That Saint Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family, may help all the members of our Institutes to share all that they are and have, even if apparently insignificant, and may ensure that, following his example, we may give the best of ourselves and our very lives in the service of the plan of salvation of God the Father, for the regeneration of all peoples. Lord, hear us.
A great tree has fallen
On that faithful Sunday 27th day of October 2024, was a heavy slap on the face of Comboni Lay Missionaries CLM, Togo-Ghana-Benin Province, the Catholic communities of both Bakpa Avedo, and as well as Sogakorpe. A coordinating team member Mr. Benjamin Kwame Amekor was granted an exit to join and continue his services, an everlasting rest in his final home of destination with his maker.
He is a native of Bakpa Avedo in Volta Region, Ghana. He was a teacher by profession, and a community leader. The first head Christian, a founding member of the Sacred Heart Parish Church of Bakpa Avedo.
Brother Ben is a father and friend of all, including the CLM members in Ghana. It is obvious, nothing is most beautiful than to serve the Lord through to the end of one’s life especially as a Lay Missionary in this world.
Being the Secretary, he renders his services with joy and obedience to the call of the group. What a loss of dedicated in service, display of knowledge and wisdom, above all active in almost every activity in life of the group, be it pastoral experiences. A man who makes sure he is counted among the members of the group is no more.
He ended his vocation as a Comboni Lay Missionary which he cherished a lot. Jokes were flowing from him as a sign of shared wisdom with other members of the group. Such as laughing in the different languages, another is ‘if till now you do not know what Jesus Christ had done for you then that is your own problem’ are still fresh in our memories. Why should such a lovely person could not have stayed longer and shared with us in order to influence our growth in faith? Only God knows.
Who knows, this could be a divine call for a better life in the Kingdom of God, a service which is everlasting. We may say this is surely a wakeup call to all members of the CLM family to work hard and get ready for such a divine home everlasting call.
Our brother Benjamin, may you be united to the Saints, especially St. Daniel Comboni our founder and with him, please, intercede for us. Amen.
Christian Wotormenyo, CLM.
We pray you, Lord, that, in the face of the looming and frightening threat of human trafficking, we may increasingly be, together with you, defenders of life, promoters of dignity and facilitators of freedom. Lord, hear us.
Let us pray that, through our missionary service, we may help build up the Kingdom that Jesus came to bring into the world: a kingdom of justice, love and peace. Lord, hear us.
December 15, 2024
On this date, the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudette Sunday, Sunday of Joy, International Comboni Lay Missionary Sunday, the readings of this Sunday invite us to rejoice, to be attentive but joyful because the Lord, our savior, is coming soon.
With the same joy in Costa Rica we gathered in the Parish of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, in Barrio Cuba, San Jose, with great enthusiasm, the CLM continue to grow internationally and here is no exception, since our candidate Jorge Arturo Zamora Viquez, a resident of Perez Zeledon, south of the country, took his commitment, becoming the second Comboni Lay Missionary in Costa Rica.
Ignacio Marin, Comboni Missionary, presided at this celebration, and together with the assembly, listened to the reading of the commitment of the now CLM Jorge, also taking the opportunity CLM José David Rojas made his renewal of commitment, then both and together with Father Ignacio proceeded to sign on the altar what was read as a sign of sealing this commitment to God Himself. Let us continue praying so that the owner of the Harvest continues sending workers to his fields willing to give everything to put their service, dedication, love, courage and effort in and for the Mission Ad Gentes.
As signs of commitment, Brother Jesus, Comboni Missionary and advisor of the CLM in Costa Rica for the CLM, gave Jorge a ring as a covenant with God, a cross as a sign of the Christian and a rosary so that prayer will not be lacking in his life. After the Eucharist we went to the Martyrs of Uganda Seminary, in Sagrada Familia, San José, which is the center of our meetings and formations, to share lunch with some friends of the Mission.
In the meantime we continue working, forming ourselves, serving so that when we meet with the poorest and among the poorest, we can spread the same joy that invites us on the third Sunday of Advent, and that our testimony may serve as an example to bring many souls to the foot of the cross of that God of mercy and love.
CLM Costa Rica.
