Members of the Anglican Communion have been asked to provide prayer and financial support for the Diocese of Seychelles which has been badly hit by flooding due to recent extreme weather.
The Primate and Bishop of Mauritius, Archbishop Ian Ernest, has written to supporters to raise awareness of the crisis–which appears to have been largely ignored by global media–and to ask for assistance.
“Following the natural calamity which has hit the Seychelles in the past days, I am sad to inform you that the country and the diocese have suffered heavy losses from the floods,” he wrote. “Church buildings and other important structures have been destroyed. However we give thanks to the Lord as there has been no loss of life.
As a teenager, I visited this beautiful archipelago and remember its stunning scenery and its lovely though poor people. I remember chiefly an unwise decision to take my t-shirt off to walk along the long curve of Beau Vallon Bay on Mahé to check out a small white chapel I could see at the end; I put it back on too late on the return journey to avoid serious sunburn, which made the next few days very painful indeed.
I was very sad a bit later to see the country had been taken over by a socialist dictatorship [much as happened to Grenada], but it was unsurprising given the clear division which had grown up, with an affluent tourist industry which had by-passed almost completely [for jobs and supplies] the grinding poverty of many of the inhabitants. There was little benefit to the islanders, though a lot of money was being made.
This is just the latest tragedy for these beautiful islands and their fine people. Paradise can have a very hard edge. Prayers for Seychelles and for relief for those affected by these storms and the flooding. I particularly pray for those whose flimsy houses will have been wrecked while giving thanks that no one has lost their life.