Episcopalians out there will be familiar with the United Thank Offering, a collection that funds projects around the world.

The other weekend I stayed at the Episcopal Church of Sudan guesthouse in Yei. Virtually every diocese operates a guesthouse both to generate revenue and because there are often few acceptable places for visitors to stay.

The Yei guesthouse was the recipient of a UTO grant a few years back. They used the money to refurbish their main buildings and enlarge the dining room.

People in Yei are very proud of their guesthouse. It is universally agreed to be one of the nicest ECS guesthouses in the country.

The importance of the revenue generated by the guesthouse cannot be overstated. Churches here really don’t have a lot (or any) money. All the clergy are, of necessity, bi-vocational since they don’t get paid. But the church has schools and clinics to run and buildings and vehicles to maintain. The guesthouse helps provide some of that revenue.