God's mission is God's people... it is a Mission.
September 5th 2008 was the day I first landed in the Diocese of Shinyanga, Tanzania. In early 2009 I started the language course at Musoma, in the Mara Region, and another Diocese. Shinyanga is the place of our first SMSM mission in Tanzania, East Africa, and most people there are of the Sukuma tribe. I completed language school which lasted four months. After that all students dispersed in different missions throughout Eastern Africa. It was a wonderful time of transition. We were there to learn the language and the culture of the East African people with whom we would be working. The school is located up on the hills where one could enjoy the beautiful view of Lake Victoria.
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My classmate at Musoma Language School. |
Musoma language school is a place of living “Internationality” with a colorful variety of lay people, Sisters, priests from all over the world. In our special group we were about 21 from 16 nationalities. Though the course was intense, entertainment and walking were quite often part of our program and that made it enjoyable.
Fortunately at the end of the course I was able to communicate in Kiswahili and my return to Shinyanga was quite exciting with the desire to start a new ministry with “Out of school Youth” - Youth of the villages. I came back from Language School May 9th and by May 17th I was already in the midst of those young people Called “Viwawa” “Young Catholic
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Our Congregational Leader Sr. Georgeanne Marie Donovan, smsm visits Tanzania. |
Our First talk was given on giftedness. The need was apparent after meeting them the first time and seeing how timid and uncomfortable they are - especially the girls. Don’t forget the culture is a male culture. Anyway the people are very welcoming and, although the majority live in incredible poverty, they are hopeful.
As everyone knows how to farm, two pieces of land were given to us from the councils of the Church. In one a Pawpaw plantation and on the other part, a sports field. A Pawpaw plantation and on the other part, a sports field. Here it is the women and girls who do most of the garden work… Little by little I encouraged the boys to take over or let them work together. The spirit was good at the beginning of our “Pawpaw plantation project”- later on we added corn.
Our youth activities and meetings are held in a place called Ndala. There they come every day in the evening to work or just to be there as they do not have anywhere else to go. It is their common good… the garden is very enjoyable for those youth, it is a place of walking, in a private square, sometimes a place for study for those who are students. They all enjoy it because it is their “place”. It is a source of unity, a place of meeting one another.
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Picture Above: Youth Group cultivating a garden. Pictured Right: Students keeping in touch with Tanzanian culture. |
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Day by day I discover a new face of the Divine Mercy in this youth ministry as I become one of them and try to understand the reality of their lives and look for ways to help them. Providence is with us as we started without financial help except what our sisters could give.
They are joyful people but very quiet and slow. Gradually we set up a choir which was not too successful because of a lack of material and support. They performed once and it was a great joy for all.
After five months being with them we were able to make another step or dimension whereby they joined with other groups in town to perform a choreographed dance which was a big plus for them as they are youth of villages and became known as good dancers the first time. They started to discover some of their gifts and talents.
Recently we began giving them Seminars. Most of the youth are orphans, but you will only find out when you ask them with whom are they living: the answer most of the time is, “with my grandmother and grandfather” which means father and mother passed away, often victims of HIV/AIDS.
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Courses on the place of youth in the Church & Society. |
The word of the Prophet Hosea 4: 6, speaks loudly to us in this context of Tanzania “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” That is a verse that can help to understand the situation of Tanzania as they have their own proverb, saying “lack of knowledge is darker than night”; seeing how young people are still infected with HIV/AIDS.
After seven months together with the leaders we started thinking of giving seminars on: “God and Creation”, just to explain the purpose of Life, and the “place of Youth in the Church and in the Society”. They are important, as they are the future of the Church. There is a great need for awareness of “HIV/AIDS, and the transmission of the disease” …
The questions arising from the discussions in the seminar, proved their lack of awareness about simple things which are part of their life and body. The culture does not encourage young people openly discuss issues concerning their body and family life. It was a real discovery and formation for all of them.
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Sr. Emilie gives an HIV/AIDS Awareness class.
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Sometimes the seminars are held under a tree or inside the Church, as there are no youth centers available .
I realize there are great needs to continue with formation of youth on all levels especially on HIV/AIDS. They are joyful youth with a lack of knowledge about themselves and about the Sexual Transmitted Diseases which are their worst enemies, the sicknesses that destroy them most in Tanzania
After being seven months in one Parish youth center, we are moving to other parish centers. Our dream is to do our best in supporting those vulnerable youth.
Any extra time I use to teach English songs to the children. Even though they don’t speak English they are able to learn songs easily.
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I would like to sincerely thank those who have made the first youth seminar possible. We are all missionaries: some by going and some by sending.
May God bless you ALL
Pictured left: Sr. Emilie teaching songs to the child.
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