Over 35 community members came together at
the St Monica Parish Church in Chitungwiza on the 29th of December 2012 to
celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. The community members from St
Monica put aside all the commitments they had as individuals and they
collectively organized a warm experience for the people living with
intellectual handicaps, their families and friends. The party which started at 1000hrs in the
morning and lasted throughout the afternoon, was enveloped in songs,
testimonies, laughter, sharings and generally words of encouragement to family
members and friends who labour each and every day to find the hidden treasures
and gifts in people with intellectual disabilities.
On this occasion, Fr David Harold
Barry SJ expressed his gratitude to the community members for being united and
steadfast in upholding the call of faith and light. He began his sharing by
reminding them that in November, the
community members showed the same love and commitment by coming together to
welcome Ghislain the International Coordinator of Faith and Light. Fr David went on to talk about the birth of
the Lord Jesus Christ and the pain that surrounded his birth for his family and
the community. King Herod at that time ordered all the male children to be
killed in an effort to take the life of our Lord. He related that experience to
the pain which children are facing in our contemporary world and most
importantly those with intellectual disabilities. He called on the community
members to continue on their efforts to bring and uphold love and joy in their
community. Fr David gave special thanks to the community for making the day
possible particularly Mrs. Mutara (Chairperson), Lenard Chipeperengo (Secretary)
and Mary who was instrumental in funding the party through the contributions
she got from her workmates.
Time Baluwa implored the community to
encourage young people to participate and find value in Faith and Light. He
applauded the commitment the members have in the works of Faith and Light but
reminded them that this heritage should be passed on to the young generation.
Time shared his own experience when he joined the Faith and Light family. He
was young and many of his friends always teased him that he was going to go
crazy like the people with intellectual disabilities. Whenever he said a
genuine joke which they would normally laugh, his friends would react
differently saying that his relationship with people with disabilities was now
getting into his brain. He never lost his love and commitment because he
discovered the treasure in the Faith and Light experiences. It is that same
treasure which the community should accompany the youths in discovering.
A representative of Life Empowerment
Support Organisation (LESO), Mrs Kudyanyemba gave a word of encouragement to
the parents who were present. She enlightened the community members on how the
organization was started as a response to the HIV and AIDS pandemic. The
organization operated more as a Home Based Care organization identifying people
living with AIDS and offering care and support as well as mobilizing communal
support. She related that LESO has gone
beyond HIV and AIDS issues to focus on any illness that is terminal. Now, the
organization reaches out to people who have cancer, orphans and disabilities.
Mrs Kudyanyemba emphasized the need to identify children who are stigmatized
and hidden in homes because of their intellectual disabilities. She went on to
do something very brave. Mrs Kudyanyemba disclosed her HIV+ status stating that
she almost died 5 years ago if she had not been found by people who care from
LESO. Faith and Light members should as well identify people with intellectual
disabilities and support them. LESO as an organization networks with St Monica
Community assisting the community with resources such as wheelchairs.
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