Stagiaires’ meeting in Beira, Mozambique – 16th to 21st February – Missionaries of Africa

As part of our formation, the stagiaires meet at Nazaré Centre in Beira from 16^th to 21^st February. Prior arrangements took place regarding our travel documents and means of transport. Nazaré is really beautiful. It is run by the M.Afr on behalf of the Diocese of Beira. Everything took place in a very conducive environment despite the hot and humid weather. However, things went on well thanks to the generosity, the eagerness and good will of all the participants.

Personal prayer, moments of sharing and the Eucharistic celebration at 17:30 were our daily timetable with the exception of an outing on 19^th at the beach next to Beira town.

We were warmly welcomed by the Sector Superior of Mozambique; Fr Timothée Bationo. He expressed his heartfelt sentiments of joy seeing us around. The mission looks bright. Fr Hugh Seenan gave us a brief history of the Church in Mozambique going back to 1560. We had two coordinators: Fr Venerato Babaine and Fr Richard Ujwigowa.

Each one of us got a chance to share his experience as a stagiaire. We allowed ourselves to be challenged to listen with our hearts more than our ears.

Our missionary experience calls for commitment, courage, determination, perseverance, a sense of focus and an attitude of prayer. These values were actually expressed in the sharing as being essential elements of our discernment and response to the call to be missionaries.

Sadly, on 18^th February, we learnt the death of the father of our brother Martin Somda. We felt called upon to let our sense of brotherhood be a reality in such an unfortunate circumstance. We marked a pause and prayed for his father. Martin left the meeting and went to Burkina Faso to be with his family. Then, we had a thanksgiving mass at the sector house with the confreres in Beira on the last day.

Indeed, we had a fruitful meeting. We would like to thank all those who have made it possible for us to live such enriching moments: the Provincial Council, the Sector Delegates and the Coordinators. We thank especially Frs. Richard Ujwigowa, Jean de Dieu Bukuru and Jean Bosco Nibigira who transported us to and from the Zambia-Mozambique border to Beira. Thanks to all who have contributed to this unforgettable experience.

Armand Bamouni, Stagiaire in Serenje, Zambia.

: Victor Sanou, Philppe Dakono, Jean-Paul Kedrebeogo, Basile Adama, Armand Bamouni, Jean Kesse Tanoh, Samuel Affoumane, Frédéric Somda.

Dear Stagiaires,
I would like to thank you for the updates of your Stagiaires’ meeting in Beira, especially about the sharing. I congratulate in a special way the formation team of SAP Province but also the Stagiaires Coordinators and the Provincial Council for allowing them to meet. It required lots of preparations: visas, booking, transport. You showed that it is possible. I hope our brothers felt at home in Beira. I guess Centro de Formação de Nazaré personnel made sure that our brothers stayed well.
Once, around 2007-2008, I saw some stagiaires in Nazaré. At that time, I could not even communicate with them due to language barrier. I was afraid to greet them and introduce myself in English because I could not understand much of their conversation. Very often, people avoid approaching “strangers”. I just hope it did not happened this time in Beira.
The Stagiaires’ meeting has now finally been done in Mozambique. I hope it will happen again. Let me thank the Mozambican Sector and Fr. Hugh Seenan who gave a brief history of the Missionaries of Africa in Mozambique.
I hope that the spirit of sharing will continue. As we say in Chisena: ungakhonda ziwa kuna mbuka ywe, ngambe ziwa kuna endaywe, which is translated literally as: if we don’t know where we are coming from we will not know where we are going. We should trace our root and know it. Thanks for our confreres in Mozambique, especially to Fr. Fernando.
Once again takhuta (thanks) to the whole team. As for my brother Martin who couldn’t end the meeting due to what happened at home, I humbly join you in prayer. May the soul of your father rest in perfect peace.
Best regards, Dago do Rosário Estima
Nairobi-Kenya

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Dago do Rosário Estima

Dear Stagiaires,
I would like to thank you for the updates of your Stagiaires’ meeting in Beira, especially about the sharing. I congratulate in a special way the formation team of SAP Province but also the Stagiaires Coordinators and the Provincial Council for allowing them to meet. It required lots of preparations: visas, booking, transport. You showed that it is possible. I hope our brothers felt at home in Beira. I guess Centro de Formação de Nazaré personnel made sure that our brothers stayed well.
Once, around 2007-2008, I saw some stagiaires in Nazaré. At that time, I could not even communicate with them due to language barrier. I was afraid to greet them and introduce myself in English because I could not understand much of their conversation. Very often, people avoid approaching “strangers”. I just hope it did not happened this time in Beira.
The Stagiaires’ meeting has now finally been done in Mozambique. I hope it will happen again. Let me thank the Mozambican Sector and Fr. Hugh Seenan who gave a brief history of the Missionaries of Africa in Mozambique.
I hope that the spirit of sharing will continue. As we say in Chisena: ungakhonda ziwa kuna mbuka ywe, ngambe ziwa kuna endaywe, which is translated literally as: if we don’t know where we are coming from we will not know where we are going. We should trace our root and know it. Thanks for our confreres in Mozambique, especially to Fr. Fernando.
Once again takhuta (thanks) to the whole team. As for my brother Martin who couldn’t end the meeting due to what happened at home, I humbly join you in prayer. May the soul of your father rest in perfect peace.
Best regards, Dago do Rosário Estima
Nairobi-Kenya

February 26, 2015