Lent Project 2008

Very soon after the disaster struck we sent £5000 from last year’s Lent Appeal to assist with the immediate relief effort. The need now is for longer term reconstruction. Oro (the area covered by Popondota Diocese) was already one of the poorest areas in PNG and it may just be that this disaster will bring a much-needed focus on this area. The Anglican Church has a strong involvement in both education and health care and that experience has been invaluable in the relief effort. This is the focus for our 2008 Lent Appeal. In 2007 our Lent Appeal raised over £20,000 - a great effort and hugely appreciated by our brothers and sisters in PNG. As well as supporting some particular local projects in PNG, those funds also paid for Revd Paul Inman to go from us to Newton Theological College for 3 months to help the staff there following the sudden death of the College Principal. We also paid for Newton Ekoda, the PNG provincial youth adviser, to attend an Anglican Communion youth event here in the UK. We have also now sent £2,500 to support Fr Lindsley as a Mission and Evangelism Adviser for the Popondota Diocese. Father Lindsley is a very enthusiastic local priest who will have an important role in encouraging the parish clergy; Bishop Joe is especially keen on this as otherwise he is the only person able to travel around advising and encouraging the clergy. £2,500 pays Father Lindsley’s stipend and other costs for a whole year - hopefully this is a post we can continue to support in years to come. Both of these relate to the disaster relief and reconstruction work being undertaken by the Diocese of Popondota in Papua New Guinea following last November’s cyclone disaster. One is a (slightly lengthy) report from the Diocese about the work they are doing; the other is a simple poster you may wish to print off and use. We are looking forward to welcoming some of the PNG bishops to Norfolk in July and it would be wonderful to be able to tell them of a generous response to our 2008 Appeal. Please make cheques payable to ‘Diocese of Norwich – Lent Appeal’ and send either to Bp Peter Fox at St John’s Lakenham or to Paul Wilson at Diocesan House. Every blessing, +James