A team from St Mary’s Luddenden have been working shoulder to shoulder with our sisters and brothers in Mmazame, Tanzania, as part of a recent trip to one of our link dioceses.

The team, made up of Parish Link Officer Keith Rowe, Daren Wilkinson, Clive Horseman, Jess Yorke and Fergus Kitching, have been helping with construction projects including replacing the roof of St Mary’s Mmazame, St Mary’s Luddenden’s sister church since 2009. 

Other construction has including adding 6000 litres of water storage space, rendering and fitting doors to shop units, and setting up road signs.

The team have also been involved with teaching, worship and community support for the time they were there.

While out there Keith was also made a Lay Canon at St John’s Cathedral, Musoma, as part of a joyous celebration of the links between our diocese and Tanzania. 

Daren Wilkinson said: “The ethos of ‘Bega kwa bega’ (shoulder to shoulder) has been at the heart of our link. 

“During the 13-year link, supported by our congregation, 14 members of our parish have worked ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with our Tanzanian brothers and sisters.

“We have had an amazing time with the parish of Mmazame, enjoying the wonderful hospitality of the Tanzanian people. 

“And hopefully doing some good work!”

The Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Revd Tony Robinson, said: “I’m delighted to see that the parishioners of Luddenden have been the first group to visit our link dioceses in Tanzania since before the pandemic. 

“They have been very involved in the link since it over 30 years. 

“Much of the success of the link has been the visits between our dioceses. 

“Begs kwa bega. Shoulder to shoulder.” 

Over the years people from St Mary’s have been involved in projects including construction of the church building, which has dual purpose pews that become children's desks; setting up a water harvesting system; financed the sinking of a well for the village; installing solar lighting; and building a home for the priest.

They have also been involved in community projects, including setting up a sewing commune; setting up a goat project to provide milk for the children of the parish; providing over 400 mosquito nets’ setting up three successful children's play and activity groups; and providing an electric organ and generator for use in worship in the more remote parts of the parish.

A gallery of images can be found here, and more can be found on St Mary’s Luddenden’s Facebook page here.