Hayden, John and Anne - Tanzania
Hayden main pageJune 2007
Sometimes one is left wondering whether this is God's will or whether man in his rebellion has messed up things yet again.
My replacement in Tanzania was scheduled to be installed in July. Instead we heard in June that the Province had failed to give us the correct information and then dismissed our election as flawed, and we have to start again. So it looks like no 'retirement' until next year. My health is improving, so hopefully I can return to Tanzania in October.
In the meantime there is very good progress. It now looks as though most people will have been able to harvest an adequate crop during June which will see them through until the next harvest. That is a matter of praise to God after two years of famine.
The desire to move forward knows no bounds. Today I wrote authorizing the building of new churches at Mbande, Ndiligishi, Olpopong and Lengitojo. The congregations will provide most of the work and materials but each church needs £800 for materials which have to be imported. Friends in America informed me last night that they would provide the money. Is anyone interested in having a church built in memory of someone? We need around 50 more!
We have been building schools at Krashi and Engusero, and friends in Suffolk are aiming to raise the £5,000 needed for two more. They are likely to be built at Mbeli-Samaria and Njiapanda. Once again the work required by the local people is considerable.
We have just about completed a new house for this elusive bishop-to-be. It is on a site near to one just built for the Dean of the Cathedral. We are raising funds to sink a well nearby which will provide water for them and some for our college.
The major project this year is turning our clinic into a small hospital. The government has given us 20 acres of land and are working with their bulldozers to level the site. It is close to a water pumping station so we should have a good supply of that most vital commodity. Upton High School raised over £4,000 towards this, and other gifts are coming in, mainly from America. It will make a massive difference to be able to provide health care for our vast district. We are now looking for health volunteers from the UK and elsewhere to help us start the work and train up local workers. My wife Anne fulfilled such a task when she was theatre superintendent of what is now the major university teaching hospital of Tanzania in Moshi, so who knows where our humble beginnings will lead?
Thank you very much for your support and prayers. Each day I spend a high proportion of time answering e-mails which enable work to move forward. Computers and modern communications are making possible something which we could not have done even ten years ago. Pray that I may give good advice and make decisions according to God's will.
There are details below of a fund raising event to be held in July, proceeds of which will be given to the Diocese of Mount Kilimanjaro (DMK) Association to be used for building a new school in Tanzania.
DMKA Charity Reg.No.289640
Bishop John Hayden