ALMA
link

Reps Circular

Logo

ALMA Reps Email Circular: 28 February 2008

From Sheenagh Burrell, ALMA Communications Officer
almacomms@london.anglican.org T: 020 8567 7400

Dear ALMA Reps and Friends,

This circular contains:

  1. Ash Wednesday in Maputo
  2. Further News from Niassa about floods in the Shire region
  3. News of the Christian Aid Art Exhibition in London ‘Children in Conflict’ with paintings of Angola by John Keane
  4. Diary Dates especially ** 24 APRIL ALMA REPS MEETING **
  5. Lent Appeal 2008

1) Ash Wednesday in Maputo

Bishop Dinis has sent us this news, which is in stark contrast to our own celebration of Ash Wednesday and Lent Appeal Launch. Joe Hanlon’s newsletter Mozambique 125 has additional information for those of you with Lebombo links.

MAPUTO WENT THROUGH CHAOTIC 2 DAYS

5 and 6th February were days full of uncertainty and danger. Roads leading to the City from every direction were blocked even to the airport, tires were being burnt on the roads, big stones and broken cars were put in the midst of the road, cars that moved at “wrong” spots were stoned, shops and street vendors were vandalized. Within a few hours Maputo came to a stand still, at least in so many areas. People used sticks and their bare hands to do all these regrettable acts. The immediate cause of this (mis) behaviour was the increase of bus fare which was to take place on that same day but also the price of bread which had been increase 5 days earlier. City dwellers felt that the cost of living was too high and they could not take it any longer.

While people were able to attend Ash Wednesday services in the evening because police had intervened to impose order and negotiations of bus drivers/owners and the Government led to canceling the bus fare, some pockets of protestors in different parts of the country have followed the example of blocking roads although for short times and without vandalism. People are protesting over the price of basic items while salaries don’t match

We do not agree with the methods used to express the grievances of so many of us because the destruction that has taken place does not make transport and food more accessible. On the contrary, it increases people’s poverty and vulnerability.

We are going through challenging times and your prayers are much needed. There is no danger as such as things seem to be reasonably under control after the havoc Maputo faced on the first day.

We continue to appeal for a deeper and wider dialogue to face the real issue which goes far beyond bus fare and the price of bread. The price of fuel is high and that affects every thing else.

I did not inform you as the situation was unpredictable. Now things are clearer.

May God the Author of Peace be our guide.

2) Further News from Niassa on Floods in Shire Region

Dear all,

Flooded Well

Perhaps the saddest photo you will see coming from us this year! The man with crutches is Padre Albano, one of our new community priests who works in Shire district of Zambezia. He had a bad minibus accident in October returning from our clergy retreat, and tells me it will be months before he can walk unaided, and his hip bone has been seriously injured.

This is the man who has established, in two years, 16 churches in his district, with more than 250 MU members - all with no transport, payment through the local churches, and a love for his people that is extraordinary.

The hunger that began in Shire before the rainy season made him nearly decide to send his wife and four children back to their home area, for him to continue alone. Then the rains came. Water flooded his house, rising about 1.5 metres high - and from the river which is more than 200 metres away. His house is apparently on the higher ground of the small town, so imagine the devastation for those closer. He told us that 10 members of one of his churches died in a canoeing incident, and that there is now much hunger and very few belongings to start again for many.

But the deeper sadness of this photo is the caved-in well, a gift from their ALMA link church in London just at the end of last year. There was no way it could survive the floods, which overflowed, contaminated and destroyed it. This was Padre Albano's clean water supply, for his family and his church.

Ferrying in the floods

A Bristol-based church of friends have already responded with support for Padre Albano's house, and MU London immediately sent help, as last year. Rosa Nhone, worker for Lichinga and Zambezia archdeaconries, went to help with the distribution of 700 mosquito nets, 5000 metres of plastic roofing, 600 clean water medicines, and 500 capulanas (wrap cloths) bearing our diocesan emblem. We wanted to show that our church cared. We had planned to help just 200 families, but with Rosa's hard work and careful budgetting, many more than this have been assisted in the towns of Shire, Tengahe, Chiromo and Taube. The worst affected of these areas was Chiromo, where another four folk were drowned and given no proper burial with all the land flooded.

It was not enough, just a drop in the ocean of troubles in this area, unaffected by all the NGO and government support being coordinated from Beira. Padre Albano's request is for prayer, for his congregations and the communities of the Shire area of Zambezia, as well as for himself and his family. Please do pray.

3) Christian Aid Exhibition “Children in Conflict”

5 - 29 March, Flowers Central, 21 Cork Street, London W1S 3LZ
Mon – Fri 10am – 6pm, Sat 10am – 2pm.

ALMA Reps and Friends are warmly invited to visit this exhibition of John Keane’s paintings from Angola on the theme of Children in Conflict. Christian Aid commissioned John Keane to travel to Angola where millions of young people are trying to rebuild their lives after 40 years of almost continuous war. Keane's beautifully symbolic paintings depict people living in a landscape of minefields, war-scarred buildings, shattered infrastructure and shanty towns.

4) Diary Dates

Every Tuesday 12 February until 18 March LENT LUNCHES for ALMA
at St Mary's Stoke Newington from 12.30 pm until 2.00 pm.

Home made soup (vegetarians catered for) lovely bread, followed by cheese and biscuits, are on the menu. Lunch will be served in St. Mary's Church Rooms (side of the church), Stoke Newington. Church Street. Before lunch at 12.00 there will be a 30mins talk given by a senior member of the congregation sharing their life experiences. All ALMA Reps and Friends welcome.

Sunday 20 April at 3.15pm St Paul’s Cathedral: Bishop Michael’s installation as Residentiary Canon of the Cathedral. All ALMA Reps and Friends welcome.

Thursday 24 April ALMA REPS MEETING at 6pm London Diocesan House, 36 Causton St, London SW1P 4AU (tube Pimlico on Victoria Line). Please make every effort to come or send a representative from your parish.

Sunday 13 July ALMA SUNDAY and 10th Anniversary celebration: 6pm St Paul’s Cathedral. ALMA will be at the centre of this special pre Lambeth Conference service celebrating all of London’s International links. Our three link Bishops will all be present.

5) 2008 London Diocese Lent Appeal

Thank you for all you are doing to make this appeal, to build three primary schools in our partner diocese, present and alive in your parishes and schools. It’s been good to visit some of your churches for Lent talks and sermons and to see the displays and the hard work ALMA Reps put in. Thank you. I’m very aware it’s not easy holding the tension between the long-term goal of universal primary education alongside the immediate emergency: such is the complexity but also the simplicity of our calling. For these final weeks of Lent may we identify and engage ever more closely with our partners.

Thank you again,

Sheenagh.