Dear Friends of Missionhurst,
Happy New Year! At the beginning of this year, allow me to thank each of you for your care, compassion and generosity towards our missionaries and the people they serve throughout the world.
Please know that your prayers and generosity through this past year were an overwhelming blessing for all of our brothers and sisters whose lives you touched through support of our different projects.
The mere fact that you think about and pray for our missionaries is very comforting for them. Though I am still new in my position as the new Director of Development at Missionhurst, I take comfort in knowing that many of you deeply care about the ministry of Missionhurst throughout the world.
You try to live the Lord’s commandment to love our neighbor as he has loved us through our ministry of care and relief. May the Lord grant many blessings upon you and your family. I am very grateful for all you have done and what you will still accomplish with us.
I wanted to share some words of gratitude from our communities around the world that you support, not simply from myself.
Below are words of gratitude and thanks from the CICM communities that benefited from your generosity during this past year.
Haiti:
“Your support enables to reach and work alongside our brothers and sisters in remote corners of the world, sharing the Good News and creating pathways to light and new life together.” (St. Roch Parish, Grosse Roche, Haiti)
“Your missionary partnership makes the operation of mission schools possible: supporting and helping children to realize their inherent dignity and God-given potential.” (St. Jean Bosco School, Diocese of Fort-Liberté, Haiti)
Dominican Republic:
“Because you care about supporting a missionary response in others, we are able to accompany the faithful in celebrations and devotions that strengthen the church, lift up the poor, and build young believers.” (Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
Mongolia:
“Your compassion and concern for the most vulnerable of brothers and sisters allows us to support not only the material but also the educational, emotional, and spiritual needs of orphaned and abandoned street children in Mongolia.” (Verbist Care Center, Ulaaanbaatar, Mongolia)
Guatemala:
“Your generosity allows us to assist programs that offer much needed nutritional support to school children who would otherwise go hungry during the school day. Your concern for the little ones helps sustain these needy families and transform young lives.” (Calvary parish, Cobán, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala)
Zambia:
“You gave a vital, life-saving and life changing gift to the community of Lusaka: clean water. Because of your support of a project to address their need, finding this crucial resource is no longer a daily challenge for the women and children of this parish and community.” (St. Monica parish, Lusaka, Zambia)
United States:
“Your generosity not only supports the needs of the marginalized and the people living in remote corners of the world, but also the vocations to serve those people and places allowing us to continue to proclaim the Gospel wherever our missionary presence is most needed.” (Mary Queen of the Americas, Diocese of Raleigh, NC, Unites States)
Democratic Republic of the Congo:
“Because you support CICM vocations and missionaries, we are able to nourish the faith and affirm hope through the Gospel promises in villages and small communities where poverty makes even daily survival fragile.” (Katende parish, Kasayi, DR of Congo)
Brazil
“Your compassion for those who suffer allows us to welcome and visit the sick, the imprisoned, the outcast and the abandoned. Your support helps us offer charitable concern and the light of hope to strangers.” (Prison Ministry, Diocese of Marabá, Brazil).
Indonesia
“With your gifts and prayers, our missionaries are ordained and proclaim “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name; good indeed is the Lord.” (Ps 100:4,5) (Mary, Queen of the Rosary parish, Makassar, Indonesia)
Philippines
“Your prayers and support truly carry us around the world: into the small villages, schools, chapels, shelters, prisons, hospitals, and beyond. Your co-missionary efforts allow us to spread the Good News of the Gospel, and deliver the hope and light of Christ, wherever it is most needed. May God bless you and yours." (Coroz Benguet School, Diocese of Baguio, Philippines)
Many thanks from our Missionhurst-CICM family to yours and many blessings throughout this new year!
Fr. Andre Kazadi, CICM
Director of Development
