THE Anglican Diocese of Manicaland yesterday started receiving thousands of congregants in Honde Valley for an international conference in remembrance of the late founder of the local chapter of the church.

The late Paul Mudowaya is the founder of the Anglican Wabvuwi Guild in Zimbabwe and hailed from the mountainous and scenic Honde Valley area.

In an interview with NewsDay Weekender yesterday, Anglican Diocese of Manicaland Bishop Eric Ruwona said the Wabvuwi Mudowaya conference was being held at a site where a proposed conference centre in memory of Mudowaya will be built.

“Mudowaya is the founder of the Anglican Wabvuwi guild in Zimbabwe and he hails from Honde Valley in Manicaland, this conference is an annual event and is hosted by the Anglican Diocese of Manicaland. It is also an international event because Wabvuwi based in the diaspora also attend the event and we have started receiving them,” Ruwona said The diocese secretary Edmond Samutereko said: “This is an opportunity to exchange ideas and educate each other on life changing opportunities among other issues. We also have time to share life experiences.”

Ruwona recently requested for more land from the government to construct church-run schools.

The church runs 54 primary and secondary schools in the province.

Some of the schools are St Faith, St Augustine and St David Bonda High schools, among others.