Category: Cogregations

NOTHING IS TOO LITTLE TO SHARE

“When I have some time free from work, I walk to Shoprite to talk and listen to their stories… By Sr. Martha Chanda The streets of Mansa in Luapula Province are not exempt from the presence of street children. In the vicinity of Shoprite, one can observe numerous children wandering, often hungry and begging for food and money. Their plight plainly highlights the realities of hunger and poverty within our society.  Sr. Patricia Mubanga Mulenga is a Religious Sister from the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy who has dedicated herself to the service of street children in Mansa. Inspired by her Congregation’s charism of compassion and the example given by the Founder Archbishop James Mwewa Spaita, who loved the homeless, coupled with her professional counselling skills, Sr. Patricia is able to interact with these children with competence and compassion. During her free time, she often walks to Shoprite to talk and listen to the children. She believes every child, regardless of their circumstances, is a child of God deserving of a better life. Sr. Patricia says she is inspired to lend a helping hand by the resilience of some of the children, who despite the numerous challenges on the streets are fending for their families. When I see them hungry and whenever I have something, I am compelled to give, not only food but in other ways as well. Sometimes my community and I go out of our way and share what we have from our table and sometimes from well-wishers. I find joy in cooking nice food for them to eat even if it is only one meal for a small group. The story of the five loaves and two fish in the bible always charges me on. Nothing is too little to share. Sr. Patricia. Sr. Patricia says she desires to establish a skills center were these children can be empowered with different practical skills rather than being on the streets. She is appealing to people of goodwill to partner with her in changing the lives of these children by empowering them with the needed skills, shelter and love.

GOLDEN AND SILVER JUBILEE

By Sr. Tryness Mulubwa The Congregation of the Daughters of the Mary Help of Christian also known as the Salesian Sisters, celebrated the golden and silver Jubilees of three of their Sisters, who have totally dedicated their lives to the Lord by serving the souls of the young people in the missions entrusted to them. The three Sisters are; Sr. Ryszard Piejko who was celebrating her golden Jubilee (50 years) while Sr. Florence Mulenga and Sr. Stella Chilupula celebrated their silver jubilees (25 years). Sr. Ryszard piejko who celebrated her 50 years is a pioneer who was among the first missionary sisters who brought the Salesian way of life in Zambia. The jubilee celebration was held at City of Hope in Makeni at Mornese Retreat Centre. Mass was celebrated by Fr. Tresford Chisanga SDB who encouraged the Sister to begin their lives anew and to leave the 50 and 25 years behind. In addition, Fr. Chisanga encouraged the Sisters to continue clinging to the Lord who has journeyed with them throughout their lives. Meanwhile, Fr. Chisanga challenged the Sisters to inspire people with their lives and not to be bitter. He said their yes should be like that of mother Mary, who never gave up on her yes despite all the challenges she went through.

Healing in the Heart of Rural Zambia:  Sr. Constancia Lungu’s Journey

By Sr. Namasiku Mutonga In the midst of rural Zambia, where the huge green trees meet the clear blue skies, is a humble healthcare facility that has been a beacon of hope for generations. Makunka Mission Rural Health Centre, located in Kazungula District, 58 kilometers away from Livingstone town, is a testament to the tireless efforts of dedicated healthcare professionals like Sr. Constancia Lungu, of the Little Sisters of St. Francis (LSSF). Sr. Constancia is the first child in the family of four girls and two boys. At the age of 9, she joined her grandparents, who had retired from active employment in Lusaka to settle in Chipata, Eastern Province, where her grandfather was offered a contractual job. It is in Chipata that Sr. Constancia grew up, starting her education at Kanjala Basic Primary School and later attending Hillside Secondary School. While in Chipata she congregated at St. Anne’s Parish which became her home parish, where she became an active member of the Little Way Association. She later joined the Junior Franciscans. growing up, I had a deep desire to become a Sister, I wanted to serve the poor in my community. As such I enjoyed church activities such as reading the Bible, studying the lives of saints, visiting the sick and the Sisters at the convents. -Sr. Constancia. She explains that during her time in Chipata, she interacted closely with the Good Shepherd Sisters, who inspired her in many ways. However, she ultimately felt called to the Little Sisters of St. Francis in Livingstone, Southern Province. One holiday, while visiting my mother in Lusaka, I shared my desire to become a Sister. My mother took me to speak with a church elder, who provided me with addresses of several congregations. Among the addresses given, only one congregation—the Little Sisters of St. Francis in Livingstone—responded, inviting me to attend a workshop. -Sr. Constancia. Upon arriving in Livingstone, Sr. Constancia says she was warmly welcomed by the Sisters and felt inspired to join them. After completing her secondary education, she joined the Little Sisters of St. Francis in 1998. Sr. Constancia has been working at Makunka Mission for over twenty (20) years, serving the people of God. Her journey began in 2002 when she first joined Makunka Mission after her initial profession into Religious Life. In 2006, Sr. Constancia was sent for training at Livingstone School of Nursing. Upon completion of her training, she returned to Makunka Mission Rural Health Centre, where she has since dedicated herself to the healing ministry. Sr. Constancia says she finds immense joy in her work. I have a passion for the aged; interacting with them brings me joy. I feel fulfilled when I care for pregnant women and see them deliver their babies safely—what a joy that is! Working in a hospital is challenging due to the sheer number of sick people, but it brings me joy when I help critically ill patients recover or heal. -Sr. Constancia She recalls one particularly touching experience that she had in her work which involved a blind woman in Makunka who rely heavily on the Sisters for assistance. Even on Sundays—traditionally a day of rest for the Sisters—she would come to the convent seeking help right after Mass. On one such Sunday after Mass, I returned to the convent. As soon as I entered the house, I heard a knock at the door. I hesitated to open it and complained in my heart about the constant flow of beggars. Finally, I decided to open the door and found a blind woman standing there. I greeted her, and she asked me to remove an insect that had entered her eye. It was quite large, but I was able to help her. Afterward, she thanked me and left. -Sr. Constancia Sr. Constancia notes that the experience with the blind woman left her speechless and ashamed. I learned that I need to be present in the lives of the people. Not everyone who comes to us is begging; sometimes, they simply need our presence. -Sr. Constancia In 2010, Sr. Constancia, was appointed Facility-in-charge as a Registered Nurse. She states that under her leadership, the facility has grown significantly. She adds that the facility now offers a range of services including HIV/AIDS care, malaria prevention, general screening and treatment, school health services, health education, maternal and child health, nutritional services, laboratory services, cervical cancer screening, and male circumcision. Despite the achievements she made at the hospital Sr. Constancia says she still faces many challenges in her work. I’m the nurse in charge of this health center and I face a number of challenges such as inadequate funding, insufficient personnel, cultural differences, and poor road conditions. These issues are just a few of the hurdles I encounter daily. -Sr. Constancia Makunka Mission Rural Health Centre, owned by the Catholic Diocese of Livingstone, was established in 1967 and is a government-granted facility in partnership with Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ), and has been managed by the Little Sisters of St. Francis since 1989. The facility has a 37-bed capacity and shares borders with four other health facilities, serving a catchment population of 6,843.

FIRST AND FINAL PROFESSION

By Sr. Abigail Mwaka The Handmaids of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Archdiocese of Lusaka recently celebrated a significant event. Two devoted Religious women, Novice Mutambwa Adorable Senti and Sr. Agness Bwalya Zulu, expressed their lifelong commitment to the service of humanity, particularly women and children, by making their first and perpetual vows respectively. The ceremony was held at Mary Immaculate parish in Lusaka and mass was presided over by the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Lusaka Fr. Andrew Simpasa SJ. The inspiring homily was delivered by Fr. Gilbert Banda SJ who used the occasion to remind the congregants about the importance of listening and reasoning before reacting to any situation. Fr. Banda drew lessons from the life of Peter, a disciple of Jesus Christ, who was known for his impulsive responses to his master Jesus. He further encouraged the congregants to channel any destructive energy into love, following in the footsteps of St. Paul who is known for his persecution of God’s people and his initial rejection of God and later transformed that same energy into spreading the word of God and showing love to His people. Meanwhile, in the same week leading up to the profession day, the Congregation of the Handmaids of the Blessed Virgin Mary received 5 Novices and 10 Postulants on 27th July 2024. Behold the Handmaid of the Lord Luke1:26-38.