MAKAMBA  DIOCESE TIDINGS  
November 2007

by Rt Rev Martin Blaise NYABOHO


Capacity Building in Makamba (Seminars)  

The Diocese of Makamba has hosted three different seminars to strengthen the capacity building of different human resources.  

 

I.    The first seminar (4-9 November 07) has focussed on the sensitization on the danger of keeping small arms in the homes. Forty people from different corners and Churches within the Province of Makamba have attended the workshop. The participants went back home persuaded that keeping arms in the homes is not a source of security but rather it is a source of dangers. They have pledged to be channels of peaceful disarmament in their respective counties.  

Mrs Nzigirabarya Marguaritte, 55 years old, ex-combatant with CNDD-FDD, who attended the workshop, has shared her testimony as follows:

“I used to be a Mothers’ Union member until I joined the rebellion in Tanzania in 1997 where I was settled as a refugee because of the insecurity in my country. As a sergeant I had 40 women under my leadership. My conscience kept reminding me things I knew since my enrolment to Mothers’ Union : - Behave as a Christian and never kill a person. I had a gun but I never killed a person during the years in guerrilla. I kept praying for myself to bear the witness of Christ within the 600 women who were combatants. I have not been sexually violated, praise God. In 2005, I have been demobilised, had joined again the civil life, and had been elected to the leadership of my village. As a local leader and a MU member, I feel called to serve my community and challenge other women not to keep small arms in their homes.”  

A Diocesan MU team will pay a visit to her before Christmas.

   

II.                MULDP 9th Training Session  

 

The second workshop was organized by MULDP (Mothers’ Union Literacy and Development Programme). Twenty people have attended it from 5-10th Nov 07. The MU office was encouraged by the involvement of more Pygmies and Muslims to the programme. After the closing ceremonies held by the Bishop of Makamba, Mr Manasseh Bigirimana from the Batwa Community in Nyanza-Lac County has this to say: “I go back home well equipped and pledge to MULDP that I will use all my knowledge to sensitize my underprivileged community to join the Literacy and Development Programme. I thank the Diocese of Makamba for this initiative”.

 

 

III.             The UCE Seminar  

 

The third workshop was organized by the Universal Chastity Education Programme. Twenty-two couples have responded physically to this rendez-vous from 12th-14th November 07 under the theme “Faithfulness as a cornerstone in families”. The main objective of the UCE is to promote abstinence and faithfulness within married couples as a sure way of preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases. Mrs Mary Nahimana commented after the Seminar: “We don’t have a platform in my home where I can discuss this issue with my partner. We go back motivated and we are determined to keep our faithfulness until death plays its role. The pledge card will be our witness.”


Mothers’ Union Heritage
( Translated by a Diocesan Staff)

I am a daughter of late Mrs Dominique Niyonizigiye who has been the MU worker for Makamba Diocese from 1997-2001. She passed away in January 2001 and my dad who was a Dean of Makamba Cathedral joined her in heaven in November 2006. I’ve missed the parental care and have to become responsible for myself, my young sister Blandine and my brother Franc. We are all three under 15 years of age. The death of my mum has injected in me much pains, frustration, and traumas and psychological …

I could not bear the absence of my mum in the family, though my dad tried to avail himself most of his time to us, in prayers, Bible study, Church worship and other family activities. The most comfortable moment for me was the time I put on the MU traditional costume           (white and blue) which reminded me not only of my mum but also her social activities with the mothers. I used to see her praying, discussing, talking and planning together with the MU President, Mrs Emilienne Ruzobavako Nyaboho. Since then, my entire heart was open to the teaching of Mothers’Union, except that I could not adhere to it as a teenager.

I’ve witnessed many visits of MU members to our family for cup of tea, fun and prayers. But mostly their presence after the death of my dad has left in me unforgettable memories of love and comfort to the three orphans that we are. We were reaching a point of being street children but some committed MU members decided to host us in their homes. I was priviledged to be hosted in the Bishop’s big family (they call it a Bishop’s parish of 10 people) since November 2006. The MU President has provided everything to make me feet at home and experience a new parental care I’ve successfully passed my primary school exams and will join the secondary school education from September 2007. I’m growing and becoming strong in faith, being filled with wisdom and the grace of God is upon me. Mothers’Union is my mother now and through it, I call the MU President my real mum as she puts into action the Mothers’Union Heritage. Keep praying for me, I plan to join Mothers’Union when I will be eighteen. God bless you all.

 

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