Comboni Lay Missionaries

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Mozambique

International Women’s Day in the ISC

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On March 8 it was the International Women’s Day. A time to celebrate, yes, but mostly for reflection and questioning about the situation of women in society.

In this sense, here on the Industrial School of Carapira (ISC), the juniors (10th grade), as an activity of the subjects of Civics and Moral Education and Computing, organized billboards and theaters on the subject of domestic violence, from the reading of the law made ​​to combat domestic violence in Mozambique. During the morning, in the school hall, posters were presented to other students and teachers. Not all were present, although there was significant student participation. In addition to the 3rd year classes, also collaborated in the presentation the cultural school group called WINA WIPA WOPA that translated from the local language (macua) means SING-DANCE-PLAY. They performed two songs that deal with the issue of violence, one in the opening and again in the conclusion, and even a preview of a small play that are organizing on the issue of human trafficking, which also includes the status of sexual exploitation of women.

At the end of the activities, gave a small gift to the women of the school: the students, secretaries, volunteers for the Peace Corps and the CLM through a card with a message.

It was a rich time of information and reflection, and it was good to see the commitment and animation of the students, especially in the theater. We hope to keep the message and commitment to combat these situations.

For all women, our respect and gratitude! And through the intercession of the Virgin Mother of Africa, God bless you in your mission!

We are together!

CLM Carapira, Mozambique

Opening of the 150th anniversary of the Plan of Comboni in Carapira

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Cruz 150 anosHere, in the Parish of Carapira every Wednesday we celebrate the Mass with the Catholic students of the Industrial School of Carapira and the girls of the female home of the Comboni Sisters, who are students of the elementary school in the neighborhood. This week, on February 19, the celebration took a special issue as a whole, with the opening of the year of reflection of the 150th anniversary of the Plan of Comboni. Anticipating tomorrow’s official opening suggested by the Institute of the Comboni Missionaries, this celebration was marked by the presentation of the memorial cross for this milestone, given to each community in the MCCJ Province of Mozambique, explaining to the present its meaning and motivation . Father Gino Pastore, who presided the Mass, highlighted the strength and courage of Comboni and his inspiration in developing the Plan, under the slogan “Save Africa with Africa”, thereby motivating the students to become protagonists of their own history, building a better social reality. He launched the Industrial School students who complete 50 years of its foundation, the challenge, inspired by the example of St. Daniel Comboni, that also write the Industrial School of Carapira Plan to comply with this slogan.

On Thursday, the 20th, in the celebration of the Mass with the missionary team, Father Paulo Emanuel stressed that date by reading excerpts from the letter from the MCCJ General and reflecting on the Gospel in the sense of not having the same temptation of Peter of being, even unconsciously, impediment to the realization of God’s plan in our lives and in the lives of people.

After dinner, the team met at the home of the CLM in a tone of celebration to mark the day by sharing food and conversation. As a symbol of this meeting to encourage personal and community reflection, each missionary received a message containing one of the questions that were posted on the general’s letter of the MCCJ on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Plan, in the part that invites us to write our own plan.

May the example of Saint Daniel Comboni follow drawing inspiration for the missionary vocation and that the Spirit of God, the same one that guided Comboni in preparing the plan, enlighten and guide us on the paths of building up the Kingdom!

We are together!

CLM Mozambique

The Importance of the Land

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Land is fundamental to the lives of the people in this region because they survive fundamentally on what they produce in the machamba (the farm, or the land where they cultivate their harvest). Sadly, megaprojects come arriving claiming large areas of land that belong to the population. I say “belong to the population” since in Moçambique, in accordance with the constitution, the land belongs to the Republic, to benefit the people, and it´s because of this that the land which pertains to the state cannot be sold to or owned by a particular person or institution. These megaprojects can obtain a certificate to the approval and right to use this land for a determined period of time (DUAT).

In spite of the possibility of this documentation, customary right is also considered valid, where every national that makes use of the determined area for more than 10 years has the right to use the land and with guaranteed approval regarding its use. It so happens that with the lack of knowledge, the larger part of the population have been retired to their respective locations and the areas where they normally cultivate, by foreign businesses that arrive – the majority of times supported by the government or local authority.

By not knowing this right of theirs to the area, and for seeing that who arrives has “papers” that concedes the right of this land to that particular person, many times the population simply abandons the area and they are left without ways in which to react and without a place to work their sustenance. It´s because of that, in the past few years, the Diocese of Nacala, through the Commission of Justice and Peace, have developed a work of consciousitizing the population about the Law of the Land of 1997. Despite the antiquity of the law, so little is known or divulged about it, since there is no interest that the population of farmers knows their rights. Besides that, the Diocese also gives support in obtaining the community DUAT of the “regulados” (form of social organization of communities, where there is a local authority, namely the régulo, considered by the community to be the traditional person of responsibility in that area). This last Sunday, we were in one more community to present and explain to the population their rights about the land, with the presence of a Moçambican attorney to accompany the processes, to explain the way in which to obtain the document, as a major security for the customary right they already have to the land.

The interest is huge. It appears as though the populations are each time around more and more worried with the situations that are coming to pass. There were close to 190 people present, amongst them Christians, Muslims, and those of traditional religions. After all, these meetings are for the whole population, since everyone has a right to the land. And so, that community was given the first steps with which to follow through with the process. We will pray for all the people who suffer from the lack of land for their sustenance, and for that reality in our Brasil, and for those experiencing the same in several other countries. We will seek work so that the land can be used to benefit the people, and not just for the interests of a particular few. We are together, united in prayer and in mission! A huge embrace since Mozambique!

By Flávio Schmidt Brasiliam CLM in Mozambique

Contrasts

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Liliana FerreiraI am where my heart is and my heart is in this wonderful land full of majestic and magnificent trees, which unfortunately have been taken (stolen) from other countries. In this land, where the sun rises in the sea and goes down over the mountains, where the moon is not a liar and smiles at you when you contemplate it. In this land, where you can breathe clean air, which unfortunately is already also a source of income for many. In this land of wonderful beaches of white sand and clear water that with great sadness cease to be deserted to make way for mega tourism enterprises. In this land of red color, red ground color of blood, shed for many in the fight for independence, blood spilled in the struggle for peace and the blood of those who today are fighting for a better life and demand their rights. Here the land is also a means of survival, the people takes the necessary food to keep them during the year, but it has being usurped by multinationals that come from nowhere and demand their rights on the land without thinking of the consequences on those who have lived there all their life.

Mozambique is beautiful and attractive, full of natural beauty and resources, with friendly and welcoming people. To the outside comes out the idea that it is also a center of employment, but this is only for those coming from outside. Unemployment here is high, young people who strive to finish the 12th grade find closed the doors of the world of work and other times it is offered them the opportunity to work in exchange for a minimum value…

MozambiqueThis reality outlined the discussions of lessons in Civic and Moral Education in the first semester where we discussed the current situation of Mozambique tapping points such as: unequal social distribution, poverty, education and health, corruption, globalization, multinational action, contrasts… important subjects to uninstall the youth, stating the present reality and seeking to strengthen their critical minds so that they can demand justice and a more promising future.

Liliana Ferreira, LMC