News - Aug 2006

Holiday Happenings – August 2006

Although the schools have been closed, the summer has been a particularly busy one at Jesuit Missions. Two stalwart members of staff, Phil and Joan, whose cumulative time spent at JM totals four decades, recently retired and Alan was on a well deserved break with his family in Poland.

However, despite the Companions’ Programme being put on the back burner a bit during the summer, a number of things have been happening:

Andrew Rex, who has been instrumental in motivating the St. John’s Beaumont boys’ fundraising and awareness, went out to Zimbabwe in July to visit their “twin” school: St. Rupert’s, Chinhoyi, He thoroughly enjoyed his time in Zimbabwe and has written a detailed account which makes for very uplifting reading.

Below is an extract from one of his e-mails:

“I have safely returned from Zimbabwe and had an amazing experience. I felt very safe in both Harare and the bushveld … except when I had a few narrow brushes with snakes! It is certainly not an easy life, especially on the mission... (the experience) was really quite overwhelming and they are just so pleased to be in companionship with us - grateful but not dependent.”

To read more about Andrew’s time at St. Rupert’s, please look at the St. John’s Beaumont link.

Mr Duffy, from St. John’s Beaumont, donated a huge number of books at the beginning of the summer holidays. He arrived at Jesuit Missions with his van laden, mainly with Science textbooks. These books, which I know will be invaluable, have been going out in instalments to St. Rupert’s and the first of several shipments was received in the middle of August. In addition to Mr Duffy’s donation, Sacred Heart parishioner, Mrs Santhiapillai and her daughter donated a number of lovely books: encyclopaedias, novels for teenagers etc. Most of these books have been sent to Makumbi Primary School, who are in desperate need of books, and to St. Peter’s Kubatana for their school library. If you or your school have any unwanted books that you think would be suitable for schools, please contact Jesuit Missions’ offices.

During the summer we had various Jesuit orientated talks and one of these included a visit from Marika, a Polish volunteer, who had been in Chikuni for three months observing and helping teachers in the radio schools. Marika stopped off at Jesuit Missions on her way back home from Zambia and she spoke with such effervescent enthusiasm about the people and the good work taking place at Chikuni. Marika had hundreds (and hundreds) of photos, but one that was particularly poignant was a basic classroom structure in which the school chairs were bricks.

It is amazing how much can be achieved with so little. A later photo showed a large number of children squashed into this room. There were some very young children but Marika said that they sat quietly and attentively for several hours. The photo shows their rapt faces as they listen to the speaker.

When I asked Marika what their most pressing needs were, again the response was, “Books!” – she said that audio books would be particularly useful because these could be broadcast through Chikuni Radio. One audio CD could be heard by hundreds of children who attend the Taonga Market radio schools as the radio covers a radius of 60km. (www.chikuniradio.org)

St. Aloysius, Glasgow and Kibera

At the beginning of August I submitted a draft proposal to St. Aloysius, Glasgow and St. Aloysius, Kibera. The link between the schools has been mutually agreed upon and the next month or two will see their partnership taking shape.

St. Ignatius, Enfield and JRS Rhino Camp

Over the holidays a more formal agreement was established between St. Ignatius, Enfield and JRS Rhino Camp. This programme will last for a year and the pupils of St. Ignatius have set a target to raise £10, 000 for a girls’ dormitory in a school in South Sudan. I will be visiting St. Ignatius, Enfield on 19 September to speak about the Companions’ Programme and their link with Rhino Camp and St. Joseph’s – the JRS school in South Sudan.

St. Mary’s Hall and Musami – Stonyhurst and St. Peter’s Kubatana

Later on that week, on 22 September I, along with Father Joe Arimoso, will be visiting St. Mary’s Hall to talk about Musami, present some artwork that was sent over at the end of last term, as well as return Barnaby Bear and his friend from Musami. We will also see the Chirwirangwe group at Stonyhurst in the afternoon.

Barlborough Hall and Makumbi Primary School

One of the teachers from Makumbi Primary School has been in touch during our summer. He phoned Jesuit Missions and since then we have at a bit of text contact. That, quite often, seems to be the easiest way of communicating as there is no electricity at the school and no internet café in the vicinity.

This teacher was so enthusiastic about the programme and said that if we were able to provide a basic camera, he would buy the film. His gesture speaks volumes as film is expensive in Zimbabwe and it would be a significant sacrifice particulary when facing the demands of supporting a family in a hyperinflationary environment.

Makumbi started term on 5 September and it is now a bit easier for the children because the weather is warming up – a number of children went through winter with no shoes. There is a stereotypical perception that Africa is in perpetual summer, but winter can be bitterly cold and it is exacerbated by the fact that the buildings and clothing are not designed to combat the cold.