Kibondo, Tanzania class.
Everybody arrived safely and all of the initial bumps in the road were worked out. The classes are underway in both locations. I am including a map to orient yourself on where each of the teams is located. It includes the African map to see where on the continent they are, and then a localized map for you to see more detail. Canon Donlon has provided great detail on the daily events. Rather than try to paraphrase his comments and possibly miss something of importance I am including his remarks in their entirety.
From Canon Donlon:
Day 2 in both Kibondo and Gisenyi went well.
Fr. David arrived in Kibondo after lunch having departed Kigali at 6 am. Bishop William and the Boga team arrived in mid morning and Sheryl arrived mid afternoon.
Participants share their baptismal stories.
FROM GISENYI-Bishop Carl did training on the Baptismal Covenant in both sessions. One session on theology and grace in baptism, the second on living a life of grace. The practical exercises such as prayer partnering were well received. Today 25 clergy from the Partner dioceses were present. Tomorrow lay leaders from Bukavu and Goma will be joining us.
Bishop Augustin from Kivu Diocese came by to greet us in the late afternoon as his Diocesan Center is nearby.
We are grateful to the RC Diocese of Kivu which is hosting us at a discount. For the groups from the three Partner Dioceses for 7 days the cost is about 25 dollars a day per person for room and board.
Their response meant our AM team had to stay across the street at the Gorillas Hotel so we could accommodate all who came at the Center.
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Bishop Carl speaking in Gisenyi, Rwanda.
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Father Ivan spoke in Gisenyi, Rwanda regarding story telling.
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Father Don Curran speaking to participants of Apolo 2 in Gisenyi, Rwanda.
FROM KIBONDO
Despite getting settled at 11:45 PM due to a delay of 3+ hours at the border crossing, the team was up at 8 a.m., singing, dancing, greeting & meeting with Bishop Sospeter. The Catechist training began at 9 with 35 Catechists present and the working group of Jo and Terry Blackman, Reverend Jackie and Seminarian Apolo began with a positive response.
Clergy from Kibondo arrived for Bishop Gerry's presentation "Call to Discipleship: The Meaning of the Baptismal Covenant and the Biblical Foundations of Servant".
A few technical glitches in both camps with WiFi troubles and functioning projectors but minor compared to the day before.
TAKE AWAY FOR TODAY
A priest ordained for 25 years in Bukavu diocese and & who serves in its most rural part thanked the AM for coming to offer this to help him in his ministry. When he heard of this, he knew hehe had to try to come even thought he was so far. The first talk made the long journey worthwhile and he was renewed. As a side note this is the first time ever he has been outside the Diocese and the country in his life. WOW
After speaking with him I know we are a global ministry of church planting and Apostolic works.
LOOKING AHEAD -We are rearranging training leaders at both sites as the travel schedule to go to Dodoma, Tanzania is very complex, and now it seems I will miss the last three days. I am sad about this but it seems this is a key moment to strengthen the Mission with leaders at the Provinvial Synod in TZ hearing first hand who and what we are, values and visions and what we have accomplished. Hopefully, at the very least it will allow us to maintain the 4 Concordats we have in TZ.
Well the WiFi is not stable as there is a storm blowing right off the Lake so I will end here.
Blessings,
KFD +