Category: News Page 70 of 79
News from Sectors and Rome
FENZA attracted over 50 people to its regular conference on the 24th April 2013 dedicated this time to child abuse and trauma management. The Director, Father Gotthard Rosner, was very pleased to introduce the Bemba group Fimbusa founded in 2008 and aiming at preserving traditional cultural values. This group is composed of six men and 17 women from various cultural backgrounds but using primarily Bemba symbols in their teaching. They operate as a research group within FENZA.
Jacek Rakowski, from the Home of Hope, was also invited to present facts about the reality of child abuse. According to his research, 85% of cases of abuse are related to neglect, so called emotional abuse. It is particularly the case in dysfunctional families or related to social poverty. For many children, life is nothing else than a hostile environment. Consequently, traumatic experiences remain as lifelong scars. Physical abuse, including sexual ones, from which discipline beatings are not easy to distinguish, ends up with injuries.
Sexual abuse takes place most of the time within the family set up where the “conspiracy of silence” and the denial of abuse reinforce the traumatic burden of the victim. Very often, abusers have been abused themselves and also need help.
Finally, to conclude the presentations, Patrick Mumbi, psychologist and anthropologist, gave a magisterial presentation of the negative effects imparted upon victims of child abuse. As counsellors or helpers, we are all invited to listen to the various personalities which are hidden within a traumatised person. By all means, an abuse should never be hidden. It must be said, preferably denounced. The wrongdoer is the abuser, not the child.
We are looking forward to attend the next FENZA Conference.
1. Abusa Zimba-Catechist-(Mwanya outstation),
2. Fr Phelim Malumo (Assistant Priest-Ministry),
3. Abusa Mpande-Catechist (Chasera outstation)
4. Br Jonas Mensah (Stagiere-1st Year)
5. Fr Pawel Mazurek (Parish Priest)
6. Fr Frederic Ajaruva Bedijo (Curate & Community Animator). Sitting: 1. Abusa Gondwe (Catechist Lumimba outstation)
2. Abusa Zimba (Chiweza Outstation).
The annual meeting of the three Spiritual Year Formation Centres of our Society took place recently in Tanzania.
The confreres had time to share views and experiences and Luigi Morell gave an input on Evangelical Counsels which brought lots of discussion.
The confreres were welcomed by Vincent Tran and Patrick Norah at Atiman House in Dar es Salaam. They were Grégoire Milombo and Prosper Mbusa from Bobo-Dioulasso, Ferdinand Van Campen from Arusha and Francis Bomansaan with Patrick Bataille from Lua Luo Kasama. Also present; Sergio Villasenor from the General Counsel, Jean-Michel Laurent as Secretary to the formation, Luigi Morell as facilitator, Victor Lijaji as translator and Anselme Somda as secretary.
The participants enjoyed an outing at the Spiritan Center in Bagamoyo. They also visited the museum, had a nice meal and some of them enjoyed a swim in the ocean.
Reported by Patrick Bataille, M.Afr
White Fathers’ House
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The White Fathers’ House (also known as Atiman House) is a historical building in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It is located in Sokoine Street, north-est of St. Joseph’s Cathedral. It is named after the White Fathers, as the building has been the seat of their mission since 1922. The alternative name of “Atiman” refers to Adrian Atiman, an African physician who was freed from slavery in Nigeria by the White Fathers and later served in Tanzania until his death, in 1924.
The building is believed to have been built in the 1860s (possibly 1866) as a harem for Sultan Majid of Zanzibar. In 1922, it was sold to the White Fathers, and became their main base in East Africa. The building is open to visitors and has a little exhibit with old pictures of Dar’s sea front, dating back to the years of German rule (early 20th century).
Bagamoyo: Spiritan Center
Some 70km north of Dar es Salaam, on the coast opposite the southern tip of Zanzibar, Bagamoyo was once one of the most important trading ports on the East African coast. The former capital of German East Africa, it is now the center of some building in the region. Bagamoyo however has increased in importance today. Missionary Spirit Travel will guide you to rediscover the roots of the Holy Ghost Congregation (Spiritans) in East Africa. This historical background from the first Spiritan Missionaries who came into East Africa over 100 years ago can be vitalised by the presence of a cross, cemeteries, museums and other ethnographica material.
Also a church.
China is investing US $10B to make Bagamoyo the most important port in Africa by 2017. READ MORE
The confreres had time to share views and experiences and Luigi Morell gave an input on Evangelical Counsels which brought lots of discussion.
The confreres were welcomed by Vincent Tran and Patrick Norah at Atiman House in Dar es Salaam. They were Grégoire Milombo and Prosper Mbusa from Bobo-Dioulasso, Ferdinand Van Campen from Arusha and Francis Bomansaan with Patrick Bataille from Lua Luo Kasama. Also present; Sergio Villasenor from the General Counsel, Jean-Michel Laurent as Secretary to the formation, Luigi Morell as facilitator, Victor Lijaji as translator and Anselme Somda as secretary.
The participants enjoyed an outing at the Spiritan Center in Bagamoyo. They also visited the museum, had a nice meal and some of them enjoyed a swim in the ocean.
Reported by Patrick Bataille, M.Afr
White Fathers’ House
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The White Fathers’ House (also known as Atiman House) is a historical building in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It is located in Sokoine Street, north-est of St. Joseph’s Cathedral. It is named after the White Fathers, as the building has been the seat of their mission since 1922. The alternative name of “Atiman” refers to Adrian Atiman, an African physician who was freed from slavery in Nigeria by the White Fathers and later served in Tanzania until his death, in 1924.
The building is believed to have been built in the 1860s (possibly 1866) as a harem for Sultan Majid of Zanzibar. In 1922, it was sold to the White Fathers, and became their main base in East Africa. The building is open to visitors and has a little exhibit with old pictures of Dar’s sea front, dating back to the years of German rule (early 20th century).
Bagamoyo: Spiritan Center
Some 70km north of Dar es Salaam, on the coast opposite the southern tip of Zanzibar, Bagamoyo was once one of the most important trading ports on the East African coast. The former capital of German East Africa, it is now the center of some building in the region. Bagamoyo however has increased in importance today. Missionary Spirit Travel will guide you to rediscover the roots of the Holy Ghost Congregation (Spiritans) in East Africa. This historical background from the first Spiritan Missionaries who came into East Africa over 100 years ago can be vitalised by the presence of a cross, cemeteries, museums and other ethnographica material.
Also a church.
China is investing US $10B to make Bagamoyo the most important port in Africa by 2017. READ MORE
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- The Cross at Bagamoyo
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- Patrick Norah, Francis Bomansaanm, a diocesan Priest, Gerard Derksen
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- St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Das es Salaam
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- Old church in Bagamoyo
John shares with us his understanding of addiction as a form of today’s slavery. He says: “I believe that it is a form of slavery in that it takes away freedom of choice within the individual. When one is driven to act by anything that is taking away freedom of choice, then I think it is appropriate to speak of it as a form of slavery.” 
He concludes the interview with wise words saying: “In reality there is “no gain without pain”. The only constant in our lives is change. When the addict recognizes the addiction and is willing to accept it and try to live in the present moment seeking in faith and trust in the higher power, he or she can honestly live as “a wounded healer”, seeking each day honesty, openness and willingness, which are the essentials of recovery.” READ MORE
FENZA CONFERENCE
Our next FENZA Conference will take place on Wednesday, 24th April 2013
Venue: Faith and Encounter Centre (FENZA), Leopards Hill Road, Bauleni (near Mathia Mulumba Catholic Church or Yatsani Radio).
Time: 14:00 to 17:00 hours
Theme: Child Abuse and Trauma Management – Facts, Culture, Lessons to be learned
We have invited speakers from different ways of life to trigger off the discussion.
We hope to see you on Wednesday, 24th April 2013.
The FENZA Team
Hello,
Just to inform you that the surgery went on well. I was operated on Wednesday. Doctor discovered that I have a kidney problem following the amount of pain killers and antibiotics I have been taking in Africa. My case was then handed over to the kidney department. After investigation, the doctors gave a green light for the knee surgery. According to them, the low kidney was not going to affect the surgery. But, there is strong necessity to deal with it after it. Otherwise, it may threaten my life seriously.
I was discharged few minutes ago. The physiotherapy department people will be attending to me right here in my room to carry on what they have started right after the operation.
Thanks for your support, care, and prayers.
Patrice Sawadogo Rayimwendé, M.Afr
A Human Trafficking Conference, organized by Sr. Melanie O’Connor HF, Coordinator of the Counter Trafficking in Persons Office (CTIP) of the LCCL/SACBC, took place at The Good Shepherd Retreat Centre Haartbeespoort from the 9th till the 12th April 2013. During the Conference there was the launch of the “TRUCKERS AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING” campaign for which we congratulate FRUIT SPOT as being the first trucking company to engage in this project. Various speakers exposed the dangers of human trafficking, pointing out that truckers can play a significant role in safeguarding victims and potential victims in transportation by reporting offenders sometimes encountered especially at truck stops.
The role of the Church in the pastoral care of truck drivers who face long and hazardous journeys was emphasized. It was stressed that the Church should move from its traditional way of evangelization of waiting for people in church buildings to the new evangelization emphasized in the recent African Synod. Africa has become a continent where millions of people are either willingly or unwillingly daily on the move thus transforming African roads and streets into privileged places of evangelization and education. Therefore our Church should be seen as the Church on the Move.
The presence of over 15 Police units who man the borders of the Northern Cape was acknowledged and highly appreciated by all present as a source of strength in the fight against Human Trafficking. With many of the participants coming from different African countries and representatives from different agencies – NPA, US Embassy etc., religious and lay people, it became obvious that networking is central to the success of the fight against this hydra-headed evil of our time.
One of the outcomes of the Conference was the commitment of each member to further the Truckers against Human Trafficking campaign in their various regions and countries.
A COUNTER TRAFFICKING NETWORK COMMITTEE (CTNC) was established for easy and effective communication.
Sent in by: Sr. Melanie O’Connor (South Africa), Sabina Namfukwe (Zambia), Sr. Patricia Ebegbulem (Nigeria)
Picture below: participants of the Conference
I am Sister Sabina Namfukwe, I belong to the Congregation of the Sisters of the Child Jesus. I am working at the Zambia Catholic University in the Copperbelt Province as Matron for both boys and girls. I am in charge of their accommodation. I learnt so much on human trafficking and sexual abuse that I am failing to keep quiet about it. I do a lot of awareness as I visit and meet them in their boarding houses.
Due to poverty, some of our young people are hungry and thirsty for sponsorships to study abroad. There are a lot of fake sponsors around. Some boys and girls have gone missing from school, no communication to their parents or anybody. Only God knows where they have disappeared. I just help them to make informed choices in case someone approaches them and talks about sponsorships. They should know how to analyse and know the difference between a genuine sponsor and a fake one.
Recently, I got some pamphlets from the Missionaries of Africa community in Kitwe and I distributed them immediately. Also, I have been invited to participate in an international conference in Pretoria South Africa on Anti-Human Trafficking Campaign and Truck drivers in African countries. After it, I intend to extend my sensitization campaign to primary, secondary and high schools around our University because some of the pupils can also be potential victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking.
Sister Sabina Namfukwe
Below: drawings from a poster illustrating various forms of human trafficking.
FENZA library
To have access to online journals through FENZA, please use the search box in the library section (http://www.fenza.org/library.html).
There are two possibilities:
- When within the vicinities of FENZA, the person has access to all online subscriptions without restrictions. Just log into www.jstor.org or into search.ebscohost.com from within FENZA. (Outside the vicinities of FENZA one has access only to the free services of these provides.)
- When outside FENZA, one may still gain access to the services of EBSCO and JSTOR as a registered user of FENZA. The person needs to register with FENZA, and we will provide a password to the person and the conditions of usage. One may apply by writing to the director@fenza.org.