ENGLAND: Zimbabwe's Anglican church showcased in Southwark Cathedral photography exhibition

February 05, 2010 [Episcopal News Service] Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has launched an exhibition of photographs at Southwark Cathedral in London to showcase the work of the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe.

The exhibition marks one year since the launch of the Archbishops' Appeal for Zimbabwe, in partnership with USPG: Anglicans in World Mission, "which has surpassed all expectations in raising almost half a million pounds (US$781,500)," according to a Feb. 5 press release from Lambeth Palace, the archbishop's London residence. "The exhibition celebrates the great generosity of those who have donated and the photographs illustrate the humanitarian and development programs this has enabled."

Williams said: "We are very, very proud of our Anglican brothers and sisters from Zimbabwe, for the courage, faithfulness and the imagination that they've shown in the last couple of years."

Zimbabwe's Anglicans have faced ongoing harassment and violence from President Robert Mugabe's police force in an attempt to stop them from worshipping freely in their own church buildings.

Renegade bishop Nolbert Kunonga was officially excommunicated by the Church of the Province of Central Africa in May 2008. An avid Mugabe supporter, Kunonga still claims ownership of the diocese's Anglican churches and has supported the intimidation of Anglicans in Zimbabwe for opposing his and Mugabe's leadership.

"It would be difficult enough to deliver all this significant help and support if there were not other problems, a country suffering grave deprivation and political and economic crisis, but to deliver this also in the face of relentless brutality and harassment is a further extra mark of the courage and the stature of our Anglican friends in Zimbabwe," said Williams.

The archbishop was joined at the launch by Zimbabwe bishops Chad Gandiya, Julius Makoni and Cleophas Lunga, who each spoke about an image from their first-hand experience.

Talking about a photograph showing a Mothers' Union uniform, Makoni said: "For anything to work you need dedication, courage and the Mothers' Union. To me, the Mothers' Union is a symbol of success and dedication. They plant the seed, they make things grow."

Gandiya said: "Zimbabwe is an agricultural country and most of our people depend on what they produce from their fields and in the past we were known as the bread basket of the region -- a position that unfortunately we have lost. But through the Archbishops' Appeal our people were able to have seed maize for planting which made a great change to their lives, and it's all thanks to our brothers and sisters in this country."

Lunga said: "For the first time the church has been able to go into prisons and provide food. The prisoners have recognized that, even when they are behind bars, the church has followed them and helped them."

The exhibition is open daily between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Feb. 5-11 at the South transept, Southwark Cathedral.