Welcome to our mission in the world.
We are part of a world church and
learn much about ourselves – as well
as others – from the encounters our
links offer. In the last three years
I have visited Sudan, Erfurt and
Southwestern Virginia, and earlier this
year shared in celebrations to mark
the 1,000th anniversary of the Diocese
of Skara in Sweden.
The Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales can
boast some of the oldest and most enduring diocesan
links within the Church of England. Our links are a
living out of what it means for us to be part of the Body
of Christ across the globe, being disciples of Jesus
together, though in very different cultural contexts. We
walk together. These links allow us to experience our
faith anew, they ground us, they change our priorities
– but more importantly, they give us a
tremendous sense of confidence in God
in our world.
You can find stories and pictures from our links at
www.westyorkshiredales.anglican.org/overseas-links
If you or your parishes want to find out more about
any of our links or you want to know how you can
help, contact the relevant officer below:
Sudan – Revd Tim Lewis
E: [email protected]
Sri Lanka
Revd Rev’d Paul and Mrs Pat Ainsworth
E:[email protected]​
T. 01132716176
Skara
The Very Revd Jonathan Greener
E: [email protected]
T: 01924 373923
Tanzania
Revd Canon Stephen Spencer
[email protected]
01484 715889
Making links:
Forging Friendships
We pray for our friends in our twin cathedral of
Skara in Sweden, but where exactly is Skara? In
August 2013, I found out. Steve Simpson, artist
and Cathedral member, was invited to hold an
exhibition there. Members of the congregation
were also invited. My friend Kay and I joined the
party of eleven including Steve and his wife and
Canon Michael.
We flew to Gothenburg and were met by members
of the Skara congregation. Kay and I were hosted
by Martin and Margareta Jurisoo and from the
moment we met we felt an instant rapport. They are
a delightful couple who went out of their way to make
us feel at home. Martin even got his beloved Morris
Minor out to take us to church, “greater love hath no
man!”
As a group, we enjoyed some wonderful activities
including a mini-cruise on Lake Varnern, a visit to
Lacko Castle. On returning to the boat we discovered
that the captain’s wife had prepared a delicious
salmon meal for us. Other excursions included visits
to historical churches, where we marvelled at wall
paintings and sculptures, and to the Skara museum.
Several receptions in people’s homes were given
in our honour making us feel like celebrities and
of course there was the purpose of our visit, the
official opening of Steve’s exhibition in the beautiful
cathedral of Skara.
After only five days we felt we had made friends
for life and this was re-enforced when Martin and
Margareta visited Wakefield this summer. We text
and skype frequently and are already planning our
return visit in June 2015 – after all we now know where
Skara is and we love it.
Judith Woodhead
Southwestern Virginia
Mrs Jill Wright
E: [email protected]
T: 01535 634526
Youth links for Southwestern Virginia and Erfurt
Steve Grasham
E:[email protected]
T: 01535 650535
Erfurt
Charles Ellis
E:[email protected]
Faisalbad
Yaqub Masih
E: [email protected]
M: 07802940421
Bishop Tony Robinson
E:[email protected]
Printed and designed by LGP Print. e: david@​lgpprint.com
Mara, Rorya and
Tarime in Tanzania
The Tanzania link began in 1988
when the Diocese of Wakefield
formed a link with the Diocese
of Mara. It began with a strong
connection between Batteyford
Parish and Issenye Secondary
School in Mara Diocese. Since
then more and more parishes have
established links of friendship,
prayer and practical support.
There are now around 80 church
to church links, as well as links
with agricultural projects, Bunda
Bible College, orphans support
in Musoma, the new Bunda girl’s
secondary school, the goat project,
and much more! In 2010 Mara
Diocese split into three - Mara,
Rorya and Tarime - and so now our
link is with all three dioceses.
Agreement which recognises
each other as equal partners
and means that priests from
each church may preside at the
Eucharist.
At a time when there are tensions and
disagreements between churches
within the Anglican Communion, the
Porvoo Communion offers another
model of Communion and working
together. Michael Rawson, Sub
Dean of Wakefield Cathedral spent
a six week sabbatical at Skara
Cathedral.
The link has been really boosted by
visits in both directions. In May 2014
a group of seven evangelists came
from Tanzania to parishes in our
diocese, visiting a large number of
churches and schools. In September
a group of 16 went from here to there.
Two million pounds has been raised
and sent to Tanzania 26 years. Wow!
Stephen Spencer, Tanzania Link
Officer
“There is such thing as a fearless Anglican!”
Canon Gaspar Kassanda from
Mara spent one morning in May
in Dewsbury Market with Revd
Tom Hiney and other members of
Dewsbury Minster helping church
members rethink evangelism
and opening their eyes to fresh
opportunities to ministry and
mission. Tom said the encounters
in the market had a real impact
on everyone there. A typical quote
from one of them is this: ‘Do you
know I’ve never invited anyone to
come to church in 50 years.’
Gaspar was a good ecumenical
ambassador too – he
helped the very lively local
Gospel church realise there was
such a thing as a fearless Anglican.
This is someone who first came to
faith when he was working in the
Serengeti and heard the gospel
preached on the radio. There
and then he gave his life to Christ
and has since been a tireless
worker for Mara Diocese, having
planted dozens of churches in the
Serengeti.
Revd Tom Hiney
Skara in
Sweden
Wakefield and Skara Cathedrals
have enjoyed a close and
fruitful partnership for the last
seven years. It has given many
opportunities to understand
one another, building on our
similarities and learning about
our differences. The Anglican
and Lutheran churches of
Northern Europe have a special
relationship through the Porvoo
“There are few organisations where
you can visit another country not
knowing anyone, and immediately
feel at home and part of a new
family. The church continues to be
such a place and for that I rejoice,”
said Michael.
The Dean of Wakefield, the Very Revd
Jonathan Greener, was amongst
hundreds of guests from across
the world to join in the celebrations
which included the country’s top pop
star and circus in Skara Cathedral.
FAISALBAD, PAKISTAN
“This is a good news story and
one we need to keep telling
in all the places where there
is tension between different
groups, different faiths and
different cultures,” Bishop
Tony Robinson.
Many people living in the
Huddersfield, Dewsbury and
Batley areas originate from the
Faisalbad region of Pakistan
so around ten years ago, the
historic diocese of Wakefield
decided to create a link to share
good practice, promote peace
and build bridges between the
faiths.
But it was the events of August
2009 when nine Christians were
burned out of their homes in the
village of Gojra that cemented
the link.
The extremist attacks brought
worldwide condemnation and
as a result, President Zardari
of Pakistan visited the UK
and invited the Archbishop
of Canterbury to visit Gojra.
He sent a delegation which
included his then Adviser on
Pakistan Affairs, Bishop Tony
Robinson, and a Huddersfield
businessman and lay canon
at Wakefield Cathedral, Yaqub
Masih.
Said Yaqub: “I believe two
good things came out of our
visit; one was our work on
Community Cohesion both here
and in Gojra and the second
was the interfaith clean water
project that saw Christians and
Muslims on both sides of the
world working together for one
common purpose.”
Following the suicide bombing in
the market place outside church
in Peshawar in 2012, churches
here and in the Diocese of
Carlisle where the former
Bishop of Peshawar’s son Isaac
is a priest, gave enough money
to be able to give each of the 130
families affected by the attack
,15,000 rupees each.
Yaqub took part in the special
church service in All Saints,
Peshawar with the Bishop of
Faisalbad, Bishop John Samuel,
and heard first hand some of the
families’ stories.
Earlier this year, Bishop Tony
and Yaqub saw success with
the interfaith water project and
were able to travel back to
Pakistan to bless the foundation
stone and open the first clean
water filtration plant Gojra.
MY LINK…..
by Tineke Bentley
DIARY EXCERPTS FROM BISHOP TONY:
Bishop Tony sent back a daily diary while
he and Yaqub were in Gojra earlier this
year to see the start of the interfaith project
to provide clean water for the 3,000 people
living locally. You can read it in full on our
website.
Day One
We have arrived. We are now living
on the Pakistani time clock which has
no rules! After a two hour sleep at our
guest’s house we were off to a meeting of
Christian and Muslim leaders in Pakistan.
Among the people who attended were
Christian leaders from Anglican, Catholic,
Pentecostal, Charismatic and Independent
Churches. The Muslim leaders were five of
the most senior clerics from Sunny and Shia
traditions in Lahore including the Grand
Imam of the Grand Mosque, the second
largest in Pakistan where 100,000 can pray.
We were warmly invited to the Mosque and
will attend prayers on Thursday morning.
We now have an armed escort wherever
we go!
Day Two
Sunday morning began with a service at
a church in a poor part of Lahore where
every week between three and four
thousand gather for worship. Preaching in
the downstairs hall to nearly two thousand
people there were a similar number in
the hall above us. The Christian people
are very enthusiastic about their faith and
vibrant in their worship. During the service
a local Imam came because he had heard
that I was there to preach!
In the afternoon we were hosted for tea by
the Governor of the Punjab, Mohammed
Sarwar, who was until last year an MP in
Glasgow. We then travelled in convoy to
Faisalabad with the Governor so we were
nearer to Gojra for the launch of the water
filtration early on Monday morning.
“Twenty-five years of linking Tanzania with Wakefield:
For ten years I stood at the periphery, for fifteen
years I have been at the heart. Why? My first visit
in 1998 bowled me over: a country so beautiful, but
no infra-structure; a people with so many needs, yet
full of laughter; a fledgling church with such a strong
faith that put mine to shame: I asked Agnes what
difference her faith made to her. She told me: “ It has
given purpose to my life.” Could I honestly say the
same?
Since that first visit a lot of water has gone under the
bridge. There are now 100 links (parishes, schools and
others). For twelve years container loads were sent to
Mara with second hand goods for distribution to the most
needy; computers, typewriters and stationary for the
Vocational Training Centre. Is senye Secondary School
and the Mara Academy (a primary school) developed
strongly with support from Wakefield, as did the two
Agricultural Training Centres (Buhemba and Mogabiri).
Thousands of trees have been planted through an offsetting carbon travel-scheme, thousands of goats have
been provided through the schools goat project. And so
the list goes on and on not forgetting that in this time the
church in the “old” Mara has grown to such an extent
that the diocese needed to be split into three.
A lot of good work has taken place in Mara, but what
about here? There is no question in my mind that the
visits both ways have changed lives and rekindled and
inspired the faith of many. Every time I go to Tanzania
I am encouraged in my faith. As a direct result of my
involvement I have become a Reader, I have rediscovered
the need for the church to be church in the community
and now help run a Drop In Centre for addicts and
socially isolated people in Batley. Yes like Agnes, I too
can now say: my faith gives purpose to my life. Tineke
worships with Batley Team Parish
Water For Life: Tanzania
In September a small group visited
a well in Tarime Diocese. The Revd
Canon Stephen Spencer, Tanzania
Link Officer, remembers taking
the path from the road past mud
and thatch dwellings to a clearing
in the bush where a simple but
sturdy hand pump stood. Some
local women were there, pumping
up water and filling their buckets
to carry to their homes.
“Further down the hill was a muddy
spring where they used to collect
water, sharing the water with animals.
Now they could take beautifully
clear and safe water to their homes,
resulting in a huge improvement in
health in the village,” he added.
This well was dug and the pump
installed through the Water for Life
project. This well in Kerende was
installed with special support from
Batley Parish. Now the Water for Life
project is developing new links with
schools across our diocese, raising
funds for water harvesting projects
(using large church roofs to collect
rain water), and for health education
among villagers.
Many parish
churches and individuals also
continue to support this wonderful
project.
Young People to Young People:
Southwestern Virginia
Our link with Southwestern
Virginia is a strong youth link and
last year we welcomed a group of
young people over here during the
summer.
We spent a couple of days in London
before travelling up to Yorkshire. Visits here included Bradford, where
they saw the Crown Court in action
thanks to Judge Roger Thomas,
before a chance to explore the City
Hall where some of the lads ended
up in the dock!
Other highlights in the city included
the Cathedral and Bombay Stores
before we took them to Whitby,
Rievaulx Abbey, and Re:mix, a youth
worship event in Riddlesden with
the theme of superheroes. We also
spent time at Parcevall Hall, walking
in Malham, a day on the Canal, and
a day in Clapham and Austwick
exploring the rural heart of the
diocese.
While the strength of this existing
link is currently through our young
people, parishes have begun to
forge links. The choir from Christ
Church, Blacksburg have a link with
Haworth parish and they sang in
the church and toured the area last
year. At the heart of any of our links
are the people and we’ve seen new
friendships forged and existing ones
built upon and watching these grow
is the truly exciting part. Two of the
girls who visited the States in 2012
and were involved in the 2013 return
trip, then booked their own tickets to
go independently in May.
One of the essential elements
of the exchange programme is
the ‘Mission project’ which over
recent years has included clearing
storm damage for a Boys Home in
Covington VA, helping out at the
Holiday Club at St. Christopher’s
Holme Wood, Bradford and feeding
homeless people in Washington DC.
Arriving at Shendi, an arid, desert
area, we were greeted by a man
waving a large flag with a cross on
it, They are a small congregation
of about thirty adults a completely
mixed group, with many languages
spoken, so they collectively
worship in Arabic.
They readily talked of the work they
do and the challenges they face.
LIFE IN SUDAN
Combat is taking place along
much of the southern border of
Sudan. Some Sudanese do not
want to live according to Arab
culture and under Islamic law. The
Government is bombing homes,
churches, schools and fields. Many
people are living in caves in the
Nuba Mountains, made destitute
by the military.
The Church in Sudan has no
resources to help the thousands
of displaced people who arrive
Their vision is to be like the early
church. They work with orphans,
with disabled people, discharged
prisoners and hospital patients, and
go door-to-door visiting. Yet they had
no Bibles, just two New Testaments,
and their minister, Deacon Francis
Maniya, has had no ministerial
training.
They have a plot registered for a
church building, but they cannot get
permission to build on it so they use
a house left vacant by a family that
was deported to South Sudan. Part
of the building had no roof.
Further north, at a railway town
called Atbara, the congregation was
much bigger. Up to two hundred
adults gather for festival services,
but like many urban congregations
in Sudan, their church centre is miles
from the town centre, pushed to the
margins of a Muslim community.
Evangelist John Kwajoro, who works
in the town centre as a tailor, said:
“The church is growing, with more
people coming, but we have had to
close an outreach centre in a nearby
at
church
centres
seeking
support. Congregations here have
contributed £136,000 to enable the
church there to give direct relief aid.
In Wad Medani Diocese, pots and
pans and bedding have been given
out. In El Obeid Diocese, sacks of
grain have been distributed.
Bishop Ismail of El Obeid describes
how he gave aid to a destitute Muslim
man who had been to the NGOs and
received nothing. He went to the
mosques and received nothing. In
desperation he turned to the church
and received 16 kilos of grain and
some cash. Next day he returned to
give thanks publicly. In Sudan, for a
Muslim, it is a shameful thing to walk
in a church compound. The ability
to give relief aid is undercutting the
stigma that surrounds the Church.
In Khartoum Diocese this aid has
been used to provide families with
school places. Church leaders
in Sudan desperately want their
children to be able to go to school,
have a proper Christian education.
Government schools are Islamic
and Arabic. A Church School has
to teach Arabic and about Islam too,
but can also teach the Christian faith
town for lack of workers.”
“The church is struggling with poor
facilities – not enough seats, not
enough space. Sometimes we have
too many children for the space we
have.”
The church building is mud walled,
with a thatch and mud roof. The night
we were there, there was a heavy
storm. The church roof leaked,
turning the interior into a mud bath.
We worshipped in the open air. It
was announced that the church
roof must be taken off that week to
protect the roof beams from further
damage. An appeal was launched
for £600; small money here, but an
enormous challenge for them.
and nurture the children’s identity as
Africans.
We have helped in the extension
and rebuilding of church schools
across Sudan. We sometimes speak
of ‘Mother Church’. In the Sudan
you see the Episcopal Church being
a mother to its people, addressing
their physical, mental and social
needs as well as their spiritual
welfare.
SUDAN
“We give to them, we share with
them, and we learn from them more
of what it means to be a follower of
Christ in the world today.”
Our Diocese has a partnership
link with the five Episcopal Church
dioceses in Sudan. The spirit of
the link is our family relationship in
the Body of Christ, but it isn’t easy.
Sometimes it’s hard to get visas for
visits, and as Sudan emphasises
Arabic as its national language, we
frequently need a translator to be
able to take part in their church life.
Following a referendum, in 2011,
the old Sudan was split into two
countries, an attempt to end a fifty
year war. All southerners in the
northern half were declared to be
‘foreigners’ and ordered to leave.
That judgement decimated the
Christian community in Sudan, for
by far the majority of Christians are
southerners. Today, Christians in
Sudan are marginalised not just by
their belief in Jesus, but by their race,
their language, and their culture.
In the past the Episcopal Church
put a priority on evangelism. Now
it is struggling to work out what that
means in its weakened state, facing
a culture that is more emphatically
Islamic.
In many places the
relationship
between
Muslims
and Christians in the community
is cordial, but central Government
agencies can reach out with
crushing force against Christians,
with seemingly arbitrary arrests and
asset taking. The church has to be
careful in its public life and work.
Nevertheless,
they
study
the
Scriptures, rejoice in knowing Christ
and witness to the love of God
through generosity and hospitality.
The Episcopal Church is growing
again in Sudan, whilst facing
enormous obstacles to its mission
and ministry. The Mothers’ Union
is very active, known for its strong
ministry of prayer, pastoral visiting
and evangelism.
There are few stone built church
premises dating from the 1930s;
the majority are mud built and
are church centres, doubling as
places of worship and community
education. Many are unregistered:
the Government refuses the Church
to register ownership of land or to
get building permission.
But our link with the Episcopal
Church is valued in Sudan. They
feel less alone. They have friends
outside Sudan who care about
them and pray for them. We support
and encourage our brothers and
sisters who feel marginalised and
oppressed in their own country, yet
maintain their faith in Christ with
great courage. We give to them, we
share with them, and we learn from
them more of what it means to be a
follower of Christ in the world today.
Erfurt, Germany
CHILDREN OF THE REFORMATION
The link was established in
the wake of a previous link
between the cities of Bradford
and Erfurt during the time
of the German Democratic
Republic (or East Germany)
and is characterized by regular
exchanges of church leaders
and different groups – with
special emphasis on two way
youth exchanges.
Erfurt – nicknamed “the green
heart of Germany” is the capital
of Thuringia, one of the German
States and is part of the ErfurtWeimar-Jena metropolitan area
with an overall population of
about 500,000.
This link partnership between
the historic Diocese of Bradford
and the church in Erfurt was
formalised in 1997. Since the
Protestant
Reformation
the
largest religion in Thuringia has
been Lutheranism.
‘The Erfurt link’ differs from some
other links in that it involves
a
non-Anglican,
continental
European Church. This offers
particular opportunities and
despite differences there is
ample room for fruitful dialogue
and the sharing of experiences.
As ‘children of the Reformation’
the two partners can serve the
cause of Christian unity through
sharing theological insights and
the sharing of dialogue and
learning already exists.
“Learning from the experience
of a once persecuted Church
presents special opportunities
for a deepened Christian
understanding.”
The link with Erfurt became
particularly appropriate after
the Meissen Declaration in
1991. One way in which the
mutual commitments are being
fulfilled is through links between
English Dioceses and German
Landeskirchen
(regional
churches).
These
involve
exchanges between clergy and
hundreds of people at parish
level.
The Youth Link is very strong.
Last year we sent a small group
to Erfurt where they looked at the
theme of Tolerance and Respect
using a wide range of creative
arts including graffiti. And earlier
this summer a group of 12
young people visited the UK and
attended the Greenbelt Festival,
a smaller low key visit so that
next year they can bring a bigger
group to Ablaze.
SETTING YOUNG HEARTS
AND MINDS ABLAZE
ABLAZE – hearts on fire is an international
gathering planned to take place here in
Yorkshire next summer that will bring
young people together from across all
our link dioceses.
It is the growing strength of the youth
links between the historic diocese of
Bradford with both the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, USA and the Erfurt that
has laid the foundation stones for this
exciting gathering.
There have been regular exchanges
between the countries but in July 2015,
the plan is to bring over young people
aged from 16-19 years from both these
links and encourage young people from
our other successful links around the
world including Tanzania, Sudan, Skara
and Sri Lanka.
Steve Grasham, Children’s and Young
People’s Adviser, said: “At the heart of
ABLAZE is the chance for young people
from many backgrounds to discover
more together what it means to live a
life of faith alive in Jesus. My dream is
to see as many young people from all
of our linked dioceses across the world
come together for this one time.”
The Scargill Community are hosting the
eight-day event from 22-30 July 2015 in
the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. Here the
young people will spend time together,
learn from one another and have loads
of fun. There will be great teaching and
an amazing array of activities.
Anyone interested should contact
steve.grasham@westyorkshiredales.
anglican.org
The Sri Lanka
Companion Link
The two Anglican dioceses in Sri
Lanka, Colombo and Kuranagala,
have been linked with the former
Diocese of Ripon and Leeds for 26
years. The Anglicans in Sri Lanka
belong to the Church of Ceylon.
There is much to learn here.
Anglicans are a minority within
a minority – most Christians are
Roman Catholic, and Buddhists
(70% of the population), Hindus
and Muslims outnumber Christians
– and in recent years there have
been attacks on some Christian
congregations. But religion plays
an important role in the country and
Christians are generally respected.
The church is still one of the few
places where Tamil and Sinhalese
people can worship freely together.
Parishes
are
in
regular
correspondence
with
partner
churches, and we support a wide
range of projects including the
Boys’ Home in Kegalle and the
Evelyn Nurseries. There’s even an
Education
Mark Edwards, Head at St James’s
Primary Academy, Manston, has
taken children to Sri Lanka and
welcomed teachers here. He
writes:
“Having had the privilege, with
many colleagues, in developing
our educational links I have been
inspired at how they have helped us
understand how are linked.
“All adults and pupils involved
have been moved by the depth
of friendship that has emerged
from sharing knowledge about our
education systems, sharing our
cultures and engaging in discussion
about the worries and challenges
both our countries face.
We have shared ideas, food, homes,
but most importantly we have shared
our faith.
“We have built our links on a common
understanding, that by sharing,
talking and gaining an insight into
each other’s lives we can become
better global citizens and can, with
the help of our Lord, make our world
a better place to live in.”
Ann Nichol, a former head teacher
and lay Minster at Leeds Minister
Parish experienced faith at Hillwood
College, an Anglican girls school of
over 1,000 pupils in Kandy.
“Each morning at 7.30am, each
pupil spent the first half hour of the
day in worship in their own faith.
The Buddhist girls, numbering the
most, met in the playground, the
Christians in their chapel and the
Hindus and Muslims in appropriate
Peacemaking and Human rights
active Facebook group, the Anglican
Friends of Sri Lanka.
Many visits between the dioceses
have taken place over the years
with school groups, teachers, parish
groups, clergy and bishops travelling
between our two countries. In recent
years a priest has come to us for
three weeks to experience parish life
here in the UK.
Prayer and mutual support are at the
heart of the companion link. When
the Tsunami struck in December
2004, more than a hundred thousand
pounds was raised in less than a
month through a fund set up by
Bishop John Packer, and within a few
weeks a group of 12 teachers had
visited the stricken areas to see what
further help could be offered.
The David Young Sri Lanka Fund
gives financial help towards the
costs of people wishing to go to Sri
Lanka.
Canon John Carter
areas too. There was an amazing
sense of faithfulness, commitment
and absolute belief. Worship was a
serious matter, it made an impressive
start to the day and though the start
of the day was done separately,
there was total integration for the
rest of their time in school.”
The Church of Ceylon has been
deeply committed to peace
making and human rights – from
the treatment of tea plantation
workers in the hills to human rights
violations in the north following
the 26 year long civil war which
claimed an estimated 80-100,000
lives.
The war came to an end in 2009
with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers,
the LTTE, but, throughout the war,
the Diocese of Colombo supported
priests and projects in the northern
Archdeaconry of Jaffna even when
it was cut off from the rest of the
country by fierce fighting.
When British Prime Minister., David
Hospitality
“When you visit Sri Lanka you are
immediately made aware of the
important part hospitality plays in
their culture and you are always
given a warm welcome. No matter
what differences there are between
us, we share a common humanity
and a respect for one another.
“Hospitality
is
also
about
understanding one another, seeing
things from a different perspective
and talking together over a meal
is a good way to do this. I shall
never forget visiting the homes of
workers on a tea plantation. They
had prepared for us refreshments
which they could ill afford but it was
important to them that, while we
listened to their experiences, we
shared their food and the atmosphere
created by their generosity was very
powerful. I have shared many meals
with people in their homes where
they are happy to talk about their
Cameron, visited the north of Sri
Lanka in 2013 he was mobbed by
local people protesting against
alleged human rights abuses.
Canon John Carter visited in March
2014. He said:
“My own five day visit to churches
and projects in Jaffna and the
northern province took me to the
former war zone to meet with clergy
and visit schools and orphanages.
“The clergy in Jaffna Archdeaconry
are a courageous group. Many of
them have experienced both war and
its aftermath, supporting and living
alongside those in rehabilitation
camps, those who have lost loved
ones and those still displaced and
homeless.
“They ask us to pray, and to continue
to support the projects that are
helping to rebuild and develop
the work. For example the Karuna
Nilayam Girl’s Home, an orphanage
I stayed at in Kilinochchi, the de facto
Tamil Tiger’s capital during the war.”
families, jobs, interests and beliefs
and discussions with Buddhists and
Hindus have enabled me to discover
more about their faith and so have
a better understanding of what we
can celebrate together and where
we differ.
“Hospitality is about opening
yourself to your guest, learning more
about them and enabling them to
know more about you.
“In Sri Lanka I have stayed in
schools, convents, a tea plantation
and the homes of teachers and clergy
and in all I have been welcomed.
Do we offer the same hospitality to
strangers in our communities?”
Remember to welcome strangers
to your homes. There were some
who did that and welcomed angels
without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2
Barbara Belsham