Church of the Holy Comforter

Carpenter's Kids Project

Holy Comforter and the village of Mzula, Tanzania are linked in community, prayer and ministry through the Carpenter's Kids program. This is a parish community project. The links listed below are interesting, informative and moving. Check them out!

Photos of Mzula Village
The May Virginia Episcopalian with lots of pictures here.
From the Diocese of Virginia: thediocese.net/Ministries/Tanzania.
Diocese of NY promotional video at carpenterskids.net/videos.
From the national church: the_carpenters_kids_partnership.
The water project St. Paul's did in their village.
The January / February issue of the Carpenter's Kids newsletter.
The Carpenter's Kids Facebook page.
A blog, by a Carpenter's Kids participant named Will Brooks.

Dispatch on Mzula and Carpenter's Kids from Peggy Hombs

Richmond, VA, December 16th, 2011

Steven and I attended yesterday’s lunch gathering, representing HoCo. Aside from diocesan staff, there were representatives from St. Paul’s, Richmond; St. Stephen’s, Richmond; Westover Parish, Charles City; and Buck Mountain, Earlysville.

Will Brooks from St. Paul’s, who is a Young Adult Service Corps volunteer sponsored by the Episcopal Church and serving in the Carpenter’s Kids (CK) program office in Dodoma, gave a presentation and answered questions. He will be here in Richmond and then returning until mid-August. A replacement for Will is being sought.

Here are some assorted factoids we gleaned:

Currently the CK program is sponsoring 119 parishes and almost 7,000 children in the Diocese of Central Tanganyika (DCT). The Diocese of Virginia is sponsoring 1,100 of those children.
Seven CK students entered secondary school this year.
The first CK student will be starting technical school in Dar es Salaam this year.
The CK program has been going long enough now that the first churches have "aged out" (completed their 5-year commitment). Of the 12 this year, 11 re-upped for another 5 years. Next year the number of churches aging out will be more like 40-45.

Concern over the impact of a number of them not re-committing has led the Diocese of New York to establish a Trust Fund, which will cover villages that don’t get a renewed commitment and also be used to cover students going to secondary school from the CK program. Buck Blanchard (Diocese of Virginia Director of Mission and Outreach) told me our diocese is part of this, but it will take a lot funds.
There is a very new policy that will allow direct contact between the sponsoring US parish and the DCT parish.
The DCT has just opened a vocational school for those CK students who don’t pass the Standard 7 exam. Vocational training is several times more expensive than secondary schools, due to the upfront costs in equipment and supplies to train students in sewing, plumbing, electricity, carpentry, etc.
Because the primary economy in most of our villages is subsistence farming, and there are no financial institutions (e.g., banks) in the local area, the microeconomic grant model won’t work. St. Paul’s has linked 120 women in their village of Mwitikira with CARE, Inc. for a micro-savings program. As they can, women deposit tiny amounts of money in what is essentially a lockbox. They then use their savings to underwrite projects as they are able. There are no

outside funds used. Here’s a link: www.care.org/campaigns/accessafrica
There will be two St. Paul’s sponsored trips to Tanzania in 2012. One will be in May for about 3 weeks for college age students to teach in Mwitikira. There is some diocesan funding available. The other is late June to Mid-July and will be led by the Rev. Kate Jenkins, Associate Rector at St. Paul’s. They welcome others to come along. Contact Suzanne Johnson.
The items that were for sale were very well made and attractive - drawstring pants, necklaces and earrings, key fobs, unstructured hobo bags, small zippered pouches, animal carvings, woven picture frames. Items are available at Mayfair House at St. Stephen’s and Children’s Hospital Shop. They are expecting another large shipment soon.
Suzanne is interested in having space at the HoCo Springfest. The proceeds will all go back to Tanzania - while they don’t help Mzula directly, we may get some ideas about things we could do that would help our village.

Regarding Mzula; I saved the very best for last. Will told me our supplies have been delivered There are pictures up on the CK website. You can see our students getting their supplies, wearing their new uniforms and their HoCo-Mzula bracelets, there are group shots of students and villagers. The pictures will pull your heartstrings and make you proud - you’ll tear up.

Mzula, The Hoco Family, And Denim….What’s The Connection?

The Worship committee has been searching for a visual image that would help us to celebrate our new relationship with the people of Mzula. Since worship is probably the central focus of our parish and the point at which we all come together, we thought an altar hanging have the most impact. We also thought that a quilt pattern would best emphasize the combination of the two cultures. Denim seems to be recognized worldwide as uniquely American, so we’re asking you to bring us lighter weight, worn denim and chambray from items of your personal clothing. These pieces will be cut into the quilt shapes that will represent Holy Comforter on the American side of the quilt.

We are in the process of seeking out two or three patterned fabrics that the people of Mzula would easily recognize as being uniquely “theirs”, not fabric made for the export trade, but patterns that are indigenous to their area and people. Eventually we hope to send this altar cloth to the village to use in their worship space as another way of bringing our worlds together. So look through your closets for worn and soft denim articles and bring them to the collection basket in the narthex. The Mzula project will last for the next 5 years so we’re in no rush but as you find appropriate items please remember our plans! Speak to Carol Gibbs if you have questions.