Comboni Lay Missionaries

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Africa

The 4th African Assembly in Benin Cotonou

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LMC Africa

From 3rd December 2022 to 12th December 2022

The African assembly brings together all Comboni Lay Missionary groups in Africa.

The 4th assembly started in Benin on 3rd December 2022 to 12th December 2022. The African Assembly has been postponed for two years due to Covid 19 Pandemic. This year the participants are from Tchad, Kenya, Uganda, DRC, TGB and Egypt

The opening ceremony was presided over by the Togo -Ghana-Benin (TGB) Provincial Superior Fr. Timothy Hounake.

He welcomed the delegates present to his province stating that it has been along journey waiting for this meeting. This was due to the postponement because of Covid19 Pandemic.

He assured the delegates that as a province of Ghana, Togo and Benin they are working very hard in Vocation, Evangelization, Baptism, Schools and Formation for new Comboni Missionaries. He however reiterated that they are working extremely hard in fighting the evil in the society. That there are still many of injustices that they are fighting through Peace and Justice Commission.

Fr. Timothy thanked the Comboni Lay Missionaries for holding the meeting here in Benin as this is a motivation to the people and may make them active. He thanked the fr. in charge of CLM TGB province, the co-Ordinator’s of different CLM groups for choosing Benin as their venue for the assembly.

Opening remarks by the Africa CLM Assembly Coordinator – Likambo

Mr. Likambo welcomed members for the assembly. He expressed his appreciation to the host TGB province and Fr, Leopold Adanle for facilitating the meeting. He thanked all the groups present for coming even though the threat of covid19 is still active. However he regretted that Some groups could not make it due to economic challenges, these are Mozambique and Republic of Central Africa.

He noted that some groups are finding it difficult in putting their mission into practice. He urged members to have a resolution to solve the problem.

Reports from different CLM groups

Togo, Ghana, and Benin.

TGB is one province in three different countries, though currently CLM is present in Ghana. After nearly 10 years the candidates were accepted as Lay.

Report from Egypt

After the conclusion of the general assembly in Rome in 2018, the group of the CLM of Egypt embarked on completing the statute of the CLM. At completion of our program of formation we celebrated our commitment within the church and the Comboni family. Animate by the desire to live a missionary life, ready to go where no one wants among the most abandoned and neglected. We work with immigrants, in prisons, and in haut Egypt in very poor and marginalized villages. Currently we are focusing on vocation animation, to increase our family as Comboni Lay Missionaries.

Report from Uganda

The CLM has been in existence for nearly 22 years.

They have residential kind of formation where candidates reside for 6 months. They have one CLM in mission in Kenya

Tchad

The CLM presence are in different cities where Comboni MCCJ are.

The formation takes 6 months.

We have income generating projects that help us.

Currently we have a numerous group but none in mission .

They have 15 CLM members.

Congo

The CLM group was started in 1996

We are 68 lay committed members.

We work with the poor and marginalized.

Mozambique

They were not present for the meeting but their report were read by Alberto the CLM central committee coordinator.

They consist of 5 CLM 3 international and 2 local CLM

They face different challenges including internet connectivity and languages. They have requested to meet with other African CLM through online the CLM has been in existence since 1998.

Central African Republic.

The coordinator was absent due to economic problems, but their report was read by Dido.

They have 2 CLM from Poland

 Kenya – Martin

The CLM in Kenya is young nearly 1 year old. The first Lay members were commissioned on 12/12/2022. Non of the lay is on mission either inside or outside Kenya.

They have 4 lay missionaries, and 6 candidates.

We have international community in kitelakapel where it is Linda Mitcheletti from Italy and Pius Oyuma from Uganda. We have several income generating projects like selling Horney, Peanut Butter and Tamarind Juice.

Participants
Central Committee. Alberto de la Portilla (top row center) P. Arlindo Ferreira Pinto (photographer) CLM
Coordinators
From left back row Martin Juma Onyango (Kenya), Christian Wotormenyo (TGB), Dieudonne Likambo Kwadje (African committee), Frank Amenyo(TGB)
Front row from left
Linda Micheletti international community in Kenya, Hani Chafik Khalil (Egypt), Benjamin Amekon(TGB), Gerard Kambouj (RDC), Anicetus Adaku (Uganda), Justin Noughur (TGB), Madjita Haroun (Tchad)

“Seeds” project assists cyclone Gombe victims in northern Mozambique

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LMC Carapira

Since March when the powerful cyclone Gombe hit Carapira in northern Mozambique, destroying houses and farms. We, the CLM, have been working to alleviate the suffering of the population. Always in partnership with friends and people with good hearts.

With the help received from Brazil it was possible to carry out small projects. Among them the seeds project.

This Wednesday, November 23rd, we started the first phase of this project, which consists of delivering 5 kg of corn and 3 kg of beans to the most vulnerable families for planting.

The benefited families have the commitment to return the same amount received at harvest time, so that we can continue the project.

The Carapira Parish is composed of 94 communities divided into 5 regions with 22 zones. We chose to make the delivery in each zone to facilitate the access of the families.

The second phase will be on the 29th of this month. And the third will be at the beginning of December.

In this project there are more than 300 families contemplated.

On behalf of the families and the people of Carapira, I thank everyone who generously gave a little of what they have to help those who have even less.

God bless you all.

CLM Carapira

Engagement of the first CLM in Togo-Ghana-Benin

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CLM TGB

After a quite lengthy training period, three of the CLM candidates in the Province of Togo-Ghana-Benin were accepted to make their engagement. Frank Amenyo, Benjamin Amekor and Justin Nougnui were invited by the Chaplain Rev. Fr. Leopold Adanle to come for a day recollection at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Mafi-Kumase (Rep. of Ghana) on the 8th October, 2022. The recollection was facilitated by Rev. Fr. Achille Dansou, MCCJ in Mafi-Kumase Parish. He shared with us the theme of the World Mission Sunday proposed by the Holy Father, “You shall be my witnesses”. We had adoration in the day and also a Rosary with the Church Community of Mafi-Kumase. We ended the recollection with Sunday Eucharistic Celebration presided by the Parish Priest who is also our Chaplain.

On the 10th October, the Feast Day of St. Daniel Comboni, the MCCJ of the Province gathered at Mafi-Kumase for the occasion around the Provincial Rev. Fr. Timothée Hounake. After the profession of faith, we were called and presented to the Provincial. And before the Provincial, one after the other, we took our engagement to be CLM. We were received into the New Family. After the mass and taking of pictures, we were invited to the MCCJ gathering where we were made aware of the happenings in the Province in particular and in the Comboni Family in general. After this, we shared a family meal together with the MCCJ and our families.

We thank the Lord for the celebration. We thank the MCCJ family and our families and friends who have been with us. May we become “saint and capable” CLM.

St. Daniel Comboni, pray for us.

For the three, Justin Nougnui (CLM).