Reps Circular

Dear ALMA Reps and Friends,

Here is the second part of the October Circular which contains:

1. Stand Up review
2. News
3. Visits
4. Diary Dates

1. STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT AGAINST POVERTY 17-19 OCTOBER

“Stand Up” at Daniel’s Den

Thank you to the ALMA Reps and Parishes who organised Stand Up events: it is wonderful to look on the Stand Up website and see our part in this global endeavour to hold politicians and world leaders to account on poverty reduction and the Millennium Development Goals. There are two that deserve particular mention: Daniel's Den parent and toddler group in Wembley  and the pastoral zone of Bernard Mizeki in Chimoio, Lebombo diocese.

Daniel’s Den marked the start of their link with the crèche to be established in at SS Simao e Judas, Nzinje Bairro Populaire Lichinga with 63 parents and toddlers Standing Up. In addition they have pledged a monthly sum to the Lichinga crèche and began by back dating this to March so that a long drop latrine could be built to allow the Lichinga crèche to open. In Chimoio we think there was a world first: a Stand Up wedding! 409 people including three priests Stood Up.

The United Nations Millennium Campaign and Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) have announced that a record breaking 116.9 million people - nearly two percent of world population - took part in Stand Up and Take Action Against Poverty in 131 countries on 17-19 October.

2. NEWS

a) Angolan Elections

Thank you for your response to Bishop André’s call to hold the Angolan elections in prayer. Despite some significant problems with delays in voting, Angola’s first election since 1992 passed peacefully and without the violence that has marred elections in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

“The final results of the polls showed that Angola’s current ruling MPLA party claimed 81.64 of the popular vote and 191 seats in the National Assembly. The major opposition party, UNITA, received 10.39 of the vote and sixteen seats. The party for Social Renovation, PRS was in third place with 3.17 percent and a total of eight seats in the Parliament. FNLA with1.11 percent and a total of three seats. The New Democracy-Coalition with 1.20 percent and two seats”

(From a full report of the Angolan Government).

b) Millennium Development Goals 25 September UN Meetings

Many of you responded to THINK : FAST in the run up to the September UN meeting. Thank you. A special service an act of “Recommitment and Witness to the MDGs” was held on the evening in New York and you might be interested to read about this and also the text of Archbishop Sentamu’s sermon.

c) Death of the Dean of the Province of Southern Africa

Bishop David Beetge was a very good friend to Angola and Mozambique and will be greatly missed.  Bishop André went to South Africa for the funeral.

d) New ALMA Link Officer in Lebombo

We are delighted to welcome Josepehine Mutemba to the ALMA team. She has already met up with an ALMA Friend, Shane Godbolt from St John’s Pinner, who was in Maputo for a work conference.

e) ALMA Reps informal lunch 26 September

ALMA Reps’ Lunch

This was a lovely occasion when we could share stories, good ideas and future hopes and plans for our links. We were especially pleased to welcome Christine Sosanya from Hackney who is the new Mothers Union ALMA rep.  The MU in London has links with Angola too!

f) Vestments to Niassa

Many thanks to St George’s Southall for the donation of redundant vestments which have recently been taken to Niassa by the Shepperton party. This follows on from the donation of choir robes by Holy Trinity Twickenham which went to Angola.

3. VISITS

October

• Shane Godbolt from St John’s Pinner to The Association for Health Information and Libraries in Africa (AHILA) conference in Maputo on “Providing health information to alleviate poverty in Africa”.
• Revd Chris and Sandy Swift, Jane Davies, Margaret Hammond and Simon Sheldon from St Nicolas’ Shepperton visited their link parish and the school they have funded in Milange. Chris and Sandy have stayed on to do some training alongside Bishop Mark and Helen.
• 
  Chimoio visitors at London Diocesan House
  Ven Paolo Hansine and Elizabeth Sikoya from Chimoio visited their link parish St Luke’s Chelsea. The Lebombo Chaplains, Ann and Ian, and I met them with Revd Brian Leathard for lunch at Diocesan House. We learnt so much that a separate circular would be necessary.
• Brenda Kick and David Askwith from St Andrew’s Sudbury to Messumba, Niassa for the re-opening of the health centre.

November

• Elizabeth Tucker returns to Mozambique for the first time since the accident, with her parish priest Father Paul Warmsley McLeod. They will visit Zove and Beira.
• Robert Ashdown also returns for the anniversary and will visit Beira, Zove, Inhambane, Homoine, Maputo in a trip that will overlap in parts with Elisabeth's.

4. DIARY DATES

13 November ALMA REPS MEETING 6-8 pm at London Diocesan House,
36 Causton St, London SW1P 4AU. Tube: Pimlico 
5.45 light refreshments. Please RSVP to Sheenagh

19 November READERS’ QUINQUENNIAL RELICENCING SERVICE St Paul’s Cathedral at 7pm.
We will re-launch the Lay Leader's Link to continue our support for the training of lay leaders, Catechists, in Mozambique at this service. (A separate donation has funded this work in Angola). In the last five years an astonishing £32,454.84 has been raised for this work. Please do come and support your ALMA Link Officer, Communications Officer and Twinning Officer as we are relicenced!

27 November 10th Anniversary of the death of Berta Sengulane, and the accident at Zove. At the 8am, 12.30 and 5.00pm services in St Paul’s Cathedral the prayers will remember this day ten years ago and all those involved in the accident. We will be alongside Bishop Dinis and his family as we give thanks for Berta’s life and for the extraordinary witness that Zove has become to so many. Please do come if you can. See the Zove page of this web site.