Visit Report 2008
October 2008
[Source: Vivien Tyler, Chelsea]
Our friends, Paulo and Elizabeth, were with us at the beginning of October and enjoyed the Harvest Supper and the Gala Concert at Christ Church. The clergy took them around with them during their usual week, for instance, to the school, communion at St. Wilfrid’s, Christ Church Fellowship, and diocesan events including the Sacred Synod at St. Paul’s Cathedral and a visit to the ALMA office at Diocesan House. Members of our congregations invited them to social occasions and also took them around London. I had the pleasure of escorting them to Church House Bookshop, Watt’s (clerical outfitters) and the headquarters of the Mothers’ Union in Mary Sumner House.
Elizabeth is the Vice-President of the Mothers’ Union for her district and enjoyed meeting the past president of the London Diocese Lynette Paul and other members who were staying at the house. I asked her about her own family. She is married to Peter and has four children, the eldest 22 and the youngest 9, two boys and two girls. The youngest children are at boarding school in Zimbabwe where they have learnt English and they will shortly be transferring to a Mozambique school. Elizabeth was originally a teacher but left eight years ago to become a farmer where she supervises and trains thirty-six workers alongside her husband and eldest son. There are three farms in total producing both grain and fruit and they are about three kilometers from her home. Every Friday she has a free day which she devotes to the Mothers’ Union – she visits branches and teaches MU regulations and skills on how to be self-reliant. Combating disease, such as cholera and malaria, is a subject taken very seriously and they often have speakers from the hospital. Domestic violence is another problem and each parish has two advisors on the MU committee who provide counselling. Paulo commented that the MU is the pillar of the church.
Paulo also has four children with his wife Joyce and also one adopted girl who is the same age as his youngest. The eldest girl is 22 and married and the youngest are 14 –with two boys aged 20 and 18. Joyce works in a government orphanage looking after 50 children. Paulo’s day starts at 6 am and he works at the hospital, as an ophthalmologist, from 7.30 am – 3.30 pm. From that time to 8 pm each day (except Monday when it is his “day off”) – he undertakes pastoral visits; runs prayer groups which comprise of six families each; takes mass; attends MU meetings; holds Father’s Day guilds; looks after a youth group; takes services in different parts of the country, trains “deacons” and takes two services on Sundays one at 7 am and one at 9am –with 400 people. Not forgetting baptisms, weddings and funerals.
I asked them if there was anything that had been particularly meaningful about their stay with us. Elizabeth answered that what had touched her heart was the number of women priests that she has met and said what a difference it would make to their community if women were allowed to become ordained. Also the Harvest school service and the theme of sharing. Paulo was enthused by the junior choir and wants start one up for the under 14’s . Also they have no small chapel at the moment and he would like to create a separate area for prayer in their large church. He mentioned that at the October Synod they are debating the question of women’s ordination.
Both have enjoyed the socialising and thank everyone for their hospitality.