Jean-Baptiste made his Declaration of Intent at St. Lawrence Parish on Sunday the 2nd February in front of the Christian Assembly. Jaya Mrutyun and Bernhard Udelhoven, who presided Mass, signed also the Declaration.
Also present: Marc Nsanzurwimo, Romaric Bationo, Serge St-Arneault and Jean-Pierre Sauge.
At the request of Jean-Baptiste, a chorale made of youth sang a song in French.
The stagiaire Philippe Dakono was also witnessing the event.
Category: Zambia Sector Page 3 of 10
News and events of Zambia Sector of SAP
Jean-Baptiste made his Declaration of Intent at St. Lawrence Parish on Sunday the 2nd February in front of the Christian Assembly. Jaya Mrutyun and Bernhard Udelhoven, who presided Mass, signed also the Declaration.
Also present: Marc Nsanzurwimo, Romaric Bationo, Serge St-Arneault and Jean-Pierre Sauge.
At the request of Jean-Baptiste, a chorale made of youth sang a song in French.
The stagiaire Philippe Dakono was also witnessing the event.
About sixty confreres gathered for their annual Zambian Sector Assembly, this time again at Kasisi. Our confrere Venerato Babaine accepted to act as moderator of the assembly.
Dr. Lloyd, working as a medical doctor at the new Cardinal Adam Memorial Catholic Hospital in Bauleni, Lusaka provided two talks; one on Diabetes becoming an emerging health emergency and the second one on prostate cancer. Diabetes is predicted to exceed the ravagesof the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the near future while prostate cancer is the most common cancer in the world among men. The second talk on pastoral issues was offered by Dr. Fr. Leonard Namuhumba who is a lecturer at St. Dominic’s Major Seminary. As usual, each community gave a report of their activities and brought their views and concerns on various questions related to our commitments and future engagements. Thanks to the Provincial Christopher Chileshe, using a PowerPoint presentation, the confreres got a better understanding of the decisions taken at the Plenary Council which took place in Ouagadougou, West Africa. The end of the meeting ended with a farewell party in honour of Father Henk van der Steen who decided to retire in his native land in Holland. For he’s a jolly good fellow, for he’s a jolly good fellow, For he’s a jolly good fellow, and so say all of us! Here some pictures of the event.
The St. Lawrence community is inviting all of us to the Declaration of Intent of our stagiaire Jean-Baptiste Todjro. The Eucharistic celebration will start at 9:00 hours on Sunday the 2nd February. This is an important step for Jean-Baptiste as he is expressing publicly his intention to pursue his formation to become a Missionary of Africa.
Let us make this event ours in a spirit of thanksgiving for the achievement of Jean-Baptiste as well as the entire St. Lawrence’s community.
See also the following link: Saint Lawrence Day Celebration; 10th August 2013
Agnes, as usually known at Home of Hope, spent some months at the Centre but went back to Poland just after the New Year. She is sending touching words about her experience with the street children of Lusaka. We wish her to enjoy her new life back home hoping to see her again among us, here in her second home…of hope.
From Agnes:
Kitek is gazing suspiciously all the time, as if with disbelief – she’s back. He’s sniffing, observing, recognizing. He’s spending all his time sitting on a suitcase abandoned in the middle of the room, in case of another sudden departure into the unknown.
My Zambian life came to an end. One hundred and fifty days of incredible wandering – with people, with culture, with my own head – all of it over once I got on the board of a plane. It was my second encounter with Home of Hope. I went back there after a year out of longing and out of conviction that this is the way it is supposed to be. I roamed with them regardless of my mood. I roamed my new world with curiosity, fear, anger and fascination. I learnt a lot even though I’d gone to teach there.
It was a wise encounter. I didn’t live a sheltered life. I lived next to, close, within reach. This astonishment and irritation of mine. Meeting another culture, colour, and other people – always a challenge for them and for you… I didn’t hide under a blanket of romantic Africa-in-the-sunset illusions. I saw a lot, heard a lot, experienced a lot. I came up against my own wall along the way, right next to my head… It’s a price and gain at the same time. I found balance between something beautiful, ephemeral, good and something dirty, pissed-on and bad. I experienced openness, love, care and unconditional being.
Quotidian life, built of ordinary getting-ups and ordinary falling-asleeps. The stories of children, of the street… this wandering never seemed to end. All I had to do was wait, and sit; a man and man meet.
But everything times two. This adventure is like that – two-sided.
I experienced being the other one, the one from the West or the East? Never mind, a stranger. Being not at home, not in my right place, being only an unintelligible White. I experienced what it’s like when everyone wants a bit of you and you’re falling apart into small pieces, only making sure that the head is where it should be. You’re looking for legs and arms – check, shaking a bit but they are still there. You’re making sure once again – yep, they are there. I was looking for my own boundaries, whether they weren’t full of holes, whether, by chance, they didn’t need mending… where was this crack which fear and sadness were leaking through?
But you keep on wandering, as the inner compass points at your direction and goal. It makes sense, this wandering, this step-taking, this building……
What’s good and what’s bad always forms us, only if we want to give it a chance.
Agnieszka Liberacka
Final note from the author:
Those were good 150 days. I thank the people who took me in, my White Fathers for faith and the joy of shared lives. The boys for the fun of passing time together. I thank Jacek for being, for standing by and for constant help in unravelling the tangle of my own misunderstandings and questions. I thank the people who met me halfway through this little journey and struggle of mine.
Interview with Marina Amalia Zuccala
Greetings! From the East where all the wise left to pitch tents up in the North. Currently, it is rather warm and dry here, but hopefully God will be merciful to send us some few drops of his blessings.
The “Come and See” session is going on well with six young men. Yesterday, we had the opportunity to visit Navutika, Mary Mother of God Parish which is in being looked after by our humorous and zealous Missionary, Abambo Joe.
The Parish is very young but full of life with a diversity of pastoral activities to explore. It was interesting to go and see what is happening up there. FULL TEXT
By Patrick Raphaël Sebyera, stagiaire at Serenje Parish, Zambia
In the morning of the 10th October, from the driving school in Mansa, I was getting ready to go back home but stopped first at the office of Caritas Mansa. Reaching the gate, I saw an old man on a wheel chair. Poor man! He was struggling to climb a stiff slope. He was tired and sweating. I saw many people passing by but no one helped him. I came closer and greeted him.
— Can I help you?
— Yes! Please!
I pushed him up to the junction where I was planning to turn on my way home.
— Where are you going?
— I’m going to the compound after the hospital.
We continued on the road while I was asking to myself what he has done to deserve this. At a certain point, he asked me if I drink. I answered positively. Then, he told me to stop for a drink. However, I proposed him to simply pursue our journey. Reaching a high hump, I asked him how he manages to cross it when he is alone.
— God sends me somebody like you to help me.
As we were approaching the place where he could easily move by himself, women were selling some fruits.
— Let us buy some bananas, he said.
He had some coins in his pocket. He gave me 20 coins of 5 Ngwee to make one Kwacha. I brought the money to a women selling bananas.
— For whom do you want them?
— For the bashikulu (the old man).
I do not know why, but she was annoyed and gave me three small rotten bananas.
— Can you not give even one which is good?
— If you don’t want them, take your money back.
Once more, I was asking to myself what the bashikulu has done to deserve this. I took those bananas to him. He refused them saying “awe mukwai”. As a result, I went to take back the money. I felt bad.
As we reached the place where he could easily go by himself, I told him that it was time for me to go back to where we met in the first place and go home. He blessed me and gave me his 20 coins of 5 Ngwee. I thanked him adding that I was happy to help him without reward.
— Who are you to refuse a drink and my kwacha?
I simply gave him my own blessing which he accepted. I left my bashikulu and came back home asking to myself again and again what has he done to deserve this.
Good Shepherd Parish Youth Corner
It is a well-known fact that we are living in a doldrums where the tantrums of a new African hope are heard, therefore, the mighty citizens of Kabwata Good Shepherd Parish Youth Corner, present a poem in the spirit and foot of Cardinal Charles Lavigerie entitled The Fight against Modern slavery.
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- Good Shepherd Parish Youth Corner
Oswald Mallya, Francis Kangwa, Jaya Bordhan, Patrick Mumbi and Romaric Bationo went to Mongu for the funeral of the parents of our confrere Phelim Malumo who died suddenly in the same night. The mother was hospitalised. Her husband went to get some medicine for her in the evening, felt tired and lastly collapsed in a coma. In the meantime, his wife died at around 23 hours without the knowledge of the husband. Finally, he died too at around 3 hours.
Our confreres Phelim came quickly from Jerusalem where he is following a session. According to Oswald, the whole Mongu came to a standstill on Monday the 30th September when people gathered in the cathedral where Bishop Evans Chinyama officiated the liturgy.
Here below, some words sent by Phelim using his mobile phone.
Dear Confreres,
Greetings from Mongu.
I am recovering slowly from the tragic death of my parents. All went well. Still not yet owned and understood the event. But I am fine and I have been strong a bit to go through the funeral rites. The family is united and all is going in a Christian spirit. Most people have travelled back, but family members are still around.
Words of thanks for so many messages, spiritual and material support. I shall have some time to thank all.
When I came, I agreed with the Session staff that two weeks will be fine and then go back to continue the pilgrimage.
Thus I am waiting to hear about the re-entry permit from Tom. If that goes well, I was planning to fly either by the 9th or 10th October back to Jerusalem. If the re-entry is not accepted then it will not be possible to travel, then I have to rearrange my program. I shall come to Lusaka on the 7th next week Monday.
For now, your prayers! The family is trying to come to terms with the event and mystery of my parent’s death.
Many thanks for the material and spiritual support. Many thanks also to Serge for the effective communication and messages I have been receiving.
Until then, Gods’ blessings,
Phelim
Pictures from Francis Kangwa
FENZA Conference: September 17, 2013
This was the theme of the conference organized by the FENZA team on Saturday 17th against the backdrop of the Antislavery Campaign celebrations and commemorations which are coming to an end this month.
Four inputs were given. Claudio Zuccala, the JPICED Provincial Coordinator, presented the historical background in which the campaign was launched by cardinal Lavigerie -with specific references to the situation encountered by the first White Fathers when they arrived in Zambia at the end of the 19th century-, and the link with contemporary forms of slavery. Brother Jacek Rakowski, director of the Home of Hope, spoke about the slavery inherent to the life of children living in the streets. Sister Sabina Namfukwe, of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Child Jesus, currently matron at the Zambia Catholic University, shared her experience in the field of fighting Human Trafficking in rural areas in Zambia, especially in villages near border towns. In her presentation she explained the methods used by the traffickers and the main causes and contributing factors that lie behind the problem.
Finally, Mr Francis Chivuta, coordinator of the National Freedom Network in Zambia and directly involved in human trafficking awareness raising and victim support, illustrated the aim, the goal and the methodology used by the NFN which was launched in South Africa in 2011 but is now operating in different countries.
The conference was made lively by PowerPoint presentations and short video clips on the topic. Some of the participants raised interesting questions and gave their own enriching contribution to the debate.
One of the strongest outcomes of the conference is the necessity to create a network of all the parties interested and committed to fighting modern slavery. That would enable us to pool together our resources and plan for the future. We are all convinced that it’s absolutely necessary to keep high the alert level and to do whatever is within our outreach to try and stop any form of slavery. It’s good to keep that in mind as the FENZA team will draw up a table of contents for the next series of conferences.
N.B. Most of the material used during the conference is readily available. Please contact Romaric Bationo at director@fenza.org or Claudio Zuccala at c_zuccala@hotmail.com
By Francis Kangwa, M.Afr – Zambia
Kolibo Vocation Centre is a Pre-First Phase Centre based in Serenje, some 440 km North of Lusaka, Zambia.
This Centre was opened in 1990 and it came about as a result of the growing numbers of young people who showed interest in the way of life of the Missionaries of Africa. Thus, the idea of coming up with this Centre was to give these young men a favourable environment where they would have ample time to discover their vocation. The purpose of Kolibo Centre was to guide these young men in the process of discernment, while also preparing them for formation.
The Centre is named after Fr. Jean-Marie Colibault. In the ears of the local people, Colibault sounded like “Kolibo” and that is how they started to call him. Fr. Colibault (Kolibo) was an extremely zealous Missionary who worked in the Luapula Province of Zambia. For the people, be they Catholics or members of other denominations, Fr. Colibault was not only zealous but also a saint. He was a man of prayer and it was through prayer that he found strength to continue his work with great fervour and commitment. Naming the Centre after Fr. Colibault (Kolibo) was a way of emulating him and inspiring young people who would pass through the Centre with his passion for the Mission. READ FULL TEXT HERE
Centre vocationnel Kolibo, Zambie
Francis Kangwa, M.Afr, Directeur vocationnel – Zambie.
Le Centre vocationnel Kolibo est une maison de propédeutique à Serenje, à quelque 440 km au nord de Lusaka, Zambie.
Ce centre fut ouvert en 1990 pour répondre au nombre croissant de jeunes intéressés au style de vie des Missionnaires d’Afrique. L’idée de base de ce centre était donc d’offrir un environnement favorable à ces jeunes, où ils auraient le temps nécessaire pour découvrir leur vocation. Le but du centre était de guider ces jeunes dans un processus de discernement, ainsi que de les préparer à la formation.
Le centre tient son nom du Père Jean-Marie Colibault. Le nom de ce dernier sonnant comme “Kolibo” aux oreilles des gens, ceux-ci commencèrent à l’appeler ainsi. Le Père Colibault (Kolibo) fut un missionnaire très zélé qui travailla dans la province de Luapula en Zambie. Pour les gens, catholiques ou d’autres dénominations, le Père Colibault était non seulement un missionnaire zélé mais un saint. Il fut un homme de prière et par elle, il trouva la force de continuer son travail avec ferveur et dévouement. Appeler le centre de son nom était une manière d’inviter les jeunes qui y habiteraient à l’imiter et à s’inspirer de sa passion pour la mission. TEXT COMPLET