Annual Meeting of the Provincials and Delegates of English Speaking Africa and Mozambique

This annual meeting started some years ago, when the Institute and the provinces concerned were involved in some common projects at sub-continental level. The main aims of this kind of meetings are stated in the CA 2003 # 139 as follows:

-          to foster subsidiarity, aiming for the contextualization of our missionary work;

-          to encourage groups of reflection at continental level, according to the needs of the continent;

-          to agree on modes of collaboration and of presence in the continent, to plan sectoral continental assemblies, ...

Therefore, besides the regular evaluation of the activities of the previous year and the planning of the following year, the meeting goes beyond these practical things. There are some common concerns and issues at sub-continental level that require the reflection and resources of all. For that reason, the meeting dealt with the different sectors of our missionary activity in our circumscriptions: evangelization, basic and ongoing formation, missionary animation, Justice and Peace, Islam, Comboni Lay Missionaries, finances. Each sector is entrusted to one of the superiors of the APDESAM, who is accountable for the different activities of the sector at sub-continental level. Special attention was dedicated to some orientations given by the General Chapter of 2009:

-          the reflection on continentality, its meaning and future developments;

-          the clustering of provinces;

-          the journey done in different circumscriptions toward the Total Common Fund

-          the projects that we have in common in the subcontinent: the New People Media Centre, in Nairobi, the Novitiates of Lusaka and Namugongo, the scholasticates of Pietermaritzburg,  Nairobi and Eritrea, the Centre of Brothers and the Institute of Social Ministry in Mission, also in Narobi, Dar Comboni in Cairo.

Before going through all these issues, as background for our reflection, the superiors had abundant time to share about the social, political, and ecclesial reality of the nations where our work unfolds. We acknowledge that our countries are booming with hope, but also with many problems that affect the poor and marginalized in a very tough way.

Countries like South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mozambique are growing economically at a high rate, however the situation at grassroots level is hard and the majority of the population is struggling to face the problems of daily life. Sudan, South Sudan and Egypt, are facing new developments after the division of Sudan and the Arab Spring. The situation of these countries brings concern and uncertainty about the future. Finally, Eritrea, the smallest of the countries of Apdesam, is going through an incredible situation of oppression and economic disaster that forces people to overcome fear and run away illegally to the neighbouring countries, looking for a more dignified life. Our confreres in this country are completely blocked in their ordinary life. Besides, they cannot leave the country unless they are over 45 years old and the government doesn’t allow any foreign missionary to enter the country. They feel isolated from the rest of the Comboni family, although they keep alive the hope that a new dawn is coming to the country and the Eritrean people.

As a sign of solidarity, the APDESAM group decided to write a letter to our confreres in Eritrea showing our concern and communion with them, especially through prayer since we do not see more ways of showing our empathy and apprehension.

Heartfelt thanks goes to the province of Kenya and especially the community of the Provincialate that hosted our meeting and welcomed us with brotherly care.
Fr. Jeremias Martins