‘You are saving lives here... and in Sudan’ (From Bournemouth Echo)

‘You are saving lives here... and in Sudan’

8:00am Saturday 13th February 2010 in

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Poole Hospital has welcomed the person thought to be the youngest bishop in the world.

Bishop Moses, 33, from Southern Sudan, was in town to thank the hospital, which has a link with his home town of Wau. The Poole Africa link, supported by the Diocese of Salisbury, aims to help those in the region by setting up basic teaching and training programmes for nurses, midwives and doctors at the hospital in Wau.

I met up with Bishop Moses and Poole’s hospital chaplain, Canon Jane Lloyd, as she presented him with some valuable medical equipment to take back.

Bishop Moses told me how grateful the people of Wau are for the support of those in Poole and how the Sudan government struggles to meet the medical needs of the people in the country. “There is no way that our government can help everyone who needs medical help,” Bishop Moses told me, “so people look to the Church to help. “Our hospital is situated next to the church in Wau and Christians there are motivated to help others because of their faith. “Jesus taught us to help others so that’s what they do. Most of the members from our cathedral are working in the hospital. “The link between physical and spiritual health is very strong and healing will take place if people are convinced that God is on their side.”

The Diocese of Salisbury has formed a link with South Sudan and has an agreement to help the hospitals there. In fact, the Right Rev Dr David Stancliffe, Bishop of Salisbury, hopes to make his own trip to Wau next month.

“The western world is blessed by giving,” Bishop Moses said. “That’s the message of Christ; that it is better to give than receive. “People come to visit us from all over the West and feel that they are helping us in Africa because we are poor, but in fact they go away having received so much themselves. We are very grateful for the support of Poole Hospital and the Diocese of Salisbury. You are not only saving lives here in Poole, but also in Southern Sudan.”

Poole Hospital’s link with the hospital in Wau is supported by fundraising. Contact Hilary Fenton-Harris on 01202 448182 or visit poole.nhs.uk/ fundraising/poole-africa-link.asp.