennis continues to work with Heifer Project International.
Heifer Project International asked Dennis to start fish farming projects in other African countries where they already have existing programs.  Initially, he is developing projects in Malawi, Cameroon, and Mozambique and will probably expand to other African countries.
The book "Daring to Hope" that was written by Dennis and Erwin Kinsey, a former Director of the Heifer Program in Tanzania, went to press in January, 2007.  The book describes the work of Heifer Program in
Tanzania during its first 30 years and includes stories of assisted farmers along with beautiful photos and watercolor sketches. The book is dedicated to Meredith who spent much of her time at the end of her life editing and designing it.  Copies of the book can be ordered from Heifer International, 1 World Ave., Little Rock, Arkansas 72202 at a cost of $45 plus shipping.  Purchases can be made by contacting Rebecca Hill,
50l-907-2648.