Lent Appeal 2013
last updated on: 9th May 2010
In 2012 we embarked on a new journey of companionship with the Tanzanian Dioceses of Mount Kilimanjaro (DMK) and Kiteto (DK), with fresh direction provided by their newly installed bishops, Bishop Stanley Hotay and Bishop Isaiah Chambala.
During the first part of 2012 Bishop Stanley’s dream of newly planted churches and Bishop Isaiah’s vision for Kiteto Christian College were shared with the Diocese of Leicester. The Lent Appeal enabled the long-term deployment of 4 church planting evangelists and improved school dormitory accommodation, as well as providing for transportation needs. Both Bishop Stanley and Bishop Isaiah have written to express their thanks to God for this ‘amazing’ support.
In August 2012, Bishop Tim travelled to DMK and DK to see at first hand the challenges these Dioceses face. The DVD which accompanies this Appeal shows some of this.
It became apparent how hard it is for these Dioceses to realise their visions for Christian education and the training of pastors and evangelists when faced by failing harvests and near drought conditions. However, despite this both Bishop Isaiah and Bishop Stanley remained passionately committed to the fundamental needs of education and training.
These needs could not be ignored and the decision was taken to do a follow-up Bishop’s Lent Appeal in 2013. These are our targets:
1. Support for Munguishi Bible College
Munguishi Bible College is situated near Arusha in DMK and trains pastors and evangelists from DMK, DK and other Dioceses. It has been supported for many years by Leicester Diocese through the sale of ‘Munguishi Coffee’. The newly appointed college principal, Mike Taylor, has begun to include training programmes for the wives of students to help them prepare for the important leadership role of being a pastor’s wife. This requires the provision not only of a tutor but also of accommodation for the wives and their families, as up till now students have come to college on their own. A proportion (40%) of the Bishop’s Lent Appeal will be directed towards these accommodation and teaching costs.
2. An Education Hardship Fund for Pastor Children
Apart from the provision of a pastor’s house and a field to farm, pastor families in DK do not receive a regular income from the Diocese. In order to pay for school fees pastor families therefore have to rely upon the sale of crops from their field. However, in 2012 the maize harvest was bad and many pastor families are unable to pay the necessary tuition and boarding school fees. A proportion (40%) of the Bishop’s Lent Appeal will provide a hardship fund for pastor families in 2013 following the poor 2012 harvest. It will be applied on an equal basis for girls and for boys.
3. An Emergency Drought Reserve Fund
It is difficult to have advance notice of when and where drought will next hit Tanzanian villages and communities. The Tanzanian Link Committee is sometimes made aware of an urgent drought situation affecting a particular region of DMK or DK, where there is no time to organise a response by means of a special appeal in the UK. A proportion (20%) of the Bishop’s Lent Appeal will therefore enable an emergency drought reserve fund to be created.
Those who are being helped by the 2012 and 2013 appeals:
1. 4 wives of trainee pastors have now been able to join their husbands at Munguishi Bible College. More would like to join them!
2. Mike Taylor, principal of Munguishi Bible College, with his wife Katie and 2 children.
3. Jacob Mattias studied at Munguishi Bible College and has now been specially posted to serve as an evangelist in Derrida, supported through Bishop’s Lent Appeal 2012
4. A secondary pupil at Kiteto Christian College in his bare dormitory, now provided with mattresses and blankets through Bishop’s Lent Appeal 2012
5. Pastor’s wives take part in a seminar at the Kiteto pastors’ conference 2012. The wives of many trainee pastors cannot read and yet are expected to be church leaders when their husbands become pastors.
6. Standard I class of children at Kiteto Christian College, 18 of whom are pastors’ children
Download the Lent Appeal leaflet to distribute around your parish
For more on the Tanzania link visit the Link pages here
How to Donate
This year we have set up a great new way to donate. Simply click the Virgin Money Giving link below and you can donate online
or if you prefer you can still donate by sending a cheque to made payable to
Leicester Diocesan Board of Finance marked Tanzanian Link
to Rob Hull, St Martins House, 7 Peacock Lane, Leicester, LE1 5PZ. with a covering note.
Please remember Gift Aid: Forms (made out to “Leicester Diocesan Board of Finance (Tanzanian Link)’ Diocese’s Gift Aid reference number - X37616 ) can be downloaded here
For hints, tips and ideas about fundraising visit the DMK link page
Count your blessings - This great resource is a way of raising money for our Tanzania link. Allowing you to save a little each day and to count your blessings
