Babelfish
Translation
FOR RNDMs, Associates, Friends and Sponsors
May the Pentecost missioning of the Holy Spirit enliven us all
June 2000
RNDM Mission Solidarity News is published four times each year – March, June, September and December.
RNDM Mission Solidarity is the office that promotes mission solidarity in communications and in funding
for the missionary works of the 900 Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions in 20 countries worldwide.
ALL are invited to contribute to our RNDM mission solidarity funds.
Mission Projects for 2000 – THANKS
Warmest thanks to all those who fundraised or made donations for our special mission projects in Bangladesh, India - South, Latin America, Myanmar, Philippines and Viet Nam for the year 2000. We can advise you that already all the money needed - US$35,700 - has been promised and is on the way. Special thanks to the RNDM provinces and friends of Australia, British Isles, Canada, France, Kenya and New Zealand.
Report from Roumania <from Sister Marguerite Marie>
At Campina in Roumania we find our on-going RNDM involvement, resulting from an initiative of the French and English provinces some years ago. Here today, Sister Marguerite Marie helps the Sisters of St Joseph of Aoste in their orphanage – nursing the babies until they can be given in adoption either in Roumania, or beyond the country. ‘The adoption process is very prolonged these days and there are always some newcomers to take care off as well.’
A parish mission group in France used to send milkpowder for the orphans but they recently decided to fundraise to buy a cow for the orphanage instead. They bought and bottled their own wine, with special labels –selling it to buy « milk on the hoof » for the orphans. [Editor’s comment : How’s that for a fundraising idea ? ]
Report from Kenya - The Handicapped in Matuu <from Sisters Pauline, Jacinta and Josephine>
Matuu is a very dry and poverty stricken area in the Machakos diocese. The local people are firmly rooted in tradition, and medical and other welfare facilities are quite rare, with the result that there are many physically and mentally handicapped to care for. Some years ago a woman volunteer from Holland started a programme which today provides wheel chairs, surgical boots, medical care for epilepsy, and home visits. Our Kenyan Sisters coordinate the programme which is funded by donations from Holland.
Photo – right : Another tricycle goes to a
happy customer
Photo right– Tunza Dada girls share their cooking with some
handicapped friends.
The Tunza Dada Centre <from Sister Felicitas>
‘Tunza Dada ‘ is a Kiswahili phrase meaning ‘Take Care of a Girl’. Tunza Dada is a rehabilitation centre, started by a Kenyan woman, for destitute and and less fortunate girls - mainly from single mothers who cannot support them financially. The Centre helps to improve the living standards of the girls by an informal education in a context of counselling and self-discipline, and by the teaching of skills like embroidery, knitting and dressmaking so that they can make things for sale. ‘Since I started going to contribute my time, presence, energy and gifts to these girls, I have received and discovered a lot from them. They are beautiful girls and I love them the way they are’.
| Euphrasie Barbier, Foundress of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions, wrote in 1890... |
| "We who are nothing do not mean our own poor missions, but solely the Mission of the Incarnate Word, sent by God the Father to redeem the human race and the divine Mission of the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father and the Son to bring about the sanctification of Christ's Church. This is the raison d'etre of the Institute and its special characteristic, both interior and exterior. |
Report from North East India – Towards an NGO in Shillong, Meghalaya <from Sister Judith Shadap>
Photo – Working with a Self Help Group
For about 8 years
Sister Judith has been employed by the Salesian initiative in Meghalaya, BOSCO REACH-OUT,
an NGO (non-government organisation) with a philosphy of ‘development through
empowerment of the people’. Employees of BOSCO help the poor to organise themselves
into Self-Help Groups of 10 people dedicated to improving the socio-economic conditions of
the members. They facilitate the non-formal education and skills development of the
members, mentor the leaders and help to monitor the evaluation of the group so that in due
course, probably after 12 – 15 months, revolving credit procedures can be set up to
empower the members for further development.
This is a very exciting development in social service work in the Church, and it is receiving considerable technical and financial support from the major funding agencies like MISEREOR and Caritas.
Photo –right : Informal education in gender sensitivity
Sister Judith is presently setting up our own RNDM Social Service Centre – WISE (Women for Integrated Sustainable Empowerment) – as an NGO in Shillong. She is asking for our prayers for the success of this RNDM initiative.
Photos from Srimongol, Bangladesh
One of our 2000 Projects for funding was in support of education for children of the poor workers in the tea gardens of Srimongol.
Photos – above : Class at work with Sister Minita
- right : Class celebration
Report from Latin America – Ilo, Peru <from Sister Diane Belisle>
Ilo is an important and growing seaport just over 1000km south of Lima. Some 60% of the people live in shanty towns so our Sisters are very busy with their evangelization and pastoral work amongst the poor and marginalized.
Photo – Sister Diane
with a First Communion group in Los Angeles outside the parish church of Christo Rey.
____________________________________________
Donations for RNDM mission works can be handed to any Sister of Our Lady of the Missions.
For further information contact :
COORDINATOR RNDM MISSION SOLIDARITY
Sister Mary Rose Holderness,
4 Rue du President Kennedy 94220 Charenton FRANCE
Fax/phone 00331 41 79 32 82 Convent 00331 43 76 17 41
Email : RNDMfundraiser@worldonline.fr