Newsletter November 2013 No 12
in very poor condition
We are often asked what the relationship is between Poole Hospital’s work in Wau and the Poole–Wau Partnership — and the answer is — that they are quite different. The Hospital’s Poole–Africa Link is linked to Wau Teaching Hospital and the Poole–Wau Partnership and Poole’s Anglican churches are linked to Bishop Moses’ Wau Diocese.
PAL’s Hilary Fenton-Harris with Bishop Moses
However, the really good news is that we are now discussing teaming up together to get the Guest House built as we have similar aims in this particular project. The Guest House is just across the road from Wau Hospital and so PAL will be able to accommodate their regular short-term teams very conveniently. They’ll also be able to send people for longer periods too. All the rest of the time the ECS church will be able to use it for guests and income-generation as planned. Latest proposals for the Guest House are shown above. In Phase 1 there are now 5 guest rooms (one of them a double) in a new guest block plus a new kitchen with a dining/meeting room in the old building. Early 2015 is pencilled in for the opening date. Please begin praying for fundraising, design work, finding reliable contractors and all involved in this project.
The Poole–Wau Partnership links the Diocese of Wau in South Sudan and the Anglican churches of Poole Deanery
“Relationships, Marriage and Family Life” Conference 9th – 19th October ‘13 in Tonj, Wau Diocese Rev Chris Strain, St Luke’s, Parkstone writes:– “Following our successful visit to Wau in February I agreed to be part of a small SOMA (Sharing of Ministries Abroad) Conference in Tonj, 60 miles south east of Wau. From team member I was elevated to leading the small team of five! I took up the invitation as I felt the Lord wanted me to go back to Wau Diocese to strengthen our Deanery links and to share on ‘Relationships, Marriage and Family Life’ with the pastors and some of their wives. We were warmly received as the small MAF plane landed on the roughest of airstrips I have ever seen. Climate-wise, October is very different from dry February, and personally I found the time quite demanding with the heat, wet, changes of temperature and mosquitoes doing their worst — but this is life for the Dinka and Luo peoples. Despite all this we had a great time with the delegates…
We were keen to listen and to share Biblical principles rather than quickly talk about “what to do”. We spoke of God’s big picture and Christian ideals, and of the gap between them and our experience. We listened to stories and I preached through Philippians, drawing out what it has to say on relationships. At the end — between storms — certificates were presented to all and delegates went home resolved to put it into practice! Throughout the conference God was at work and His presence evident in many ways”.
Wet season storm at Tonj
Bishop Moses hopes for another SOMA mission to Wau Diocese next year. Maybe you would be interested! Do talk with me if you would like to know more. Contact Chris via contacts below. … and see www.somauk.org
£580 raised for School toilets While Bishop Moses was in Poole this year he visited a good number of Church Schools, including Longfleet Church of England Primary School. The children at Longfleet were so impressed by what he had to say about the lack of proper toilets at schools in Wau that they set out to raise money for a new school toilet for girls at Piantok. The lack of proper toilets is a big disincentive for girls who want to attend school and can put them off going to school altogether. Longfleet pupils raised the amazing sum of £580, and Rev. Chris Strain was able to take this money with him and hand it personally to Bishop Moses when he visited Tonj in October. Construction should start as soon as Bishop Moses can arrange it. A big Thank You to everyone involved at Longfleet. We will report on progress as it happens.
PUBLISHED BY The Poole–Wau Partnership, c/o St Dunstan’s Church Office, Poole Rd., Upton, Poole BH16 5JA 01202–624622 Newsletter — Richard Tazewell 01202-632967 lamorna25@googlemail.com