Wayne Walters
22 June 2024
Discovering Tanzania through participation in a mission with international ministry organisation SOMA has been a delight.
Having never been to Africa, my first experience of the enthusiastic welcome and gracious hospitality has been deeply heartwarming.
I saw the hand of God move in ways that lifted my own faith to another level and filled me with expectation and thanksgiving to the amazing God we serve.
SOMA (Sharing of Ministries Abroad) is an international network of Anglicans birthed at Lambeth 46 years ago by a group of bishops who felt the call of God to “take care of the nervous system of the Anglican Church”.
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SOMA does this by responding to an invitation from a bishop of any diocese, to send a team to provide teaching with practical application on the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer and of the church.
In Tanzania we piloted a two-day training conference with the bishop and selected clergy from five of the 28 dioceses. Each of these freshly-trained diocesan groups then travelled to their diocese, accompanied by two SOMA team members. Here, they ran conferences with gatherings of clergy and lay leaders from multiple deaneries. By this means thousands of key leaders across five dioceses received refreshment, inspiration and training for the mission of the church they undertake in very challenging circumstances.
SOMA missions are currently planned for Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan in October and November of this year, and there is a cry from Zanzibar for a SOMA team to go within the next 12-18 months.
Come and join me and others to be part of what God is doing around the world and discover more of God’s power and plan for your life in the process.
The Reverend Wayne Walters is vicar of St Michael’s Beaumaris.
Those interested to learn more about supporting or participating in a SOMA mission can go to somaau.org or email national director Melinda on contact@somaau.org.
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