A CHANCE re-union led Wendy Burge on a journey of faith to Africa – one that is now being shared by her fellow parishioners at Holmer Church, Hereford, who have ‘adopted’ the Serving Africa Mission set up 20 years ago by the Rev Jim Smith and his wife Mary, whom Wendy and her husband Mike had last seen when they worshipped together in a Corby church 40 years ago.

Wendy and Mike had settled in Hereford, she working in the occupational therapy department in the county hospital and Mike as estate bursar at the Royal National College for the Blind. Jim and Mary meanwhile had set up Christian Mission Base in the Medie Valley, near Accra in Ghana which struck a chord with Wendy

In August she will be making her third visit to the Beloved Mission Church, but this time accompanied by three fellow members of the congregation at Holmer, Maureen Graver, a retired nurse; Jean King, the church secretary and Maggie Tate, a 21 year old studying music at Cambridge University. During their stay they will join in all the church activities and worship.

Since her last trip three years ago the project has grown to seven churches serving a large rural area and work has started on a school and a refuge for women abandoned or abused by their husbands. The school will eventually teach up to 180 children and will be open to all faiths. A recent coffee morning at Holmer church raised £1,250 for the Beloved Missionary School and the Ruth House refuge.

For more information go to www.serving-africa.org.