Eastern Cape and Coastal Region News – October 2018

Eastern Cape and Coastal Region News

October 2018

WORLD ASSEMBLY REFLECTION AND FEEDBACK

In the 8 weeks since returning from Buenos Aires, report-backs to CLC members in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape have enabled me to reflect more on being part of the World Assembly, an experience that has left an indelible mark on my life. The day spent in the Barrio de San Miguel meeting the members of the parish communities and visiting a family was a day of grace. It was a day that taught me the freedom that comes with living simply and daring to venture out of my comfort-zone. We were reminded that “the journey is the experience”. The warm hospitality of the people we met made it easy for me to meet the God of Welcome that day. Their witness of encountering the God in their suffering made me more aware of the face of God’s Compassion. The joyous spirit permeating the celebration of the Outdoor Mass in the barrio that evening helped me experience the love of God in deeper way than ever before. As I walked along the dusty roads of San Miguel, I realised the true meaning of Mission. It is to encounter the Love of God in the dust, the grime, the beauty, the joy , and the hardships of daily life; to give witness to that God of Love; and to be open to the witness of others to the God of Love. It took a journey of almost 8000 kilometres away from my home to realise how each gesture of kindness and moment of selfless generosity, no matter how small and simple in nature, contributes to the mission of CLC as an apostolic body.

LIVING OUR MISSION

Since August, Kaye and Colleen have been facilitating the HEARTS ON FIRE programme with a group of students from ACTS at NMU. They also led a time of Reflection at the ACTS Regional Meeting which was held in Port Elizabeth, and had students from NMU, Rhodes, Fort Hare and Walter Sisulu Universities in attendance. As part of the Education Support project, Margot and Colleen have been assisting Grade 8 pupils from Walmer High School, Port Elizabeth with English on Friday afternoons. Also, a group of ten Grade 9 and 10 pupils from Walmer High are being sponsored by the CLC Education fund to write the National English Olympiad Exam in March 2019. Colleen is assisting them to prepare for this through weekly workshops.

Khetha Ubomi

The Seeds of a Catholic Student Residence For almost a year now, members of CLC East London have been discerning and testing the desire that the “Quigney House” (tentatively being named the Khetha Ubomi Residence) provides the space for a Catholic student residence, with an obvious Ignatian ‘flavour’ given CLC’s involvement. All members of CLC are invited to support this initiative in prayer, and donations (e.g. cutlery, crockery and furniture items such as bedside tables) to equip the residence would be gratefully received.