That deceased missionary women and men may enjoy the peace of the encounter with the Lord whom they proclaimed to the world during their earthly lives. Lord hear us.
Alberto de la Portilla
Campaign on the harmful effects of mining activity on health and the environment
Today, October 29, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), together with Justiça nos Trilhos (Justice on the Rails), launched a campaign to alert the world’s citizens who unconsciously consume the products of mining and steel companies that for more than three decades have been deteriorating the health and polluting the environment of the community of Piquiá de Baixo, in the Brazilian Amazon.
The campaign marks the 30th anniversary of Grupo Ferroeste in the municipality of Açailândia and invites everyone to support the struggle for the rights of this community, to which the companies and the State have closed their eyes for so long.
To know more: https://bit.ly/3kFKur8
New commitment of the Comboni Lay Missionaries of the DRC
Since April 2018, this is the third time that the Comboni Lay Missionaries of Congo commit themselves to the mission ad gentes and ad vitam in the international movement of the Comboni Lay Missionaries.
There are six new members (6): Flory SEZABO, Paulin KUVULA, Guy SINYEMBO KALENGE, Fabienne EKENGE ALENGO, Christian NSONA and Cécile WAMBA, who have freely and voluntarily decided to commit themselves before God and the Christian assembly this Sunday 11 October 2020 in the parish of St. John Paul II of the Comboni Missionaries.
“You too go into my vineyard” (Mt. 20:3-4). “The lay faithful are also personally called by the Lord, from whom they receive a mission for the Church and for the world”.
All lay people are missionaries in virtue of their baptism, referring to the words by which Jesus Christ, Crucified and Risen, before ascending to heaven, entrusted to the Apostles the missionary mandate: “Go, therefore, from all nations, make disciples, baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”, in fact, it does not cease to resound, as a universal call and an ardent appeal.
As the Comboni laity grows over time, the province proceeded, for the third time, to the definitive consecration of 6 members and this, during the Eucharistic celebration presided over by its Chaplain, Fr. Célestin NGORE GALI, mccj and animated by the Choir afriquespoir des Laïcs Missionaires Comboniens, on 11 October 2020.
After pronouncing the formula of commitment before the altar, the chaplain imposed the cross on them, a sign of the following of Christ. Jesus died crucified, nailed to a cross. For Christians, the cross is the symbol of Christ’s death and resurrection. For Comboni too, suffering was represented by the cross: “We will have to tire, sweat, die; but the thought that we sweat and die for the love of Jesus Christ and the salvation of the most abandoned souls in the world is too sweet to make us turn away from this great enterprise”. It is the sign of salvation that God offers to all mankind. And the Writings of Comboni, a sign of his definitive belonging to the Comboni family.
As a driving force in mission promotion, after having organized its second provincial assembly in December 2019, the province is working to hold its 20th Congress next November 2020, together with the other Cenacles of Prayer and Missionary Spirituality.
In summary, the activities of participation for the creation and promotion of Cenacles of Missionary Prayer (MSC) and similar are developing normally. In addition to the realization of the Mission Ad Gentes, therefore, we inform that there are two members, one of whom had just completed his mission in the Central African Republic and the other is doing it locally in an orphanage.
CLM DRC
Communication Officer : Gabriel MANIMA MPELA
Domund (World Mission Sunday) 2020
This Sunday, October 18, the Church celebrates Domund, the world mission Sunday; a day to keep the missionaries present more than ever, those people who, from their vocation, gave a “Yes” entrusted to God to leave their homes and go to very unknown places; places that have ended up becoming their homes, communities that have welcomed them to share life from faith in the Good Father and fraternity as sisters and brothers, because of our condition as Sons and Daughters of God.
It is a good time to pray intensely for them, to remember, to be questioned by their life testimonies and to support their missions and projects.
Because as baptized we all feel called to go out and share with what we are the Good News of God’s Love.
Come on sister!, Come on brother!, the mission awaits you, and it begins deep within you, to leave you overflowing.
Here I am, Lord, send me.
Central Africa Republic – Help for “DA TI NDOYE” Medical Center
Central Africa Republic – Help for “DA TI NDOYE” Medical Center
Comboni Lay Missionaries, serving on the mission in Mongoumba, are young people who want to dedicate part of their lives to work among the poorest and most abandoned of this world. However, it is not always as easy as it sounds. We create an international community here and participate in the life of the parish in collaboration with the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ).
Our mission in Mongoumba in the Central African Republic is situated right on the border with Congo-Brazzaville and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our service is primarily to integrate people living in the depths of the forest – Pygmies with the people of the village. We go to small villages situated in the forest to provide at least basic medical help to these people, together with our local health center employee, we conduct short lectures on diseases occurring here, personal hygiene, we introduce simple catecheses that can be applied to their lives, as well as we give moments of carefree childhood to the youngest through games and fun.
Pygmies are a tribe that the local people of the village consider cheap or free labor, they are pushed to the margins of society, but unfortunately that’s the reality here. Integration is the most important task for us, but it is hard to talk about integration, when it often happens that Pygmies are not willingly admitted to the hospital to dress wounds, test for malaria, or even show the slightest interest in their health. They are sent home or to our mission.
On our mission, we have a small health center that is not in the best condition and a rehabilitation center called “Da ti Ndoye”, which means “House of Love”.
The project aims to modernize this rehabilitation center that has existed since 1985. We would like to combine it with our health center to create one complex offering many possibilities. It is one of the few rehabilitation centers to which patients come from the entire area of the M`Baiki diocese. In addition to restoring the physical building, we would also like to renew our missionary animation through physical work for the benefit of the local people by giving the most precious gift – health.
Depending on the financial possibilities, we would like to:
- replace the water sewage system; clean and disinfect the water tank or replace it with a new one; clean the well; purchase a generator for pumping water, replace water supply pipes;
- install solar panels and batteries
- purchase a power generator
- renovate the kitchen (replacing worktops, installing tiles)
- renovate the toilets (cleaning the walls, installing tiles, replacing doors, purchasing equipment)
- make a ramp for wheelchairs and install railings on the porch
- replace the ceiling throughout the building, clean and renew the walls
- equip the offices with the necessary equipment
- purchase the most necessary drugs
BUDGET
Drugs and dressing materials: EUR 4,000
Equipment for physiotherapy: EUR 2,000
Construction materials: EUR 12,000
Equipment for health center: EUR 5,000
Solar panels and batteries: EUR 5,000
Water pump and generator: EUR 4,000
Employees: EUR 3,000
Transport of materials: EUR 1,000
Sewage: EUR 2,000
TOTAL 39,000 EURO
If we manage to receive an extra money, we will use it for medicines and the health care and development programs for the pygmies’ population.
Donations can be done to MCCJ account in your country with annotation: Medical Aid Center “DA TI NDOYE” in CAR. CLM Mongoumba.
CLM in Central Africa Republic
