Project 57 : Formation of the laity and material organization of a new parish.

The Bishop of the Diocese of Minna in Nigeria has asked a team of Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) to take charge of St. Luke's Parish. This parish is composed of 5 sectors: St. Luke's, St. Peter Ijah, St. Peter Azu, St. Kisito and St. Martin. Each sector has a church. The people of this parish entity are mostly farmers.

The challenge we face is the formation of different groups to take charge of the life of the Christian community and foster its vitality as well as the necessary material organization.

We concentrate our efforts on the formation of catechists for religious education, on the formation of Christians to foster good relations with Muslims, Protestants and people of traditional religion, on the formation of leaders to promote Justice and Peace, inter-religious dialogue and respect for creation (ecology), on the formation of groups to serve the poor, and on the human and spiritual growth of our parishioners.  We need to obtain basic materials to support the leaders: sound system, song books, liturgical books and vestments, church pews, etc.

Our desire is to put in place structures that will allow our people to take charge of themselves and to be fully involved in the life of mission and first evangelization.

Your help and support would allow us to energize a community that, at the present time, lacks the tools to act. We believe that the funds obtained would give new life to our parish while allowing our people to become more effective in the activities they take on, while developing their skills.

In advance, thank you very much for all that you will be able to bring us but, first and foremost, we count on your fraternal prayer.

Frère John W. NKHOMA,
Père Virgilius KAWAMA,
Père Johan MILTENBURG