Category: Zambia Sector Page 9 of 10
News and events of Zambia Sector of SAP
Brief History, by Phelim Malumo, M.Afr
In 1993, the Missionaries of Africa with the team of Jean-Marie Beliveau and Maurits De Weerdt took over the two parishes of Kawama and Twatasha which was under the SMA. These Parishes were former outstations of Chimwemwe Parish. The team settled in Kawama, house No. 558. This house is owned by the diocese.
Kitwe is the largest city of the Copperbelt. The confreres are living in Kawama compound in the midst of families originating from all parts of Zambia and some from neighbouring countries (Congo, Tanzania, and Angola, etc). Kawama parish comprises Old Kawama, New Kawama and Kamatipa with a total population of about 40,000 of which 8,000 are Catholics. The White Fathers also serve Twatasha parish which covers Twatasha compound and Race Course with a population of about 25,000 people of which 6,000 are Catholics.
About 5% of the population work for different companies in Kitwe as skilled workers, but a good number are employed as watchmen or security guards and others work as house servants, charcoal burners, at the service of commercial farmers or tiling their own small plots along the Kafue River and Chingola road. However the majority of people struggle for survival in small businesses or trading in a variety of commodities.
2013 Updates, by Serge St-Arneault, M.Afr
According to Jean-Bosco Masaba, who was on his journey back to Lubumbashi, Kawama means “the solitary man there!” A man was living on his own telling people that the place will be a good one in a near future; “pa kawama”. Also, Twatacha refers to a thankful man happy for the plot he had received; “thank you!”
There are fifteen small Christian communities in Kawama and nine in Twatacha. At the moment, four confreres are members of Kitwe community: Piet van Heijst from Holland, Jacques Bédard from Canada, Felix Kamunenge fom Zambia and Venance Shundu, stagiaire from Tanzania.
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- Our house in Kitwe. Standing: Jacques Bédard and Piet van Heijst
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- Courtyard
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- Jacques Bédard and Jean-Bosco Masaba in front of the gate
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- Twatacha church situated at 3km from our house
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- Youth group. Standing: Jacques Bédard
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- Twatacha Parish Office
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- “What shall I do?”
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- “Let me think!”
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- “Let us pray.”
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- Opening Mass procession
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- Inside Twatacha church
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- Main celebrant: Piet van Heijst
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- Consecration
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- Piet in front of his 1991 Toyota, still running strong
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- Number plate AAK; All Against Kaunda on the first year of multi-party election
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- Kawama church
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- Inside the church
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- Wedding taking place
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- Main celebrant: Felix Kamunenge
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- Jacques Bédard with a group of women
Beware of the new currency introduced in Zambia on the 1st January 2013. The old money has lost three zeros to make life easier, especially for accounts keeping. One million Kwacha has become one thousand Kwacha with the same value. People are slowly getting use to the new paper bills and new coins called “ngwee”. Please, if you plan to come to Zambia, be sure to know the difference between the old 100 Kwacha and the new one. See below: on top is the old currency bill, still being used, which is worth 0.02 $ while the new 100 Kwacha at the bottom has a value of 20 $. Enjoy discovering the differences.
A terrible accident happened on February 7 in Chibombo, half way between Kabwe and Lusaka, when 59 people died following a collision between a truck and a passenger bus belonging to the Post Bus company. We received the sad news that Janet Chimanse, first cousin of our confrere Elvis Ng’andwe, Zambian stagiaire in Niger, died in this tragic event. Let us pray for the family of Elvis who are mourning her loss.
May her soul rest in peace through the mercy of God.
There were plenty of people on Sunday the 3rd February to bid farewell to Father Evariste Some after being the parish priest for four years at the Parish of St. Peter in Serenje, Kabwe Diocese. In attendance were Christopher Chileshe, Oswald Mallya, who is the incoming parish priest, Faustin Kerumbe, Marc Nsanzurwimo, Emmanuel Mambwe, Everisto Mwelwa and the two stagiaires Fitiwi Abraha and Patrick Sebyera. Father Some will be going soon to Rome for studies in view of formation in his home province of PAO.
Father Some was the main celebrant for the Eucharistic celebration while the reception took place at the hall in town in the afternoon. A colourful send-off in which parishioners congratulated Father Some included a banquet, speec
hes and gifts. In his word of thanks, Father Some urged the Christians to support the new parish priest in the same spirit as they did for him. The SAP, and Zambia Sector in particular, wishes Father Some all the best and thanked him for his good apostolate. By Everisto Mwelwa, M.Afr
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- St. Peter
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- The church of St. Peter
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- Fr Some and parishoners
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- Fr. Some and parishoners
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- Blessing of Fr. Some at Mass
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- Hall in town
Erick Balderas Vega is originally from the State of Idalgo, close to
Mexico City. He grew up there together with three brothers and two sisters. Erick is the third child of the family and his parents are still alive. After his High School, Erick did his philosophy at the diocesan seminary. Then he spent a year at home before coming to our formation house in Guadalajara in 2006. He first met our confrere Sergio Villaseñor Salinas and saw in him what he was looking for, someone committed to missionary work in Africa. What really attracted him to the Missionaries of Africa is our international community lifestyle where he feels really at home. Erick spent a few months in Washington DC to learn English before going to Lua-Luo in Kasama for his noviciate. At present he is a stagiaire at the parish of Kabwata in Lusaka. Erick has to make efforts to overcome his shyness. He does not rush into things but takes his time to reflect before making a decision. His family will surely see in him a new person when he goes back home at the end of his stage. Erick has been recommended for further studies at Merrivale by his community of Kabwata. He is still waiting for his official appointment.
DREAMS. Where do Biblical, Zambian, and Western Approaches Meet? First book published by FENZA (Faith and Encounter Centre Zambia), Lusaka. January 2013. With contributions from Gotthard Rosner, Bernard Udelhoven and Patrick Mumbi.
What does the Bible say about dreams? What do Zambian cultures say? And how does this all mix with Western psychology? Dreams are important in Zambia. Yet when Christians try to find meaning in their dreams, they have to juggle with very different worldviews. This book is written for all who have an interest in dreams, from the perspectives of Zambian cultural traditions, psychology and theology. It clarifies some important issues and is of special benefit for those who help people in the pastoral field to deal with compelling dreams experiences.
Available at FENZA at the cost of ZR 40.
“Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you” (Matthew 11: 28).
The Ministry of Inner Healing and Reconciliation (MINHER) offers Counselling Sessions and Healing Retreats. These two services are offered in order to bring inner healing and reconciliation to a person experiencing the following problems:
1. Suicide and thoughts of death: Haunted by feelings of wanting to commit suicide or thinking of committing suicide. 2. Trauma: Being very much disturbed by a very powerful shocking and sad event that has happened in your life. Experiencing being haunted (troubled, disturbed, or chased) by the bad experience that happened to you in the past. 3. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Experiencing intense fear, shock and helplessness as a result of remembering a very sad event that happened to you in the past. 4. Bereavement: Intense, shock, sadness and sorrow after the death of somebody you love very much. Recurrent and disturbing dreams especially after the death of your beloved person (parent, spouse, child, brother/sister). 5. Depression & Anxiety: Persistent feelings of hopelessness and pessimism. Feelings of worthlessness, guilt and helplessness. Loneliness, sleeping too much, not wanting to socialise or come out of bed or house. Difficulties and fear in making decisions (especially important ones). Restlessness, anxiety and experiencing intense fear, worries or empty mood. Insomnia (lack of sleep). Not feeling yourself, especially after a shocking event. Lack of confidence and enthusiasm in your life. 6. Healing and Renewal Retreats for Christians: for those who want to be healed from the wounds of the past, who want to have more personal relationship with God, who want to grow in freedom and peace with God and with each other. 7. Bipolar Disorders: Having two extremes when acting: either happy or very sad. Lack of balance in your life; either very excited or very depressed. Sudden changes of mood (mood swings).
All the services are offered in strictly confidential and non-judgemental environment!
Counselling Sessions. First option: Individual Counselling Sessions in a package of 4 to 7 sessions offered once a week between Tuesdays to Thursdays on agreed time. Second option: three days individually guided Healing Retreat with a session once a day on agreed date and time.
Fees. First option: Counselling Sessions: Negotiable. Second option of three days residential (including full board) and Healing Retreat: KR 750.
Where to find MINHER. MINHER is located at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in SERENJE at about 7 kilometres from the first “T” junction on the Great North Road, coming from Lusaka.
Who to Contact? Fr. Oswald Mallya, M.Afr (Psychotherapist/Counsellor).
St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Box 850018, SERENJE, Zambia. Telephone: 097-856-7684/095-585-2771. E-mail: oswaldmallya@yahoo.com
Oswald Mallya
Oswald Mallya has just completed his Masters in Counselling. His dissertation is entitled: Will the Psychotherapist(s) eventually replace priest(s) as the physicians of the soul? The related question behind this research is to understand why some Catholics opt paying for the help of a psychotherapist instead of asking for spiritual direction from a priest who will welcome them free of charge. Why are some Catholics abandoning the Confession or the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which has been used as the
Sacrament of Healing by our Church for about 2000 years?
From those interviewed, the main reason mentioned is the issue of time. Basically, priests have no time to listen. They are too busy. Moreover, some of them are unfriendly or have an unapproachable character. Finally, the sacrament of reconciliation, in its actual form, does not allow people to share their inner self for lack of time. Oswald hopes to pursue his research once back to Serenje as parish priest.
Congratulation to Father Marc Nsanzurwimo who completed recently his doctorate at the Pontificia Università Urban
iana in Rome. His thesis, entitled The Funeral in Zambia with Particular Reference to the Lala People of Serenje, is focusing on rites and customs from which life flows within and between the visible and invisible worlds. The research is a reflection on funeral as a locus for inculturation within the context of evangelization and encounter between African traditional religion and the Church.
Marc is very happy about his achievement. Moreover, he was pleased to see that a student consulted his thesis on the same day he put his document in the FENZA library.
In the coming weeks, he intends to finish gathering some reflections which he started to do years ago with some parishioners of Regiment Parish. Hopefully, with some funds, another book will be ready for publication by January 2013 with the title; Regiment Parish, St Charles Luangwa, 70 years of Evangelization and Social Concern.
We wish Marc Nsanzurwimo to enjoy making more research in line with the vocation of FENZA Centre where he has now been appointed.