The Rt Revd Martin Seeley, Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich and The Rt Revd Dr Mike Harrison, Suffragan Bishop of Dunwich have launched their 2021 Lent Appeal supporting key workers in Kagera, Tanzania.
Every year the Bishops have an appeal during Lent to raise money for charitable causes.
The Bishop’s Lent Appeal for 2021 is aimed on supporting some of the most key roles and responsibilities in Kagera, and will focus on extending the care and compassion shown to communities here in Suffolk during the pandemic by supporting Kagera farmers, doctors, and priests, so that they can continue to help their local communities and encourage self-sufficiency.
Bishop Mike says "These are testing times for many of us and it is easy to become self-absorbed, preoccupied with our own anxieties and difficulties and pretty insulated from others. But as Christians we are called to raise our sights upward and to look outwards, in service, generosity and prayer for those around us.”
The Covid-19 pandemic is hitting our link Diocese of Kagera hard. The Tanzanian government has not released figures about infection rates or deaths since last May, but reports from neighbouring countries make it clear that the disease is rife in the region. And the economic impact is severe in Kagera, where the majority of people are subsistence farmers.
Churches are doing their best to support their people and encourage precautions such as handwashing and reducing physical contacts. But churches themselves are struggling with much reduced incomes from their parishioners.
The Bishops' Lent Appeal is more vital than ever before.
The theme of the appeal is supporting key workers in Kagera, concentrating on:
Subsistence farmers, who make up the majority of the population of Kagera, and those who are helping them develop better ways of making the most of their land so that they can continue to help their local communities and encourage self-sufficiency.
Doctors at the Diocesan hospital, undertaking specialist training to reduce patients’ need to travel many hours to find specialist treatment.
Priests leading their communities, helping with training and transport for example £850 will buy a motorbike so a priest can spend less time walking and more time working.
The Appeal includes 40 days of challenges for Lent to help you raise money. To find out more, donate, download resources and to get involved please visit our website:
Bishops’ Lent Appeal | Weblink
Please do keep Kagera in your prayers and consider taking part in our challenge for Lent, and if you can, donate generously.