DATA 2005,  2006, 2007, 2008

Towards the end of the file

ACTIVITIES 2008 :

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Durban, October  2008

Published by Refugee Pastoral Care, Cathedral Road, Durban 4001, South Africa

Tel – Fax: + 27 (0) 31 262 23 77 E-mail: refpascdbn@iafrica.com

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAPLAIN

‘You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors, you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundation and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.’ (Eph. 2: 19-22)

The balance of the xenophobic attacks and violence perpetrated during the month of May this year in our post-apartheid country and the response to it could be summarised with these few words: “ What a shame and how wonderful! ” Through the mass media and our news letters and communications you could follow the situation. These events brought us a significant experience which I want to share with all of you.

First of all the dictionary defines xenophobia as “a fear or dislike for foreigners or people that are significantly different from oneself“. Allow me to give some statements and testimonies heard in the context of these xenophobic attacks in order to express its results.

1. “We are all human beings, therefore we have human rights. Everyone’s right has to be protected no matter his race or his nationality.”

2. “Refugees are feeling helpless, hopeless and fearful. Some are angry and depressed, seeking for shelters, fleeing to churches and police stations. People blame foreigners for taking jobs but needs to survive… Perpetrators need to apologize and live peacefully. ‘Foreigners need to be integrated…”

3. “Local people (South Africans) went into exile and fled to other countries during the apartheid era… we must allow foreigners and refugees to stay in peace and support them. People must be educated to negotiate and not to fight for the progress of the nation.”

4. People offering gifts to the victims: “May this gift be a sign of our regret of what we did to our foreign brothers and sisters”. Other nationals exclaimed: ”We South Africans are nice people. The perpetrators of the recent xenophobic attacks are only a few people”.

What a pity all these statements and testimonies lack a direct religious dimension and we are more and more convinced that this is the reason of all unsuccessful consequences of these statements and testimonies missing the source of peace. “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11: 28-29) “You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors, you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household”. (Ephesians: 2:19)

Truly Christ presents himself as the friend and consoler of the weary, oppressed and maltreated. In the middle of trying situations he invites us to come to him with worries saying all will be well. When we were young we spent our childhood days in a simple carefree setting, relying completely on the love of those who cared for us. Growing up meant casting aside this childlike trust and exchanging it for reliance on material possessions and as a result we find it difficult to cast our cares upon the Lord with the confidence that he will sustain us. That humility is vital in our search for God. It is not a prized quality in our society where success is measured on arrogance, ambition and ruthlessness. Because of this lack of humility we are robbed of that inner peace and strength which comes from putting our hand in the hand of God.

This is the reason of peace and healing (especially through our workshops of Healing Touch of Christ, Reconciliation and peace building) of our ‘guests’ after a few weeks being with us. Those who lacked this religious mentality and faith fled already after one day refusing this call of the Lord and seeking ‘peace and healing’ in other ways… resulting in a broken mutual “trust” and felt our premises weren’t safe anymore. It looks as though this is a volatile situation we are handling and could one day result in an explosion. We more and more are convinced: Xenophobia in this country is from both sites: South Africans as well as foreigners: refugees…

Right from receiving victims of this xenophobic violence (22 May), our emphasis has been pastoral. We had prayers with the displaced in the cathedral at 10h45 am every day and an evening prayer as well. 112 of the total of 476 of our displaced have followed “Healing Touch of Christ workshops”, in an attempt of healing of their trauma, reconciliation and peace building. Special thanks go to Fr. Stephen Tully (Parish Priest) and the Cathedral Parish. They played a very important role in making our job easier. Fr. Stephen made himself available all the time and assisted all the time in making food etc. available for these ‘double’ refugees. Our Archbishop Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM and our Auxiliary Bishop Barry Wood OPM spent several days with our displaced and with us. Last but not least Makusha, Ladislas (who were and still are available day and night) and so may volunteers from our Refugee Pastoral Care to all of you our gratitude for availability!

To accommodate, feed etc. up to nearly 500 people wouldn’t have been possible without the collaboration of the Local Government, the Municipality, the Department of Home Affairs, so many ‘churches’ and organisations and individuals: how wonderful! Our ‘double refugees’ didn’t only feel welcomed by our Refugee Pastoral Care, the Cathedral Parish and the Archdiocese but as well by all people around our office who brought every time food etc… “UBUNTU” in spiritual unity!

Once again, on behalf of all our displaced who have gone now and refugees, our team and I : thank you so much for your prayers and sympathy! Siyabonga! We pray for all your intentions! God bless!
Fr. Stan Augustijns, CSSp. Chaplain.

Message 21/07/08: Pontifical Council for the Pastoral of Migrants and Itinerant People:
Dear Father Augustijns, I have received, together with Monsignor Novatus Rugambwa, Undersecretary, recently in South Africa for a mission of solidarity, your email with a report which you will present to the SACBC Refugee Desk next week, regarding not only the activities of the Refugee Pastoral Centre of the Archdiocese of Durban, following the xenophobic attacks that have shocked South Africa, but also the background of those tragic events. We thank you very much for sending such useful information. As you rightly indicate, the xenophobic crisis is complex and indeed a lot is still to be done in order to tackle this problem whose root causes do not seem to be keenly addressed by the society. This invites the Church to focus on that task and to look at the future. The experiences of your Refugee Pastoral Centre could be a source of ideas and help in order to bring about reconciliation in the society and prevention of this kind of events in the future.

South Africa is well known for its capacity to reconcile parties in conflict. The aftermath of the xenophobic attacks demand that this capacity be concretely manifested and that the Church together with other Christian Denominations and other religions present a vision and a direction towards a society characterized by unity, fraternity and solidarity. One could start at the local level by collaborating with the “Diakonia Council of Churches”. In addition, one could suggest a creation by the SACBC of an Episcopal Commission to deal with the complex migratory phenomenon in the South African territory of the SACBC. Your report could highlight this aspect and propose a policy to adopt and a path to tread towards a durable solution. Courage and strength therefore!

 Wishing you, your colleagues at the Refugee Pastoral Centre and the whole of the Archdiocese of Durban the grace from above and success in all your undertakings, I remain

Yours in Christ, † Agostino Marchetto, Archbishop Secretary.

ACTIVITIES:

29 July: Meeting SACBC Refugee Desk: Report participants: assistance to victims of xenophobic attack and discussion letter Archbishop A. Marchetto to be submitted to Bishops Conference: 5-12 August.

09-10 August: Workshop on xenophobia organised by the Emmanuel Cathedral Parish AT Diakonia Center: what can we as Parish (which includes the RPC) learn from this tragic experience and that there are never again such attacks on people from other countries? On conclusion was: xenophobia which could be translated by “apartheid” is from both sides: nationals and national foreigners. A Eucharistic Celebration was included in the workshop. The intention is to extend such workshops with other parishes and Diakonia as well.

01 September: First meeting with Diakonia (ecumenical organisation) as initiative of the RPC: the purpose was a discussion to give a background of the problems of our Congolese brothers and sisters and to find a peaceful solution in the frame of Diakonia and the municipality. In fact the purpose of the foundation of Diakonia, more than 30 years ago, by late Archbishop Denis Hurley was to fight “Apartheid” which we could call today “xenophobia”. It was pointed out that such collaboration should be developed under the umbrella of Diakonia. The RPC made it clear that Bishop Barry Wood, Chairperson of Diakonia, sustains 100% the proposal of this strategy of fighting xenophobia. Eventually the necessity to have monthly meetings with the churches and the municipality with Diakonia taking a leading role was pointed out.

DECEASED BROTHERS - SISTERS: May they rest in Peace!

· Mr. Ndeko ZAGHABE born in Uvira, DRC and passed away in Durban 27/06/08.

· Mr. Justin MUTAMBALA RISASI born in DRC 25/22/74 AND and passed away Durban 14/07/08.

· Mr. Aaron RUHUMULIZA born in Kigali, Rwanda 16/10/41 and passed away in Durban 14/07/08.

· Mr. Zozo SAFALI born in Uvira, DRC 18/12/73 and passed away in Durban on 25/07/08.

· Mrs. Sophia MAENGEHAMA born in Harare, Zimbabwe and passed in Pietermaritsburg 14/08/08.

· Mr. Pagade MBOMBOLI EBUELA born in Kinshasa, DRC 10/10/73 and passed away in Durban 29/08/08.

Extracts “Cardinal’s Corner”: Catholic News Bulletin Archdiocese of Durban: July 2008, no 454 p.48-52:

On not a few occasions I have been asked: “Why has the Church not done or said anything about xenophobia?” This is said in spite of the fact a statement was released to the media and refugees have been cared from the start. The problem as I see it is that we don’t always notice things that don’t affect us directly, until the jump out at us or have become the general subject of conversation… Together with the rest of the country, we here in Durban were shocked and disappointed to learn the spate of xenophobic attacks that spread across the land like an all consuming veld fire. Suddenly there were hundreds of displaced people seeking refuge in our Church buildings. In Durban it was to Emmanuel Cathedral that the foreign nationals turned when they came under attack. Virtually overnight over 300 people were in our care. No sooner had the refugees arrived than people from all avenues of life turned up with all kinds of offer and help. Among these were representatives of the municipality, who provided almost all that was needed in terms of food and other necessities. Parishes and individual parishioners also came forward with indescribable generosity and care. As a result the refugees were supplied with everything they needed in the circumstances…

Some were so traumatized by the attacks that the only thing they could thinks of was to get out of this country. So they were quickly processed for repatriation. In this process a number of bodies played a leading role: Durban Municipality, Archdiocesan Refugee Pastoral Care, Bus companies, etc. For those who remained the Refugee Pastoral Care team did wonders. Not only did they run a 24 hour service for registering and sorting out those who came to them from all over the Durban area, but they also ran Trauma Counselling and Healing of Memories workshops which made a big difference to our unfortunate brothers and sisters from Africa...

It remains for me to conclude this overview with a sincere word of thanks and appreciation to all who rolled up their sleeves and made miracles happen in such a wonderful way that it somehow washed away a bit of the shame brought on our country by thoughtless louts. (+ Wilfrid Cardinal Napier OFM)

Return / Retour au choix de l'année.

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Durban, July  2008

The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your country, your family and your Father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing. ‘I will bless those who bless you: I will curse those who slight you. All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you’”. So Abram went as the lord told him.

“Foreigners” – “Immigrants” – “Displaced peoples” – “Refugees” in our modern world and countries are sometimes called a curse on society. Other people see them as a blessing. In the context of the above biblical text we see how the Lord himself asks Abram to leave his country, his family… promising: All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you! What a promise! In fact in our refugee pastoral, opening our eyes and ears, we can experience this every day: how we are blessed by and in our new community and how our new community is blessed by and in all of us, how in our struggling and prayer we are getting along with one another, each one with his own ‘language’… but all of us speak the same language, the language of love and peace. All of us belong to the same tribe, the tribe of Christians. All of us are “Christians” I am convinced our refugee and asylum seekers will agree with me that our Sunday Masses on ourselves and with the Parish (English speaking or Zulu speaking community of our Cathedral Parish) are an expression of this blessing. This blessing is a victory in the struggle against xenophobia and the famous “makwerekwere” (foreigners), the insulting label thrown at people from other African countries… Another source of this victory can be found in our workshops of Healing Touch of Christ with its re-unions and prayers. The ‘anointing’ during the Eucharistic Celebrations at the end of each workshop gives strength to continue this way to peace…Several times people told me: “This might to be like a dream”, but my answer is the same: ” For people without faith: I agree… but our faith, hope and love make this dream a reality…” “All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you”, word of the Lord to Abram and to all of us especially in this “post-xenophobic attack era”! So Abram went as the lord told him. And we, what will be our answer???
Fr. Stan Augustijns, CSSp. Chaplain.

ACTIVITIES:

Visit Sister Stella TAKAZA SIJ, Regional Coordinator IMBISA Refugee Service: 05 – 11 March 2008: here mission was to establish the nature of services our office is rendering to refugees, asylum seekers. Also on her agenda was to find out what happens to those “illegal immigrants’ who come by sea. In the morning Sister Stella visited with Ladislas and Makusha the several RPC’s services: ‘Sewing and Nkosinathi Project, schools, home-visits, shelters, crèches etc. The Cardinal and the Auxiliary Bishop being absent from the Archdiocese a visit was paid to Mr. Sipho Mngumi, coordinator of the diocesan commission of Justice and Peace. The afternoons were spent on the daily meeting in the presence of the sister. The Sunday Eucharist was sharing prayer especially for ‘Zimbabwe’. Monday which was the last day for the visitation, was used to call at St. Peter’s Parish to talk to the Chaplain for the Apostleship of the Sea. Unfortunately the Priest had gone out for a meeting. The programme was concluded with a meeting in the office, where the Sister made comments on how impressed she was with the work she witnessed. She commended the staff for a job well done.

14/03/2008: Talk Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM: Justice and peace in the Spirit of Christ + Holy Week: The cardinal started his talk by reminding the congregation about the “miracle of 27/04/2008” the election which put an end to the Apartheid era in South Africa. This miracle could happen because of the prayers in hope and faith in Christ the cause of peace, of so many faithful people. He insisted on the necessity of prayer and counseling ‘our politicians’ to continue this democracy. Faith, hope, love and prayer are the columns of “healing, reconciliation and peace building” which the RPC strives for through its workshops in this sense. This was celebrated during the Holy Week (16 -23 March). On 14-16 March a third workshop of Healing Touch of Christ was organized at Jacob’s Well. The Holy Week celebrations in the Cathedral Parish and in so many other parishes were felt as a Healing Touch of Christ as well… Christ risen from the dead (the human sins) is our faith, hope, love and peace!

06/04/2008: Memorial Service: 14^th anniversary genocide Rwanda (06/04/94 organized by the “KwaZulu Natal Refugee Council”): during the first part talks and testimonies were given with comments and questions. The main issue pointed out was: reconciliation and how to live in peace after the genocide. The H. Mass, presided by Bishop Barry Wood O.M.I., Auxiliary Bishop of Durban, was a prayer for the victims of this genocide and a reflection in prayer, according the Gospel of that 3^rd Easter Sunday of the disciples of Emmaus (Luke 24: 13-35) on our refugee situation and Christ’s invitation to faith in prayer. Before his final blessing Bishop Barry put: “April 1994 was as well the end of the Apartheid atrocities, what about the ‘holocaust’, Somalia and so many other countries and Zimbabwe today…: genocides always and all over the world… ‘May almighty God bless you…’

Testimony anonym refugee + comment: Jean-Philippe, 30 years old, has a diploma in electrical engineering. In his area of origin, Maniema, East of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) he tended generators and fixed computers in this area before the war forced him to flee to South Africa… Since his arrival here in Durban the poor fellow is making a living as a car guard in a big shopping centre with regular power cuts (“load shedding”) and with a generator which doesn’t work properly… Fatima Kahn, director of the Refugee Rights Project at the University of Cape Town says:” We have very skilled people that are here that are forced to park cars. They struggle to find decent jobs even though they have the skills.” And even the country needs skilled people (cf. case of Jean-Philippe). On the other hand through the Archdiocese of Durban the RPC is paying scholarships for skill training to refugees in order to go back home with the necessary skills for the re-building of their own country and area… The opposite of Jean-Philippe whose assistance was refused…

Figures + Xenophobia:
During the year 2007, the RPC received 1149 new arrivals:
492 from the DRC = 43%;
                               461 from Zimbabwe = 40%;
                               111 from Burundi = 10%;
85 from other countries = 7%.

During the five first months of 2008 the RPC received 1185 new arrivals: 706 refugees and asylum seekers. From the about 2000 displaced people in the Durban area fleeing xenophobic attacks which started on May 18, the RPC and the Cathedral Parish received from 21/05/08 till 31/05/08 479 persons = 24%.

Grand Total	%	Nationality Refugees	Total	%	Nationality Displaced	Total	%
597	50	Zimbabwe	381	55	Zimbabwe	216	45
320	27	D.R. Congo	208	29	D.R. Congo	112	23
71	6	Mozambique	6	1	Mozambique	65	14
44	4	Malawi	3	0	Malawi	41	9
101	9	Burundi	87	12	Burundi	14	3
52	4	Othercountries	21	3	Other countries	31	6
1185	100		706	100		479	100

All these people arriving in the RPC Office were traumatised, sick and in need of urgent assistance of food, accommodation, clothing and especially religious assistance. The ‘displaced’ lived where xenophobia existed for ages. An explosion of this were these xenophobic attacks of May 2008 all over the country. Since 21/05/2008 the RPC and the Cathedral Parish received in the parish hall up to 479 victims of these attacks who fled their ‘communities’. All of them were and still are assisted with accommodation (in the Parish Hall), food, clothing etc. in a religious environment with daily prayers in the morning and evening. On May 24 the Archbishop Cardinal Wilfrid Napier spent a whole day with them and all of us and on May 29, with Bishop Barry Wood presided over a Eucharist for and with them. Many people offer gifts as a sign of repentance for all that happened. Even the Durban municipality, local Aid Agencies, Parishes, “shops” are offering all kinds of assistance. On 31/08/08 the Parish and the RPC were honoured with the visit of Mrs. Helen Zille, president of the D.A. (Democratic Alliance Party) and Mayor of Cape town. Every time the same comment comes back: pardon… “but the South African people are very nice, only a few are the perpetrators of these xenophobic attacks…” stated H. Zille. From 03/06/08 workshops of Healing Touch of Christ for these people are organized… ‘a real healing in and through Christ’ as somebody expressed. After this healing, with the financial assistance of the Provincial Government and other NGO’s a repatriation of those who want and a reintegration in their former “communities” (townships) has started.

Comment received on these “Xenophobic Attacks”:
“Christians never dwell on an affliction, but with the Holy Spirit ever go forward in hope.”

Catechetical Report Emmanuel Cathedral: Ntamubano Jean-Marie: catechist parishioners which include refugees:

Catechetics got off to a united front this year with the several language groups: English, Zulu, French, Swahili, Kirundi etc…: Sacraments e.g. First Holy Communion, Confession, Confirmation are received at the same time for everybody (before it was at different times) which expresses a mutual integration! From the 384 children attending catechism in the beginning of the year 300 are English speaking, 60 Zulu speaking and 24 refugees speaking their own languages.

DECEASED BROTHERS - SISTERS: May they rest in Peace!

· Mr. KONGOLO Kodo born in Kinshasa, DRC 25/05/80 and passed away in Durban 26/03/08.

· Baby ILUNGA Ilunga born in Durban 30/04/08 and passed away in Durban 05/05/08.

· Baby MUDELEWA Mélanie born in Durban 20/03/08 and passed away in Durban 13/05/08.

· Mrs. Mbalasa Elisabeth born in Kinshasa, DRC 06/10/69 and passed away in Durban 14/05/08.

· Mr. KANDOLO Abduli Ombi born in Kinshasa, DRC and passed away in Durban 28/05/08.

· Mr. Tenford CHATEYA born in the Zaka District (Zimbabwe) 11/09/84 and passed away in Durban 07/06/08

Testimony “Healing Touch of Christ”

Through our ministry in our Refugee Pastoral Care of "Healing Touch of Christ Workshops", a lot has been revealed regarding the government of Zimbabwe: Human Rights abuses. For fear of victimization no names can be indicated and this case is from 2002. That alone is indicative of the gravity of fear instilled in the people through torture. However several cases have been discussed.

On the 3^rd of March 2002, seven days before the elections which were due on 10^th March, at Sese Business Centre in Masvingo Province, while distributing MDC material, ZANU PF youth and Militia came and abducted me. I was served by a group of youth sympathetic to the MDC. Minutes later, a passer- by with a car picked me to go to Chivi district Police station to make a report. When we got there the officer in charge informed us that our case was going to be recorded but no action was to be taken since the directive was that no ZANU PF supporter was to be arrested. Effectively there was no protection for MDC supporters. The police pursued the issue in 2004 and the complainant withdrew the charges fearing further victimization. (This is a story from one of the workshop participants.)

Return / Retour au choix de l'année.

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Durban, April  2008

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAPLAIN

“Jesus came to Nazare, where he had been brought up and went into the synagogue… and began to speak. And he won the approval of all… They said: ‘This is Joseph’s son surely’ but he replied: ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country’. When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away and went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee ”. (Luke 4: 16-31)

In our former issue we reflected on how the Holy Family was forced to flee to Egypt after the birth of Jesus and his revelation to the whole world (=Epiphany). This Gospel’s extract reminds us how even in his own towns Jesus was rejected by his own relatives because of his teaching, the truth. (Even Pilate in his judgment will ask Jesus: What is the truth?) This Lenten and Easter seasons are opportunities to reflect on: why people have to flee their home, countries…?

From the very beginnings of human life on earth there have been great migrations because of wars with conquering armies imposing foreign values and taking away resources of both human and material from the conquered territories without speaking of the religious values: God himself. The Bible is full of such stories: I would like to know how many times the People of the Lord had to fly and go into exile! However the longing of most people is for peace and stability, a secure and religious environment in which to settle down, establish a family and bring up children in a atmosphere of happiness and hope in the future, for peace. Truly, the central message of the Scripture is about such a family life based on a promise of God to Abraham of a land where his family would increase and prosper in a special relationship with God. Yet every person has the right to enjoy a life that is fully human and religious with the provision of their basic needs: shelter, food, clothing, employment, healthcare, education. But for so many, the longing for even these basic needs and rights, which would be experienced in a secure family environment, is just an impossible dream… Many of our refugees are still frustrated but a healing in Christ, reconciliation and peace building are under the way as showed further on in an extract of our Annual Report 2007.
Fr. Stan Augustijns, CSSp. Chaplain.

Extracts from Annual Report 2007:

“At the end of the year 2002 the RPC registered 1289 asylum seekers and refugees asking assistance, 1048 in 2003, 1119 in 2004 and, 857 in 2005, 653 in 2006 and 1149 in 2007. This gives a total of 6115. 75% of them are originally from the Great Lakes area of Africa (including Tanzania), 20% of Zimbabwe and 5% from other countries. It means about 60% are Catholics from origin. During the year 2007 the RPC registered 461 Zimbabweans fleeing poverty in their country. Even a Zimbabwean volunteer works with the RPC, especially to give his compatriots adequate assistance”.

“The RPC’ method is the one of “Healing touch of Christ” based on the: healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building methodology of the Healing of memories Institute of Cape Town. Actually, in order to avoid any confusion with this Institute and its workshops and in order to emphasize more the typical pastoral and religious aspect of our workshops we changed the name of our “Workshop for Healing of memories” in “Healing Touch of Christ Workshops” which ends with a Eucharistic Celebration with anointing those who attended the workshop. This healing workshop is the beginning of the long process of reconciliation and peace building. In every one of our Sunday Eucharist people are remembered of this process in prayer and celebrating reconciliation and peace”.

“Our financial report enters into the details. The purpose of these details and our leaflet “KWETHU” is that every aid agency, sponsor and benefactor could recognize in it a justification of the use of its subsidies and allocations to our service and pastoral to our refugees and asylum seekers. Actually it is because of your material assistance and our rigour and severity on the point of view of finances since we started our R.P.C., that we could finish the year 2007 and start the year 2008 with a positive balance in money of 1,991,238 Rand (= 199,124 Euro: 1 Rand = 0.10 Euro) = 221% of the projected budget in money: 2008. The interest on this ‘capital’ will be used for daily office fees etc…”

“This report is an opportunity to reciprocate our gratitude not only to our Cardinal Wilfrid Napier O.F.M. and our Bishop Barry Wood O.M.I, the Archdiocese, and the Cathedral Parish but to so many other friends, Aid Agencies from this country and from abroad for their ongoing sympathy, friendship and financial support. Please continue to believe in our typical Pastoral of our RPC as we continue our journey in this ministry as ‘a young adult’ to the poorest and most neglected brothers and sisters in our modern society”.

ACTIVITIES:

Collaboration with Rotary Club: The RPC had several meetings with the Rotary Club of Durban which is very interested in its service to refugees and asylum seekers and expressed its intention to collaborate in its sewing project. Several sewing machines etc. and linen for school uniforms have been offered by this Club. From January on school uniforms and school fees for 600 pupils have been distributed and paid. On behalf of these pupils and their parents the RPC expresses its gratitude to the RPC and Rotary club.

Visit of Archbishop F.X. Maroy (Archdiocese of Bukavu – RDC): 23 – 29 January 2008: After the visit of Cardinal Wilfrid Napier to the East of the DRC, Archbishop F.X. MAROY visited South Africa and its Bishops Conference. Unfortunately he could not make it to visit the RPC. Notwithstanding such visit was prepared the Eucharistic Celebration took place without him but with the Cardinal and 9 bishops from Southern Africa. The Mass was celebrated in our four languages: Isizulu, English, Kiswahili and French. Archbishop JABULANI from Bloemfontein and former Bishop Auxiliary of Durban expressed in his sermon his wish and hope in Isizulu and French to live in peace with one another. Both communities wish to celebrate such ‘mixed Eucharist’ every month. A ‘tea’ and ‘lunch’ after Mass was a sign of this unity and peace between especially the Zulu community and the refugee community. During lunch a fruitful dialogue between the Cardinal and refugees created a more direct collaboration between the refugees and the Archdiocese. The RPC takes this opportunity to express once again its gratitude to the Cardinal and Bishop Barry Wood for the active involvement of the Archdiocese in the ‘Refugee Pastoral Care’.

Planning 2008: Workshops ‘Healing Touch of Christ’ + ‘re-unions’: In January a ‘re-union’ took place. From February till December every month workshops and re-unions are and will be taken place for 25 people and 5 facilitators.

26/02/2008: Meeting Refugee Desk SACBC: Pretoria: The main agenda was still focused on ”Zimbabwe”. The elections are scheduled on the 29^th of March. The Archbishop of Harare was quoted as saying: ‘Violence is possible’.

DECEASED BROTHERS - SISTERS: May they rest in Peace!

· Mr.Nembo KAZIMOTO born at Uvira, DRC and passed away in Durban 02/01/08.

· Mrs. NAMUHUMBWA Hota born at Uvira, DRC 14/10/76 and passed away in Durban 03/01/08.

· Baby of NAMUHUMBWA Hota born in Durban and passed away in Durban 03/01/08.

· Mr. GANGU Blessing born in Kinhsasa, DRC 28/10/82 and passed away in Durban 14/01/08.

· Baby MOSEKA Dieu Merci born in Durban 25/01/08 and passed away in Durban 27/01/08.

· Mr. MTEMBU Georges born in Dares-Salam, Tanzania and passed away in Durban 28/01/08.

MARRIAGE: Our Congratulations!

· Christophe IRENGE MUHEMERI and Espérance FURAHA BAGANDA married in Emmanuel Cathedral in Durban on 02/02/2008.

· Delphin NTAKARA and Sophia NDAYISENGA married in Emmanuel Cathedral in Durban on 02/02/2008.

E-mail message from Father Michael S. Gallager, SJ, Regional Advocacy Officer: JRS Southern Africa: 28/02/08.
Subject: Southern Africa: Integration and the migrant migraine.

Johannesburg, 27 February 2008 (IRIN) - The goal of Southern African regional integration is being set back by the outflow of Zimbabwean migrants to neighbouring countries, according to researchers. An estimated three million Zimbabweans have emigrated as a result of the county's economic and political crisis, many of them heading to neighbouring South Africa and Botswana. Their arrival has triggered arise in xenophobia as locals complain about competition for jobs and rising crime rates. Ayesha Kajee, programme director of the International Human Rights Exchange at the University of the Witwatersrand, in Johannesburg, South Africa, noted that "the influx of both political and economic migrants has been unprecedented" and regional integration efforts "have since been pushed to the sidelines". An integral part of the 14-member Southern African Development Community's (SADC) goal of regional integration is the principal of "free movement of people"…

The Lindela detention and repatriation centre at Krugersdorp, about 120km from Johannesburg, is evidence of the South African government's determination to crack down on undocumented migrants. Those held here awaiting deportation have been picked up in regular police raids targeting "illegal aliens". According to the International Organisation of Migration, 165,000 Zimbabweans deported from South Africa last year passed through their reception centre in Beitbridge (border post). Superintendent Maggy Mathebula, the police chief in Musina (South Africa), does not accept that the daily detention of Zimbabweans caught crossing illegally into the country is pointless. "It is true that they keep on coming back. If we deport a truck in the morning, in the afternoon half of the people who were deported in the morning are re-arrested again. But it's our duty, we have to do it, again and again."

Prayer for Peace in Africa: St Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace

Where there is hatred let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light and

Where there is sadness, joy.

Divine Master grant that I may

Not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

To be understood as to understand;

To be loved as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

Return / Retour au choix de l'année.

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Durban,  January  2008

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAPLAIN

“God it is who sees justice done for the orphan and the widow, who loves the stranger and gives him food and clothing. Love the stranger then, for you were once strangers in Egypt”. (Deuteronomy 10:12-20)

Marry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you: may Almighty God bless you during this New Year. I hope you are well and the peace of the Lord be with you! I would like to dedicate this issue of our KWETHU to the refugee-, asylum seekers’ families. The first day of every New Year we celebrate ‘World Peace Day’ and the Sunday after Christmas the feast of the H. Family. Eventually the Sunday after Epiphany is the annual Refugee Day in the Church (13/01/08). The Holy Family was forced to flee to Egypt after the birth of Jesus and his revelation to the whole world (=Epiphany). How many among our family members and relatives remember their flight, with their families or relatives, or alone, to other areas of their country or even to other countries because of war or other reasons. Maybe, we as well had to fly one day… and to take refuge…These experiences can help us to understand the painful difficulties and experiences of refugees, asylum seekers in the large sense of the word. In our ‘Refugee Pastoral Care’ to these abandoned persons we offer them our aid through our ministry and so many charitable activities.

Asking refugees and asylum seekers: Truly, do you want to go back to your country of origin? Most of them reply: this is a dream! I love my country of origin, my family, relatives, friends and compatriots who are still there. With them I have to share my experiences and skills got from here. But: our Children are born here and we are more and more integrated in this country, in the local Church and feel at home… Our children even don’t know their home-languages and speak better English than the local population… and are learning IsiZulu… Can you imagine us to go back to the bush where we come from? From Abraham’s story, Genesis 17:18 we learn Gods promise: “And you (Abraham) and your descendants after you, I shall give the country (South Africa) where you are now immigrants”… In this sense I would like to express our sincere gratitude not only to the civil society of this country, and our Archdiocese of Durban with its Emmanuel (=God with us) Cathedral Parish but to so many other friends, Aid Agencies from this country and from abroad for their ongoing sympathy, religious and financial support which make a healing of our bad memories, reconciliation (even among ourselves refugees), peace building and fighting against the famous xenophobia possible. Please continue to believe in our typical Pastoral of our RPC as we continue our journey in this ministry to the poorest and most neglected brothers and sisters in our modern society.

Fr. Stan Augustijns, CSSp. Chaplain.

ACTIVITIES:

Welcome to Mr. Hupenya MAKUSHA: Since September – October Hupenya Makusha has been involved as volunteer and member of the committee of the RPC after the retrenchment of three members of that committee (cf. KWETHU no 23). Makusha is from Zimbabwe. Especially this time as many as 3,000 Zimbabwean refugees cross the South African border because of poverty and unemployment (i.e. more than 1,000,000 a year).

“Healing Touch of Christ”: In order to avoid any confusion with the Workshops of the Institute for Healing of Memories of Cape Town and this Institute itself and, in order to emphasize more the typical Catholic pastoral aspect of our workshops in this sense we changed the name of our “Workshop for Healing of memories” in “Healing Touch of Christ Workshops”. In the frame of the organization: Refugee Pastoral Care this project is called: “Healing Touch of Christ” which includes workshops of Healing Touch of Christ and the whole process of reconciliation and peace building as well. Each workshop ends with an Eucharistic Celebration with refugees.

23^rd – 25^th September: Archdiocesan Synod: the theme was Evangelisation from the parishes on but as well from so many diocesan sodalities and organisations in the Archdiocese and the parishes on. We are confident that this synod slogan can be made a reality: “Together with Christ we can change the world”. From its starting on the RPC tried to put this aim into practice through mutual integration, a heaven on earth!

30^th August and 23^rd October: SACBC (Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference) Refugee Meeting KHANYA HOUSE: Pretoria: Bishop Barry Wood and Fr. Stan were invited to this meeting. The purpose of the meeting was a discussion on the Refugee situation in South Africa, especially in the frame of the influx of the countless number of Zimbabweans in the country. Every participant Refugee Organisation gave a report of its activities and proposals for a mutual collaboration in the frame of the SACBC. The meeting insisted on Pastoral Care which includes material and moral assistance with workshops of “Healing Touch of Christ”, reconciliation and peace building. This answer in group on the call of this human plight has to be worked out under the umbrella of the SACBC.

16^th November: Diocesan Formation Forum, 23^rd – 24^th November: Diocesan Pastoral Council Meeting: during which a report of the RPC was presented.

04^th December: Conference Wilfred Cardinal Napier about his trip to the Grate Lakes area: East DRC and Burundi: cf. next issue.

Report: Workshop Healing Touch of Christ: 12 – 14 0ctober 2007:

The workshop started on Friday 12^th October with 5 facilitators and 20 participants departing from the Refugee Pastoral Care office at 16h00. House keeping arrangements were made and the first session kicked off at 19h00 after dinner. Mr. Makusha started by finding out from the participants how they were feeling. A wide range of feelings were spelt out, all being dominated by the negative ones. This was followed by spelling out the background information about the Healing Touch of Christ. He spelt out that the workshop was basically an attempt at creating safe space for people to tell their stories about painful experiences. He pointed out that people have a problem of failing to get people who can listen to them with compassion. It also came out in his explanation that if a story is not told then it grows like a disease in a person and some people had actually succumbed to this and ended up committing suicide. He then encouraged all delegates to, therefore, listen to each other‘s stories with love, compassion and also demonstrate a high degree of trustworthiness and confidentiality. This was followed by introductions where the participants were instructed to choose a friend, newly found, and introduced them. The activity was interestingly done. All participants were then asked to spell out their expectations of the workshop, a list of which is made available in the analysis of the Workshop Evaluation Form. A set of ground rules was listed and agreed upon. It was unilaterally agreed that participants could not be slaves of these rules but there was need to respect them. It was again agreed that important rules like trustworthiness, confidentiality and No disturbances etc, were to be treated with no degree of flexibility.

Breakfast, the next day was at 08h00. Participants then assembled a in the hall where Mr. Makusha started by finding out how they were feeling. A variety of positive and negative feelings were mentioned. Once more he stressed the need for trust in order for people to open up their boxes of pain. He again highlighted on the need to listen with compassion saying, while someone is telling a story if others fidget around then they will put someone off. There was, therefore need to be highly attentive if the objectives of the workshop were to be achieved. After his explanation, he then handed the floor over to Charmaine Govender, who explained the drawing of life story sketches, with emphasis on painful and traumatic experiences. Participants then started working on their drawings. It was then after the tea break at 10h00 that participants were assigned to groups led by the facilitators. The workshop atmosphere was spiced by the arrival of Father Stan who made his rounds through the groups before departing at 15h05. The group assignments continued until lunch time: 13h00, later which they then met to finish off their story telling. Each person was allocated some 45 minutes for story telling. At 16h00 delegates assembled in the hall for a plenary session. Purpose of this session was to get feedback from groups. A list of feelings was made as they came out in the groups. The feelings were classified into positive and negative. Also listed were issues which were raised in the groups .They were also categorised into positive and negative. Participants were also asked to examine the issues for discussion. Two issues were picked, namely, forgiveness and forgetting. It was then agreed that even the Bible itself does not talk of forgiving and forgetting. Therefore the two issues should be treated differently with special emphasis on forgiving as that can voluntarily be done. Forgiveness was seen as part of the Healing touch of Christ. It relieves people of the burden of doing what is supposed to be the creator’s job hence it is not our role to punish God’s people. A programme for the Liturgy Celebration was designed under the guidance of Winfred. The session ended at 17h30 and delegates had time to socialize among themselves, later which they had a dinner party.

On Sunday, 14^th October breakfast was at 08h00 and the session started at 09h00. Perrine Kumar opened with a word of prayer. Mr. Makusha asked the participants how they were feeling. All sounded like they were moving in the positive direction as only positive feelings were mentioned. Pastor Pierre was given the opportunity to explain the modelling of clay symbols of hope. He explained that when participants came they were in a negative world and through this healing journey there was now need to focus on a positive future. Therefore there was need to express our positive feelings through models. Participants then went out to use the environment to make their peace symbols. After tea break at 10h45, participants assembled outside the hall for a burning ceremony led by Ladisla, where each one wrote on a paper to be burned what they wanted to leave behind and forget so they could focus on the future. Hupenyu Makusha

DECEASED BROTHERS - SISTERS: May they rest in Peace!

· Mr. Kalala ENOKA born in DRC and passed away in Durban 04/09/07.

· Mr. Théophile DIMONDU born in Kinshasa, DRC 11/09/61 and passed away in Durban 05/09/07.

· Mr. Deogratias NAMATHA born in Tanzania 16/03/80 and passed away in Durban 08/09/07.

· Mr. Habimana MWIAKO born at Uvira, DRC 07/02/72 and passed away in Durban 11/09/07.

· Mr. Jimi DUSENGE born in Burundi 02/11/76 and passed away in Durban 15/10/07.

· Mr. Bunana MUGISHE born in Kinshasa (DRC) and passed away in Durban 13/11/07.

MARRIAGE: Our Congratulations!

· Ildephonse BUKANDA KAMASI and Sandra MATEGA NSHOKANO married in Emmanuel Cathedral in Durban on 03/12/2007.

May the Christmas peace be with you!

Happy New Year 2008!

Return / Retour au choix de l'année.

ACTIVITIES 2007 :

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Durban, October 2007.

The lord says: “When an alien resides, with you in your land, do not molest him. You shall treat the alien who resides with you no differently than the natives born among you; have the same love for him as for yourself; for you too were alien in the land of Egypt. I the Lord am your God”. (Leviticus 19: 33-34)

During the last World Refuge Day (see further on) this word of the lord was translated by the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Mulasi: We South Africans who had many refugees all over the world and especially in Africa during the apartheid era were everywhere welcomed as brothers and sisters and assisted in our struggle against this evil. So we have the obligation as a country to contribute to bringing about sustainable and durable solutions to refugee situations and to be human towards refugees and asylum seekers… we should continue to extend a hand of friendship and solidarity to all of them… Municipalities as this of Ethekwini (= Durban) can no longer afford to deal with international migration and refuges accidentally and incidentally; this must be part of a consciously managed programme. It is so important to continue to wage a persistent battle to defeat xenophobia and other forms of discrimination against refugees and aliens in this country. The reflection on page 4 of this issue: “The benefits of Healing of Memories workshops” explains how we in our pastoral ministry try to overcome this evil and live in peace with everybody in our new society.

Our pastoral goes even further and we consider all these displaced peoples as our brothers and sisters belonging to the same tribe, the tribe of Christ, speaking all of us one and the same language of love and peace. We are convinced that our religion alone is able to bring this reconciliation and peace not only in the Church itself but all over the world as well if the people believe in a God of peace and love!

Fr. Stan Augustijns, CSSp. Chaplain.

ACTIVITIES:

20^th June and 24^th June Eucharistic Celebration in the Cathedral: Celebration of World Refugee Day: The first Day was under the guidance of Pierre Matate, chairperson of the Durban Refugee Service Providers Network (DRSPN) founded in 2003 by the Refugee Pastoral Care. The theme of the celebration of the day was: The unheard voices of refugee children. A film entitled “I lived here.” Showed refugee children’s and youth’s experiences and memories of wars in their own countries, and the challenges they faced here. Meanwhile several local Newspapers reported on it and wrote several interesting articles about the issue of refugees e.g. The United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says the global refugee population rose 14% last year (from 8,5 million to almost 10 million), mainly to a rapid exodus from Iraq. On the other hand these newspapers mentioned as well how through climate change an exodus has begun and so: ‘Those forced by rising sea levels or drought to flee their homes do not have much chance of being welcomed in a new country’. In fact, no less than 32,9 million people are termed as forming the group of “persons of concern to UNCHR in 2006”.

During our amalgamated Eucharistic Celebration in our four principal languages: English, Isizulu, French and Kiswahili, in the Cathedral with the local congregation on June 24 Fr. Stan pointed out during his sermon: “These days we celebrate World Refugee Day which includes as well all our displaced peoples living in our famous hostels here in and around Durban. These days are a salute to the indomitable spirit and courage of the world’s refugees and displaced peoples, and as such it should be a real celebration. Last week I welcomed an asylum seeker-refugee who already had left the Democratic Republic of Congo since more than two years and after wandering during all this time he eventually arrived here in Durban. How happy he was to speak again his own language and to be understood and when I asked: what is your name: he cried it out: I am Jean, John… And calling him Jean he wept from joy … since more than two years I was the first one to call this young man with his name: Jean, John which means merciful. This kind of displaced people we celebrate today together with themselves.”

E-mail Fr. Staf Leemans Cssp, (Belgium): Thanks for your last “KWETHU” (No 22). In your message you write:”… We therefore seek to transform the lives of those to whom we minister by helping them to re-interpret their experiences in the light of their own faith, just as Jesus did for the two disciples... (on the way to Emmaus)” This will never finish… If our politicians would do so…, they only trust in the ‘human’ and their interpretation of their faith results in libertinage… Let us pray the Holy Spirit to give us an adequate inspiration and truly I never have felt he left me in the lurch.

2^nd August: letter: To whom it may concern among Service Providers and the Community:

This letter serves to confirm that the following members of the Refugee Pastoral Care Committee have, after five years service, been retrenched arriving to a lack of funds for the running of the whole project with effect from 02 August 2007:

1. Théophile Mukambilwa;

2. Rashidi Williams Wilondja;

3. Pierre Matate.

I take this opportunity to thank these gentlemen for their endeavours and work contributions to the refugees. I wish them every success in their future.

Signed in Durban on 02 August 2007

Fr. Stan Augustijns CSSp, Chaplain.

30^th August: SACBC (Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference) Refugee Meeting KHANYA HOUSE: Pretoria:

Bishop Barry Wood and Fr. Stan were invited to this meeting. The purpose of the meeting was a discussion on the Refugee situation in South Africa, especially in the frame of the influx of the countless number of Zimbabweans in the country. Every participant Refugee Organisation gave a report of its activities and proposals for a mutual collaboration in the frame of the SACBC. The meeting insisted on Pastoral Care which includes material and moral assistance with workshops of “Healing of memories”, reconciliation and peace building. This answer in group on the call of this human plight has to be worked out under the umbrella of the Bishops Conference. The next meeting will take place on October 23 during which concrete proposals will be prepared and submitted to the next meeting of the SACBC in November next.

DECEASED BROTHERS - SISTERS: May they rest in Peace!

· Mr. Claude MULUMBA born in D.R.C. 24/10/69 and died in Durban 30/05/07.

· Mr. Mwenga AMBUKA born in DRC. 25/10/79 and died in Durban 19/06/07.

· Mrs. Bonata HARENIMANA born in Rwanda 25/05/76 and died in Durban 30/06/07.

· Baby Mukeshima HARENIMANA born in D.R.C. 15/06/07 and died in Durban 15/06/07.

· Mr. Mungwambe Muhamed Juma born in Durban 30/06/06 and died in Durban 02/07/07.

· Mr. Napoleon NAHIMAWA born in Burundi 03/03/82 and died in Durban 10/07/07.

· Mr. Emile GASANA born in Rwanda 06/08/77 and died in Durban 05/03/07.

· Mrs. Sesa MPALA born in D.R.C. 21/03/79 and died in Durban 17/07/07.

· Mrs. Bobina LETIERE born in DRC 06/08/77 and died in Durban 14/07/07.

· Mr. Mwajuma KIBELWE born in D.R.C. 30/03/77 and died in Harismith 17/07/07.

· Mrs. Daniela KACHELEWA born in Durban 24/07/07 and died in Durban 30/07/07/07.

· Mr. Aristide MUTUMBO born in Burundi 06/10/89 and died in Durban 15/08/07.

MARRIAGE: Our Congratulations!

· Gustave KIMOTO KUNGWA and Marceline BUTEMBULA LUBINGO married in Durban on 11/08/2007.

The benefits of Healing of Memories workshops:

They help people to get out of denial of their stressful and traumatic experiences. Many believe that it is only those who are affected by major armed conflicts who are traumatized, and who need to heal their memories. Stressful and traumatic experiences are everywhere, even in peaceful countries. These workshops help people to discover their pains and to start dealing with them. They help people to talk about some painful and joyful experiences never spoken about and to listen to others with similar experiences. They help to give people strength when they discover that they are not the only ones who are affected by a physical or psychological sickness. They give an opportunity to learn what helps others to cope with their lives. They provide an opportunity to express oneself and to be listened to, not by just anybody, but by somebody who cares. They provide an opportunity to begin vomiting out some poison from within. They provide an opportunity to forgive and move on. They give energy and courage to go on with life. They give hope to individuals. They provide an opportunity to meet new friends, to feel loved, and to have a sense of belonging.

How many of our refugees and asylum seekers already have had the opportunity to follow such workshops and experience this healing process. But this is only the beginning of a whole life process. During the “Refugee Mass on June 20, Father Stan expressed in his sermon this following up process as follows: “We walk in solidarity with our displaced brothers and sisters, who include our refugees and asylum seekers, challenging the unjust acts and structures with which they are confronted. At the same time we call them to undertake the difficult work of forgiveness and reconciliation among themselves and with their brothers and sisters in and of their community of origin. We also encourage them to live in harmony with the people in their host community while we challenge their hosts to welcome the stranger in their midst. In this way, together we witness to the kingdom of God growing among us as we work to build a society of true and lasting peace. In this work all of you have an essential role. It is our own hope that through a ministry “of binding the wounds” (Ezekiel 34:16) our presence with the displaced helps them to experience the compassion of Christ himself. We draw inspiration for our ministry from the account of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, both overcome with despair because of the death of Jesus. We therefore seek to transform the lives of those to whom we minister by helping them to re-interpret their experiences in the light of their own faith, just as Jesus did for the two disciples. In this way together we experience new life through the restoration of hope”.

Return / Retour au choix de l'année.

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Durban, July 2007

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAPLAIN

“I hear so many disparaging me: ‘Terror from every side! Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’ All those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall!’ But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero. My opponents will stumble, mastered, confounded by their failure. Everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs. But you, Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice, who scrutinise the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you. Sing to the Lord, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hand of evil men. (Jeremiah 20:10-13)

Our Pastoral Care is essentially a ministry of presence in which we rely on the guidance and consolation of the Holy Spirit. It flows first from a communal life rooted in prayer, mutual support and sharing. International communities offer living witness to a commitment to overcome that which divides us and to live together in fidelity to the gospel. Our firm belief in the God-given dignity of each person leads us to welcome and accompany the displaced. It is based on a holistic understanding of the person that addresses pastoral, material and social needs. The pastoral dimension is centered on the sacramental and spiritual life of those to whom we minister. The material and social dimensions encompass a broad spectrum of activities which are carried out in collaboration with the displaced themselves and in cooperation with the local church and like minded people and agencies. The goal of our ministry is to empower the person and to heighten awareness of the dignity of the displaced as children of God, in their own eyes and in the eyes of others.

We walk in solidarity with the displaced, challenging the unjust acts and structures with which they are confronted. At the same time we call them to undertake the difficult work of forgiveness and reconciliation among themselves and with their brothers and sisters in their community of origin. We also encourage them to live in harmony with the people in their host community while we challenge their hosts to welcome the stranger in their midst. In this way, together we witness to the kingdom of God growing among us as we work to build a society of true and lasting peace. In this work the Christian community has an essential role. It is our own hope that through a ministry “of binding the wounds” (Ezekiel 34:16) our presence with the displaced helps them to experience the compassion of Christ himself. We draw inspiration for our ministry from the account of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, both overcome with despair because of the death of Jesus. We therefore seek to transform the lives of those to whom we minister by helping them to re-interpret their experiences in the light of their own faith, just as Jesus did for the two disciples. In this way together we experience new life through the restoration of hope. (Statement on Spirituality Ministry with Refugees …: International Meeting Spiritans: Durban 15 -29 April 2007).
Fr. Stan Augustijns, CSSp. Chaplain.

ACTIVITIES:

Holy Week: 1^st - 8^th April: Amalgamated ceremonies presided by our Archbishop, Wifrid Cardinal Napier in our 4 principal languages: English, Isizulu, French and Kiswahili. Even in the Chrism Mass on 04^th April the Diocesan Choir had for the Penitential Rite the Kiswahili song: Bwana utuhurumie (Lord have mercy) foreseen which the Congregation already knows and sang it heart fully. As usual refugees took part in the annual service organised by the ecumenical organisation Diaconia on Good Friday.

15^th – 29^th April: International Meeting of Spiritans working in the Spiritan Ministry with refugees, displaced peoples and asylum seekers. This gathering took place in Durban in Glenmore Pastoral Centre between 15 and 19 April. 17 Spiritans and 1 Associated from 14 different countries working with asylum seekers, refugees and displaced peoples worldwide shared their experiences, prayed together and dreamed and planned about a Spiritan future of involvement and presence amongst this section of humanity which all too often is forgotten and neglected. The Cardinal Archbishop of Durban, Wilfrid Napier, the Spiritans living in South Africa, the RPC and so many local people participated actively in this meeting. The Sunday Mass, presided over by the Cardinal in concelebration with the participant-priests was animated by the RPC and the Cathedral Parish. At the end of the Mass the Cardinal blessed the Spiritans and all those involved in this Ministry with refugees, displaced peoples and asylum seekers. The Message of the Chaplain (see above) is a copy of a “Statement on Spirituality” which the RPC tries to follow since it started its activities.

13^th – 19^th May 2006: 11^th Annual Regional Conference IMBISA (Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa) – Refugee Service in Maseru (Lesotho): The theme of the Conference was: “Advocating for the socio-economic rights and sustainable development of Refugees, Migrants, Internally Displaced People and how their host countries can help.”

- South Africa continues to attract Refugees and Economical Migrants by way of its economic prospects. In 2006 the Department of Home Affairs received 53,361 asylum requests, 19,000 from Zimbabweans. In S.A. refugees don’t live in camps in an attempt of promoting local integration;

- Emphasis was put on skills development e.g. mechanic, sewing, catering etc. as durable solutions and access to employment to the market and become self-sufficient;

- Voluntary repatriation with a mechanism of welcoming returnees with a dignified return aimed at reintegration with reconstruction and reconciliation seems a good solution as stated by the Representative of the Holy Seat at the Executive Committee of the UNHCR on 04/10/04. This supposes the necessary fund;

- The Conference asks for collaboration among the organisations in South Africa, and a chairperson on the level of the Bishops conference.

Proposal Wilfrid Cardinal Napier:

Fr. Stan has been asked to prepare proposals for the SECAM and the SACBC bishop conferences for a more direct and efficient involvement in Pastoral with refugees, asylum seekers and displaced peoples in South Africa and the whole continent of Africa.

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PASTORAL: ( Testimony of the staff members of the RPC: cf. general report Committee: January-April 2007)

“The spirit of the Lord is upon me for he has anointed me, he has sent me to bring the good news to the poor…to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.” (Luc. 4, 14-21)

Five years of service to refugees and asylum seekers in the Archdiocese of Durban. This service called: Refugee Pastoral Care” has grown from the younger stage to a matured stage.

These five years we have been pondering on these words of Luc’s Gospel, and have been a real blessing to us as Staff members and mostly to the people we serve. We have more than 6,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered in our files, and all of them have received assistance from the RPC in one way or another. We have contributed a lot in different ways to better the life of refugees and asylum seekers in our Archdiocese of Durban (KwaZulu Natal) and the Republic of South Africa especially in terms of documents with the Department of Home Affairs. Why this being singled out is because of the pressure we have received from this particular department, hard time that our refugees and asylum seekers went through at the Home Affairs offices. Some were forced to corrupt, some were forced to sexual abuse and other were forced to sleep out and exposed to the danger of being knocked by the cars when rushing to get services to Home affairs.

A lot has happened since the RPC started to liaise with the department of Home Affairs. The here above mentioned passage of Luc’s Gospel is the response to these challenges. It is both an eye opener to those who want to work for Advocacy, Justice and Peace, Human Rights …the Spirit of the Lord is upon me and has sent me to free those in captivity, those voiceless, and to tell them that the Lord is sending RPC to free them and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.

We have said to the Lord that this 2007 (as a year of Gods favour) should be the year of: “Healing of memories, Reconciliation and Peace Building”, integration, and promotion of human dignity human rights. We are covering these objectives and are so on the way to get into the kingdom of God from now on.

Note: This strategy is worked out in our regular workshops of “Healing of memories, Reconciliation and Peace building” all our meetings every homily during our Sunday Masses are orientated to this purpose of healing, reconciliation and peace among ourselves refugees and with the local Christian and civil communities.

DECEASED BROTHERS AND SISTERS:

· Mr. Emile GASANA born in Rwanda 06/08/77 and died in Durban 05/03/07.

· Mr. Jean-Louis BOYAMBA born in D.R.C. 25/10/79 and died in Durban 24/03/07.

May they rest in Peace!

PRAYER AND BEST WHISHES TO:

Bishop Barry Wood OMI, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Durban and chaplain to the archdiocesan service: Justice and Peace (which includes the Refugee Pastoral Care organisation) recently underwent a heart bypass operation in the right ventricle. He is recovering in Nazareth House. Please pray for his swift recovery.

Extract Pastoral Letter Zimbabwean Catholic Bishops Conference on the Current Crisis in Zimbabwe:
Holy Thursday, 5April 2007: God Hears the Cry of the Oppressed:

No 20…: “Our Message of Hope: God is always on the Side of the Oppressed”. The Bible has much to say about situations of confrontation. The conflict between the oppressor and the oppressed is a central theme throughout the Old and New Testament. Biblical scholars have discovered that there are no less than twenty words in Hebrew to describe oppression.

One of the Creed of the chosen people, which we read on the first Sunday of Advent was: “My Father was a homeless Aramaen. He went down to Egypt to find refuge there, few in numbers; but there he became a nation, great, mighty and strong. The Egyptians ill-treated us, they gave us no peace and inflicted harsh slavery on us. But we called on the Lord, the God of our fathers. The Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, our toil and our oppression; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with mighty hand and outstretched arm, with great terror, and with signs and wonders…” The God of the Bible is always on the side of the oppressed (Psalm 1003:6) In that sense Jesus calls Herod “that fox”. “The greatest among you must behave as he were the servant”…. God is on our side. He always hears the cry of the poor and oppressed and saves them.

Return / Retour au choix de l'année.

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Durban, April 2007

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAPLAIN

Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the command of our God, you people of Gommorrah. ‘Wash, make yourselves clean, take your wrong doing out of my sight. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, help the oppressed, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow. Come now let us talk this over… If you are willing to obey, you shall eat the good things of the earth. But if you persist in rebellion, the sword shall eat you instead’ says the Lord. (Isaiah 1: 10. 16-20)

On this year’s annual World Day for migrants and refugees (January 14 2007) Pope Benedict urged the world to see the more than 200 million immigrants as a resource rather than a problem, whose integration could be accelerated by mutual respect. He stated: ‘The reality of migration should never only be seen as a problem, but also, above all, as a great resource to help humanity along its path (to reconciliation and peace)’.

This path chosen by the RPC can be translated by its methodology of “healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building” according to the here above mentioned text of Isaiah. This word of the Lord is being fulfilled even as you read this KWETHU, the moment of salvation, the hope and dreams of so many refugees, asylum seekers and even of our South African brothers and sisters. How many of them touch people’s lives and be healers in times of estrangement, sympathetic listeners in moments of sorrow and towers of strength and loving care on the occasion of tragedy.

This path could be called “The primacy of Evangelization”, the good news of Jesus, the good news of love and peace! But on the other hand, the Pope challenges the Church not to let this social action replace evangelization. (cf. p.4 of this issue). This is the reason why the RPC invites all refugees and asylum seekers to attend the weekly Sunday Mass and other liturgical celebrations: the celebration of the path of healing, reconciliation and peace building. God and not power is the source, the way to this peace: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord, no one can come to the Father except through me.” (John: 14.6)

Happy Easter!

Fr. Stan AUGUSTIJNS, CSSp. Chaplain.

31^st December 2006 - 07^th January 2007: Visit of Fr. Jean-Paul Hoch, CSSp Superior General to the RPC: We visited our office, our several projects and a shelter. Fr Jean Paul concelebrated in our Eucharistic Celebration on Sunday 31/12/2006 and on Sunday 07/01/2007 he was the main celebrant of our Sunday Mass.

19^th January: Memorial Mass for Late Archbishop of Kinshasa (DRC) Frédéric Etsou in the Cathedral and presided by Bishop Barry Wood.

28^th February: Meeting with Mr. Raymond Nazar Consul of Belgium in (Durban). Mr. Nazar is very interested in the RPC and is opened for collaboration in the frame of the Belgian Consulate. After having sent him our annual report 2006 and ‘KWETHU’ and this encounter we are preparing a project focused on education, training of so many refugees and asylum seekers.

1^st March: During a Refugee Service Providers’ Network workshop with Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula African women and children discussed their daily battles to survive. A Burundian refugee spoke of the violence and crime that refugees were exposed to. Hardships stemmed from the unwillingness of authorities to assist refugees in accessing education, healthcare, employment and upholding basic human rights which are regularly violated etc… were some of the other grievances discussed further. The Minister said that South Africa does not have a policy of “ware pushing” refugees and that there are no refugee camps. This in order to favour integration, as this allows refugees to contribute in the rebuilding of our communities and to avoid making them targets in the camps, she said. This strategy is completely in the line of the RPC’s aim but seen in the context of Evangelization.

Extract Letter Mgr. Agostino Marchetto (answer Annual Report) 22/02/2007: Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People:

…As Church we are invited each time again to confront new challenging situations and to witness of Christian charity. The Archdiocese of Durban answered this call five years ago by starting to accompany refugees and to reach out to them, taking into account their material and religious needs. We are grateful for this expression of concern and wish you good luck. A pastoral care focussed on healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building will always assist refugees and asylum seekers to deal with the hurt and grievances of the past, to integrate this in their life, which is the only way to face the future and to restart a new life. This is a demanding task and these pastoral activities could even become more fruitful by sharing them, structurally, with other dioceses working in a similar field…

Extracts from Annual Report 2006:

At the end of the year 2002 the RPC registered 1289 asylum seekers and refugees asking assistance, 1048 in 2003, 1119 in 2004 and, 857 in 2005 and 653 in 2006. This gives a total of 4966. 95% of them are originally from the Great Lakes area of Africa. It means about 60% are Catholics from origin.

Each registered person has his or her own file and is assisted according to its possibilities with food, clothing, shelter and last but not least with moral and spiritual aid and integration in the local community and parish. They are also assisted by referring them to the Department of Home Affairs in order to be registered with the Government. They are referred as well to their local communities of origin. Preference is given to new arrivals because they are the poorest and most vulnerable: often traumatised and ill. (p.9)

The RPC thank God for all his blessings that He has given during the course of the year. The Refugee Sunday Mass (in French, Swahili, Lingala, Kirundi and English and Isizulu every month together with the Parish Congregation) is the symbol of hope for peace and mutual integration in the local parish and Church of the Archdiocese of Durban as well. Other pastoral activities through the committee are completely integrated in the Cathedral Pastoral. The committee member of the RPC Pierre Matate as member of the Parish Council has received the portfolio of Pastoral during the last year. Another committee member of the RPC, Ladislas Nduwayesu is on Saturday and Sunday involved in the Parish-RPC care project: NKOSINATHI (Zulu word = God with us – Emmanuel) which assists poor people and refugees with food, clothing etc.

The small community groups are still continuing on Tuesdays and the choir on Wednesdays. The committee had several retreats. The financial assistance from benefactors from overseas and the Cathedral Parish makes the running of this important budget heading possible. Many thanks! (p.35)The RPC’ method is the one of: healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building. Actually, often this spiritual healing can be only operated after a physical healing. This is the reason why the RPC in collaboration with CADACC (Catholic Archdiocese of Durban AIDS Care Commission) started the HIV/AIDS project “TUSAIDIANE” (Swahili word = “Let us help one another”) in June 2006. Nonetheless, the pastoral dimension which is the RPC’s target is vital. (p. 9)

DECEASED BROTHERS AND SISTERS: May they rest in Peace!

· Mr.ULENGABO ILUNDI Reagan born in D.R.C. 12/04/78 and died in Durban 14/12/06.

· Still born twins of Mrs. KIYUBWA REBCCA died in Durban 25/02/07.

MARRIAGE: Our Congatulations!

· François Jean NKUBONENGA and Alliance BACIMA maried in Durban on 27/01/2007.

· Eric SALEH and Marie FURAHA NSHOMBO married in Durban on 03/02/2007.

The primacy of Evangelization

During his trip to Germany, last year, Pope Benedict issued an urgent invitation to rediscover the primacy of evangelization which was a strong warning to the West, which has “forgotten” God.

Truly Catholic Churches in the West are great in social activities but, as stated by several African Bishops: “If I present social projects to several Catholic Aid Agencies, doors are quickly opened to me. But if I come with evangelization projects, I meet rather reservation” Obviously there is the idea that social projects should be promoted with utmost urgency, while initiative regarding God or even Catholic faith are rather particular and of minor importance. All the same, the experience of these bishops is that evangelization should the precedence, that the God of Jesus Christ must be made know, believed and loved. He must convert hearts, so that social initiatives will be able to proceed, so that reconciliation will come etc. Social issues and the Gospel are inspiration one from the other.

Where we take only knowledge, abilities and technical capacity and tools to others, we take too little. The mechanism of violence will soon emerge and the capacity to destruct and to kill become the prevalent means to reach power – a power that at some time or other will bring law, but which will never be capable. In this way, we are ever further from reconciliation, from a shared commitment to justice, peace and love. Including God, our faith in God in this power brings us to justice, peace and love through a mutual reconciliation according to the Gospel which could be called: “Evangelization”.

Return / Retour au choix de l'année.

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Durban, January 2007

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAPLAIN

On 1^st February 2002 we started our Refugee Pastoral Care (RPC) it means we are celebrating its 5^th anniversary since its foundation. We have to be very thankful for, having emerged from the darkness of labour pains to the joy of a recognised community in the local Church and civil world around us. Fortunately Fr. Pierre Sakodi, Cssp from the DRC to whom we are very grateful, had worked for three years in the Durban area and had already started an embryo of our RPC with the assistance of late Archbishop Hurly and some refugees.

Being aware that our Ministry to Refugees and Asylum Seekers has not really ushered in the ‘promised land’ it although plays a pivotal role in that struggle which gives the real meaning of this celebration. All of us we discover more and more the biblical prophetic voice: “The Spirit of the lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”(Luke: 18-19) During these five years we have been striving to provide material, moral and especially religious assistance to refugees and asylum seekers which is the first aim of our organisation. We cannot think of a better way to commemorate this anniversary than to offer to our refugees and asylum seekers through this assistance the peace Christ offered his disciples during the Last Supper: “My Peace I give you!” Our involvement to this aim is more and more focussed on healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building which is expressed in our weekly Sunday Eucharistic Celebration on our own or with the Emmanuel Cathedral Parish. On the principal feasts we are even joined with our Cardinal Wilfred Napier who during the Easter Eucharist exclaimed in French: “Through you Refugees this Parish becomes international and we are very happy with your integration in this Parish and the Archdiocese not only through your presence but even through your services to all of us. I thank you so much!”

We are convinced our methodology opens a way forwards to our Pastoral. Notwithstanding in Africa we say there is no need for brothers to express their gratitude, though I would underline that your collaboration and union in our Pastoral encourages all of us and that we feel more strongly to continue this ministry started five years ago. There is still a lot to do, but our growing process is going on in an exiting manner… May the Lord of peace be upon all of us! God bless!
Fr. Stan AUGUSTIJNS, CSSp. Chaplain.

ACTIVITIES :

Breakdown of asylum seekers and refugees in South Africa: 2000-2005

	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Refugees	15 063	18 605	23 344	26 558	27 683	29 714
Asylum Seekers	15 138	11 417	52 451	84 085	115 224	140 095
Total	30 201	30 022	75 795	110 643	142 907	169 809

The greatest number of refugees and asylum seekers come from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Ethiopia, Angola, Burundi, Congo (Brazzaville), and Rwanda. Over the last year, the number of Zimbabweans seeking protection in South Africa has grown dramatically to approximately 20,000. While the number of asylum seeker and refugees has increased substantially in the last few years, it remains small in comparison to those in countries such as Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya was host to 240,000 refugees. These figures exclude asylum seekers in these same countries, (UNHCR), 2004 Global Refugee Trends: Overview of Refugee Populations, New Arrivals, Durable Solutions, Asylum Seekers, Stateless and Other Persons of Concern to UNHCR (Geneva: UNHCR, 2005), 8.

23^rd October 2006: Conference St Joseph’s Theological Institute (Scholasticate Oblates CEDARA (Hilton): for 220 students and the formation team. This conference and sharing is a summary of the RPC’s activities during this period. Here are some highlights:

From the beginning on the Church has felt a special affinity with the most marginalized, abandoned and voiceless peoples and has seen in them most clearly the face of Christ. In our times, in discerning the situation in our world, the Church, our Spiritan Congregation and so many other religious Congregations have identified a special calling to reach out to and to care with compassion and love for refugees, displaced people and all those fleeing from suffering and hardship in their countries and areas of origin. Our today’s worship is an expression of this compassion and love.

Actually with the loss of families and friends, material goods etc., refugees and asylum seekers also have to cope with a loss faith. Hence the great importance of our specific contribution to the spiritual healing: the opening of their eyes to God who brings love, peace and reconciliation. It can be difficult to introduce this spiritual aspect unless certain basic material needs have been met. Nonetheless, this pastoral dimension which is the Refugee Pastoral Care’s target is vital.

When people. Especially refugees and asylum seekers begin the process of healing from the stress and trauma of their lives, it is often such a relief that they want to go and help others learn it. The courses that the RPC has run make space for a second level for people who have empowered themselves sufficiently at the first level and are trained to go out the refugee and parish communities and share with others who are hurting i.e. reconciliation and peace building. The HIV/AIDS project which started in June 2006 must be seen in this context and it already bears fruits. These kinds of sharing and challenges are exiting!

Workshops “Healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building”: During these last three months of the year we had several of these workshops. The workshops we had about awareness of HIV/AIDS have to be seen in this context. On the other hand, during the same time we paid with subsidies from the Aid Agency “Kirche in Not” school fees for the second semester of this year to 527 pupils and students. Kindermissionswerk (Aid Agency from Germany) allocated to us to pay accommodation for nearly 50 orphans. More and more of these youngsters are involved in our pastoral strategy and are glad to thank the Lord during our weekly Eucharistic celebration for all this religious, moral and material assistance. These and other activities are elaborated in collaboration with the Cathedral Parish and the Archdiocese.

2^nd November 2006: Gathering with the Department of Home Affairs and the Refugee Organisation: “Service providers” which pointed several issues out: the long waiting queues for new arrivals, delays in delivering documents such as ID’s, Passports and the lack of proper waiting rooms with chairs because refugees and asylum seekers have to wait for service outside under all weather conditions: rain, sun, wind… The Department of Home Affairs agree to meet again in order to find durable solutions to these issues and announced the arrival of the Ministers of Home Affairs in Durban. During this meeting every participant presented his or her thanks and grievances to this Department of Home Affaires. On the other hand the Department expressed its gratitude especially to the RPC for its efficient assistance to refugees and asylum seekers and asked for a stronger collaboration in order to render a good service to these people.

NOTICE: From this issue on regularly we will add this newsletter posters and pamphlets of awareness and pastoral about HIV/AIDS and Healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building. These supplements will be in several languages: English, French, Isizulu, Kiswahili, Lingala, Kinyrwanda… Actually both these activities, because of their physical and psychological influence can be considered as one project divided in two.

DECEASED BROTHERS AND SISTERS: May they rest in Peace!

Mr. WEMBO LODI born in D.R.C. died in Durban 08/10/06

Ancester Religion and the Christian Faith

There are Catholic Christians who search for healing from traditional healers. Some Catholic priests act as sangomas (witch doctor) and call on the ancestors for healing.

We bishops deeply feel with people who suffer from grave and painful sickness. We understand their desperate search for healing. However we should remember that we need more than healing of the body. We need healing of body and soul, healing which brings us eternal life and happiness. We need total healing. This total healing Christ alone can give. He told us: “You can do nothing without me” (John 15:15) Christ is our great Healer who wants to heal people – more than the healing for which they yearn. He wants to share with us everlasting life and never ending health.

Before Jesus healed the paralysed man who had been lowered through the rood, he said to him: “My son, your sins are forgiven (Mk. 2:9). In other words Jesus was announcing the good news: I heal you from within. I heal you totally. I give you what no doctor can give. I give you health and life everlasting. Only than did Jesus give the man the order: “Get up, pick up your mat and walk.” (Mk. 2:9)

On the other hand traditional healers put their total trust in ancestors equating them with Christ or leaving no place for Christ. In doing so, they look at ancestors as being more than creatures of God. Whereas our Christian faith acknowledges that ancestors live only because God holds them in his hands. Without God our ancestors are powerless.

Therefore with regard to priests who practice uboNgoma, we your bishops, have taken the following decision that: priest and religious desist from ubuNgoma practises involving spirits, and channel their ministries of healing through sacraments and sacramentals of the Church.

Return / Retour au choix de l'année.

ACTIVITIES 2006 :

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Durban, October 2006.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAPLAIN

Then the Lord said, “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey... I will be with you (Moses); and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you; when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God upon this mountain.” (Exodus 3:7-12)

As Moses under the impulse of God, did for the people of Israel in exile, from the beginning on the Church has felt a special affinity with the most marginalized, abandoned and voiceless peoples and has seen in them most clearly the face of Christ. In our times, in discerning the situation in our world, the Church has identified a special calling to reach out and to care with compassion and love for refugees, displaced peoples and all those fleeing from suffering and hardship in their countries and areas of origin. Every time through her spiritual and even material care, the Church extends to them her encouragement, support and respect so that they can see the world with eyes of love instead of hate. So the Church and the world appear to them as a Church and a world of love instead of hate…

In this context on Tuesday 20 June: World Refugee Day, refugees around the world celebrated this day under the theme: “Keeping the Flame of Hope alive”. That day refugees of the Archdiocese of Durban gathered in an Eucharist celebration presided over by Auxiliary Bishop Barry Wood OMI, to pray and share their stories and experiences at the Emmanuel Cathedral. A simple lunch and dances, after Mass were enjoyed by nearly 500 people: refugees, asylum seekers and parishioners of the Emmanuel Cathedral, other parishes and the chancery etc. The celebration of the World Refugee Day had been extended till Saturday 24 June at Addington School attended by a representative of the Mayors Parlour, Ethekwini Municipality (Durban), Mr. Yuan Shoucheng, representative of the UNCHR and Deputy Minister of the Department of Home Affairs, Mr. Malusi Gigaba. Meanwhile several Newspapers reported on it.
Fr. Stan AUGUSTIJNS, CSSp. Chaplain.

ACTIVITIES:

Extracts from Biannual Report 2006: In this first semester of 2006, the R.P.C registered 381 new arrivals asylum seekers and refugees. Our annual report 2005 and the next financial report show how the RPC continues to assist these people and its evolution as well. Actually, two new budget headings have been added to the 2006 budget: Healing of memories, Reconciliation and Peace building and HIV/AIDS (cf. Unforeseen: HIV/AIDS No 19). We have to express once our gratitude to Missio Aachen and Missio München for adopting and funding the project of Healing of memories, Reconciliation and Peace building to refugees. The healing of memories towards self reconciliation has brought a lot of hope, joy, courage and self esteem to thousands of our refugees living in RSA specifically in Durban. Thanks to God for inspiring our donors and to the success of the Refugee Pastoral Care to heal refugees that are wounded by many things in their lives and continue bringing hope to their wounded hearts. Hope was identified by Pope Benedict XVI and with the United Nations Higher commissioner for refugees and asylum seekers as theme for this year’s world refugee day. And in Durban we celebrated this day in different ways in a well attended Mass Celebration presided over by Bishop Barry Wood on 20/06/2006 and on 24/06/2006 a “civil celebration” in interacting with citizens from South Africa for the integration of refugees into the local community. The RPC was once again on the front line in preparing for these days and making sure that things are done and relevant authorities attended this event. Our office (RPC) managed to bring down again the deputy Minister of Home affairs Mr. Malusi Gigaba. Several other guests from government as well as from private sectors attended the several gatherings. These were other exciting moments and big achievements for the RPC and through the RPC for other organizations working for refugees as well. On the other hand we express our gratitude as well to the SACBC for its funding of Rand 40,000.00 to the HIV/AIDS Project: to give hope to people affected and infected with HIV/AIDS as a continuation of the celebration of World Refugee Day + see: 08/08/2006: Meeting with Mr. Emmanuel Modikwane.

20^th June 2006: World Refugee Day: cf. Message of the Chaplain and “Extract from Biannual Report 2006”.

July 2006: Renovation Office RPC: with the assistance of the Emmanuel Parish

08^th August 2006: Meeting with Mr. Emmanuel MODIKWANE, of the AIDS Office of the SACBC (Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference) which allocated the RPC a grant of 40,000.00 Rand for the implementation of its project cf. page 3, KWETHU no 18 July 2006. Mr. Emmanuel Modikwane was briefed about the importance of the projected and already started education campaign, fostering VTC (voluntary counselling testing) in the refugees and asylum seekers languages and according to their own cultures. Pierre Matate, also explained him a team of volunteers from different refugee communities has been set up in a network to follow the Church’s message “A.B.C.”: Abstain, be faithful, Choose life. In this context, the RPC deals as well with governments departments such as the departments of social welfare, home affaires and the Ethekwini municipality (Durban): health department. The RPC is convinced of the important role its new adopted strategy of healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building can play in this project.

July – October 2006: 4 “Healing of memories workshops”. Each workshop takes place over three days. It can be described as a complete journey of exploring all participants’ (which are divided in groups of four or five people) past and particularly its effects on them e.g. to be a refugee… The emphasis is on dealing with these issues at an emotional, psychological and spiritual level, rather than an intellectual one. The process is one of establishing the truth about all that happened in the past and helping people to become reconciled… “All people are capable of being both perpetrators and victims.” Time is given for individual reflection, creative exercises and opportunities to share in small groups. There is also some reflection on the common themes that come up in such a journey – such as anger, hope, hatred, joy, isolation, endurance – and a discovery of the depths of common shared humanity. The workshop reaches its climax in the creation of liturgy, which includes H. Mass and which provides a sense of completion to the workshop.

Healing of memories does not mean to forget the past, but rather to find a way of no longer allowing memories to paralyse or destroy a human being. The need is to find which is life giving and to put all that is destructive behind. It is a way of preventing the history of being repeated and breaking the cycle of victims and victimisers the people have lived with for so long. These workshops are an attempt to assist victims to be victors and help them on the road to new life.

03 – 16 September 2006: Visit Fr. John Kilcrann CSSp., Coordinator of the Spiritan Congregation of JPIC (Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation). The principal purpose of this visit was the preparation of the International Meeting about Refugees, Displaced Peoples and Asylum Seekers on the level of the Spiritan Congregation. Fr. John visited the RPC several times. These visits were an encouragement to its committee and so many refugees and asylum seekers.

NOTICE: From this issue on regularly we will add this newsletter posters and pamphlets of awareness and pastoral about HIV/AIDS and Healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building. These supplements will be in several languages: English, French, Isizulu, Kiswahili, Lingala, Kinyrwanda… Actually both these activities, because of their physical and psychological influence can be considered as one project divided in two.

DECEASED BROTHERS AND SISTERS: May they rest in Peace!

· Mrs. BANSEME BENGENYA born in D.R.C. 07/07/75 died in Durban 16/07/06.

· Mrs. MUKAMANA LIBERATHA (+ born baby) born in Kigali, Rwanda 10/03/74 died in Durban 09/08/06

BAPTISED: Welcome to our Christian Community!

· 17/09/06: INEZA LIZA MINANI.

Beatitudes of Healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building:

Blessed are those who are willing to enter the process of being healed, for they will become healers.

Blessed are those who recognize their own inner violence, for they will come to know non-violence and reconciliation and peace.

Blessed are those who can forgive self, for they will become forgivers, reconcilers and peace builders.

Blessed are those who are willing to let go of selfishness and self-centeredness, for they will become a healing and peace building presence.

Blessed are those who listen with compassion, for they will become compassionate and reconciling.

Blessed are those who are willing to enter conflict, for they will find transformation, reconciliation and peace.

Blessed are those who know interdependence with all creation, for they will become unifiers in peace.

Blessed are those who live a contemplative life stance, for they will find God of healing, reconciliation, peace and love in all things.

Blessed are those who strive to live these beatitudes, for they will be healers, reconcilers and peace builders in love.

(Adapted from Chris Spies, presently in Georgetown, Guyana)

Return / Retour au choix de l'année.

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Durban, July 2006

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAPLAIN

“Foreigners (refugees are included) who have attached themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love his name and his servants – all who observe the Sabbath, not profaning it, and cling to my covenant – these I will bring to my holy mountain. I will make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their holocausts and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer.”(Isaiah 56:6 –7)

During the last Emmanuel Cathedral Pastoral Council Meeting on 6^th March 2006 (Pierre Matate, member of the committee of the Refugee Pastoral Care (RPC) represents the RPC in this Council) the opening prayer focused on the need of assistance to the poor and strangers which includes refugees and asylum seekers. Father Steven Tully, Parish priest stated: We should see Jesus in everyone. We are his hands, feet, ears, eyes and heart. The above quoted Biblical text and this statement express how our RPC is committed this vision of love and peace. Peace and peace making are central in all aspects of RPC work which we could call striving for peace. “My peace I give you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your Kingdom where you live for ever and ever… and the peace of the lord be with you always” we pray in every Eucharistic celebration.

Asylum seekers arrive in South Africa hurt by physical and psychological wounds. They had to flee their country leaving behind their having and even their being… which indicates their poverty in body and mind: no peace. In this sense our services include social assistance (food accommodation etc.), professional counselling and referrals, education with skills development, integration in the local community. This all is done through an appropriated Pastoral Care centralised on our weekly gathering on the holy mountain, God’s house of prayer where our holocausts and prayers are accepted by the Lord. As one can hear every Sunday after H. Mass during several chats, these prayers and worship are encouraging and supporting willingness to healing of memories, reconciliation and, last but not least, peace building.
Fr. Stan AUGUSTIJNS, CSSp. Chaplain.

ACTIVITIES:

Pastoral activities members RPC Committee:

Chairman: Théophile Mukambilwa (D.R.C.)

Reception: Ladislas Mduwayezu (Burundi): Collaboration with Nkosinathi Project

Treasurer, Accountant: Williams Wilondja (D.R.C.)

Secretary: Tandokazi Dambuza (South Africa)

Public relations + Pastoral: Pierre Matate (D.R.C.): pastoral coordinator of the Emmanuel Cathedral parish and member of the National Consortium for refugee affairs (NCRA) Pretoria.

Member of honour: Mary Lord

20^th February: Mary Lord’s only child (committee member of honour), Gregory passed away. His funeral took place at Nazareth House on Friday 24^th February. A multilingual memorial service, Eucharistic Celebration with all refugees and asylum seekers of the RPC and the Emmanuel Parishioners has been celebrated in the Cathedral on 26^th March 2006. After the worship service a “braai” (barbecue) was offered at Pierre Matate’s residence for the “kutosha pili” = closing of the mourning time.

14^th March: Meeting Justice and Peace Commission in Pietermaritzburg: This encounter was an opportunity to the RPC to integrate in all the Archdiocesan commissions dealing with Justice and Peace especially in the rural areas.

19^th March: Thanksgiving Service 30 years service and action for justice: Diokonia (Ecumenical Churches Organisation): This service took place in the Emmanuel Cathedral: the RPC was very involved in this service with songs and the collection also was taken by Refugees. Flowers were laid on Archbishop Hurley’s tombstone with the lighting of a candle. Archbishop Hurly was the founder of this inter-Church organisation and has stigmatized the RPC from its foundation on. Together with the Church leaders the congregation prayed: “that refugees forced from their own countries by war and violence will be given their due dignity and place in our (South African) society”.

16^th April: Easter Sunday: Easter Mass in our Cathedral with the Parish Congregation and our refugees and asylum seekers presided by our Cardinal Wilfred Napier, in English and French (for our refugees). At the end of the celebration the Cardinal made a very nice speech (half English, half French about our Refugee Pastoral Care) stating: Since a short time our Cathedral Parish has got a new dimension: an international and multicultural dimension through you refugees who are completely integrated in this parish through your pastoral and several services… I am very glad with this integration and this refugee pastoral care, this ministry. Truly, in the beginning I was reluctant concerning refugees, but because of the begging insistence of refugees to be integrated in this Parish and the Archdiocese I couldn’t refuse this request. “In fact, you refugees bring us Peace, the Peace of the risen Lord.”

28th – 30th April 2006: Second workship: Healing of memories: 18 refugees and 3 facilitators attended the workshop. One participant stated: “I expect the workshop to help me recover the wounds caused by the acts of war, leaving my home country for a foreign country and becoming a refugee. I expect a remedy that will free my mind and show me the positive thinking of how an enemy can become a good friend to rub shoulders with, to take my fears away and bring happiness in my whole life.” Another testimony after the workshop cf. Page 4.

02^nd May: Presentation HIV/AIDS Project to CADACC (Catholic Archdiocese of Durban AIDS Care Commission): Actually from the beginning on we tried to integrate our struggling against HIV/AIDS in our refugee communities which represent ten thousands of people in KwaZulu Natal, in the Archdiocesan CADACC structure but because of xenophobia, language problems and differences of cultures we did not succeed. On the other hand we noticed that many refugees and asylum seekers are infected with the disease and a lot already died because of fear… Truly this fear can only be overcome by the methodology of CADACC, but adapted to their culture and in their own languages which asks in fact a mutual integration: CADACC – RPC. The purpose of the project can be described as follows:

1. HIV/AID awareness that should be done in the refugee and asylum seekers own languages: French, Swahili, Lingala, Kinyarwanda etc.;

2. To encourage them to disclose their HIV/AIDS status;

3. To have the RPC staff having the same language and culture as refugees and asylum seekers;

4. To empower and encourage the Archdiocesan programme (Education for Life) within the refugee youth through Drama, Dance, Music etc.;

5. To facilitate if possible the return of terminal ill refugees and asylum seekers living with HIV/AIDS to their families in their countries of origin where they can die and be buried with dignity and conformity to their culture;

6. To work with refugee communities for a campaign against HIV/AIDS;

7. To liaise with the Department of Health, churches and other organisations for the treatment.

14^th – 20^th May 2006: 11^th Annual Regional Conference IMBISA (Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa) – Refugee Service in Maputo (Mozambique): The theme of the Conference was: “The Church’s response to HIV/AIDS should foster reconciliation among the infected and affected community.” The objective was to share experiences, discuss, plan and strategise on how to mitigate in the issues concerning and their effects in a multi-sectoral way. The project mentioned here above indicates how the RPC in collaboration with the CADACC struggles to implement this purpose.

DECEASED BROTHERS AND SISTERS: May they rest in Peace!

· Mr. Gregory Evans born in Johannesburg 20/02/56 died at Ladysmith, South Africa 20/02/06. (only child of Mary Lord, Member of Honour Committee RPC).

· Bishop Dominic Joseph KHUMALO OMI, retired Auxiliary Bishop – Archdiocese of Durban born at Mapumulho 05/02/19 died in Durban (Nazareth House) 27/04/06.

· Mr. David ILENGE born at Uvira, DRC 06/02/73 died in Durban 22/05/06.

BAPTISED: Welcome to our Christian Community!
 · 16/04/06: BAZALA MUPENDA Isidore.
 · 16/04/06: BAHIZIRE Robert.

CONGRATULATIONS!

· Wilfred Cardinal Napier OFM, Archbishop of Durban: Silver Jubilee of Episcopal ordination 28/02/06.

· Bishop Barry Wood OMI, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Durban: Episcopal Ordination: 26/02/2006.

TESTIMONY: Evaluation workshop by participant Omari Ramazani Kenedy:

“I thank the RPC for organizing another workshop for ‘Healing of memories’ that gave me the opportunity to share my life story and to heal myself by forgiving others. This is the testimony of what I experienced in my heart during the story telling with other refugees from other countries that fled their countries during armed conflicts, being persecuted for reasons such as: nationality, political opinion, and membership in a particular group, natural disaster…

Most families are dispersed, they are obliged to travel long distances often by foot, children are left on their own and loose contact with their parents, some are killed, imprisoned, others disappear without any sign. Men and women loose their means of generating their own income deeply traumatized, become slaves and prisoners in their own hearts. Some find it hard to share what is deep inside theme because lack of trust in the community and try to heal themselves by: drinking, smoking, prostitution or sexual abuse, become street children… Healing of memories workshop is a safe and secret place where those who are suffering can tell their story to someone who can listen, can be healed and reconciled even it is very painful. During the story telling session, it always surprises me to find that every single person has a bag of pain, anger: what was done to him of her and what he or she did and failed to do… I am pleased to say: I am not alone and you are not alone. It gives me hope as well to go and to strive for Peace Building in our communities.” The RPC is convinced of this: the ‘healing of memories’ workshops heal those who have been hurt or have hurt other people.

Return / Retour au choix de l'année.
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Durban, April 2006

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAPLAIN

The descendents of Abraham “did not receive what they had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and alien on earth, for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land from which they come, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one.”(Hebrews 11:13 –16)

The people of God have always been strangers and foreigners (refugees and asylum seekers) on the earth. Abraham lived as a foreigner in the Promised Land. Jacob and his sons moved to Egypt to escape famine. Moses led the Israelites across the Red Sea to shake off oppression. The people of Judah went into exile in Babylon. Their descendents returned to Jerusalem only to be scattered again. The Holy Family went into exile in Egypt… Christians are strangers even in a deeper sense. Peter calls us aliens and exiles and Jesus say: you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hates you… As the Father sent me, so I send you. As Christ himself we are not called to escape from the world we are called to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel to this world, even not belonging to it!

It is good to know that there are many of our refugees and asylum seekers who on receiving this Good News react like so many people in the Gospel by taking a closer look at God’s entry into their life and their world, and are filled with joy. This encounter with God (Emmanuel = God who is with us) brings them to a process of healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building: a building of a ‘New World’ even here in Durban. This we feel in our weekly Eucharistic celebration and especially in our monthly multilingual Eucharist with the Parish when all of us sing together in all our different languages and ‘break the same bread’ the body of the risen Christ who orientates all of us to a ‘better homeland, a heavenly one’. Should we approach and celebrate Easter with this conviction of this peace of the risen Lord among us then we will certainly have a very Happy Easter. As the Father sent me, so I send you… Here I am Lord…
Fr. Stan AUGUSTIJNS, CSSp. Chaplain.

Implementing targets 2006 with extracts from Annual Report 2005:

“The tragedy of refugees is a “wound which typifies and reveals the imbalances and conflicts of the modern world” (John Paul II, Encyclical letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 30/12/1987, no 24) in which the Church is present with her love and help. For believers in Christ, in the service to their neighbour, what matters is first and foremost the inalienable dignity of the human person created in the image of God. (The reproductive health of refugees, a note for the Bishop’s Conferences).

Since we started our Refugee Pastoral Care (February 2002) we registered 4313 Refugees and Asylum Seekers (2002: 1289, 2003: 1048, 2004: 1119, 2005: 857). 95% of them are originally from the Great Lakes area of Africa. It means about 60% are Catholics from origin.

Actually with the loss of families and friends, material goods etc., refugees and asylum seekers also have to cope with a loss of faith. Hence the great importance of our specific contribution to the spiritual healing: the opening of their eyes to God who brings love, peace and reconciliation.

It can be difficult to introduce this spiritual aspect unless certain basic material needs have been met. Nonetheless, this pastoral dimension which is the RPC’s target is vital…” (Annual report 2005 page 34).

Actually from 08^th to 10^th February 2006 a first workshop for healing of memories has been held. A participant wrote the following testimony:

“I want to thank the Refugee Pastoral Care for organizing this important workshop that gave to me the opportunity to share my life story.

This workshop will forever be in my mind even in many of the fellow refugees. Men, women and children of the people called refugees are victims of war, politic, persecution… I fled from my country because of the war and left my friends, family, and land I have become a slave and prisoner in my heart.

I am pleased to say that refugees need healing. Refugees are facing many problems and difficult situations and therefore are victims of the past, become exposed to discrimination, xenophobia and forced to illegal activities therefore contracting HIV/ AIDS. Refugee stories are unique.

During the story telling session, I realized that every person has suffered in the past, and I found that others went through more painful situations than I did.

It is clear that the conflicts of the past have led to a deeply divided refugee community and starting hurting one other in the country of refuge. Many refugees are unable to share their story because of lack of trust in the community.”

Comment Refugee Pastoral Care: This is a challenge for the RPC. The Sacrament of Confession or Reconciliation seen in this context receives a total new significance: the sense of forgiveness, reconciliation and peace building.

SUMMARY ACCOUNTS 01/01/2006: RAND (1 Rand = 0.135 € = 0.162 $)

DATE	HEADINGS	CREDIT	DEBIT
01/01/05	FNB: 71069428129: Investment	350,000
01/01/05	FNB: 62069428699: Call Account	102,384
01/01/05	FNB: 62012850691: Running Account	38,579
01/01/05	World Missionary Aid, Belgium	56,795
01/01/05	Spiritan Procure Blanden Belgium	24,120
01/01/05	Cash	10,189
01/01/05	Value stock	157,754
	Balance budget from 2005	1,896,201	1,784,195
31/12/05	FNB: 71069428129: Invest. (cancelled)		0
31/12/05	FNB: 62069428699: Call Account		189,699
31/12/05	FNB: 62012850691: Running Account		33,710
31/12/05	NEDBANK: 9006335152: Investment		584,655
31/12/05	NEDBANK: 9005876028: Call Account		988
31/12/05	World Missionary Aid, Belgium	63,205
31/12/05	Spiritan Procure Blanden Belgium		6,000
31/12/05	Cash		100
31/12/05	Value stock		99,880
	TOTAL	2,699.227	2,699,227

The RPC takes this opportunity to express its gratitude to everybody and every organisation which helped with its religious, moral and financial assistance. In the coming year the RPC hopes for an even greater collaboration whereby any duplication of works will be avoided resulting in a more efficient service to refugees.

ACTIVITIES:

On 25^th December 2005: Christmas, and on 01^st and 08^th January 2006:

We shared the Eucharistic celebrations with the Emmanuel Cathedral parish to celebrate Christmas, New Year and the thanks giving Mass of the newly ordained priest Fr. Brett Williams as described in former KWETHU issues. From now on every first Sunday of the month and for great feasts the RPC will share the parishioner Sunday 10:30 Mass. Everybody appreciates this mutual integration expressed during these celebrations.

29^th January: Father Peter Holiday, former Administrator of Christ the King Cathedral Parish of Johannesburg concelebrated in our Sunday Mass. In his allocation he explained how the multicultural parishioners from so many African countries live in peace in the Johannesburg area, especially in his former parish. He congratulated us because of the courage to be refugees.

08^th – 10^th February 2006: Workshop healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building: see here above

DECEASED BROTHERS AND SISTERS: May they rest in Peace!

· Mr. Claude ZUNGULUKA born at Goma, DRC 12/12/82 died in Durban 19/10/05.

· Mr. Bukari SAIDI born in Tanzania 07/04/65 died in Durban 26/11/05.

· Mrs. Ivone MATABARO in Burundi 05/05/65 died in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa 02/12/05.

· Mrs. Jacqueline AZIZA born at Uvira, DRC 19/08/51 died in Durban 20/12/05.

· Mrs. Clarisse UWYINEZA born in Rwanda 22/05/01 died in Durban 25/01/06.

· Mr. Mutuwa MUHINDA born in Uvira, DRC 02/06/62, died in Durban 01/02/06.

BAPTISED: Welcome to our Christian Community!

· 18/12/05: GLEN PIYE BIGANDA .

· 18/12/05: GALAAD KIBOMBO BIGANDA .

· 18/12/05: GRACIA BAGINDA.

MARRIAGE: Our Congratulations!

· 27/01/06: Adrien SALUMU and Julienne FURAHA.

LENT REFLECTION: ‘Jesus is crucified between the thieves’ (XII station of the « Migrant and Refugee Stations of the Cross”: SVD – JPIC

It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read: ‘The King of the Jews’. With him they crucified two revolutionaries, one on his right and one on his left. (Mk. 15, 25-27)

The Cross was the most powerful sign of dishonour and public shame because crucifixion was the means of death for criminals and slaves. Jesus is treated, right up to the end as a common criminal and to underline even more his illegal state his enemies have Him crucified between two thieves. Jesus, the prophet of love and justice, no longer has any reputation before the people to whom he preached on a daily basis, the Kingdom of God.

What happened to Jesus is happening today to migrants and refugees. The terminology used to refer to them implies that we are not talking about human beings like every one else: migrants and refugees are referred to as illegals, as if they have no right to exist. They are criminals as if they were chiefly responsible for all the evils of our society. We recall the words of the Prophet Isaiah, who, speaking of the suffering Servant of Yahweh says (Is 53, 3). We ask pardon for all the times we have dehumanized, through our selfish attitudes and indifference, our migrant brother and sisters.

Return / Retour au choix de l'année.
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Durban, January 2006

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAPLAIN

“Resentment and anger, these are foul things, and both are found with the sinner. Who exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord, who keeps strict account on sin. Forgive your neighbour the hurt he does you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven. If a man nurses anger against another, can he then demand compassion from the Lord?”(Sirah 27:30 –28:3)

In an age culture where we, not only in South Africa but all over the world, hear much about lawsuits, when people are consistently and constantly concerned about rights and legal redress after robbery, murder, corruption etc., it is refreshing to hear about healing (cf. further: Indaba 20/09/2005). In a time when we all want to blame somebody, anybody, for things gone wrong, we need to learn about healing ourselves – healing that can come out of painful, sometimes hostile, and often guilt-laden relationship, or their termination.

This healing of memories should lead to a hopeful reconciliation, forgiveness and peace building. This issue concerns especially refugees. That embraces as well a preparation for a return to their own country as soon as conditions permit this. We faithful people are convinced the Lord is the source of this process.

This New Year the Refugee Pastoral Care will focus more and more its ministry to this pastoral dimension which is just as important as the material and social aspect. In fact the two last aspects are the means to a road to the first one. We can also speak of hierarchy of needs; it can be difficult to introduce the spiritual aspect unless certain basic material needs have been met. Nonetheless, the pastoral dimension is vital.

We take the opportunity of this New Year’s issue of KWETHU to express our gratitude to our fellow refugees, our committee and our ‘local Church’ and our ‘local community’ of Durban which welcome and invite us to feel at home. This welcome already creates an atmosphere of healing of memories, reconciliation and peace building. These welcome words of the angel to the new born saviour: ‘Glory to God and peace to his people on earth’ is my Christmas’ and New Year’s wish to all of you as well. God bless!

Fr. Stan AUGUSTIJNS, CSSp. Chaplain.

MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

ACTIVITIES: