Christian Brothers January --March 2008

Christian Brothers
Wan Pot
African Province
West Africa District News

West Africa

PREAMBLE
We wish our numerous readers a blessed Easter after a period generously giving ourselves in Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. It has been a period in which we have died to ourselves and we now fully believe that we are a resurrected people. This may also be true for our brothers who are presently gathered in India for the congregation chapter. We send them our prayer and support.

District in Brief Local News

A new Bishop –elect has been appointed in the archdiocese of Freetown and Bo. Fr Edward Charles who until the time of his appointment has been the rector of the St. Paul’s Major Seminary in Freetown. We congratulate him on his appointment and pray for God, grace upon him.

Congratulations to Brs. Prince Tarawalie and Titus Kallon on their acceptance for Final Vows.

EDMUND RICE NETWORK
Meetings have been held at the Special Needs Education Centre and the Eastern Polytechnic Kenema making Plan of Actions for the Edmund Rice Network Movement in the those areas. Subsequent meetings are expected to be held in Makeni and Freetown soon.

Br. Benjamin Sama Banya of Tamale and Mr. Jonathan Foday have been appointed to represent the District to the World Youth Day and the Edmund Rice Gathering in Sydney June- July 2008.

HAMILTON RENOVATION
Renovation is still going on at the Hamilton Property. Brs. Ben Kamara and Ray Weston makes up the membership of the Community at the moment. Ben is presently in Munar- India for the Congregational Chapter.

District in Brief
International News

SIERRA LEONE

Regional chairmen of All Peoples Congress, Sierra Leone Peoples Party and the Peoples Movement for Democratic Change have issued a joint communiqué recommending that the proposed date for Local Government elections be postponed.

GHANA

Last week when NPP presidential candidate Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo inaugurated his campaign committees, all the razzmatazz surrounding it could not downplay the big question: Who would run with him?

LIBERIA

About 500 refugees facing repatriation from Ghana to Liberia have gone on a "sit-down strike." They want either to be resettled in another country, preferably in Europe, or to receive a ten-fold increase in the allowance paid to help them return home.

GAMBIA

One of the best sources of Gambian news that is available online has come under attack. That source The Freedom Newspaper which is based in Raleigh, North Carolina in the United States had its access to the country blocked by GAMTEL the State Telecommunications Company. This action was taken in response to a story the paper carried about the company.

(Allafrica.com)

PROJECTS

On the 1st of March 2008 Clients graduated from our Projects in Freetown. They did their training in different fields of work. Hundred and thirty (130) Clients presently are completing three months o f Basic Education Programme at the MCYP in Bo. They will be out in April for their job experiences.

Communities in Brief

MAKENI COMMUNITY

The Community have assumed it full membership with Brs. Albert Gomez and Anthony Bangura now in Makeni.
Br. Alex Bangura has been awarded a Masters degree in Science Education at a colourful ceremony in Bo.

FORMATION COMMUNITY - BO

The Formation Community this year comprise of 4 Pre-Novices and: Pre- Novices (Frank (Bo) John (Bo) Peter (Lunsar) and Cornelius from Ghana.
Few weeks after the programme commenced, Titus was in Ghana for a retreat preparing for Final Profession. He came back a week ago. Br. Charles Belmoh stepped in to assist at the Pre- Novitiate in his absence. Thanks to Br. Charle for his generosity, inspiration and contribution to the Young Men. The Men were formally welcomed into the Programme on the 20th February 2008 in a colourful Liturgical Ceremony.
Br. Martin has been on a Vocation tour around the Colleges in Sierra Leone. He visited the Eastern Polytechnic Kenema, Njala University- Bo Campus, Northern Polytechnic Port Loko and the Colleges in Freetown. .As part of his tour he was recently in Tamale- Ghana.

MISSION COMMUNITY – BO.

Br. John Manyeh has joined the Bo Community as Leader since January this year. John also took over from Ray as Manager of the MYCP in Bo.
Students Brothers in that Community (Jeremiah & Moses) recently finished writing their First Semester Exams. At the moment Moses is engaged with his Final Teaching Practice in Bo.
Br. Andrew Koroma is busy organizing the youths in the Parish for this year’s Good Friday Stations of the Cross. The venue will be Candy Mountain in the outskirt of Bo.

BLAMA COMMUNITY

Michael Boima joined the Community in January this year. At the moment all the Brothers are involved in the three Catholic Schools that is: Martin Sesay (Saint Joseph Sec. Sch) Victor Alpha (Roman Catholic Girl Primary) Michael Boima (Roman Catholic Boys Primary).

Desmond Samuels, the student Brother is currently on Teaching Practice with Martin at the Secondary School in Blama.

Blama has got a new Parish Priest in the person of Rev Fr. Augustine Combay just after his studies in England.

On the 8th March, Blama Parish joined pilgrimage with the three other Parishes in Kenema. The Pilgrimage site was Serabu, a small village located midway between Blama and Kenema. It was a well attended ceremony. Climaxed, was the Holy Mass Celebrated by Bishop Patrick Koroma of Kenema Diocese.


The just ended Inter- House meet of Saint Joseph’s Secondary and Agricultural Secondary School was well attended. Good number of Brothers attended including Br. Augustine William who happens to be an Old Boy of the School

The Community have undertaken an Agricultural Project and Br. Michael Boima as Agricultural Officer

CALABA COMMUNITY

Br. Charles recently returned from Bo where he had been helping out at the pre- novitiate in the absence of Br. Titus Kallon who was doing a thirty days retreat in Ghana.
Andrew and Ambrose have just finished writing their first semester exams in the final year of their studies.
Br. Alfred kebbie was very much involved in the graduation ceremony of their clients at the project.

CHOGGU COMMUNITY

The Brothers of Choggu Community are fired up at the Kavillie Schools. Recently some Brothers visited Ghana and were impressed with the Brothers involvement in the school. Brothers keep up and please send us any imformation you will like us to publish on WANPOT.
Good to know that we have two professional drivers (Emmanuel and Benjy) from Choggu community. The won the driving awards of 2008

TENGBEH TOWN

Sam and Sylvester finished their First Semester Exams recently. At the moment Victor and Chris are in Indian to attend the Congregational Chapter. Augustine returns for his visit to Ghana. Whilst in Ghana Augustine met with the Brothers and our Men on Pastoral Placement.

COMING EVENTS

Workshop for Temporary - 28th 29th March
Professed (T P) Brothers in Bo
(Facilitators Msg. Daniel Kamara
and Fr. Sheku Kanneh)

SYMPATHY

We wish to extend our Condolences to Br. Martin Vamboi who lost his brother Mr. Patrick Vamboi. Patrick worked for the Christian Brothers Projects for some years. He was Manager at some point of the Special Needs Education Centre (SNEC) in Bo. May His Soul Rest in Peace. Amen.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

We also want to extend birthday wishes to all those who celebrated and will be celebrating their Birthdays for the Months of January and February and March

Sam Yankuba 14th February

Charles Belmoh 20th February

Emmanuel Brima 11th March

John Manyeh 16th March
Andrew Turay 18th March

Victor Alpha 28th March

We would to remind our numerous readers to send in contributions to Brs. Andrew Turay and Victor Alpha.