Following this an emotional Arcbishop Kanishka Raffel spoke movingly stating “Helen, some of us have known of your work for as long as we have been Christians,” Archbishop Kaniska Raffel replied. “That’s certainly true in my case.
“We thank and honour you for your 40 years of service in this country. We know you are not a super Christian but a faithful and obedient one.”
April 26 each year is a public holiday in Tanzania celberating Union Day which marked the beginning of modern day Tanzania as Zanzibar and Tanganyika merged to become a united country. The Shalom Opening had originally been scheduled for this day, however arrangements canged once it became clear a public holiday could not be the official opening of a school.
Our tour group had a late morning and did not have to be at Bunda Bible College till 9am. A lazy breakfast at our motel was the order of the day.
We were greeted at Bunda Bible College by a large welcome sign and warmly received by the Principal Canon Alpha Lugoley, his staff and over 70 full time students with an honour guard.
A church service in English commenced proceedings with the tour group and the Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel together for the first time at a scheduled event. This allowed students at the college to demonstrate their studies in a practical way as they led, prayed, read the Bible and preached as well as sang. The student choir did their thing, including a song thanking Anglican Aid for their support. A number of our group commented on hearing the word sponsorship in a song for the first time.
From there the group broke into three. A number stayed to hear the Archbishop speak to students and undertake a tour of the facilities. The Roberts family including 15 year old Ruby headed to Bunda Girls School where Ruby dressed in her Roseville College uniform spend the day with girls. Her school has a relationship with both BGSS and Shalom primary. Her family had brought a suitcase of books from Sydney to donate to the school library, which is in need of books in English. Apart from books, Ruby brought letters from girls in Australia which Bunda Girls students will reply to and Helen Hoskins will deliver on her return.
The impact of this visit on her is captured by journalist John Sandeman in his article on The Other Cheek
Another group of three accompanied Helen Hoskins who took them to Shalom Primary School unannounced. Only students boarding were in attendance. The small group left impressed at the standard of English of these young children. Both schools are English medium schools, highly valued in Tanzania.
A number remained at BBC to hear the Archbishop speak to students and field questions. John Sandeman reported on this in his blog on The Other Cheek
After lunch a number returned to the hotel to rest after what had been a busy five days. Others ventured to the Girls Brigade Centre established in 2010 by CMS missionary Helen Hoskins and now project managed byAnglican Aid.
Robin Vonk came with a shopping list for his three daughters and ordered dresses for them from the GB Centre. The photos show the result.
The evening had a planned dinner and formal handover of Helen Hoskins’ house to the diocese dedicated by the Archbishop of Sydney. Prior to this interviews were conducted with the bishop of Mara and Dange Wangoya a 73 you still lecturing at Bunda Bible College. The significance of the interviews is that both men cam from the same remote rural village still only accessible by 4WD or motorcycle, no electricty or water and very remote. Both men studied overseas. Sange gained degrees in Oakhill in London and a Masters in Wycliffe Canada and Bishop George obtained a PhD in the USA. They spoke about the role that missionaries played in bringing the gospel to their areas and how both were impacted by missionaries. Bishop George speaks about Helen Hoskins as his first Bible Teacher.
Helen Hoskins spoke about her forty years in Tanzania and the various houses she has lived in before constructing the Strawberry Pink Villa. The Other Cheek provides much more detail about this.
Following this an emotional Arcbishop Kanishka Raffel spoke movingly stating “Helen, some of us have known of your work for as long as we have been Christians,” Archbishop Kaniska Raffel replied. “That’s certainly true in my case.
“We thank and honour you for your 40 years of service in this country. We know you are not a super Christian but a faithful and obedient one.”
And finally gifts were given as the evening concluded with a fashion display highlighting the new clergy collars which will debuat at local parishes and hopefully synod 23.
A 7am departure for Mwanza next day for those flying at 11.30am concluded an early evening.
No comments:
Post a Comment
HTML