This is a text-only version of an article first published on Wednesday, 18 May 2016. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
A TEAM from Holy Trinity Aylesbury returned from a visit to mission partners in South Sudan and Uganda with stories of hospitality, faith and hope despite the impact of severe poverty and continuing armed struggles.
Praying for Christians in the slums of Kampala.
Andrew Blyth.
Holy Trinity began its relationship with the Diocese of Kajo-Keji in South Sudan when church members gave money tithed from donations to their own building project to help fund a new cathedral building, solar power projects and a medical centre. A team led by the Vicar, the Revd Canon Andrew Blyth, visited the diocese in 2011 as special guests at the consecration of the cathedral.
For this second trip, the team were invited by Bishop Anthony Poggo to run a leadership conference for his clergy and lay leaders.
"We looked at the example of Bible leaders including Nehemiah and Deborah and shared some of our experiences of mission in the UK.
It was inspiring to pray with such faithful people and to be able to pass on prophecies and words of encouragement which God gave through our team of intercessors in the UK," said Andrew. They also visited schools and an orphanage supported by the Diocese.
In Uganda they visited potential new mission partners.
At St Stephen's, Kisugu, Kampala they accompanied outreach workers to visit and pray with women and families living in the slums.
The parish runs worship services and Bible groups as well as supporting families with food, education and health. Holy Trinity team member Ali Wheeler said: "Standing in a one room shack no bigger than a typical family bathroom in the UK we were all challenged about how much we take for granted in our everyday lives.
It was humbling to see God using our fairly feeble prayers as a blessing to them.
One of the outreach workers told us: 'They are praising God that he has sent you to encourage them. '" Andrew added: "We want our partnerships to be much more than just giving money.
We have so much to learn about faith and discipleship through building relationships with Christians in other parts of the world. "