The Maitri travels in Africa – in June/July this year, two Maitri representatives have visited Africa to oversee the activities of the local centres cooperating with the Movement.
Burundi
At the end of June, Tadeusz Makulski – the Maitri Movement Coordinator, visited missionary centres in Burundi (Bujumbura, Gatara, Buraniro) run by the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit de Saxia. Afterwards, he stopped at the missions in Gitega and Musongati run by the Carmelite Sisters of the Infant Jesus. During each stay, Tadeusz met and spoken to many children participating in the Have a Heart Adoption programme. In total, he met with 283 children.
Visit in Gatara
DR Congo
In Congo, the Maitri representatives visited the mission in Goma-Keshero and Rutshuru in Nord-Kivu province, run by the Missionary Sisters of the Catholic Apostolate – The Pallottines. Currently, more than 800 children participate in initiated in 1998 Have a Heart Adoption programme.
The girls from Rutshuru
Rwanda
The last country on our travel map was Rwanda. The Maitri Coordinator Izabela Wyloga with other Maitri representatives visited missions run by the Pallotines Sisters, the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Angels and the Sisters of the Franciscan Servants of the Cross. During her stay in Masaka, Izabela completed all the administration work and reviewed the financial documentation. She also delivered the training to the missionary centres cooperating with the Maitri. The Congregations are located in Masaka, Gikondo, Ruhuha, Ruhango, Butare, Nyakinama in Rwanda and Goma-Keshero in DR Congo. The primary purpose of the training was to educate on the Maitri operational procedures to improve the local charity activities. We also discussed all the challenges faced by the Sisters. We ensured that new methods implemented are adequate to the areas in which they operate.
The training in Masaka
The coaching session we have delivered is of particular importance in the context of the changes that occurred within the Pallotines Sisters Congregation. Twenty-five years ago, when the Have a Heart Adoption programme was introduced in Rwanda, we relied heavily on the Polish Pallotines Sisters. Nowadays in the majority of the centres, we work with the Sisters born locally in DR Congo.
The Maitri travels in Africa were truly rewarding when witnessing the results of all our efforts.