Three Bishops Visit San Jose’s Inner City

For the last two years, my husband John Plocher and I have been volunteer after-school tutors once a week at Santa Maria Urban Ministry (SMUM) in the inner city of San Jose, California. Today, SMUM hosted a lunch and tour for three bishops: our own Bishop Mary plus the two Bishops of our Companion Diocese who are visiting this week:

• The Right Reverend Mary Gray-Reeves, Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real, The Episcopal Church
• The Right Reverend Gerard Mpango, Diocese of Western Tanganyika, Anglican Church of Tanzania
• The Right Reverend Michael Perham, Anglican Diocese of Gloucester, Church of England

John and I were invited both as volunteers and because we serve on SMUM’s Board. I wore the Tanzanian dress I bought yesterday from Margaret Mpango (Bishop Gerard’s wife). Rev. Lorenzo Robles, his wife Carmen and the SMUM volunteers told the Bishops and their staff about the many programs managed out of this small building, including: food and clothing distribution, a preschool and after school program, tax services, a computer room, family counseling, and soon: a small medical clinic.

Katy and Tanzanian Visitors

Greetings at SMUM

SMUM Presentation

Lunch Line at SMUM

Lunch at SMUM

Reading Email at SMUM

3 Bishops, Carmen, Lawrence

Bishop Gerard & Carmen

3 Bishops with computers

Images Copyright 2009 by Katy Dickinson and John Plocher