Following Bishop Martin’s trip to Kagera in the summer of 2023 and because of the forthcoming curates’ trip to Kagera in February 2024 led by Bishop Mike, we (as in the Bishops) have decided that in Lent 2024 the theme of our Bishops’ Lent Appeal will be ‘Faith in Action – Transforming lives in Tanzania.’ Both of us have been inspired, as have many others, by visits to Kagera, by the people we meet and the work the church is doing there.
Bishop Martin’s presidency of the Suffolk Agricultural Association this year further connects us to our brothers and sisters in Kagera, many of whom are subsistence farmers, struggling with the effects of the climate crisis. The Diocese of Kagera is doing wonderful work to help its people and our support is vital.
The visit in July 2023 included representatives from churches in our diocese and has already fostered considerable interest here in our own diocese. The trip in February 2024 is designed to be a formative experience for curates and part of their training. Following a recent meeting of the Bishop’s Council, we agreed to extend the partnership to the other two Dioceses that made up the original Diocese of Kagera – the Diocese of Lweru and the Diocese of Biharamulo. The visit in February 2024 will look to consolidate those links too. The foundation of this additional connection will be praying for one another and friendship. Bishop Mike will look at practical ways we can strengthen our ties still further when he visits Kagera in February 2024.
Through this appeal we will help Kagera Diocese to continue its vital work in its communities. With money from our last appeal, the Diocese:
- reached large numbers of villages teaching new farming methods, supplying seeds and tree saplings and training villagers to build rainwater tanks with local materials.
- funded training in Ophthalmology for Dr Elia Ethan from the Diocesan hospital.
- provided bursaries for theological students and motorbikes for priests in the field, so that they can spend less time travelling and more time serving their communities.
There is more about this great work on the website at www.cofesuffolk.org/bishops-lent-appeal.
