The twinning came about as the result of an address given at St Columba’s in 2002 that begged the question - what were we as Christians actually doing? And shouldn’t we be doing much more than simply joining together in corporate worship and raising our annual £300 for LINKS? The subject of the address was debated at the next Vestry. This resulted in a meeting of congregational members where a discussion took place about what could be done. At this stage we knew the Diocese of Argyll & The Isles had become twinned with the Diocese of Zanzibar. It was agreed that we should try to do something to help and to raise funds it was decided to hold weekly Coffee Mornings at the church, during summer months.
At around this time Bishop Douglas Toto of Zanzibar was staying with Bishop Douglas Cameron and his wife Pat, and a meeting was held at St Moluag’s Centre to meet him. Our representative told Bishop Douglas that the people of St Columba’s wanted to help Zanzibar in some small way, and asked him if he could find us a parish with which we could be twinned. Bishop Douglas said he would look when he next visited Zanzibar. So began our contact with and support for St Barnabas, Mahonda, a parish under the dynamic care of Father Stephen Kamwendo. To help support his church he had initiated a resource office, for which Bishop Douglas had bought a computer. Now the office needed an air conditioning unit. Would our ‘Zanzibar’ funds stretch to paying £600 for one? They did, and this was the first of our gifts to St Barnabas.
We were then asked if we might help to fund the refurbishment of the nursery school and so our fund raising efforts continued. We were all very pleased with the excellent use to which our money had been put and we asked to be kept informed of Father Stephen’s new projects. Some members made tape recordings of children’s stories – an interesting exercise! – which were sent out with the books. We maintained contact with the congregation of St Barnabas by sending cards and messages assuring them of our thoughts and prayers. In return we have received some wonderful responses of letters and photographs, both of the completed work and the families who have benefited from our gifts.
Over the years since the initial contact, members of St Columba’s have organised various fund raising events, ranging from coffee mornings, bric-a-brac stalls at local sales and garden parties, a ‘French’ dinner for members and friends, and donations from serving tea and coffee following church services. In this way we have been able to send considerable sums of money to where it is desperately needed. Small donations soon add up!
Then we learnt that Bishop Douglas Toto had decided to move Father Stephen from St Barnabas to St John’s, Mbweni. We heard from Father Stephen himself, and from Nestory Masasi, a member of St Barnabas’ congregation, just how sad everyone felt at this move. We made the decision to continue to aid Father Stephen in his new parish, while still sending financial help to Mahonda.
In order to be able to do this, a new strategy had to be found, as fund raising with a very small congregation (20 members) on an island with a small population is not easy. A member of the congregation decided to revamp a guidebook ‘About Mull’, previously published in 2000, and to sell these to visitors as an ongoing means to raise funds. Some 1700 copies of this book have been sold in bookshops in Oban, on Mull, and elsewhere, in various Tourist Information Centres, and on the local Cal-Mac ferry. From each sale, £1 goes into our Zanzibar fund and a similar sum is put aside to pay for future re-prints.
This activity will allow Bishop Douglas to take £1000 to Zanzibar during his visit in October. The money will be split equally between the parishes of St Barnabas’ and St John’s, or according to the particular pressing needs of either church. This will be at the discretion of Bishop Douglas while he is there. We plan to add to our funds by proceeds from a sales table at Mull’s annual Charities Fair in November.
By becoming twinned with one and then two Zanzibar churches, we have made an enormous contribution towards our understanding of the needs of others. We have been amply rewarded by receiving heart warming letters of thanks, and photographs showing just what our fund raising efforts have helped supply. We believe that other congregations could also help fund social projects in Zanzibar by using their talents and their time, as we have done. A little money seems to go a long way in Zanzibar, and the rewards to be gained by having personal contact with the charitable project carried out by Anglicans of that island – for ALL peoples regardless of creed – are enormous. Ask yourself what you and your charge can do to help.
What better way to make contact than with a Christmas card? A simple message telling of your support for them through thoughts and prayers would be a marvellous way to start and who knows where that might lead!