English #7

ZAMBEZI REGION CELEBRATES
THE 200 BIRTHDAY OF PERE GAILHAC

Our Regional Assembly at the end of August and the beginning of September set the tone for the celebration of the 200 anniversary of the birth of our founder. A large picture of Père Gailhac, plus the logo from the General Chapter 2001, was in a prominent place and inspired all our deliberations, reflections and prayers. Because of our geographical situation it was decided that each community would find ways and means of celebrating locally. You will hear "echoes" of each one of these celebrations in the next Inter Africa Newsletter.

All of us are very grateful to Sr. Lucienne Dubois, RSHM for her beautiful book, PRAYING THE MYSTERIES OF LIFE with THE VENERABLE JEAN GAILHAC. Each of our communities has been using it in many different ways especially during the month of October.

All our communities have been redoubling our efforts in regard to women and children and especially for widows and orphans. All six communities in the Zambezi Region are grateful to the Generalate Community for sending on the special novena which begins on November 5th. We look forward to praying it with the entire congregation as we intercede for the many needs of the Institute the Church and especially for peace in the world.





WORLD PEACE/VOCATIONS Leading up to the 200 birthday of Fr. Gailhac, Harare Community had a special vocation afternoon on Sept. 22, 2002, for some of our more interested and mature aspirants. Our novices, Rosemary and Sipiwe, animated the day and chose World Peace as their theme. This was very appropriate as we had attended a United Nations Celebration for World Peace the day before. Sept. 21. We are hopeful that three of the girls who attended will be accepted into our "Come and See Program" which will take place in Feb. 2003 in Zambia. We ask through the intercession of Fr. Gailhac that many young people will respond to the beautiful statement of Jesus: I HAVE COME THAT ALL MAY HAVE LIFE. Jn.10:10

ORPHANAGE OPENS IN ST JOSEPH'S PARISH, HATFIELD, ZIMBABWE Fr. Gailhac must have had a hand in the opening of an orphanage in one of the parishes where RSHM work. It came about in a miraculous way and began this year with one orphan, Virginia, who is blind and hiv positive. Now it is home to 14 very young children five of whom are under one year of age. We estimate that the oldest child, Talent, is about seven years old but she has never attended school. Hopefully, she will start in Hatfield Elementary School in January 2003. The orphanage is called St. Marcelline Children's Village and there are big plans for future developments, including a clinic and a school. Most of the children do not have birth certificates and a number of them have been abused and were abandoned early in life. However, despite all that, being with them for even a few hours at a time can truly be a joy as we join in their laughter and their tears. We are conscious that these are the lucky children as there are so many others in Zimbabwe who are hungry and many are on the streets and have no one to care for them. We pray, through the intercession of Fr. Gailhac, and St. Marcelline (founder of the Marist Brothers) that this orphanage will continue to be a beacon of light and hope to all those who cross its threshold.

ZAMBEZI REGION CELEBRATES THE 200 BIRTHDAY OF PERE GAILHAC Our Regional Assembly at the end of August and the beginning of September set the tone for the celebration of the 200 anniversary of the birth of our founder. A large picture of Père Gailhac, plus the logo from the General Chapter 2001, was in a prominent place and inspired all our deliberations, reflections and prayers. Because of our geographical situation it was decided that each community would find ways and means of celebrating locally. You will hear "echoes" of each one of these celebrations in the next Inter Africa Newsletter. All of us are very grateful to Sr. Lucienne Dubois, RSHM for her beautiful book, PRAYING THE MYSTERIES OF LIFE with THE VENERABLE JEAN GAILHAC. Each of our communities has been using it in many different ways especially during the month of October. All our communities have been redoubling our efforts in regard to women and children and especially for widows and orphans. All six communities in the Zambezi Region are grateful to the Generalate Community for sending on the special novena which begins on November 5th. We look forward to praying it with the entire congregation as we intercede for the many needs of the Institute the Church and especially for peace in the world.