After serving over 7 years as Anglican Chaplain in Paphos I had been thinking about "life after Paphos" i.e. slipping into a comfortable semi-retirement here in Cyprus!  Around the same time I accepted an invitation from Bishop John of Kinkiizi Diocese in Uganda to visit his people (Paphos has had a link with Kinkiizi since 2002).  This visit, which was for two weeks in March, changed the direction I thought I would be taking. The area I stayed in is deeply rural in the south-west of Uganda, sometimes called 'the Switzerland of Africa', it is beautiful, with lovely hospitable people. I made several deep friendships and met some remarkable people who seem to survive in situations where most of us would 'go under'.
 
Uganda is still struggling to throw off the effects of 25 years of despotic rule by Milton Obete and Idi Amin following independence in 1962, yet the people are cheerful, hard-working and friendly to foreigners. I was deeply moved by meeting many parents whose lives are sometimes a desperate grind to provide for their families. Several young people told me of their hopes and dreams through education if only they had further resources.  Many of the clergy are desperately tired and need encouragement.  Hence my own 'project' of seeking funds to assist them in the ministry and especially to help provide something in their retirement. HERE I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PEOPLE OF ST CHRISTOPHER'S FOR HELPING WITH THIS TASK.
 
All of this made me realise how much we take for granted in the fairly comfortable 'west' - in particular things like a decent education!  Paphos has been supporting 20 students through secondary education since 2002 and it was a joy to meet these young people.  As a result of visiting several primary and secondary schools Bishop John asked me if I would like to be involved in education provision in the diocese when I'd left Paphos.  What could I say?  How could I respond?  Our own two sons have had a really good education. Both have gone on to do further training and have good careers.  Thinking of Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan, I couldn't cope with the idea of being the priest and the Levite who passed by on the other side, ignoring the plight of the man lying half-dead on the roadside.  I may be fast approaching 60 but this 'project' excites me (and my wife Sue) as much as coming to Paphos did in 1998.  One or two friends think we've 'lost our marbles'! 
 
So - the upshot is that I will be fund-raising across the world to enable more young people to have secondary schooling and, together with Sue, both of us will be involved in administering those funds by spending part of each year in Uganda liaising with teachers, parents and potential students.  In reality this is only a modest project.  However, if it helps just a few young people to have a better education it will provide them with the tools they need to help build a better tomorrow for their beautiful, yet desperately poor, country.
 
If anyone from Bahrain would like to have further information on either the clergy fund or the work with young people please be in touch -
by email anglicancofp@cytanet.com.cy 
or phone 00-357-26952486. 

Thank You.

Yours in Christ,
Marvin Bamforth