Christ the King, Mirfield has launched its Lent appeal and is asking its church family to support two different causes this year – one at home, and one, abroad.
This year the Lent appeal will be shared between the Mugumu Safe House – in our link diocese of Mara, Tanzania - and the Batley Food Bank.
Located in Mugumu, thirty miles from our link school of Issenye, there is a safe haven for girls fleeing female genital mutilation. Although illegal in Tanzania, FGM is still practised in some areas and by certain tribes, who regard it as a traditional rite of passage for their young women.
As well as receiving food and shelter, the girls at the Safe House attend classes where they learn English to help them enter secondary education. They also learn tailoring and craft skills which will help them make their way in the world whether or not they later become reconciled with their families after running away from home to enrol at the Safe House.
The long-term aim, howeve, is to re-educate the families who still favour FGM and to this end the Mara Diocesan Safe House team spend long hours in the community trying to change minds.
After a great start, the Safe House is now experiencing funding issues, having lost the support of the Britain Tanzania Society which has moved on to fund other worthy causes across the country.
The vicar of Christ the King, the Revd Maggie McLean recently took over as Tanzania link officer for the diocese and both her and many members of the congregation have firm links with a wide range of projects in our link diocese.
Closer to home, the Batley Food Bank works from Batley Town Hall, and is run entirely by volunteers. They collect food from the public, as well as from local businesses, and redistribute it to families in need, providing enough for a whole family for three meals a day for a week.
The Food Bank caters for anyone in need in the Batley area – including Mirfield. And clients get access to its services through referral by a church, doctor, social worker or other responsible body.
There will be a box in church during Lent for the food gifts which will be taken to the Food Bank each week.
ITEMS REQUESTED INCLUDE:
TEA BAGS + COFFEE + SUGAR + BISCUITS
RICE + SOUP + UHT MILK + CEREALS + JAM
RICE PUDDING + STOCK-CUBES + SPREADS NUTELLA + CUSTARD + PASTA SAUCE [But
not pasta, please]
TINNED GOODS
[Ring-pull tins preferred]
SOUP + BEANS + TOMATOES + MEAT + FISH
KIDNEY BEANS + POTATOES + SPAGHETTI