From Revd Canon Stephen Spencer, Tanzania Link Officer

Tanzania Links Update June 2016

from Revd Canon Stephen Spencer, Tanzania Link Officer for the Diocese of Leeds [email protected] Tel. 01484 715889

PLEASE PUBLICISE THIS INFORMATION IN YOUR CHURCHES

Celebration Service

You and your parish are invited to our annual Tanzania Links Celebration Service on Sunday 4th September at 3pm at Christ the King, Battyeford. This will be an opportunity to hear from students who will have recently visited Mara and to hear the latest news from our link dioceses, plus sing together and pray for our links. There will be ‘bring and share’ refreshments after the service. Please bring nibbles or cakes to share with others. There will be stalls with items for sale and an opportunity to ask committee members about anything you need to know (before as well as after the service). It promises to be a great occasion – don’t miss.

The Student visit to Mara is taking place from 26th June to 9th July. This will be led by Rev Maggie Maclean and there are 11 in the group in all. Please pray for a happy and enriching visit for everyone. There will be blogs from the visit posted on our website www.talkingtanzania.co.uk Please publicise the website on your church news sheets.

Thank you to everyone who responded to the appeal for rebuilding a dormitory at Issenye Secondary School. One of the Form Four girl’s dormitories was destroyed by a fire and the girls lost all their possessions and revision notes. Thanks to speedy communication from Bill and Maureen Jones who were staying at Issenye, an appeal was organised by Eelin Megson the Issenye Link Officer and GBP 6000 has been given! This is a magnificent response and our friends in Mara are hugely thankful. Congratulations to Bill and Maureen Jones who during their visit to Issenye oversaw the completion of the mother and child unit (now called the ‘Reproductive and Child Health centre’) as well as the clinic lab. This was another great piece of work. Thank you to everyone who has supported these projects in different ways.

Meanwhile Jenette Lee our Rorya Link Officer has been in touch with her opposite number in Rorya, Peter Oyoo, and received up-to-date information on all the Rorya link parishes. She has passed this on to their respective link parishes here and produced a comprehensive report on all of them. Thank you Jenette. There are other parishes in Rorya wanting links, so if you know of a parish that would like a new link please get in touch with Jenette at [email protected] or with me.

The Water for Life committee has now begun its next phase of support for our link dioceses. Current projects being supported are a bore hole well for Bugwema and Masinono villages in one of the poorest districts in the region, and water harvesting projects in a number of parishes in Tarime Diocese. Please support these essential projects in any way you can. More details from Tineke Bentley [email protected] Tel. 01924 441347.

There will be a Teacher’s visit to Tanzania from 11th to 26th February 2017. This will be an opportunity to visit schools in our link dioceses and work together on developing teaching resources for use over here. The last teacher’s visit was a very productive and enjoyable visit. If you would like to join the group please contact Rev Gill Johnson [email protected]

The selection process for a new Bishop of Mara is now under way and, at the Archbishop of Tanzania’s instructions, must be completed by the end of August this year. All candidates must be under the age of 60, have worked in the diocese for at least 5 years, be able to speak English and have at least a diploma in theology. The election will be on 14th July. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide the clergy and people of Mara in their choice of a new bishop.

For information about Mara Diocese link parishes please contact Oriel Kelly at [email protected] Tel. 01484 719352 Don’t forget Bishop Mwita of Tarime has a vision of building a church secondary school for girls from poor backgrounds who would otherwise have no opportunities in life. Please pray that his vision may become a reality. He would welcome support especially the offer of a project manager to oversee building work, and any donations however small or big. Please contact Edwina Offori at [email protected]

For all enquiries about money please contact our treasurer Mrs Sally Firth at [email protected] or tel. 0113 204 0690

Please also note that the Diocese has changed its bank account. It now has its account with Santander. Cheques should still be made payable to ‘Leeds Diocesan Board of Finance’ and sent to Leeds Diocese Finance Department, St Mary’s Street, Leeds LS9 7DP. Tel. 0113 2000540. But BACS payments should go to ‘Leeds DBF’, Santander Account No. 10466302 Sort Code 09-02-22. Please write ‘Mara’ or ‘Rorya’ or ‘Tarime’ in the reference box.

As always in everything we are BEGA KWA BEGA - shoulder to shoulder - with our friends in Tanzania. Thank you for your continuing support.

Stephen