Zambia Sector – Page 10 – Missionaries of Africa

Come to have life abundantly

It is under this motto that the new Parish of St. Lawrence opened the celebration of its dedication on the 16^th September 2012. Even though the new church is quite impressive in size, the celebration took place outside under a most welcome fresh wind. The Archbishop Telesphore George Mpundu officiated mass.

St. Lawrence grew from Kabwata Parish where we also have confreres. Both places are separated by only few kilometres. Various lay groups and movements are very active together with 18 small Christian communities located in Misisi and Kamwala South. Other activities include a maize mill, a car park, block making, computer centre, carpentry, basic school and Home of Hope Centre for street children.

Brief historical events:

September 1997: first blocks of classrooms – Community School. November 25, 1998: official acquisition of the land. 1998: beginning of Home of Hope by the Catholic Women’s League. 1999: development of the Special Needs Centre. 2000: construction of the Multipurpose Hall. 2004: beginning of Catechetical instruction. 2005: construction of the priest’s house and first celebration of the first communion and children’s baptisms. 2007: construction of the research Clinic and computer Centre. November 2009: beginning of the construction of the actual church. March 2010: arrival of Theresians Sisters. June 12, 2011: opening and blessing of the church by His Eminence Medardo Cardinal J. Mazombwe. January 15, 2012: arrival of the first Missionaries of Africa’s community of Antoon van Kessel, Jacek Rakowski and then stagiaire Ernest Katembo Ngetha.

: Archbishop Telesphore George Mpundu officiating the opening of the new Parish.

: Inside the church

: Painting above the altar made by Michael Kapalamula from Malawi

: Statue of St. Lawrence in front of the church.

: Cross inside the church

: Painting inside the church made by Michael Kapalamula from Malawi

: Missionaries of Africa stagiaires

: Christians gathering outside the church during mass.

: Fathers’ house

Home of Hope

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On January 10, 2013

In Justice and Peace, News, Zambia Sector

Home of Hope is a Centre which gives shelter to the homeless boys that are found on the streets of Lusaka in order to rescue them from the vicious circle of homelessness: street-drugs-abuse-crime. It has become a half-way home with the purpose of re-integrating those children back in their families and main stream society. Statistics show that 90 % of street children are boys. The girls are referred to other NGOs with a similar outreach program.

The Centre was founded in 1998 by the Catholic Women’s League of Lusaka at the request of the then Archbishop of Lusaka R.R. Medardo Mazombwe. The League is still in charge of advocacy, sourcing funds and development of the premises as well as its running costs.

Being within its boundaries, the Catholic Parish of Good Shepherd was involved from the very beginning of the Centre. The first basic structures were built within the property of St. Lawrence Community Centre under the supervision of the Missionaries of Africa.

In 2011, Home of Hope admitted 68 homeless boys from whom 37 of them ran away at one point or another. Most of them came back and were readmitted. A total of 24 boys were successfully reintegrated to their families while others are still under the care of the Centre by providing them with educational support. Some children were very young. Two of them were 6 years old, one 8 and several boys within the range from 9 to 11 years old. Two brothers came from Ethiopia and two young ones from DRC/Congo.

The Centre works closely with Social Services (DSWO), Child Protection Unit of Zambia Police (CPU) and International Organization for Migrants (IOM). As a joint effort, Home of Hope has managed to take two cases (assault and child sexual abuse) to the Court of Law.

The year 2011 was marked by many types of violence among the population of homeless youth and children in Lusaka. Among these, the most common were assaults. But cases of murder, child sexual abuse, abortion and suicide were also registered. At various moments, the Centre was instrumental in transporting dead children to the Lusaka Mortuary, obtaining legal documentation and informing relatives of the deceased when possible. At the moment Home of Hope employs four teachers. Six dormitories are sheltering 48 boys. Our confrere Jacek Rakowski is involved at the Centre for many years now. Child protection policy guidelines are in place for the wellbeing of the children as much as for the staff of the Centre.

: Logo of Home of Hope

: Welcoming entrance of Home of Hope

: Home of Hope facilities

: Street boys being welcomed at Home of Hope

: Our confrere Jacek Rakowski in a classroom with a street boy

Our house in Ndola

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On January 10, 2013

In News, Zambia Sector

According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ndola), the population of Ndola has reached 774,757 inhabitants. Founded in 1904 by John “Chiripula” Stephenson, just six months after Livingstone, Ndola has always been an administrative town linked with the Rhodesian Railway as early as 1907. Over time, Ndola became the capital of the Copperbelt.

The Franciscan Conventuals from Italy arrived in 1931 and the White Fathers came a year later. For many decades, Ndola was the centre of the country until the seventies when Lusaka grew in size and importance, being the capital. Ndola airport was the entry point in Zambia for a long time. This is why Ndola became a vital centre for all the dioceses of Northern Zambia. Lorries were sent to get all the necessary goods for those dioceses. The Procure of Ndola has been a vibrant place for over half a century until better roads and general development in the country allowed the Northern part of Zambia to find other ways to meet its own needs. Like the town, the activities of the Procure went down. Fortunately, our confreres are still very active in various pastoral activities as hospital Chaplain or ministering in parishes like New Kaloko and others. As Ndola seems to resurrect economically from its lethargy with the prospect of major investments in a new oil refinery from private investors, our missionary presence may also increase in near future.

Still in Ndola are our confreres Reinhold Bloching and Piet Verkleij. Denis Laliberté went back home to Canada for health reason as well as Maurits De Weerdt to Belgium for his retirement. Jules Roy joined the community recently.

: Map of Zambia

: Our Ndola house.

: Storerooms which used to be allocated to Northern dioceses.

: From left to right: Reinhold Bloching, Piet Verkleij and Maurits DeWeerdt

: Window glass in the chapel made by Tony Konings, reassembled by Mr Kunda after being smashed in a storm.

: Beautiful flowers in the garden of Ndola

: From left to right: Reinhold Bloching, Piet Verkleij and Maurits DeWeerdt

: Beautiful flowers in the garden of Ndola

: On the way to Sunday mass

: Mass servants, girls and boys

: Praising God by dancing

: Ecumenical friendship with the United Church of Zambia

: Enacting the life of John the Baptism

: Reborn by baptism into the community of Christians

: HIV orphans call for solidarity

: Counselling for HIV patients

: Planning of a new house for a destitute family

: Hydraulic pressing of mud bricks

: Transport of bricks to building

: A new house waits for a roof

: Community cooperation

: Grandmother with grandchildren in a new house

: Happy and proud with final diploma

: Celebration of the annual graduation ceremony

: Youth eating their own food

: Field mice, a delicacy

: Praying together

: Eating together

: A sharing community brings happiness

The President’s Insignia of Mercy attributed to Léopold Lalonde

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On December 30, 2012

In News, Zambia Sector

The President’s Insignia of Mercy attributed to Léopold Lalonde

On the Independence Day of Zambia, 24th October, the President of the country, Michael Chilufya Sata, honoured 18 people for their distinguished service to the country. Among them is our confrere Léopold Lalonde who came to Zambia in October 01, 1956.

His award is attributed to him for two main reasons. The first one is related to his involvement, as a young priest, in protecting the lives of many people who were at risk at the time of the uprising in 1964 of a young prophetess called Alice Lenshina Mulenga Lubusha, founder of an independent church, the Lumpa, meaning “to excel, to be superior” Church. Unfortunately, over two thousand people, including women with their children on their back, lost their lives. For more details, see: History of the Catholic Church in Zambia, 1895-1995, by Hugo F. Hinfelaar, M.Afr, Bookworld Publishers, 2004, pages 184 to 190.

The second but more important reason to receive an award was the commitment of Léopold as Catholic Chaplain in the General Hospital of Kasama. His dedication to the sick lasted fifteen years from 1995 to 2010. Beside the pastoral care, Léopold provided medicine and means of transport for the sick. He was greatly appreciated. He truly deserves the award of Insignia FOR MERCY.

Eighteen recipients surrounded the President of Zambia at the State House for the official picture. Among them, nine wives of freedom fighters and Jules Roy who received the award on behalf of Léopold Lalonde who was referred as Lalonda, which sounds more Zambian.

What this honour represent for me!

I am surprised to receive this honour and I have been asking myself: what have I done out of the ordinary? I have simply tried to be faithful to my missionary call. Looking at the Insignia of Mercy, I look back in the past years into the vineyard of the Lord without nostalgia but rather more with gratitude. I thank the Lord for all those 55 years he has given me to live with the Zambians.

The joy that I feel today seems to me the beginning of the reward that Jesus has promised to all of us.

: Léopold Lalonde

: Invitation card

: Booklet

: Casket of the medal

: Medal of the President’s Insignia of Mercy

: Official picture; From the Times of Zambia newspaper, Thursday, October 25, 2012

: ZNBC TV Newsreader

: ZNBC TV Jules Roy

: Article from the Times of Zambia newspaper, Thursday, October 25, 2012

Interview with Luc Antaya

By Missionaries of Africa - Southern Africa Province (SAP)

On December 28, 2012

In News, Zambia Sector

Interview with Luc Antaya, 19^th & 22^nd October 2012 in Kasama.

It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time. Can you tell me more about you?

I was born on the 3rd September 1940. I am a Canadian of mixed origin. As a matter of fact, I am of German and Irish decent on the side of my mother and Algonquin and French on my father side. As you may know, the Algonquin are a tribe of the First Nations of Canada. Actually, my name Antaya is an Algonquin one meaning “ce coureur des bois”, in reference of the first French explorers who came in the early 17th century in the so called “Nouvelle France”. They were “running in the forest”. I identify myself primarily as an Algonquin.

I pronounced my oath on the 25th June 1964 in Eastview, Ottawa, and was ordained priest in Sorel on the 26th June 1965. I arrived in Zambia for the first time by plane at the International airport of Ndola on the 19th December 1965. Soon after, I went to Ilondola to learn Chibemba. Then, I went to Samfya, Kabunda, Nsakaluba, Lufubu which became Kazembe, Kawambwa, Kashokishi, Kasaba, Lubwe and Kasamba with Louis-Philippe “Pady” Girard and Jean-Louis Godinot till 2009. I am now appointed to Kasama up to 2014.

I got my official initiation into the White Fathers Club at the foot of the tree where Bishop Dupont put his tent in Chilubula. My master of initiation was Joseph Fayet (1886-1976), a Frenchman who spoke only his mother tongue and Chibemba. He pointed his finger and said: “Ici, Motomoto a planté sa tente”. Father Fayet came in Zambia before 1910 and knew Bishop Dupont (1851-1930).

Therefore, you have been in Zambia for the past 47 years.

This is right.

How would you describe yourself?

I dislike travelling. So, I stay where I am and never go back to where I was. I simply give 100% of myself wherever I am appointed. Today, I can say that I enjoy very much my knowledge of Chibemba. I spend a lot of time listening to people. If I could give an advice to the young generation of confreres, I would encourage them to spend time listening to the people. Don’t we have two ears and only one mouth? People appreciate it even though I do not solve their problems as such. But my experience shows me that listening brings healing.

What major challenge are you facing as Parish Priest of St. Annie’s New Town?

First of all, I thought that my turn for being a PP was over. But, I have been told that St Annie’s New Town is an easy, small, urban Parish. It might be true on paper but there are so many things going on that it makes me laugh a bit. As for your question, I think that the biggest challenge at the moment is the expansion of Pentecostal Churches. Quite a few of our youth are attracted by them. Some say that the Catholic Church is for old people. As I said, it is a big challenge. Some even see it as a danger.

What could explain this phenomenon?

Recently, I went to visit elderly and sick people in an impoverished area of the town. I discovered that a majority of young people are living with their grand-parents. Either their parents are dead or divorced. The generation gap is a tragedy whereby the grand-parents, coming from an old mentality, are lost or unable to cope with the changing times. Moreover, the young generation is cut off from the tradition and is facing tremendous difficulties to make a living.

As a Christian community, we are not able to find an answer to this social reality. We are losing touch with many young people. This is why I am thought-provoking my pastoral team to reflect and to do something about it. Fortunately, we have a good team for youth apostolate, including young confreres like Camille Konkobo and religious sisters. This is taken up also by the four parishes in Kasama town.

Thanks to you Luc. We wish you to remain an inspiring witness for all of us in years to come.