Family given water tank in Bethlehem
Water tanks and solar panels installed in Bethlehem have improved living conditions for 48 Christian families, Friends of the Holy Land said last week as the first phase of the area’s water emergency and home restoration project was completed. I have confirmed that this has been done. The charity’s chief executive Brendan Metcalfe said: “Water supply in the Bethlehem area is intermittent, perhaps only two days a month.” “With so many people unemployed and confined to their homes as a result of the war, the demand for clean water storage has increased significantly. This project therefore addressed an urgent need.” The project employed only local Christian suppliers and contractors, and young people from the Christian community were employed as apprentices. Donations to the next stage can be made online at friendsoftheholyland.org.uk or by calling 01926 512980.
Reverend London elected Bishop of Zambia
Canon John Kaoma, Bishop of St. Augustine of Canterbury in Whitton, London, has been elected Bishop of Northern Zambia from July 31, the Diocese of London announced last week. Bishop Kaoma was trained at St. John’s Seminary in Lusaka and held the title at St. Barnabas Church in Chingola, Zambia. He served as principal of St. John’s College in Kitwe from 2001 until 2003, when he became regional manager of the Church Missionary Society. He moved to London in 2006 and held positions including Director of Missions at the Anglican Secretariat from 2009 to 2020. He has been pastor of St. Augustine’s Church since 2021, and this year he was appointed bishop of St. Paul’s Church. He was appointed honorary priest of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka in 2015, and in 2023 was awarded the St. Augustine Cross by the Archbishop of Canterbury in recognition of his contribution to the Anglican Communion.
Vatican Museums employees begin labor dispute
Forty-nine employees of the Vatican Museums have sent a petition to the Vatican City state administration, complaining about regulations that lead to “working conditions that undermine the dignity and health of each worker,” including inadequate health and safety provisions and poverty. I filed a complaint. Their lawyers said this week that treatment during the pandemic has been difficult. “The workers decided on this action only after years of all their demands and demands being left unanswered,” Laura Sgro said.The news was first reported in newspapers on Sunday. Corriere della Sera. In total, the museum has approximately 700 employees. The petition is the first step in a mandatory mediation process under Vatican law.
Traidcraft tea will be resold after closing
After Traidcraft plc closed this year (News, 24 January), it was announced last week that TRAIDCRAFT tea will be sold again. Transform Trade, a global community of farmers, workers, collectives, campaigners and donors, has partnered with ethical food supplier True Origin to create a ‘Refreshed Trade Nearly 1,000 supporters report making individual donations to “Reviving the Craft.” Tea”. The first boxes are now available online from the True Origin website. “When Traidcraft closed, so many people asked us where they could buy truly ethical tea. So we decided to work with the smallholder farmers we work with in Kenya to bring back this much-loved product,” said Philbert Kabia, Transform Trade Regional Director for East Africa. said. This tea is picked and grown by farmers in Kenya’s eastern Rift Valley and is fully Fair Trade certified. tradecraft.org/tea; trueorigin.org.uk