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| Sr.Cosmas in Africa |
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My name is Sr. Cosmas Cullen, and I am a Franciscan Missionary Sister for Africa. I wish to thank very sincerely Sr. Rhoda and all those who have contribute so generously to my in Uganda. I first went to Uganda in 1949, and it has been my privilege to work in Africa since the, mostly in Uganda, but for seven years in Lusikisiki, South Africa, and for six year in Kenya. My work has been mainly in education, but as missionaries we do everything that needs to be done, mostly learning by doing!  At present I am working with destitute young people who are struggling to work their way out of poverty by studying by themselves, not having the necessary fees to go to school. I am helping them to prepare for their O Level and A Level government examinations, a difficult task as most of them have had at best sporadic schooling poor schools. They work hard, but their standard is very low, and their ability to express themselves in English (the language of the exams) very poor. Most of them come to us at Sharing Youth Centre, Nsambya, having had nothing to eat.We can only offer them a place to study – a room with tables and benches and a few books – and some help with their studies, but at least it is quiet and clean. I try to give the poorest of them something to eat in the middle of the day as they are all growing adolescents an find it hard to study on empty stomachs, but what I give them from what you give me is minimal – a snack rather than a lunch. They are bright youngsters and hand very appreciative of whatever we can give them of our time and resources. I also go to a little nursery school in a slum area of Kampala, from seven to ten in the morning, before I go to Sharing, to help the untrained teachers there to give the little ones a good start. The 'school' is really inadequate and I would love to find a little place where we could whitewash the walls and put up charts and pictures, etc. At present the wind and the rain whip everything away! Please keep us in your prayers. I assure you these children are well worth helping. They are eager to learn and love being in school even though it is such a poor one. God bless you all. The Student's letter: I just thought that you should know that we appreciate the tremendous work that you do. In this day and era, not many a person would do what you do. Every day without fail, be it rain or shine, you brave it and come to teach. We wish there was a way we could show our gratitude, but an afraid there's non. And writing to say thank you is the only way we have to express our gratitude. For how cold we reward you for the time you put in, the sacrifice you make, the money you spend buying text books for the library, paying for our free lunch coupons and paying for our seminars? How could we reward you for those long and tedious hours you spend at the typewriter making notes for us and marking our books? We can only say thank you. Thank you for your good heart, for your time, for the lessons for the money, for the sacrifice you make and for the advice you give us. Thanks a million for those blessed free lunch coupons. They have really been a Godsend. You know some of us don't come from well to do families and after a night of dry tea for supper and no breakfast, we would come to study on an empty stomach and with no prospect of having lunch. But thanks to you, it's been different. We've been having lunch and its been much more easier to read after eating something. We face a lot of odds, but you make our lives better, you make them bearable through your help. And equipped with education, we know we shall triumph at last. For if God is on our side, who can be against us? And if he vindicates us, who is he that will accuse us? It hasn't all been study, study and more study. I personally have been inspired and taught by the advice and words of wisdom that you've been sharing with us. The temptation is not sin but giving into temptation is the sin. We must apply Christianity. And to drive that point home, you told us a story about a priest who was preaching in a park when someone from the back of the crowd that had gathered shouted at him, "Christianity has been in the world for so long and look at the state it is in". Then the priest shouted back at him that, "water has been in the world for so long and look at the state of your neck" So funny and yet so profound, revealing and true. And another thing you told us is that we should practice good virtues because we could be the only gospel someone will ever read. Indeed, you're the best gospel I've ever read! You've made a mark on my life that can never be erased and I will always remember you and emulate your example. And as we break off this holiday, my God be with you and bless you. May he pour upon you a blessing that is shaken together, pressed down and running over just like you've blessed us. We shall be praying for your safe journey. Thanks for everything, sister. Yours affectionately Jackie |
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