My Dear Confreres, A Blessed Christmas to each of you.
Just a quick note on the lightning strike we had on Christmas Day in Lenasia. At about 3pm, I left my apartment and got into my car parked at the hall entrance at the back of our church. A storm came in and the rain became extremely heavy. I decided to wait in my car till the worst of it had passed. Suddenly I heard the loudest bang and then an amazing flash of lightening. Some alarms of houses nearby went off as did vehicle alarms.
I thought nothing of it and continued on my way. But, when I returned to the church at around 9pm, I discovered my apartment, the hall and church in darkness! I went to the stairs of the apartment at the end of the church hall passageway, and saw the bricks and debris lying all around and the corrugated roofing damaged. I then realized that the lightning strike hit my apartment.
Unfortunately, many things have been seriously damaged: the fax machine and computer in the office are gone, the internet router and the telephones in my apartment and office are gone, four of the CCTV Security Cameras are gone, and some music equipment and the projector in the church too.
Mr Brian Jackson, a very dedicated and hard working Catholic, with one of his sons, Donovan, and myself, spent the best part of Boxing Day checking out different electrical things in the apartment, the church, the Caretaker’s place and the hall, to see what else may be affected, but we’re still not sure we have covered everything.
What an exciting Christmas! This is the closest I have ever been to the incredible and frightening power of lightening, and I will be much more respectful from now on!
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lightning strike hit my apartment
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bricks and debris lying all around
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bricks and debris lying all around
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corrugated roofing damaged
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corrugated roofing damaged
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corrugated roofing damaged
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bricks and debris lying all around
With every good wish and God’s blessings – and have respect for lightning!
Fraternally, Raymond McQuarrie, 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
