Where have the bikes gone?
We’ve just celebrated the purchase of seven new bikes for our link diocese of Maridi and the completion of the first parish house with three more to follow shortly. Why houses and bicycles? Who received them? read on to find out…
Bicycles
Four bicycles were sent to Kozi Archdeaconry which is 50 to 75 miles North of Maridi. Three went to Pastors and one was given to the Mothers Union office in Kozi. The other three were given to Pastors in Eddi Archdeaconary.
Parish house
The new house is in Ebenezer Parish, Mamenze, in Western Archdeaconary, about two and a half miles from the Diocesan Cathedral.
It will be lived in by the pastor, Tito John and his wife Mary, along with their three sons, Simon, Samuel and Joseph, and three grandchildren. It has two rooms and measures 8×4 metres.
Why houses and bicycles?
Very few of the rectors currently live in their parishes and have to travel on foot or by bicycle on rough tracks through the bush. It’s slow and tiring– the team took 3 hours to travel just 17 miles to Eddi Archdeaconary by vehicle.
A diocesan priority, then, is to build a basic house in every parish for the clergy and other church workers. The goal is twenty houses and more bicycles are also needed.
Where does partnership come into it?
The Diocese of Down and Dromore and Albany Diocese, are in a three–way partnership with the Church in South Sudan through CMS Ireland.
The construction of the houses, which will not become personal property, is being shared approximately 50/50 between the two dioceses. The people of Maridi are committed to providing sand, aggregate for the foundation, making the bricks and wood for the roof. Down and Dromore and Albany have undertaken to provide iron sheets for the roof, cement and the costs of labour.