Month: February 2013 Page 2 of 4

Good news about Jean-Bosco Masaba

Good news! Jean-Bosco Masaba is going back home tomorrow to Lubumbashi, DRCongo. The doctor was very pleased about the results. Everything went well. Jean-Bosco will need another medical exam next year to prevent the polyps to grow, often associated to cancer. Thanks so much for your messages and prayers.

Bonne nouvelle! Jean-Bosco Masaba retourne demain chez lui à Lubumbashi, RDCongo. Le médecin était très content des résultats. Tout s’est donc bien passé. Jean-Bosco devra tout de même avoir de nouveaux examens l’année prochaine pour prévenir la croissance de polypes, cause courante de cancer. Merci pour vos messages et vos prières.

The Southern Africa Province Stagiaires’ meeting – February 2013

Stagiaires 2013 03 - CopieStagiaires who came to their meeting held in Lusaka from the 18th till 23rd February. In brackets: Nationality/Stage.

First row: Jean-Baptiste Todjro (Togolese/Zambia), Emmanuel Lyabonyende Rulinyuma (Congolese/Zambia), Humphrey Andibah Lyubah (Kenyan/Zambia), Fitiwi Abraha Yohannes (Ethiopian/Zambia), Fidèle Mugalihya Macara (Congolese/Zambia)
On top: Jean-Paul Basikaba Evi (Congolese/Zambia), Maurice Aduol Odhiambo (Kenyan/Mozambique), Venance Bharotota Shundu (Tanzanian/Zambia), Raphaël Patrick Sebyera (Congolese/Zambia), Facilitator Paul Namono (Burkinabe/Malawi), Clayb Caputolan (Filipino/Malawi), Joseph Prabhu (Indian/Zambia), Élie Nyembo Sango (Congolese/Zambia), Serge Kabwakila Kasongo (Congolese/Mozambique), Hervé Tougma (Burkinabe/Malawi), Jonas Michael Mensah (Ghanaian/Zambia), Alfred Nkundimana (Rwandese/South Africa), Facilitator Camille Konkodo, (Burkinabe /Zambia), Erick Balderas Vega (Mexican/Zambia)
 
The meeting started on Monday 18th February at FENZA. It was facilitated by two Missionaries of Africa priests: Camille Konkobo and Paul Namono. We were 18 (1 SA, 2 Moz, 3 Mlw, 12 Zmb). Fr Christopher Chileshe, the provincial of SAP, gave us the opening speech and welcoming remarks to us all gathered. After adopting the timetable and sharing the responsibilities, we received Fr. Bernard Udelhoven who gave us an input on “the Church and the Culture”. He invited us to listen to the culture and to be open before any judgment.
Our expectations during this meeting were to know each other better, to know the joys, the difficulties and the challenges in community and apostolic life. We also hoped to enrich each other with the experiences and to strengthen our brotherhood. We also expected to have clarity on stagiaires’ dues and duties within the province. We then shared our experiences, focused mainly on our life story, prayer life, language course, community and apostolic life, transport and allowances. Each one was given twenty minutes of sharing after which time was given for questions.
This year 2012-2013, there are eighteen stagiaires from twelve different nationalities. Ten of them are finishing their stage and joining different centers for fourth phase of formation. The others eight are beginning their apostolic experience. All of us were happy to hear that we are coming from Christian families. The experience of the spiritual year has helped us to be aware of the love of God for us, to deepen our faith, and to be taken by Christ’s love through our apostolate. The experience of stage is helpful and quite challenging at the same time. For some of us, the community was prepared in advance, while elsewhere the place was not ready to receive the stagiaire: Just at the arrival, some of the stagiaires entered into the program of the community through youth camps and sessions for youth, while others found conflicts between members of the community.
The meeting was a great opportunity for us to be together as brothers and encourage each other. Our responsibilities in communities and pastoral field differ. The experiences help us to be prepared for the future ministries as Missionaries of Africa. We feel sharing the same mission with our confreres, and being part of the Society. We participate in everything apart from administrating the sacraments. Most of our missions are in a primary evangelization milieu. We are aware of our limits, not being Eucharistic ministers; we offer our service (help) in order to bring Jesus to people and people to Christ.
The sharing was appreciated by all of us. This is because it was done in respect for each other and great listening. Our expectations were fulfilled throughout the meeting. The visit of the confreres in Lusaka, during the meeting, was a blessing for us. We feel being part of the big family of Missionaries of Africa in the Southern Africa Province. The picnic and visit to our 2 parishes in Lusaka town were a time of relaxation, joking and enjoying a different atmosphere together.
By Alfred Nkundimana, Lebombo Community and Elie Sango, Namushakende community
See also: http://www.mafrome.org/stagiaires_sap13.htm

Interview with Lora Steiner

Lora Steiner - CopieWelcome to this Antislavery Campaign interview with Lora Steiner. As an Euro-American woman she explores new horizons of meaning beyond the inculcated “American Dream.” She says that in America “we don’t learn to think critically. We don’t sit in a classroom and ask each other, was your ancestor a slaveholder? What does it mean that your ancestors were forced here for free labour?” Lora invites us to be curious and creative dealing with the systemic forces that keeps enslaving us. She talks prophetically when saying that “Americans don’t know much about the world. We learn our geography through wars.” She keeps saying that if forgiveness has happened in America, reconciliation certainly hasn’t. Americans don’t recognize that a country founded on genocide and enslavement still may carry the scars, and certainly, the trauma.” Lora shares with us her wisdom as woman, writer, historian and theologian.   READ MORE

Governance, the Common Good and Democratic Transitions in Africa

MESSAGE OF THE SECAM PASTORAL LETTER
The Pastoral Letter titled ‘Governance, the Common Good and Democratic Transitions in Africa, which we are about to launch, is in line with the message of the Pope Benedict XVI Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation: Africae Munus .
The Pastoral Letter points out that the Church in Africa cannot be indifferent and isolated in the face of our present socio-political and economic challenges that have become a major concern in Africa. In the spirit of peace and justice, it notes that common good, respect of people’s rights, and the promotion of good governance are the essential elements of the Gospel message.
The Pastoral Letter views human beings as being granted free will, which is the human freedom expressed through one’s choice to belong and one’s choice to express oneself freely in truth. In the exercise of this freedom in truth, human beings cannot be subjected to restriction or constraint. These considerations explain the passage to democratic transitions and indeed demand a new form of governance in Africa. The Church in Africa lives and works in a society in which she encounters the tragedy of human selfishness, pain and suffering in the midst of a politically tense environment. At the same time the Church is called upon to break the wall of powerlessness in the face of difficulties, to be overcome by living in solidarity with the bruised and maimed of God’s children. 
READ MORE (document of 18 pages in PDF slow to download!)

Church urged to fight human trafficking

Nairobi | CISA N0 0016 | http://www.cisanewsafrica.com/ | February 19, 2013
The Catholic Church in Africa has been challenged to intensify its ‘war’ against human trafficking.
Sister Maggi Kennedy of Missionaries of Our Lady of Africa (MSOLA) congregation, formerly White Sisters, told delegates at a symposium on:  From the Anti-slavery campaign to the fight against human trafficking held at Tangaza University College, langata on February 16.
“As we meet here, probably one or many women and young girls are being trafficked either locally or internationally,” she further told the symposium delegates through her presentation whose theme was: “Human Trafficking…21st Century Slaves –the silent epidemic…Our Story-our challenge.
The Catholic Nun, a renowned activist in the war against human trafficking, said this year marks a momentous moment in our history as a Church  when 125 years ago at the request of Pope Leo XIII, himself a man of vision with radical concern for social justice especially in the area of abolition of slavery and Slave Trade, appointed Cardinal Charles  Martial Lavigerie, Archbishop of Algiers in North Africa to spearhead the Catholic Church’s contribution to the abolition of slavery and the slave trade.
The symposium, jointly organized by MSOLA and Tangaza University College aimed to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Cardinal Lavigerie, Archbishop of Algiers’ entry into the anti-Slavery Campaign in 1888.
“Human trafficking,” the Catholic Nun said, “is the world’s best money earner after drugs and small arms.”
“There is a serious link between human and drug trafficking; hence a fight against one should involve the other,” she explained.
In his paper on: Fighting Genocide and a Crime against Humanity: Cardinal Lavigerie and the African Slave Trade, Tanzanian Catholic priest Father Dr Laurent Magesa said much of the cotemporary African political , economic  and social situation cannot be reasonably explained without reference to the horror of the Slave Trade.
Tonny Moses Odera, a Kenyan High Court Advocate and human rights lawyer, underscored that engaging in any acts that promote child trafficking including adopting or offering a child for fostering and offering a child for guardianship is a criminal act.
“Involved persons are liable to imprisonment for a term not less than 30 years or a fine not less than Kshs 20 million,” he explained.
Radek Malinowski, a researcher on human trafficking lamented that the area -human trafficking – is under researched.

Zambian Kwacha rebasing; the new currency in Zambia

Beware of the new currency introduced in Zambia on the 1st January 2013. The old money has lost three zeros to make life easier, especially for accounts keeping. One million Kwacha has become one thousand Kwacha with the same value. People are slowly getting use to the new paper bills and new coins called “ngwee”. Please, if you plan to come to Zambia, be sure to know the difference between the old 100 Kwacha and the new one. See below: on top is the old currency bill, still being used, which is worth 0.02 $ while the new 100 Kwacha at the bottom has a value of 20 $. Enjoy discovering the differences.

Zambian 100 Kwacha bank notes

SAP Financial Council Meeting

The bi-annual SAP Financial Council meeting took place on the 13th and 14th February in a new building recently opened in FENZA. Gotthard Rosner, the director, was pleased to welcome the participants.

01 SAP Financial Council 13-02-2013

From left to right, at the bottom: Jaya Bordhan and Jean de Dieu Bukuru. On top: Didier Lemaire, Christophe Boyer, Franco Pinna, Karl Kälin and René Garand.

Newsletter South Africa no 24 – 27th January 2013

Newsletters South Africa no 24

Latest news about Jean-Bosco Masaba

The surgery took place on the 11th February successfully. Jean-Bosco was even able to come back home in the evening. Fortunately, the chirurgical intervention was a minor one even though he was under general anesthesia. Four days later, today, Jean-Bosco is still recovering and felling pain. We are planning to see the doctor today at lunch time. He is grateful for all the spiritual support and friendship you have shown him by sending your kind words through the SAP blog.
Let us keep him in our prayer. Fr. Serge St-Arneault, M.Afr
L’opération chirurgicale a eu lieu le 11 février dernier avec succès. Jean-Bosco est revenu à la maison le soir même. Heureusement, il s’agissait d’une simple intervention quoique cela a exigé une anesthésie générale. Aujourd’hui, après quatre jours, Jean-Bosco reprend du mieux. Par contre, il ressent encore des douleurs. C’est pourquoi nous prévoyons revoir le médecin de midi. Jean-Bosco est très reconnaissant pour votre le soutien spirituel et l’amitié que vous lui avez exprimé par l’entremise du blogue de SAP.
Gardons-le dans nos prières. Père Serge St-Arneault, M.Afr

Interview with Wore Ndiaye

Wore NdiayeWelcome to this Antislavery Campaign interview with Wore Ndiaye. In her book “Nous sommes coupables” (“We are guilty”) she uses her writing skills to be the voice of African Women while conducting a thorough analysis of various factors infringing the development of the African continent. She says that determination is just an outcome of the clarity of the vision of the individual. In this intimate interview Wore shows that determination. She opens her heart and shares fearlessly her own struggle to deconstruct oppressive structures of identity. She acknowledges being free but not fully liberated. Indeed, in this interview she embraces who she is!             READ MORE

Page 2 of 4

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén