There is a time for everything.

By Dimitri Yampa, stagiaire at Dombe Parish.

As the book of Ecclesiastics says; “there is a time for everything”. Indeed, after waiting about two months, I finally got my visa for Mozambique. I left Zambia on 23^rd September and reached Beira on the same day through Zimbabwe. I was warmly welcomed by the Sector Superior Boris Yabre and Hugh Seenan.

I came just in time to take part in the monthly recollection attended by 32 religious, priests, seminarians, permanent deacons and catechists from three parishes. One of our confreres, Jean de Dieu Bukuru, gave a talk about the compassion of God in the Scriptures; “O pão da Vida é o pão da misericordia”. It was appreciated by everyone. We ended our recollection with Mass presided by Jean de Dieu and a permanent Deacon. This happened just before starting my language course on Monday 3^rd October 2016.

Glory and praise to the Lord and thanks to you all, especially Woodlands’ community, for the time I have been in Zambia. May God bless us all and bless the mission he has assigned to each one of us.

Link: My stay at the Provincial house in Lusaka at Woodlands.

Sedos Residential Seminar May 2 to 6, 2016 – Arricia, Rome.

I took part last May in a seminar organised by SEDOS (Centre of Documentation and Study) in Rome.  We were 120 participants made up of priests, religious men and women from all five continents.  Four Missionaries of Africa participated in the seminar: Denis Pam from Rwanda, Filiyanus Ekka from India, Frank Rossmann from Germany, and Boris Yabre from Mozambique. Two Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa were as well among us.

The world is in constant pain, torn by divisions, violence, wars and mutual rejection, cultural and religious tensions. This has brought about the theme of the seminar: Interculturality: Living and Mission.

Inspired and helped by some erudite guess speakers from Italy, Japan, Cameroon, India, United States and Peru, we have come to better understand that interculturality, rather than an issue, is an opportunity.  It is a golden chance to go beyond oneself in order to learn, share, love and grow.

We need to move away from our egocentrism tendencies and learn to appreciate “cultural relativism”. Thus, it should be admitted that no culture is superior or inferior to another. “Rather, we could say that every culture is unique and none of them can be identified with another one. Every identity presupposes diversity which remains the starting point for intercultural dialogue and communication between cultures.” Indeed, every culture is a gift from God not only to a specific group but to be cherished by the whole humanity. Each culture is unique and should not be undermined. Put together, cultures in their diversities make up a common richness to be enjoyed by the whole world.

Interculturality is an evangelical necessity whereby conversion of the heart, the mind and the will are needed as experience shows how conflictual can be our intercultural religious communities. That implies widening continuously our horizons and making steps toward the other with the unique intention of knowing and giving a space that is due to that person.

Personality and interculturality are to be reconciled and balanced in the practice of community living. We may belong to the same cultural background and yet we have different personalities. The danger appears when someone judges an entire culture from one’s subjective experience from an individual belonging to this particular culture.

The SEDOS seminar was excellent. It was a moment to experience our unity within the diversity inside the Church and in the world. The leaders of our little missionary Society thought well of sending four of us to take part in it. We are happy and grateful. We shall try our best to put into practice what our ears have heard.

Someone once sang, “different colours, one people”. I want to add, “different cultures, one people”.

Boris Yabre, M.Afr, Mozambique

Meeting of confreres in their first term of mission in SAP, Chipoka, Malawi

Frédéric Ajaruva Bedijo, Deogratius Ngowi, Norbert Nkingwa, Saju Jose Akkara, Florent Sibiri Sawadogo, Kombé dit Moïse Yébédié, Boris Yabre and Simeon Kalore.

By Norbert Nkingwa, M.Afr

Between the 2^nd and 7^th March 2015, six young confreres in their first term of mission in Southern Province (SAP) held their meeting in Malawi along the lake shore of Malawi at Chitsulo Conference Centre at Chipoka (between Salima and Mua). The confreres who took part includes Frédéric Ajaruva Bedijo, Norbert Nkingwa, Saju Jose Akkara, Florent Sibiri Sawadogo, Boris Yabre and Simeon Kalore.

The meeting was animated by Deogratias Ngowi and Kombé Dit Moïse Yébédié. The young confreres shared their experiences, the joy and challenges they faced with in their first term as Missionaries. It was also a moment to relax and recharge their batteries, ready to resume their mission with renewed zeal. The sharing was very enriching and a learning experience. The meeting was animated with a spirit of openness, brotherly and fraternity. All confreres were happy and grateful to the SAP Province for giving them that precious opportunity.

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Sussundenga in celebration – Mozambique

Every promise that we make in our life, no matter how small, is a landmark. This is what happened on the 16^th February 2014 in Sussundenga when Serge Kabwakila Kasombo made his declaration of Intent on the same day as Fr. Boris Yabre, M.Afr, was officially welcomed as curate.

The event started the day before with the participation of 73 young adults who shared theirs views on contemporary challenges affecting family life. A vocation takes root in a family and grows until it matures into marriage or religious life as the Declaration of Intent of Serge was intended to signify.

The Sunday celebration brought six Missionaries of Africa and three Stagiaires together with some Sisters and about 500 Christians who were jubilant throughout the Mass. The main celebrant was Father Richard Ujwigowa who received the declaration of Serge on behalf of Father Timothée Bationo, Delegate Superior of Mozambique. Other confreres did not managed to come because of the rain which had cut-off the road from Beira to Chimoio.

The readings and homily centered on the call made by the owner of all vocations; Jesus. As a good shepherd, he is the one who guides us, especially in times of difficulty. Serge trusted his own vocation into the hand of our Mother Mary when the choir sang the “Santa Maria”.

After Mass, in the Parish hall, all the families who contributed in the preparation of the day were invited to have a bite together enjoying a variety of food and drinks. Music and dance, both traditional and modern, added to the festive atmosphere.

Compiled by Maurice Odhiambo, Stagiaire in Dombe

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