Coventry Wave Of Prayer Links
Akot in South Sudan, SW Tanganyika in Tanzania, Aba in Nigeria, Irele Ese-Odo in Nigeria and Cuttack in India
Africa
Irele is a Local Government Area in Ondo State. Its headquarters are in the town of Ode-Irele. It has an area of 963 square kilometres (372 sq mi) and had a population of 145,166 at the 2006 census. The Diocese is a new one; the Diocesan President is Mrs Funmilola Akinbuluma, wife of Bishop Felix.
Aba is in southern Nigeria and was previously linked to Southwark. It is a trading hub on the banks of the river Aba. The Diocesan President is Mrs Cynthia Ugwuzor wife of Bishop Christian.
The Diocese of Akot is in the centre of South Sudan, and was inaugurated in 2009 from part of Rumbek Diocese. MU started there in 1982. The area has been greatly affected by the civil war. The bishop is Rt Rev John Machuei and the cathedral is St Peter’s, pictured right.
SW Tanganyika has just one tarmac road and most people are subsistence farmers. The Bishop is Rt Rev Matthew Mhagama. Mrs Mariam Mtake writes
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" I was a Diocesan MU Cordinator for 18 years and 5 months. I was then diocesan President for two periods of six years and then appointed to be a Provincial Trainer of Tanzania. I attended a course of Women Development and Leadership for one year and a three month course at Sellyoak in Birmingham Her branch has activities for income-generating to help the unables and the sick. They are also involved in making soap for washing and toilet cleaning. They do tye and dye, batik and printing on material for sale.
Their project for nursery beds for fruit trees have had a set back through lack of funds but they still hope to be able to restart the project at a later date.
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At present they are also expanding their Cathedral and writes that the first phase is finished and they are now uplifting the walls".
India
The Diocese of Cuttack, Church of North India (CNI) is the oldest of the three Dioceses of the CNI in Odisha. The membership comprises 80% Dalits and other low caste people. In the rural churches there are marginal farmers and landless labourers who are greatly exploited.
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The bishop is Rt Rev Samson Das. The CNI and the Church of South India (CSI) includes all protestant Christians. The Women’s Fellowship for Christian Service (WFCS) is part of the global MU family.