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CONTENT
Ireland/Liberia
1. The Cappuccino Project – The Torch Bearers
East Africa
2. Thursday Ministries in Shams, Arusha
3. News from the ERN Coordinator
4. News from the Ruben Centre
Latin America Newsletter
5. Noviciate – Asunción, Paraguay
6. Cardenal Newman School- Buenos Aires
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IRELAND/LIBERIA
1. CAN I BUY YOU A COFFEE?
Would you be prepared to treat a new acquaintance to a cappuccino or two if it could help put an African child through school for the next year? That’s all it need cost you to get involved.
Would you be prepared to treat a new acquaintance to a cappuccino or two if it could help put an African child through school for the next year? That’s all it need cost you to get involved.
The new acquaintance is an organisation that arose from the ashes of the 1989-96 civil war in Liberia. Torchbearers is the name of a group anchored around the class that would have graduated in 1990 from St Martin’s School in Gbarnga, but for the war. Twenty years after they were forced to abandon their schooling, they came together to give something back in appreciation of their Alma Mater. The motto of this budding alumni association is: “brightening the light for others to follow”. For the past two years they have raised enough funds to provide six students with all-inclusive scholarships at St Martin’s. Now they are seeking help to increase the number to twenty such scholarships.
The Brother Denis D’Arcy Academic Excellence Scholarship is named after the last Christian Brother to serve as Principal of the school before the war. His past students describe him as “a great administrator, a devout educator, and a very generous and compassionate humanitarian”. They think of him as a saint “who inspired hundreds of Liberian students to achieve academic excellence during his sojourn with us in Liberia”. They recall not only the high standards he set, but also the great example that they want to follow in making education accessible to deserving and needy students.
Last year the people of Gbarnga were delighted to welcome a new community of four Christian Brothers, returning to teach at St Martin’s. The Torchbearers have informed the Brothers of their desire to partner them in their service to the school. In an effort to gather the support of St Martin’s past students, parents, and well-wishers, Torchbearers Inc. are officially launching their fund-drive with a big local event on 13 November. Their target is US $5 000.
In turn, international involvement is now being facilitated. Edmund Rice Development, a fundraising body designed to support the work of the Christian Brothers in the developing world, is lending its support to The Torchbearers by launching The Cappuccino Project. The idea is that anyone who can afford the price of a cappuccino can make a difference through their contribution. And they are inviting you to get involved and to spread the word to others. There is an easy PayPal facility on their site for donations in Euros and British Pounds:
www.edmundricedevelopment.org
You can find further information here, and also on:
www.facebook.com/edmundricedevelopment
www.twitter.com/edmundricedev
Do the maths: if $5000 will pay for the tuition, uniforms, and books for 20 Liberian children for the next school year, that’s $250 per child – just a few dozen cappuccinos. If you are one of the lucky ones who can look back on your schooldays as a gift, consider joining this opportunity to pass on the gift.
The editor
November 2010
Sources: Tim Allen (former volunteer who worked with the Christian Brothers in Liberia), Richard T Kpangbai II (Torchbearers Chair), & press release from Edmund Rice Development.
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EAST AFRICA
2. THURSDAY MINISTRIES IN SHAMS, ARUSHA
Every Thursday we, the postulants at Shams go to our ministries in and near Arusha. The ministries we go to are: Remand Centre for children under 18 years old who have committed crime; Sibusiso for mentally handicapped children; Chiswea for street children; Global Alliance for teenagers who did not have an opportunity to go to secondary school; Patandi for deaf and blind children; St.Elizabeth Hospital for sick people; Food, Water and Shelter home for widows and orphan children.
We leave Shams early in the morning and we spend the whole day at our ministry.
For the last seven months I worked each Thursday at Remand Centre. When I went there first, I felt afraid because I did not know how to deal with children who had committed crime. However, I am very happy to say that I was soon able to relate well with all the children. I saw them as my younger brothers and sisters. I was able to help them through education and counseling. I am particularly happy to have been able to help Simon, a fourteen year old boy, to start a small business at Kilombero Market in Arusha. I wish him every success in his new business.
GREGORY KYALO (from Newsletter 4/10/10)
3. NEWS FROM THE ERN COORDINATOR
I wish to inform you that our journey to Western Kenya Malava was successful. We (Dianne Donati, our volunteer from Australia) managed to facilitate a very enriching workshop for students in two secondary schools and had a meeting with the youth. We also managed to travel to Kisumu and had a meeting with Terence who runs a home for street children. We meet the children who are all in school some in primary, secondary and colleges/ University. It was interesting to interact and hear from him about issues regarding the home, kinds of children he admits and how he manages them.
The most interesting part of our trip was the practical session in the two schools, where we planted indigenous trees together with teachers and students. In the first school we planted 65 indigenous trees. This was a school with a unique character: no tree around and the effect was the administration block had been blown off by wind due to lack of wind breakers.
In the other school we were welcomed by the principal and noted we had come at the right time when they had done some deforestation in the compound and were seeking ways to replace the trees. We planted 53 seedlings of indigenous trees.
Dianne gave the first session: the story of Edmund Rice and I did the part of a talk on environmental issues. The teachers requested that I leave them with a copy of the presentation, which I did in both schools.
We are also preparing to travel to Kibwezi to give similar talks and evaluate the progress of our initiatives there. The teachers have been awaken by the spirit and have already begun several initiatives which they want us to support.
We are also going to officially launch the members as Edmund Rice Network members or group in Kibwezi.
Finally our Steering committee meeting in Mary Ward was very enriching with an open and clear understanding of issues we are to unveil as we move towards a very positive future in the ERN.
JOHNSTONE SHISANYA (from Newsletter 4/10/10)
4. NEWS FROM RUBEN CENTRE
On 21st October the newly assigned Australian High Commissioner Mr. Geoff Tooth visited Ruben Centre to familiarize himself with the work, which former ambassadors had started. The occasion was also witnessed by the Christian Brothers Leader in Eastern Africa Br. Gerard Ellul. The High Commissioner was welcomed by the centre's manager Br. Barry Callan . The Ruben school scouts conducted a flag hoisting ceremony in the presence of the High commissioner to recognise the presence of the Australian Government representative at Ruben. Mr.Tooth was then introduced to the pupils and the staff of Ruben and he addressed the pupils. Mr. tooth expressed his gratitude on the good work that is going on at Ruben Centre and pledged to support the Centre where need arises.
After addressing the pupils Mr. Tooth was warmly entertained by the pupils of Ruben with the class seven reciting a poem in recognition of the projects that are being supported by the commission such as the construction of the ablution block, the donation of desks to class five, the donation of the electricity transformer among other projects. There were great dances from the school choir which jigged Mr.Tooth who joined the dance! The children still remember Mr.Tooth's words "thank you very much for the dance but am sorry am such a bad dancer"!!
Mr. Tooth promised to furnish the newly constructed six classrooms with desks thanks to the Australian High commissioner and the Aussies.
JOHN SISO (From newsletter 117, 25/10/10)
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LATIN AMERICA
5. NOVICIATE – ASUNCION, PARAGUAY
Juan Domínguez (kneeling), from Bañado Tacumbú, struggles to correctly set the pylons for one of the new houses destined for a poor family.
Brother Chuck Fitzsimmons accompanied five persons from Bañado Tacumbú on a youth programme "A Roof for My Country." Together with another 1 000 volunteers they built 100 homes in two days (see photo). Chuck also took students from his English class to a mission in the Chaco, the northern region of Paraguay, to visit a boarding school for about 300 kids. The school is sponsored by De La Salle Brothers and some sisters.
Chuck also works with the community organization CAMSAT, seeking a good way to respond to the arrival of the drug "crack" in the Bañado.
Brother Bernard Kevin went to Lima for the local leaders´ meeting with the Regional Leadership Team. Brother Jack Casey published the parish bulletin "Marandú", and works with great success in the gardens of both houses.
(From newsletter 67, October)
6. CARDENAL NEWMAN SCHOOL -BUENOS AIRES
Students Marcos Perez Mendoza, Santos Mariano Aguirre and Sioli, along with Thomas Nicholson (alumnus) participated in the Student Action Leadership Workshop which was organized by the Christian Brothers from 30 September to 3 October in Jacksonville (Florida). About 80 students from different schools participated in the meeting. Most were Americans, but there were also two schools from Canada and one from Uruguay represented.
In the words of one participant: "It was a very enriching experience. We took step in the search for our essence; an opportunity to learn more about the community of the Christian Brothers and see in them the charism of Edmund Rice. We had moments of prayer and sharing from the heart, laughter and chatting with students from other schools and other countries. It created new links and ties of friendship. No doubt it made us grow as individuals and as a community - an unforgettable experience."
(From newsletter 67, October)
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