Capricorn welcomes a new Provincial

The Capricorn Province would like to congratulate Kathryn Morgan who was elected as the Provincial during the just ended Province Assembly. Kathryn takes over from Elinata Tsalamadzi. The Province Assembly which was held on the 19^th of October was well attended. It received the participation of community leaders, vice province coordinators and chaplains. The event first of its nature in our province was graced by the presence of the Faith and Light international Coordinator Ghislain du Chene.

The Province Assembly had three major items which it touched on. It looked at the discernment of leaders, particularly the Provincial coordinator. The second item was the reflection on the status of the Province which led to the last item; planning for the Province. Planning for the province although it was not finalized to specific details, it embraced the guiding priorities adopted in Leeds vis-à-vis the real challenges being experienced by communities in the Capricorn Province.

The meeting provided an appropriate moment to acknowledge and appreciate the work done by Elinata for the past 4yrs and so. Members present gave her hugs and some testified to her hard work, love, faith and openness in her leadership. Elinata mentioned in response that although she has passed on the button, she will not leave Faith and Light but continue to bring the beauty embedded in it and share with others.

Kathryn sincerely expressed her gratitude to the Faith and Light members for entrusting her with the big role. She appealed to everyone to help her bring the best out of our Province. Kathryn is a committed member of the Edenvale Faith and Light community in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is a welcoming person who has a profound love for Faith and Light. Please feel free to get in touch with her on any of her contact details. Cell: +2711823435501 (082 343 5501) Landline: 011 454 4700 Address: 94 Edward Drive Dowerglen Edenvale Johannesburg

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A visit to Glen View

By Fr David Harold-Barry SJ

Faith and light Glen View meets on the second Saturday of each month and Florence Kabayadondo, Mai Belinda, invited me to come on the 14^th of September 2013. People came slowly but Florence, Belinda and I were soon joined by Fatima Fire, Juliana, Godfrey, two other young ladies and Mai Chido. Finally Privilege and his father arrived. After a prayer we read from the bible and two of us spoke on the reading. Then we had songs and games followed by a drink, a bun and a banana.

So much for the basics of the meeting, but for me it was once again a reminder of the role of parents and the extraordinary care in patience and love that they show their children. Belinda is now over thirty and heavily dependent on others and for all those years her mother has been at her side caring for her and always finding something to joke and smile about. Privilege is seriously physically handicapped and it affects his movements and his speech. His mother strained her back lifting him as he has now, at 25, become quite strong and heavy. But his father has stepped in and takes care of him in every way. Chido is epileptic although he was not there today.

I hope these devoted parents find a source of support in Faith and Light. The task they are called to is a difficult one but I have the feeling that when God calls people to this he also lightens the burden for those who joyfully accept it.

In another part of the Church yard there was a group singing, perhaps preparing for the Sunday liturgy. How nice it would have been if they had come over before they left to greet us! But they didn’t. It made me feel that Faith and Light is also a lonely road to travel. How many in our parishes even know about us? Those who do are perhaps shy to reach out to us.

Maybe when our delegates go to South Africa next month we will have time to reflect on some of these issues.

Celebrating despite challenges: Faith and Light Chinhoyi

By Michael Goredema

Chinhoyi community meets on the last Saturday of every month at St Peter’s Catholic Church.  Although we meet regularly the strength of our community has drastically reduced in attendance for unknown reasons.  Our Core Group is looking into the cause of the low membership turnout and will make recommendations so that we return to the full strength that we had when we formed our Faith and Light Community.

Sadly we lost one of our disabled children, Roiny Munetsi. The photograph below shows her seated in a wheel-chair at her last birthday party, held early this year at her home.

We continue to face the challenge of low membership turnout at the month-end meetings as new members, who might be attracted to join us, live in distant locations and find it hard to attend. We have started an interest free money lending club to assist each other acquire basic household utensils.

On the Right: Chinhoyi Community in the old happy days at a birthday party for Gamuchirai Goredema. From left to right:Miss Kaluchi, Miss Tapiwa, Mr. George Gorejena, Mrs Set with daughter Rabbie Set, Nigel Beremauro, Miss Roiney Munetsi and Gamuchirai Goredema in the wheel-chair.

On the Left: The late Roiny Munetsi at her last birthday party, held early this year.

Faith and Light members get a treat

Quote, “You brought us joy” Sr. Hilda

Over 80 children, parents and friends were given a treat of a lifetime at Makumbi Mission on Saturday the 24^th. The Faith and Light outing which was organized by Fr. Heribert Muller and Sr. Hilda for the members in Harare and surrounding areas can not be described in any phrase better than to say it was a “total bliss”. The event gave children with handicaps an opportunity to enjoy themselves. It proved that life can be a total bliss even though one has disabilities. The event showed that people can go beyond their differences and challenges and discover a wealth of experiences.

29 members from Mabvuku Community, 15 from Chitungwiza Community, 24 from Glenview Community, 2 from Chinhoyi Community embraced the morning cold to meet at the pick-up point behind Harare Post Office at 09:00. The members were ferried to Makumbi Mission where they were joined by members from Larche Community.  Faith Light members were welcomed by St Hilda and a choir of girl guides who swiftly accompanied the communities to the Grotto. A prayer moment which was led by Sr. Hilda and Fr. Muller followed preparing the members for the day’s proceedings.

The fiesta was amazing. It was enveloped in testimonies, songs and poetry. Most of the activities were performed by the children themselves and they loved it. They smiled, laughed and were happy. All the parents and friends who were present felt the happiness and warmth which was radiating from the children with handicaps and they loved it too. It was “total bliss”. Fr. David Harold Barry used the opportunity to highlight the importance of having young people and friends in faith and Light. He mentioned that there is the need to engage the parishes which the members come from and mobilize other people to join the movement. He showed how their contribution is so crucial to the community life of Faith and Light.

Fiestas usually have food as part of the celebrations and this one was not an exception. Sr Hilda and her crew prepared a treat which was served as lunch. It was “a meal and half”, perhaps best served on Christmas or on a wedding. Well the event was unique in itself and it deserved it. It was really a wedding at Kana.

The outing ended with a prayer in the chapel. Time Baluwa took an opportunity to implore the communities to go and invite friends to join them. He highlighted that Faith and Light movement is losing one of the important cornerstones which is friends. He mentioned that even young people were very few and there is that need to mobilize them since they are the ones who will carry on with the movement. Time went on to talk about volunteerism. He said people can volunteer their time, resources and skills and it is up to the communities to promote volunteerism. Tobias Chindime gave a vote of thanks expressing how grateful everyone is for the wonderful gift which Fr. Heribert Muller and his team had given Faith and Light. Fr. David Harold Barry gave the final blessing.

Communities get an outing gift box

Faith and Light communities in the Northern Region vice province of Zimbabwe will be having an outing on the 24^th of August 2013. The communities received a surprise invitation and gift from Fr. Heribert Muller to visit Visitation Makumbi Mission. Wrapped in his gift box is a bus to carry the members, lunch and a group of friends who will be accompanying the members in their celebrations. Participating communities include Chitungwiza, Mabvuku, Glenview and Chinhoyi.

The outing will be very important to the development of the communities as it will bring together community members to share and accompany each other. It will provide a platform for solidarity, technical support and general networking. Most importantly, it will enable the members to share the joy embedded in our way of life.
Communities are already in processes of preparing for the outing. Members are preparing poems, songs, dances and games for the fiesta. Very often people associate children with handicaps with pain, suffering and sorrow. This event seeks to paint a different picture altogether. It celebrates the gifts of love, solidarity, joy and ability. It brings out the hidden treasure in people with handicaps and share how it completes with everyone else, the circle of life as intended by Jesus who is our faith and the light. Join us in praying for the success of this special day.

Anyone who would want to be part of this day please contact Fr. David on 0774501290 or Tobias Chindime on 0773133038

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Kadoma community reviving

Members of Faith and Light in Kadoma committed themselves to revive the community to its earlier functional state. The community which had died and had failed to meet since 2011, met on Sunday the 11^th of August 2013 to map the way forward. The meeting which was facilitated by Tobias Chindime, Fr. David Barry and Time Baluwa had 12 members in attendance.

Mrs. Mhishi who was instrumental in mobilizing the members to meet said that she had invited many young people to come and join the Faith and Light family. She had addressed the whole parish few weeks before the meeting inviting people with handicaps, their families and friends. She made a special emphasis on the need for the young people to join since they are the ones who will carry the button to the next level, the future.   Mrs. Mhishi was very optimistic particularly basing on the good response she got from the young people and families who have children with handicaps. The meeting had in attendance two young people who represented the youths. They apologized for the other members who were not present as they were attending St Pauls’ Day Commemorations which were being held on the same day.

The current community leader Mrs. Butete expressed her gratitude to the members who had come and called for the involvement of everyone to ensure positive development of the community. She highlighted that the community had faced a number of challenges which had led to its low phase.  However, she called for the members to unite and overcome such challenges in future.

Fr. David motivated the members saying that he was so happy that they had managed to meet. He highlighted that the numbers of the community members did not matter much at this point. What is important is the few interested members to meet and share the gift of Faith and Light. The gift of Faith and Light is wrapped in love, communion, solidarity and joy. He encouraged the old community members to accompany the young people towards discovering the beauty of the movement. Fr. David highlighted that Jesus in the gospels always called for people to repent, meaning change, have a new life which gives among other things, a place where the handicapped are welcomed. However, he was quick to say that it’s not easy and attractive at first sight yet it’s rich once one discovers its beauty.

Some of community members gave testimonies on how Faith and Light brings joy in their lives. Among them there was Carol’s mother (Carol is one of the children who have handicaps) who expressed her need for the community to grow saying that she learnt a lot from Faith and Light. She went on to say that she always felt relieved when people visited her as a group during fourth time. It showed that others cared about her, her family and Carol in particular.

We learnt with great sadness the news of Mai Sadiki, a strong woman and a parent to one of the handicapped children passed on years ago. Her handicapped child Stanley wondered off and his whereabouts are not known.
The Kadoma community will be meeting on the 7^th of September 2013. To connect with the community you can call some of the youthful members on the following numbers: Brandon 0738727975 or Monica 0772271077


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PRAYER MOMENT with Fr David Harold Barry SJ

Monday 27 May 2013

THE EYE OF A NEEDLE

Pause. Let the world be. Be quiet within.

Reading. “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:17-27)          

Reflection. We know this saying so well. Surely Jesus is exaggerating. No wonder the disciples were astonished. But perhaps Jesus is simply saying, “where is your heart?”. “What do you rely on? Your qualifications? Your money? Your security? Or at the root of your being do you really rely on God? Can you truly say you are “poor in spirit”? If so, you are blessed.”.   

Prayer. Father, lead me not into the temptation of standing now on one leg (money), now on another (You). Help me at my deepest level to trust in you no matter what my circumstances. Amen..