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Dr. Angelika Barth – 2004

DR. MRS. ANGELIKA BARTH VISITS KUMBO 03/2004

Dr Angelika Barth from our partner diocese of Limburg in Gernany is at the moment on an official visit to the diocese of Kumbo.
She arrived in Douala on Friday 5th of March 2004 at about 5.15 p.m. and was received by the Diocesan Partnership Coordinator Rev. Fr Daniel Ache.
Dr. Mrs Angelika is a Gynaecologist by profession. She indicated that it would be useful for her to meet and consult women during her visits to health Centres around the diocese. Talking to her after her first outing to Tabenken parish, she said it was a very interesting trip. It was a surprise to her that over 80 Women came out for consultation. What was more amusing to her was the fact that the women brought all types of complains to her. Some had problems with their legs and others with their head. As a Gynaecologist, she couldn’t have been of help to all the problems the women brought to her. While in Tabenken, she held a meeting with the parish partnership committee. One of the key things discussed at the meeting was how to get the bakery working properly. On Thursday 11th March she visited Djottin parish. While in Djottin, she had the opportunity to visit the Din water project, the health centre, meet the young people, the parish family life desk etc. She has been able to visit the Diocesan Printing and Communication Centre (PCC), Family Life office, Shisong Hospital, Banso Baptist Hospital, Elak Parish, Sabongari, JP2YC and meetings with the Diocesan CARITAS service on Din water and other related projects. While at the PCC, she was able to send and receive emails. This previously was an impossibility for partners who visited a couple of months ago.

Dr. Barth at Café PCC 03/2004

Dr. Barth had not many cultural shocks since she had the experience from visiting Guinea and some other African countries before. She eventually leaves Cameroon on the 29th March by Air France for Paris and later to Frankfurt. We hope she enjoys her stay with us.

 

 

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A year Germany – 2002/03

Ein Jahr Besuch aus Kamerun

 

Limburg. Auf Einladung des Bundes der deutschen katholischen Jugend Limburg (bdkj) sind Ngi Makelia Manli (24) und Bam Ephraim Kenkou (22) aus Kamerun zu Besuch in Limburg. Sie sind Gäste aus dem Partnerbistum Kumbo und werden ein Jahr lang die Jugendarbeit in den katholischen Jugendverbänden, Pfarreien und Projekten kennen lernen.
Der Austausch zwischen Kumbo und Limburg besteht bereits seit mehreren Jahren und setzt eine gute Tradition fort. Bei einem Besuch in Kamerun im vergangenen Herbst führte Jugendpfarrer Father Daniel Ache erste Vorgespräche. Eine arbeitsintensive Vorbereitung auf beiden Seiten war die Folge.
Besonders an dem diesjährigen Austausch ist, dass eine Frau mit zu Gast in Limburg ist. Das patriarchalische Denken dominiert nach wie vor in den Köpfen der Kameruner. Bisher nahmen eben nur Männer an dem Austausch teil.
Dass auch eine junge Frau mitkommen sollte, war etwas ganz Neues! Es löste Verwunderung aus, aber sie haben sich darauf eingelassen, sagt Peter Fischedick, bdkj-Referent für Internationale Gerechtigkeit. Er organisiert den Aufenthalt der beiden jungen Erwachsenen.
Fischedick begrüßt es, dass ein junger Mann und eine junge Frau nach Limburg gekommen sind. Wir können ihnen und sie können uns Impulse geben. Wir werden in diesem Jahr sicher viel voneinander lernen, erklärt der bdkj-Referent.
Die beiden jungen Leute haben bereits verschiedene Jugendeinrichtungen des Bistums Limburg kennen gelernt. Nach einem mehrwöchigen Sprachkurs werden sie die ehrenamtliche Jugendarbeit des bdkj unterstützen.
(ste)

Quelle: Nassauische Neue Presse vom 26.09.2002, S. 15

 

Abschied

Bei afrikanischen Speisen die Welt der Gäste aus Kamerun verstehen

 

Unterliederbach. In Kamerun heißt ein Stammeshäuptling “Fon”, der Vater des “Fon” “Schifon”, die Mutter “Yaa” und der Kriegsfürst “Forme”. Fragte also neulich in der “Begegnungsstätte Altes Pfarrhaus” der “Forme” den “Schifon”: “Wo ist denn die Yaa?” – “Die kommt später, die gibt wohl gerade ’ne Audienz.” Beim Kamerun-Abend der katholischen Gemeinde St. Johannes-Apostel wollten im Flachs der “Forme” Stefan Hecktor und und der “Schifon” Ulf Erdmann natürlich nicht auf die “Yaa” Martina Ruhs verzichten.
Die Titel bekamen sie von Fon Salomon II. vom Stamme Din bei ihrem Besuch im vergangenen Jahr verliehen (wir berichteten).
Seit August vergangenen Jahres betreuen die Mitglieder der “Eine-Welt-Gruppe” der Gemeinde die beiden Kameruner Ephraim Bam und Makelia Ngi, die in Deutschland unter anderem diverse Praktika absolvieren.
Beim Kamerun-Abend erzählten die Afrikaner auf Einladung der “Eine-Welt- Gruppe” und der Katholischen Arbeitnehmerbewegung (KAB) von ihren Erfahrungen, die sie in fast einem Jahr gesammelt haben, seit sie hier zu Gast sind. Ephraim Bam kommt aus Djottin, dessen dortige Gemeinde St. Joseph Partnergemeinde von St. Johannes ist. Makelia Ngi kommt aus einem nahe gelegenen Dorf, das ebenfalls zum Bistum Kumbo gehört, das wiederum Partnerbistum von Limburg ist.
Sieht aus wie Bratkartoffeln, schmeckt auch im ersten Moment so – aber sobald man die goldgelb gebratenen Scheiben auf der Zunge zergehen lässt, bleibt ein süßlicher Geschmack am Gaumen haften. “Plantain Chips” heißt dieses Gericht in Kamerun. “Das essen die da wie Chips”, erzählte Stefan Hecktor. Die Bananen, die noch nicht ganz reif sein dürfen, bevor sie gekocht und schließlich gebraten werden, servierte Makelia Ngi nebst anderen Spezereien aus ihrer Heimat, ehe es ans Eingemachte ging.
Schon beim Essen zeigte sich eine gewisse Zögerlichkeit, gepaart mit einer gewissen Neugier, bei der Annäherung an die fremde Kultur. Aber der Appetit kommt bekanntlich beim Essen. Zu selbigem gab es schwarzen Tee aus Kamerun, afrikanische Musik schallte aus einem Kassettenrekorder. In der Einfachheit der geringfügigen Variationen, die um ein Thema kreisen, liegt die Kraft der hypnotischen Wirkung.
Vor dem Essen stimmte Makelia Ngi das Lied “We are one – we are together” an, und die rund zwei Dutzend Gäste sangen mit. Im Nu war das Eis gebrochen.
Was denn ihre ersten Eindrücke gewesen seien, wollten manche wissen. “Im ersten Monat habe ich viel an Zuhause gedacht. Frankfurt war zu groß. Alles war fremd – die Sprache, das Essen”, erzählte Makelia Ngi in beachtlich flüssigem Deutsch, “aber nach zwei, drei Monaten ging es”. Die 25-Jährige hatte nur in einem Dorf, “aber nie in einer großen Stadt gelebt”. Und: “Das Leben ist hier sehr hektisch. Es gibt immer viel Arbeit und viel zu tun. Bei uns gibt es viel mehr Zeit nach der Arbeit zu entspannen”, berichtete Makelia Ngi.
Allerdings: Die abendliche Entspannung wird vorwiegend in den heimischen vier Wänden genossen. “In unserem Dorf gibt es keinen Strom, die Leute müssen früh ins Bett gehen.” Den Schlummertrunk liefert in Kamerun übrigens eine große, einheimische Brauerei, die auf einen nicht so ganz typisch kamerunischen Namen hört: “Sachsen-Bräu”.
Ihren definitiven Abschied von Unterliederbach werden Makelia Ngi und Ephraim Bam Mitte Juli erleben. Zuvor geht es für die beiden noch als Gruppenleiter für eine Woche ins Gemeinde-Zeltlager, das in diesem Jahr unter dem passenden Titel steht: “Abenteuer in Afrika” – Kriegsfürst und Konsorten wissen,

Quelle: Höchster Kreisblatt vom 01.07.2003, S. 15 und St. Johannes Ap.

 


St. Franziskus begrüßt Gäste aus Kamerun Kelkheim.

 

Kelkheim:“In Deutschland ist alles so organisiert und alles funktioniert!” Diesen Eindruck hat Ephriam Bam aus Kamerun nach neun Monaten in Deutschland gewonnen. Der 23-Jährige ist im Rahmen eines Austauschprogramms der Partnerbistümer Limburg und Kumbo zur Fortbildung hier. Nun war er mit seiner Landsmännin Makelia Ngi zur Gast in der St. Franziskus Gemeinde, um von seinem Heimatland und der Arbeit der katholischen Kirche dort zu erzählen. Für Gerhard und Gisela Schwarz von der Pfarrgemeinde St. Franziskus ist es wichtig, nicht nur immer Geld zu sammeln und von Kamerun zu erzählen: “Wir wollen der Partnerschaft ein Gesicht geben, indem unsere Gemeindemitglieder die Menschen, die die von uns unterstützten Projekte leiten, kennen lernen.”
Und so wurden die Gäste ins ferne Afrika entführt: auf den Tischen standen Schalen mit “Plantains” – das sind eine Art Chips, die aus Banane gebacken werden – es wurde Tee aus Kamerun serviert und Ephriam und Makelia brachten mit Liedern aus ihrer Heimat und zünftiger Trommelmusik afrikanisches Flair nach Kelkheim.
Der folgende Diavortrag wurde von Ulf Erdmann und Martina Ruhs aus Unterliederbach zusammen gestellt, die das Bistum Kumbo kürzlich besucht haben. Wer weiß schon, dass in Kamerun über 200 verschiedene Sprachen gesprochen werden?
Makelia und Ephriam wohnen keine 30 Kilometer voneinander entfernt, müssen sich aber auf Französisch oder Englisch, das sind die beiden Amtssprachen, verständigen. Oder, wer weiß, dass 80 Prozent der Bevölkerung Kleinbauern sind? Dass es keine allgemeine Schulpflicht gibt und es für viele Familien fast unmöglich ist, das Schulgeld aufzubringen, um wenigstes eines ihrer Kinder lesen und schreiben lernen zu lassen? Dass sauberes Wasser ein Problem ist? Ephriam erzählt: “In meinem Dorf gibt es, wie fast überall auf dem Land, keinen elektrischen Strom. Die wenigen Kühlschränke, die es gibt, laufen mit Kerosin.
Auch in der Hauptstadt Jaunde fällte der Strom oft stundenlang aus.” Ulf Erdmann lacht: “Das war hier für die beiden eine richtige technische Offenbarung: funktionierende Fahrstühle, Licht am Abend, Telefon und vor allem der Computer mit dem Internet und seinen Möglichkeiten der weltweiten Kommunikation.”
Und so ging ein angeregter Gedankenaustausch, bei dem die Besucher viele Fragen stellten, bis in den späten Abend. Und was war denn der stärkste Eindruck den die deutschen Besucher von Kamerun bekommen haben? Martina Ruhs findet: “Das war die unglaubliche Herzlichkeit und Gastfreundschaft, mit der wir überall aufgenommen wurden.” (awe)

Quelle:Höchster Kreisblatt vom 17.07.2003, S. 17

 

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Fr Andrew 2007-2012

Besuch aus Kumbo und Bamenda

Überraschender Besuch aus unsere Partnergemeinde in Djottin, Kamerun sowie aus aus der Diocese Bamenda.

Ganzüberraschend und ohne vorherige Ankündigung erhielten die Mitgliederder Eine-Welt-Gruppe eine kurze, in deutsch gehaltene email aus Kumbo,Kamerun.
.
Dort schrieb Father Andrew, Priester unserer Partnergemeinde St. Joseph, Djottin,
‘Komme Samstag 09:00h in Frankfurt an’.

Nachsolch einer email fragten sich die Mitglieder der EWG, was wohl derAnlass sein könnte das der Pfarrer von Djottin nach Deutschlandreist…?
Fragen und Spekulationen gingen die Runde.

Doch es ist ganz einfach.
Father Andrew aus dem Bistum Kumbo sowie Father Augustinus aus dem Bistum Bamenda, werden an der Philisophisch-Theologische Hochschule Sankt Georgen (Frankfurt-Oberrad) einen vierjährigen theologischen Studium aufnehmen.

EineDelegation aus der EWG und aus andere Mitglieder von St. Johanneshiessen beide Priester am frankfurter Flughafen willkommen. BeidePriester freuten sich umso mehr als sie einige Personen desEmpfangskommitees wieder erkannten.
Regina Mohry sowie BernhardHöfner waren doch erst Anfang des Jahres in Djottin und besuchten dortFather Andrew in unserer Partnergemeinde. Aber auch Ulf Erdmann dermehrere male Djottin besucht und Father Andrew dort kennengelernt hat,hiess ihn willkommen.

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„The internet doesnt only offer us a variety of media with which to transmit the Good News,but has given birth to a new culture altogether“ Fr Robert

Interviewed by Martin Jumbam and Ireneanus Chia Chongwain

Frtantoweb_2The internet is gradually becoming an assertive evangelisation tool and one of its early adaptors is the Diocese of Kumbo.In this interview Fr Robert Tanto, incharge of Social Communications says among others things say many priests and lay faithful are not showing much interest on the internet.

Father, we understand that you are the brain behind the installation of the internet in most parishes in the Kumbo Diocese. What motivated you to embark on such a project?
I have always strived to use existing media and seek new ones to communicate the message of the Gospel, especially to young people. In many ways, these young people have helped me to be forward looking, somewhat of a visionary. Modern communications, particularly the internet, do not only offer us a variety of media with which to transmit the Good News but have given birth to a ‘new culture’. How could a catechist, like me, or anyone involved in the work of evangelisation, hope to integrate the message of Christ into this culture if he fails to use the means available, which are responsible for the new culture? That is why I use the most appropriate means to answer the challenges posed by the new culture. Working with young people I felt the challenge to be always creative, inventive, looking for the “in-thing” and being up to date, at least, in the knowledge of fashions, styles, expressions and so on. The spirit to embrace new methods and try new skills was daily nurtured in me.
The progression seems to me only natural: I used chalk a lot when I depended on the chalk board to get the message across; I used paper an awful lot in group dynamics, then I waded into what I consider the age of the audio tape. I collected loads of tapes and a wide range of musicians that were in vogue in the 60s and 70s; then came the age of the telephone, the camera, then fax, then computer, computer fax and the internet is the latest, the most inviting perhaps, but also the most challenging of the media. It is now the “in-thing”. And attached to it is the Digital Camera! It all comes to me as a process of growth and advancement in my job of communicating the message of the Gospel.

The internet needs constant back up technical services. Do you have the qualified manpower to provide these services in Kumbo?
For technical services, we have a well trained, very dedicated young man at the service of the diocese. Mr Bernard Kong was groomed by the Diocesan Youth Ministry of Kumbo. We have a partnership with the Diocese of Limburg in Germany where he was trained and came back home to set up the Diocesan Printing and Communications Centre (PCC) of which he is the pioneer and current Manager. He offers in-service training to those with whom he runs the Centre. We have another young man, Bernard Afor, whom we sponsored to train at Bamenda to run the Binju-Nkambe Internet Café and maintain the system. There is Denis Tarawo, who manages the Cyber Café at the Diocesan Youth Centre, who was also trained in Bamenda With the services of these three we do manage to keep our set up and running, although we do not hesitate to call on outside assistance when the need arises.

How accessible is the internet in the Kumbo Diocese to priests, the religious and other lay pastoral workers? Priests, Religious and all Lay Pastoral Workers serving in any office in the Bishop’s House Complex now have computers and internet service as a regular component of office equipment. Currently, there is a study to extend the internet services of PCC to the Diocesan Pastoral Centre and to the Minor Seminary in Kitiwum. Priests, religious and lay people have easy access to the Cyber Cafés situated at PCC (near the Diocesan Garage) and at the John Paul II Youth Centre. Priests are even offered browsing time at a rate lower than the general public. The Binju-Nkambe Cyber Café in Nkambe Town is open to the general public including priests, religious and lay pastoral workers. The browsing time at Nkambe is cheaper than at Kumbo and has the same rate for all. Although the internet services have been put within the reach of everybody, there are, unfortunately some priests and religious and lay pastoral workers who do not show any interest in it at all.

Does the Diocese of Kumbo have any comprehensive policy or guidelines as far as the internet is concerned?
As I just said, some priests and pastoral workers do not show any interest in the internet, not even in the use of the computer for regular work. Quite a few blame their lack of interest on the lack of computers in the places where they serve. As of now the Diocese of Kumbo does not have any comprehensive policy about the use of the internet. The former bishop strongly advised priests to get into the use of computers to run their parishes and even indicated that the responsibility devolved on the Finance Committees of Parishes to budget for and acquire computers for the parishes. But I suppose it takes a very interested priest to convince his Finance Committee that such an expensive gadget is a worthwhile investment for the parish.

The internet poses enormous challenges not only to contemporary society, in general, and the Church, in particular. What measures, if any, has the Diocese put in place to ensure the appropriate use of the internet by its faithful?

The Diocese has taken steps to make the internet accessible to many people, which is an indication of the Diocese’s appreciation of this tool in evangelisation. Apart from the services offered at Kumbo and Nkambe, there is also a website for the Binju-Nkambe Parish, which is being visited by many people all over the world; there is also the Kumbo-Limburg website, which opens up for study and understanding the partnership that exists between the two dioceses. Apart from the courses offered to young people at the Diocesan Youth Centre, at PCC and at the Girls and Boys Town Cyber-Café of Binju-Nkambe, there is little or no formal training for priests, religious and lay pastoral workers on the use of the media and of the internet in particular. People need training to be able to use the internet in their work. Some have never looked at the websites I just referred to, because they are not able to face the technology.
There is a great but unanswered need for professional training for those directly involved in the media. They need both doctrinal and spiritual formation to be able to function appropriately in the media for the good of the Church. One notes with regret that the internet tends to distance children from their parents. Some parents even attempt to stop their children browsing. That is futile. There is no stopping of young people and children becoming more familiar with the internet than their parents. And since most parents are basically internet illiterate, one would expect our schools to teach the young children who come to them the skills to use the internet so as to distinguish the bad from the good and make right choices when they eventually get fully exposed to it.

What is the situation in our Catholic colleges?
Our Catholic Colleges are not yet including internet fee in their tuition or providing internet services to their students. This, to me, constitutes a loss of opportunities for the young people who attend our schools to receive proper education in the use of this new technology. I think this is a dangerous neglect. The argument that we may lose students if we increase the fees by including an internet-use levy is not credible to me. We are probably losing students to other institutions because we fail to provide access to the internet which they easily find elsewhere. By failing to provide them with adequate and relevant internet and computer training, we are failing to prepare them to face the world that is increasingly becoming ever more secularised. I believe that if we want our young people to be the good and successful citizens of the state and the church today and tomorrow, then we must train them in the use of modern technological innovations such as the internet.

Listening to you, Father, it would seem not much is being done in the Kumbo Diocese to promote evangelisation through the internet.

The two websites: for Binju-Nkambe Parish and for Kumbo-Limburg are small beginnings to do evangelisation via the internet. Celebrations of faith events that get put on the websites are read by many both in the country and out of the country. Many people have come to know our pastoral strategies through these websites. Interestingly, I noticed many non-Catholics browsing our website in Nkambe and writing questions to me about events they read on the website. Our sister Churches in Europe have appreciated some of the efforts we make locally and contributed to the building of our infrastructure, thanks to the information they get on the internet. The internet has replaced a bogus library in my case. I find very easy access to the documents of the Church, to Theological Discussions and Scientific Research.
When I still ran Catholic Programmes on the Donga-Mantung Community Radio, the internet was my immediate source of Catholic news and meditation on various topics. The feedback I got was that many people who listened to my radio programmes got attracted to the Catholic Church, or at least got a little insight into what the Catholic Church is all about. A lot more could be done if more people learnt to use the internet.

What future for the internet in Kumbo?
I think the internet has come to stay. The challenges are enormous, but it is one of those things which tend to survive better in difficulties. You see, the internet department of the Girls and Boys Town Project in Binju-Nkambe suffered terrible damages by lightning. For four months, it was out of function. Many said it was Father Tanto’s business and since Tanto was moving to Tobin the service had ended. But because the users had been exposed to so much and had come to depend on the internet for many things, many of them kept appealing to us to make it work again. We did reinstate it at a terrific cost. But the good news is that more young people are registering for training, and the users are pouring into the café.

Last Word?

The Church has always been at the forefront of communication because her essential mission is to communicate Christ to the world. That is how she is missionary and not maintenance. It is a fact of history that from the time of Christ the Church has never fallen behind in her choice of the best means to communicate Christ. The Church cannot begin now to take half measures and go for the second best.
The internet is not the only means of communicating Christ to the world but it is the most appropriate means to integrate the Good News of Jesus Christ in the new culture in which the Church finds herself. The universal Catholic Church is reaching out more easily by means of the internet; the Church in Cameroon cannot afford to stay out of this outreach.

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Source: http://www.leffortcamerounais.com/
October 11, 2007 at 06:29 AM

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A new religious community arrives in the Diocese of Kumbo

By Fr. Peter A. Foleng, SD

PioneersisterskumbowebIn January 2004, the first residential bishop of the Diocese of Kumbo, Most Rev. Cornelius F. Esua met the Sisters of the Handmaid of the Holy Child Jesus (HHCJ) to open a house in the Diocese. Less than a year after this preliminary talk, the Bishop was transferred to Bamenda as the coadjutor archbishop. For over two years it looked like nothing was happening as the archbishop shuttled between Kumbo and Bamenda. Few still believed his request will come to fruition, but the request has now been transformed into a reality.

After the appointment, in July and subsequent consecration of Mgr. George Nkuo as the second residential bishop of Kumbo, on September 8, 2006, plans for the opening of an HHCJ house in the Diocese Kumbo picked up speed, a little faster than many had anticipated. Shortly after Mgr Nkuo took canonical possession of the Diocese, he renewed the contact with the congregation in February 2007. Barely six months after the contact, the bishop’s efforts have borne what many see as lasting fruits.

It was on Saturday, August, 18 that the first member of the Sisters of the Handmaids of the Holy child Jesus arrived in the diocese to begin a house in Kumbo, at the Minor Seminary. Sr. Pauline Nnanyere entered the annals of history as the first HHCJ sister to take up permanent residence in Kumbo. She was accompanied by Sr. Emilia Ogar and Ms Lucy Odom, an aspirant, from their community in Mutengene, Diocese of Buea. It would be recalled that on July 20, 2007, the Superior General of the Sisters of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus, Mother Mary Langley, addressed a letter from the Generalate in Ifuho-Nigeria to the Bishop of Kumbo, George Nkuo announcing the arrival of the sisters to set up a community in Kumbo. Prior to their arrival, the congregation dispatched Sr. Prudentia Nzeribe, from the Mutengene community to prepare for the arrival of the Sisters. For three weeks, she worked hard, personally overseeing the work that was ongoing ahead of the arrival of the rest of the members of her congregation. Finally, on Friday September 14, 2007, Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, at 8.30p.m, the last two sisters of the HHCJ arrived in the Diocese. They were Sister Loretta Ovwigho and Sr. Linda U. Obiakor, thus completing the community to three members.

On Monday September 17, 2007, Memorial of St. Robert Bellarmine, the Bishop of Kumbo, Mgr. George Nkuo, sent out a circular, announcing the creation of the foundation of the sisters of HHCJ in the diocese. The Bishop welcomed the new nuns and expressed hope that they would “join the other religious communities already present to collaborate in the great task of evangelisation in the Diocese of Kumbo.” The Bishop further called on all the priests, religious men and women and Lay Faithful of the diocese to “give these new sisters the support and collaboration they need to settle and feel part of this our beloved Church in Kumbo.” The sisters of the HHCJ already have two houses in the Diocese of Buea and one in the Diocese of Mamfe.

They are yet to begin a house in the Archdiocese of Bamenda. They are involved in formal education, clerical and pastoral works.

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Source: http://www.leffortcamerounais.com
October 11, 2007 at 02:55 AM

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5th jubilee partnership 2005

Partnership Jubilee Celebration Five years of Friendship
between St. Joseph Parish Djottin and St. Johannes Ap. Parish Unterliederbach


Delegation from Unterliederbach to Djottin for this Celebration :

Brigitte Henrich, Rudolf Fleckenstein and Ulf Erdmann


Airport:

he delegation from Frankfurt arrived Douala Cameroon on Sunday 2nd October 2005. The delegation was welcomed at the Douala International Airport by Rev. Fr. Daniel Ache, the Kumbo Diocesan partnership Coordinator. Unfortunately for them, not all their luggage from Air France had arrived. This meant waiting for another one day to get the luggage but nothing came. Therefore their program to go through the capital city Yaounde was cancelled. Limbe was surely a better option for our German delegation; as you could here them comment that “Limbe ist eine schoene Stadt” meaning Limbe is a beautiful town.


To Djottin:

Nevertheless, the delegation arrived Kumbo late on Tuesday 4th October 2005. The next day the delegation left for Djottin at about 3:00pm. There was a stop over at keri mission, a mission station in Mbiim Zone. There was quite a good number of Christians at the mission to welcome the visitors. After Keri, another significant stop over was made at Ngamase a new mission station of Djottin parish in the Buh area.


It should be noted that the Buh area has not been participating in the parish activities within the past 10 years due to inter tribal (the parish is made up of two different tribes; Mbiim zone and Buh area which are Lamso speaking and Djottin + Din Zones which are Noni speaking) problems between the Djottin people and the people of Djottin. Thanks to the almighty God to have encouraged Rev. Fr. Andrew Ngah (Parish Priest) to solve this problem. On arrival in Ngamase, there was a hectic welcome by the Christians of the church. The dance groups welcomed the visitors some 200m away from the church premises dancing dexterously with Peace-Plants as a sign of peace within the friendship of the two parishes.


While in Ngamse, the sign of friendship could be felt as Rudolf Fleckenstein enthusiastically greeted and thanked the people in Lamso (Language of the Nso people): ”M’sahti ven adzem, Beri ven feye” (I greet you all, thank you so much).


The delegation finally arrived Djottin at about 6:00pm and was welcomed by the Christians and the student of the Girls Vocational School (GVS) Djottin at the Djottin round about. Mr. Erdmann Ulf greeted the Christians and thanked them for their warm reception and said he was happy to back in Djottin for the second time.


Fr. Andrew then made a guided to around the mission with the visitors. While inside the parish church, Ulf remarked that there have been some changes since he last visited as he could see new paintings and drawings on the walls. At this moment there is also renovation work on the walls of the church as it had developed some serious cracks in the past years and could be quite dangerous. After dinner, the delegation vested the Franciscan Sisters in their convent. Brigitte had the privilege to stay in their convent.


Din Zone:

The Delegation participated in a Catechist meeting and a meeting with the Fons of Din at Ngiptang on the 6th October 2005. They were quite delighted to see the way Catechists and the priest are working collaboratively, especially as there is a lot of transport difficulty in the parish.


One important point that was brought up at the meeting was the agreement by all the missions in the parish to buy a Suzuki for the Parish Priest to use in moving round the parish since the old parish car was bad and costed a lot of money to repair. Most catechists reported that they have net yet met up with their targets. It was also emphasised that there most be effective teaching of doctrine by the catechists in their mission. They were advised by the Parish priest to let the catechumens understand the meaning of their doctrine well for there is going to testing on each part of the doctrine after each three months.


The meeting with the fons was the last part of the day in Din Zone. Fon Solomon Dom II was personally present while Fon Stephen Tangiri was represented by his kinsman as he was just discharged from the hospital some few days ago. The Fons were very happy to welcome the visitors and most special Fai Chefon(Ulf Erdmann) (Father of the Fon) who is coming to Din for the second time and holds a traditional title from the Din Fondom.


An important point of the meeting with the fons was the Din Water Project, which has delayed so much for the construction work to begin. A letter from the Kumbo Diocesan Social Welfare Office was read at the meeting. From the Letter, work on the water project has been scheduled as from November but the Din people still need to fulfill their financial contribution of over six million Fcfa and with the deposition of enough sand and stones at the catchment areas. The people of Din have already deposited enough sand and some stones as expected but the most difficult part remains their financial contribution. At then end of it the fons sent their special greetings to Yaah Martina Ruhs and Nforme Stefan Hecktor who could not be part of the delegation as they were wedding on the 5th October 2005. On the way back to the parish house, the delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Djottin palaces. In the palace of Fon Joeseph, he expressed a lot of joy for he could see his children in a fruitful relationship like the partnership when he is still alive. He honoured the visit to his palace with Palm Wine which is a local drink of the people produced and consumed in the locality.


Mbiim Zone:

The morning of Thursday 7th October 2005 was dedicated for Gospel sharing with St. Francis Small Christian Community. What is a Small Christian Community? As many may ask. This is a group of Christians in the quarter within a mission that meets together the share the word of God (Gospel Sharing). This is done following the seven steps method.


It was an enriching experience for the visitors. The members of the Small Christian Community were very delighted to have the visitors among themselves. They provided lunch for the visitors. The food was very nice….Chicken and rice or Rice and Chicken, Fufu and Njama-jama, Fruits and the best Palm wine.


Nursery schools (Kindergartens):

The delegation visited the two of the three nursery schools of the parish and donated some gifts to the children. The children were very happy to have presents like air-balloons and balls which could keep them busy playing. From their faces, they were all happy children.

Jubilee Mass:

The Jubilee Mass started at 9:30am with two main celebrants, Fr. Andrew and Fr. Daniel Ache the Diocesan Partnership Coordinator. The entrance procession was taken by the Samba of the Catholic Men Association in a typical African style.


Only those present at this jubilee mass can best explain the skillful dancing of the men in procession. The mass was highly attended by all the Christians from the three Zones of the parish. During the sermon, Fr. Andrew preached about fruitful friendship and it should be one in with full respect of humanity and feeling for one another. He went further to explain that all Christians should understand the meaning of partnership well and try to implement partnership at their own family levels. Notable within the mass was the presence of two fons who participated fully in the holy mass. They fons had a special offertory in church on this day. An important sign of partnership was implemented in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist as Ulf Erdmann shared Holy Communion something which the lay Christians in our parish do not do. Nevertheless, before the final blessing at the end of the mass, Briggitte Heinrich greeted the Christians in Noni language in the following words:


Kiyone no ben no ne eh Ngai, Bamti, Nkali, Ngeptang. M’jouke njong ye nsan ye se bene yene bye. M’bonle leh Nyuh feche eh bene bo yenen. Bosehwa!

This actually means; thanks so much for coming from far away places like Ngai, Bamti, Nkali and Ngeptang. I am very Happy for this our friendship and I pray that God should help us to see again. Goodbye!


After the holy mass, there were welcome speeches from the parish Pastoral Chairperson, Partnership committee chairperson and from the Parish priest. After then was a welcome song from the students of GVS Djottin.


Outside the church there were many festivities taking place like; choral music from all the cadetes of Mary from nearly all the missions around Djottin area. This was followed by traditional dances from many groups.


An interesting and embarrassing part of the celebration was the Partnership Quiz which came up and all the zones were expected to answer eight questions about partnership. Evaluating the quiz, Djottin zone was first with 7/8 points, Mbiim Zone with 6/8 points and Din zone with 5/8 points. This was followed by the award of prizes to the various zones according to merit. The occasion was crowned with exchange of presents from both partners.

 

by Ephriam Bam nov/2005

Es gibt 13 Stationen die unsere Delegation in Oktober 2005  durchgemacht hat.
Über das Hauptmenu der Bildergallerie können Sie die einzelnen Stationen betrachten.

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Church Sanctity defiled as the Blessed Sacrament is stolen

By Livinus Tal Bam

Holysacrament The Tobin Quasi Parish Church is under an Ecclesiastical Ban after thieves defiled the sanctity of the church and made away with the Blessed Sacrament. While investigations and fasting are underway to uncover the perpetrators of this hideous act, Catholic Christians are yet to come to terms with such effrontery. Similar acts were reported in Molyko, Buea and Bangangte last year. The reasons behind the increasing interest in the Blessed Sacrament remain a mystery.

On Thursday 4 October 2007 the Tobin Quasi Parish Church in Kumbo was desecrated as the Blessed Eucharist stolen from the tabernacle where it had been reserved after the 6 a.m. Mass. The theft was discovered by Reverend Deacon Edwin Kinga, who had been assisting Father Evaristus Kiven at the 6 a.m. Mass. The Rector of Tobin Quasi Parish, Father Robert Tanto came in that morning from Nkambe and celebrated the Mass for the students.
It was not until after the singing of the Our Father that Reverend Kinga, after solemnly bringing the ciborium from the Tabernacle and opening it on the Altar that he had the shock of finding the ciborium totally empty. He immediately alerted the celebrant that something had gone wrong in the Tabernacle. After discovering the theft of the Blessed Sacrament, Father Tanto informed the Vicar General, Father Roland Berngeh, as well as the Chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council, Shey Julius Ngalim.
When news of the desecration spread in the Diocese, priests from the Kumbo Deanery as well as a cross section of the parish community came to see for themselves. Father Roland Berngeh explained the implications of this act for the entire parish, indicating that since the Church had been desecrated, it would have to be cleansed before it was fit for Holy Mass and the preservation of the Blessed Sacrament. He then pronounced the ecclesiastical sanction of suspending Holy Mass and Communion from the Tobin Church until the cleansing ceremony has been made.
He then urged the parish to pray and fast while investigations on who had committed the act were going on. The Church is expected to be blessed and opened again for celebration on Sunday 14 October. A Commission of enquiry was then set up to investigate the current theft and desecration of the Church. The Council agreed that until the stolen communion had been found, families and individuals should pray at 9 p.m. for the discovery of the stolen host and the restoration of Tobin Church to a Eucharistic Centre.

The Rector of Tobin Quasi Parish, Rev. Fr. Robert Tanto has expressed worry and dissatisfaction with the lack of security that led to the desecration of the sacred species from the only Eucharistic Centre of the parish and in broad daylight. He regretted that the theft of the Blessed Sacrament had happened when the Bishop was out of the diocese. He urged all to work hard and work fast on the conditions given them by the Vicar General for the Church to be blessed and used for the celebration of Holy Mass on 14 October.

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Source: http://www.leffortcamerounais.com
October 11, 2007 at 05:17 AM