Solitude

The Lake House of Prayer is in a quiet neighborhood of Mwanza, Tanzania and overlooks the famous Lake Victoria. This setting offers solitude from the hustle and bustle of today’s busy lifestyle. Our guests are encouraged to be alone with their God while on retreat. Retreat schedules are based in the Ignation spiritual exercises with a focus on the life of Christ, your own life and seeing God in nature.

Silence

The contemplative life of the Church started in Africa with the Desert Fathers and Mothers of Egypt in the third century. They went to the desert to be in the Silence, in which they discovered their vulnerabilities and God’s healing touch. At the Lake House of Prayer we promise to keep the silence, that we hope will invite our guests to a restful and deep healing in Christ.

Simplicity

Our accommodations are simple and comfortable. Our locally sourced, nutritious meals are served on a fixed schedule. Retreatants have plenty of time to relax and enjoy the beautiful view.

Spiritual Direction

We offer “directed retreats,” which means a spiritual director in the Christian tradition accompanies the retreatant, through meeting daily while on retreat. Retreatants often find helpful the accompaniment of a skilled listener and teacher of the spiritual life through the contemplative experience, where areas of our subconscious start to bubble over in the solitude. (“Private retreats” in silence, without spiritual direction, are also offered.)

Service

In contemplative experience and prayer, the Spirit calls us to serve others. Ignation discernment guides our hearts to the places where what we can offer society meet the needs of the world.