Thanks to the generosity of our benefactors , we were able to provide three small motorcycles for the Franciscan Fathers running two parishes in the south of the country.
The archdiocese of Kananga covers part of the southern Kasai region, which in 2016 and 2017 witnessed terrible and gruesome violence. Thousands were killed and mass graves are still being discovered to this day. The parish of San Remy, which is run by the Franciscans, covers a large area in the bush country. Its eight outstations lie anything up to 40 miles from the parish centre along rough and difficult roads that are made still more dangerous by the roaming gangs of armed bandits.
Father Albert Ntumba, the parish priest, sends his heartfelt thanks to all our benefactors. He writes: “It certainly was not easy before to reach all the parishes for Sunday Mass. Owing to the shortage of transport, some of our Christian families even missed the Christmas Midnight Mass and the Easter Vigil. We could not fulfil our pastoral ministry properly or bring the Body of Christ to our sick parishioners. But now that we have the two motorcycles, our pastoral work is so much easier.“
The Holy Family parish in Mwene-Ditu is situated in the neighbouring diocese of Tshilomba. Here too the outstations are anything up to 40 miles away and the roads equally difficult. Until recently it was not possible to regularly visit the faithful in the villages, yet at the same the sects are very active in the region. So there is a real need for an intensive pastoral outreach to the Catholics here.
Once again, thanks to your help, we were able to provide a motorcycle, and now Father Jean Paul Ntumba, assistant priest at the parish, has also written to thank us. He writes “Thank you for your wonderful and fraternal gesture in sending us this motorcycle. May the Lord bless you and all your benefactors! This vehicle will help us greatly in visiting the remote and distant communities in the parish, since it is ideally suited for the bushland tracks and strong enough to cope with the rough roads. And so, despite the swamps and the hills, we can now visit all the villages and settlements where we celebrate Holy Mass and administer the other sacraments.”
