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Dear Biblical Pastoral Ministry (BPM) Coordinators, Peace and greetings from the AFRAM Zone! Thank you! First, some words of thanks for your lively participation in the AFRAM Zonal Assembly that took place in Lomé, Togo last February 7-13, 2010. Even if most of you were not there you have contributed in many ways for its success. We thank you too for participating in the nomination of the candidates for the Area Coordinator for Communications. Most of all, thank you for your prayers and your interest for our AFRAM Zone. If you want to read the report of the Area Coordinator to the Zonal Assembly on BPM I encourage you to visit our AFRAM Website www.svdafram.org. Congratulations! On the same day of the elections you must have been informed (informally) about the choice of Fr. Sebastian Quadros as our new AFRAM Area Coordinator for Communications. CONGRATULATIONS FR. SEBY! He has always been active in the Biblical Apostolate. He was elected regional of Madagascar in 1996-2002. After his term he made further studies in the Philippines. As he returned he was engaged again for the Word of God. He is the actual regional BPM Coordinator of Madagascar. We thank Fr. Christian Traczyk for his term as Area Coordinator for BPM from 2007 to 2010. AFRAM History. What we consider as the First AFRAM Zonal Assembly was held in Nairobi, Kenya in 1990. At that time the Provincials have appointed only two Coordinators, the AFRAM Zonal Coordinator and the Biblical Pastoral Ministry Coordinator. This shows the importance the Zone has given to the Word of God. The BPM Coordination is therefore celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year 2010. Two years later (1992) their nominations were reconfirmed for another three years and the Area Coordinators for Formation and Finance were added. The first BPM workshop was held in Sokodé in 1999. Thanks to its relatively long history in the Zone the BPM continues to flourish and the exchange of experiences has proved to be useful. Just to cite two examples we have the DEI VERBUM Courses in Zimbabwe (Southern Africa), in R. D. Congo (Central Africa) and in Ghana (West Africa); we have the Basic Bible Seminar introduced by the SVDs in Congo, Botswana, Madagascar, Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe and perhaps in other countries still. Unfortunately in these recent years communications were no longer active among Coordinators. The BPM Workshop set for November 2009 did not push through because of several reasons. There was lack of preliminary interaction among BPM coordinators and insufficient preparations for the workshop. Also at that time the SVD has been strongly affected by the global economic crises and the Generalate BPM Coordinator was seriously ill. BPM and Communications Workshop. The Zonal Assembly has planned to hold simultaneous Workshops for Biblical Pastoral Ministry (BPM) and Communications in Madagascar, during Easter 2011. That means there are times allotted for joints sessions and separate sessions. The Generalate is open to the possibility of helping us in the budget if the situation is favorable. I hope that you will be ready for that Rendezvous. It implies that you collaborate with the Area Coordinator through email or other means of communication in preparing the Workshop. You may also suggest which topic would interest both the BPM and the Communications Coordinators for the joint sessions. New AFRAM Vision-Mission Statement. The Zonal Assembly has come up with the revised Vision-Mission Statement for the whole Zone. Please help us to disseminate this to your provinces, region and mission. We, the Divine Word Missionaries of Africa and Madagascar Zone (AFRAM), envision ourselves to be witnesses of God’s Reign through the living and proclamation of the Word of God. Guided by the Fourfold Prophetic Dialogue and our Characteristic Dimensions, we commit: · To live a more simple lifestyle that would reflect the life of the people we are working with · To integrate the values of JPIC in our own life and communities · To create viable missionary Christian communities, especially through their formation · To accompany the poor and the sick, faith-seekers, refugees, HIV/AIDS victims · To educate and impart Christian values to our youth · To provide our Formandi contextualized formation for inter-cultural mission. We implore God’s blessings through the intercession of Saints Arnold Janssen and Joseph Freinademetz so that through the Light of the Word and the Spirit of Grace, the heart of Jesus may live in the hearts of all. AFRAM Recommendations. The Zonal Assembly has come up with 7 recommendations. I would underline the first which states: “That JPIC be strongly promoted in our Formation Programs, in Biblical Pastoral Ministry, in Communication and in Mission Animation”. During this triennium the Zone would like to enhance JPIC in answer to our present situation in Africa and Madagascar beset by conflicts, injustice and environmental threats. The Area of Biblical Pastoral Ministry and other Areas are asked to help promote particularly Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation. All our areas are intertwined and concern all confreres; thus we should support one another. The Kingdom of God, the core of the Biblical message is characterized by “Justice, Peace and Joy brought by the Holy Spirit” (Rm 14:17). Our lineup. So that you may start with your correspondence, here is the list of CCs and their email addresses (please correct me if there are changes): ANG Tchipilika Marciano tchipilika7@yahoo.com.br ZIM Krystian Traczyk krysvd@svdzimbabwe.com GHA Jolly Mudakkampurath jollysvd@gmail.com MAD Sebastian Quadros sebyquadros@yahoo.com TOG Edward Sito edward_sito@wp.pl KEN Peddy Castelino peddysvd@yahoo.co.in CNG Mathew Thekkeyil mthekkeyil@hotmail.com BOT Slawomir Wiecek wicek@botsnet.bw Please don’t forget to send copies · to the Afram Zonal Coordinator Fr. Xene Sanchez aframcoord@gmail.com · to the Generalate BPM Coordinator, Fr. Lukas Jua svd.bible@verbodivino.it , · --- and to Coordinate with the Bible Pastoral Ministry (BPM) · to the Communications Area Coordinator Fr. Miroslaw Wolodko mirekwolom@gmail.com, · and the Communications Generalate Coordinator, Fr. Thomas Kallanchira communications@verbodivino.it Thank you very much! Let’s keep in TOUCH. God bless, Xene AZC
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