February 9-13 JPIC Area Coordinators Meeting South Africa

March 8-13 Mission Animation Meeting Angola

June 12-18 Formation Board Meeting Ghana

June 12-18 Treasurers Meeting Ghana

Communications and Biblical Pastoral Ministry meetings are foreseen for either October or November in Zimbabwe.

Since the year 2000, the social, economic and political situation of Zimbabwe has been deteriorating. The country, which was once considered the bread basket of southern Africa, has now become a basket without any food. The education and health programs were the best in the region for many years. Zimbabwe now has hospitals without doctors, nurses or even medicines. The health delivery systems are virtually non-existent. Major hospitals have been closed due to lack of medical personnel and supplies. Only a few private and mission hospitals are functioning. School buildings are also dilapidated. During the year 2008, there were no classes in most schools as teachers left their jobs for greener pastures elsewhere. The country has the highest inflation rate in the world. Currently the annual inflation rate is estimated at 2 billion percent! It has become impossible to accurately assess the true inflation rate. The national currency has so little value that people now prefer to use a barter system, United States dollars or the South African Rand. To make things even worse, last month there was a serious outbreak of cholera in most parts of the country. As of December 14, 2008, around 840 people had already died and more than 15,000 others have been infected. The average death rate per day is about 40. The main cause of this outbreak is untreated water. There are burst sewerage pipes in most parts of the cities due to a lack of means to repair them. So far our confreres are relatively safe. But the two parishes where SVDs work, in Bulawayo city, have already recorded several deaths. The spread of the disease continues at an alarming rate.  (Alex Thomas)

The dream of many students at St. Martin’s Senior High school, to visit the SVD Orthopedic Training Center at Adoagyiri-Nsawam, finally became a reality last November 29, 2008. A large group of students and some teachers were welcomed to the Orthopedic Center. The facility was founded in 1961 through the efforts of Brother Tarcisius de RUYTER, SVD. His hope was to assist the numerous disabled children both nearby and in the more remote parts of Ghana. In 1965, in order to reach many more patients, a mobile unit was activated. Last year alone, a total of 6,300 patients  received treatment through the center. The center is financed by both foreign and local donors. Because of their generosity, every disabled child receives a thirty percent subsidy from the center. The center gets a lot of amputee cases due to road accidents and diabetic situations. Its workshop also produces orthopedic products and accessories like shoes, calipers and prosthetics. What  made the visit most meaningful was the students’ opportunity to interact with the patients and staff. As a sign of solidarity the students made a donation of assorted toiletries and food to support the center. (Frt. Francis Dolagbenu)

SOUTH AFRICA (BOT): New District

A meeting held at Mater Dei Pastoral Center, Mokopane, on September 23, 2008 elevated South Africa to the status of an SVD District by Fr. Provincial Paul Shiju PUTHENPURACKAL and his council. The new district has 8 members working in two parishes, in a pastoral center and the Lumko Pasotral Institute. At the end of the meeting, the members first elected Fr. Sunny VATTAPPARAYIL as their District Superior, then Fr. Maciej NIEZYCHOWSKI and Bro. Raul SANTOS as his two councilors. (Word Aflame)

Last November 5, 2008, on the occasion of the birth of our founder, a special celebration was held at the Arnold Janssen Center. This center was created to respond to the needs of the street children by taking them in, giving them protection and helping them reintegrate back into their families. Fr. Denis PEREIRA, Vice Provincial of Angola, celebrated the Eucharist which was followed by a fraternal meal and an afternoon of entertainment and recreation. The children displayed their talents and creativity through different presentations to entertain the guests.