Tanzania was formed in 1964 with the union of two former British colonies, Tanganyika (on the mainland) and the island of Zanzibar. While the mainland portion remains predominantly Christian, Zanzibar is overwhelmingly Muslim. The government officially remains neutral with regard to religion but tensions are unavoidable.

Kenya gained independence from Great Britain in 1963 and remained fairly stable economically and politically for about a decade. An economic downturn in the late 1970s revealed serious tensions in its one-party system. As the two dominant peoples (the Luo and the Kikuyu) struggle for political control, the country faces a difficult future. Over 80% of the population claims to be Christian, but as few as one-eighth of those attend church. Aside from the flying ministry, the children of missionary families serving in other areas of Africa attend a boarding school in Nairobi.