MORE INFORMATION

At a recent Church Council meeting the parish decided to adopt one of the poorest churches in Africa as its current third-world project - the Diocese of Southwest Tanzania. Already it has proved possible to buy the lease on the farm by which the nuns of the diocese are self- supporting, and there are a range of other local problems asking for help - e.g. sponsorship of students, water crises in some parishes, health needs, roof on a vicarage, motorbike needing repairs, etc. We are helped by receiving good information from Tanzania on these needs, and hope that by offering a bit of help we can improve our understanding of the problems faced in another part of the world. More details available.

Taken from: The Link82 Summer 2001

On September 5th Bishop Michael of South West Tanganyika talked and showed a video made by his wife Punitha, and answered questions to help us see where our support had helped that poorest of African dioceses, and to direct our prayers. Some churches had been rebuilt - they are cheaper than around here, so £200 will give a village the concrete they need from outside. The actual bricks are baked locally and church and vicarage built with local labour. The local congregation have to find the salary of its priest (£30 per month) - but many fall short of that so the vicar does some subsistence farming like his parishioners.

It is proving difficult to get a doctor in these rural areas by Lake Malawi and up in the hills, but Tanzania is a peaceful country and safer than many. The local people have been hugely welcoming and can teach us something in the joy and spontaneity of their worship. A parish trip there to learn more is projected for next July after our Fete and flower Festival - those interested (or wanting to sponsor local climbers for Kilimanjaro - all proceeds to the Diocese of South West Tanzania building fund) - please contact vicar or treasurer.

Taken from: The Link87 Autumn 2002

The diocese of South West Tanzania, which we support as this year's parish project, is celebrating its Golden Jubilee.
The Bishop writes:

The Jubilee was a great occasion, centring round an open air Eucharist. with the Archbishop preaching. I celebrated with the bishops from our 'daughter' dioceses, Ruvuma and Southern Highlands. Afterwards one important job for me was working out the movement of some of the clergy. This had to be done before the rains began, after harvest and before planting. The diocesan lorry performs the task, carrying the clergy, their families and belongings from one parish to the next.

Back in Njombe, there have been constant safaris in the Diocese. I won't describe them in detail but will mention one one-day safari I made last Wednesday. We left at 7.00am for a parish to the north of us. Three confirmations were scheduled for the day, two in remote villages and one in a town.

It was optimistic, and soon the schedule became hopelessly behind when we were stuck in a dried up river bed for over two hours. It is an area where much evangelism is taking place. Both congregations in the villages were new: in the second village I was the first bishop ever to visit.

We reached the town at 7.10 pm (the schedule said 3pm, but they were still waiting) and finally arrived back in Njombe at 11pm. On safaris there are constant requests to help - with the building of churches, houses for priests, income generating projects and so on. We (which means I and my Chaplain) insist on seeing the building, sometimes making special journeys in order to do so. We insist that if help is to be given they build a good quality building: that bricks are pointed with cement (for mud is the usual binding between bricks), and that there is a ringbeam above the windows.

So gradually a common understanding is emerging: that if good quality buildings are erected, then a degree of help will be forthcoming, especially for the steel and cement for the ringbeam and for the roof, but sometimes - especially if the parish is very poor - in earlier stages of the work.

Taken from: The Link89 Spring 2003

The official Tanzania web site: http://www.tanzania.go.tz/
The Tanzania Tourist Board has a nice 'clickable' map of the main national parks etc.
http://www.tanzania-web.com/map/home.htm

Geographica has a couple of pages:
http://www.interknowledge.com/tanzania/index.html

Lonely Planet has a few more pages:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/africa/tanzania/
with some notes on the countries attractions, its culture, environment, history and even a page for 'off the beaten track'.

Some facts and figures from a chap at the University of Glasgow, he also has his own list of interesting web pages: http://mshand.geog.gla.ac.uk/DAR/Tz.htm