DIOCESE OF
WAKEFIELD

Mara, Rorya and Tarime Dioceses, Tanzania

In 1986 Bishop David Hope of Wakefield and the then new Bishop of Mara, Gershom Nyaronga, proposed that the two dioceses be twinned, and on 10 July 1988 in Wakefield Cathedral the link covenant was formally signed.
Both Bishops pledged themselves to the covenant saying "As the friendship of David and Jonathan in days of old bridged the deep divisions within Israel, so may our friendship build bridges across the divides of distance, of culture and of language".
Wakefield Diocese benefits enormously from this firm planting of ideals and nurturing over the past 20 years. The adopted motto of the link 'Bega kwa Bega' translated as 'Shoulder to Shoulder' has been practised and continues to do so with the many conversations, visits and joint projects by the people of both Dioceses continuing to enrich the Link.

Links with Tanzania have been changing recently as the church in Tanzania continues to grow. In autumn 2011, Stephen Platten, Bishop of Wakefield visited Mara, Rorya and Tarime - the three new dioceses created from Mara. He signed covenants with the two new Bishops: Bishop John Adiema of Rorya and Bishop Mwita Akiri of Tarime and visited Bishop Hilkiah in Mara.

Web links and information
The Anglican Diocese of Tanzania is a useful source of general information.
Mara Diocese - Bishop Hilkiah Omindo
Rorya Diocese - Bishop John Adiema
Tarime Diocese - Bishop Mwita Akiri - www.anglicantarime.org

Update on Mara, Tarime and Rorya - Spring 2012

Wakefield Tanzania Link Supplement 2011 with all the latest news

 

Walking for Water: 15 June - 5 July 2012

Most  families in our link dioceses in Tanzania don't have access to clean drinking water. Water for Life helps provide simple water solutions for communtities.

Between 15 June and 5 July Meg willard and Ann Guiilfoyle are walking the Pennine Way. Our Bishops, Tony and Stephen are walking sections with them. Help Walking for Water raise money for Water for Life by

• Sponsoring someone - a Bishop or other
• Walking a section with them and getting sponsored too

For more information about Walking for Water contact
Meg Willard.

Download the Walking for Water poster
Download a Water for Life leaflet

 

Water for Life Project

To mark the 20th anniversary of the Mara Wakefield link in 2008 the Mara Link Committee launched a new project, Water for Life - a 5 year project run by Mara Diocese in partnership with local government and Wakefield Diocese. With the basics now in place we aim in the remaining 3 years to provide clean water, maintenance skills and health education to 27 villages at at a cost of about £2,000 per village.

Would you like to help? 
Click here to download a leaflet with all the necessary information. Use it! Spread the word as well as the leaflet! Contact details on the leaflet or contact Tineke Bentley on 01924 441347.

 

Tanzania - Wakefield Links

Many parishes, colleges and schools in Mara, Rorya and Tarime have a lively link with parishes in the Wakefield Diocese.

Founded on mutual prayer, the parish links express their joy of links with the dioceses by regular correspondence and supporting projects such as building churches and sponsoring education. Ernest Gelder is the parish link officer of the Tanzania Link Committee and may be contacted for further information at Gwenden Mount, Leeds Road, Lightcliffe, Halifax HX3 8SX – 01422 202557 ernest@missionhq.plus.com.

About Tanzania

The dioceses of Mara, Rorya and Tarime are in the north-west of Tanzania, next to the border with Kenya and the eastern side of Lake Victoria. Tanzania is about four times the size of the UK, but has only about half the population.

It is one of the ten poorest countries on earth, and consists of the mainland of the former Tanganyika and two islands, Zanzibar and Memba. Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, is in Tanzania, as is the Serengeti game reserve and the Ngorongoro Crater. The country has a coastline on the Indian Ocean.

In the past it has been colonised by Arabs, Germans and the British, but in 1961 it became independent. About half the population are Christian, a third Muslim and the remainder still hold to traditional African beliefs. Most people work on the land, growing food and keeping animals. There are few roads and these are badly affected by the seasonal rains. Sometimes, as happened in 2006, the rains fail to arrive and then real hardship is experienced. The capital of the Mara region is Musoma, where the recently rebuilt cathedral is situated.

Curriculum Resources for Schools

The Tanzania Link Committee

All facets of the link between Wakefield Diocese and Mara, Rorya and Tarime Dioceses in Tanzania are operated by this committee. The Chairman is the Rt Revd Tony Robinson, Bishop of Pontefract.

The Tanzania Link Officer for the Diocese of Wakefield is Revd Dr Stephen Spencer (office hours Tuesdays and Wednesdays).

Contact: Revd Dr Stephen Spencer on 01484 715889.

Stephen’s opposite number as Link Officer in Mara Diocese is Arthur Mauya.

Recent visits between our Dioceses

Visits between the dioceses take place frequently.

Information on planned visits to Tanzania by Wakefield Diocese may be obtained from Revd Dr Stephen Spencer, the Tanzania Link Officer.

Resources

The Wakefield Diocesan Resource Centre has Tanzania Boxes, full of artefacts, music and photographs. The Tanzania Link Committee can provide speakers for any occasion and any age group. Please contact the Tanzania Link Officer to make a booking.

We are proud that sometimes Wakefield offers ideas and at other times our link dioceses do. We are content that we are both in a dynamic and reciprocal relationship and appreciate the transparency shown in all accounting. It is important that as many donations as possible utilise Gift Aid.