CHURCHES
PONT’s churches team encourages friendships between Mbale and South Wales by twinning church congregations. Churches from different denominations, all linked in the same area, can do more than each could alone.
Together we organise joint visits to Mbale and support our church partners’ work with the poorest in their communities. Our links have supported a tailoring school, helped people in Mbale set up small businesses and much more.
The need
Mbale is a poor area – and this effects health, education and how people are able to raise their families.
Local Ugandan churches are amongst those reaching out to the most vulnerable in their communities, and we wanted a way to support this. We also wanted a way to share genuine connections between church congregations.
PONT originally grew out of a partnership of churches in Pontypridd. Many church members are actively involved in other teams such as Education, Livelihoods, Engineering and Community Health. But through the Churches committee we also act directly, asking ourselves
- How can we make an impact on poverty in Mbale?
- How can we encourage each other and build links of friendship?
Thanks to Namatala Church’s tailoring school these women will be able to earn a living to support themselves and their families
“When I got there they welcomed me. First they gave me something to eat. Then they gave me a loan for Income Generating Activities, told me to go and use it, and bring it back after three months. Starting from that point my life changed.” thanks to Hope Ministries.
What we do
We work through church twinning. Nine active church partnerships link specific churches in Wales with churches in Mbale. Through building relationships we can identify specific needs and support the way each Ugandan church is addressing poverty in their community.
Most churches keep in touch by letter or email and share what is happening in their church life. Another way we build friendship is through visits. Many church members and leaders from Wales have visited Mbale, and some Ugandan church leaders have also been to Pontypridd, where we have shown them local projects such as Street Pastors and Christians Against Poverty.
We also work together to organise joint events. We brought church leaders together from all over Mbale for a conference in 2015. In 2017 women’s leaders from 3 Mbale churches and visitors from Wales organised a ‘Lavish’ afternoon event, uniting women from different denominations and different parts of Mbale for the first time in this way.
Our Links
| St Catherine’s Church, Pontypridd | – Namatala Church of Uganda |
| Temple Baptist Church, Pontypridd | – First Baptist Church Mbale |
| Bethel Baptist Church Penyrheol, Caerphilly | – Bethel Baptist Church Mooni |
| Coedpenmaen Community Church, Trallwn | – Bukhumwa Christian Church |
| St Denys Church, Lisvane | – Exodus Church, Kamonkoli |
| Capel Rhondda, Hopkinstown | – Bubirabi Church of Uganda |
| Rhydyfelin Methodist Church, Rhydyfelin | – Big Life Church, Mbale |
| Elim Pentecostal Church, Trallwn | – Lighthouse Embassy, Namatala |
| Llantrisant Parish Church, Llantrisant | – Sibembe Church of Uganda |
Want to get involved? Want to join a trip to Uganda? Want to link your church or other faith community? Contact us and we’ll put you in touch with the right person.
Our Impact
The projects we support are making a direct impact in people’s lives. Namatala Church’s tailoring school project gives women in the very poorest part of Mbale skills to earn a living. Hope ministries is reaching out to women living with HIV who have been shunned by others.
We’re opening doors into communities. International visitors are a talking point in poor Ugandan communities and the thought that people from thousands of miles away care about them gives a boost to local workers. Schools visits in Namatala by the Easter 2017 team paved the way for the local church to work with local schools. At St Catherine’s in Pontypridd 500 people a week see the artwork from Uganda in the café.
We’re working together even better across denominations, in South Wales and in Mbale, because of friendships formed through our partnerships.
Want to help support PONT’s projects in Mbale?
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