ANNUAL REPORT 2014

OF MISSIONARY MOVEMENT “JESUS IN THY

NEIGHBOUR”

People are neither clay nor a simple piece of meat. Being a human being

should automatically entitle one to the right to live and to be loved. We are

here in solidarity with you and to work hand-in-hand to give strength to

the weak, to heal those who are wounded, to feed the hungry, to walk

with the disabled and to educate the ignorant.

To breathe life and bestow rightful dignity upon these thousands of

children, other NGOs, philanthropic associations and movements will be

joining up with the Missionary Movement, thus assisting us wholeheartedly

to reach our aim. To mention but a few – Reaching Out (Malta), Raise

(Malta), GibMissionAfrica (Gibraltar), Amici di Don Giorgio (Italy), Das

Distributors (USA) and friends of America (USA)

ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS IN ETHIOPIA

DIOCESE OF JIMMA

REFRESHER COURSE FOR TEACHERS IN JIMMA

The prefecture of Jimma, Bonga, as it did last

year, is once more organizing a course for

teachers who are in charge of homes under the

responsibility of the Missionary Movement Ġesu‟

fil-Proxxmu. The attendance for this week long

course was 97%. His Lordship Markus Medhin was

also present for this course and as a conclusion he

delivered a message in his name and in the name

of the Movement.

TECCHO – BLESSING OF A

KINDERGARTEN On Feb 8th, in the

presence of H.L. Bishop Markus and of

a group of volunteers from Malta, a

new kindergarten was inaugurated.

This is a unique project, aiming to start

the path of education for hundreds of

children coming from extremely poor

families. The financial support for this

undertaking came from the Italian

family of Franco Rossi.

YEBA- THE BLESSING OF WORKERS INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A

KINDERGARTEN - On Feb 9th, the Church of the Saviour was consecrated in the village

of Yeba. Thousands attended this ceremony. H.L. Bishop Markus blessed this first

school and all those involved in its construction. Rev. George Grima who was also

present along with the Maltese volunteers emphasized the importance of education and

implored all parents present to send their children to school.

WOCHA – BLESSING OF A NEW

KINDERGARTEN

Once more H.L. Markus blessed the first

school in the village of Wocha, where he

admitted that he had never witnessed so

much joy on the faces of those present for

this blessing. For these people this school

was a dream which had materialized for the

benefit of their offspring. The blessing took

place on Feb 10th. A generous Maltese person paid for the erection of this school. The

happiness of the people was twofold; first because, at long last, they had their first

school and second because they could meet the Maltese volunteers who were white.

BITA-GENET – BLESSING OF A KINDERGARTEN

On Feb 11th, H.L. Bishop Markus of Jimma

blessed the first kinder in the small village of

Bita-Genet. The parish priest of this village

worked tirelessly so that the money that the

Maltese contributed through the Movement

would be well spent. The enthusiasm of the people resulted in traditional singing and

dancing. More than 120 toddlers will be attending this school at the beginning of March.

SHEBA – BLESSING OF SCHOOL KITCHEN

The Movement has built a number of schools in different villages. These schools are

benefiting a good number of children. Recently the Ethiopian Government has decreed

that each school must have its own kitchen. To prevent the schools that the movement

opened from being closed down, each of these schools has to be provided with a

kitchen. The kitchen at the Sheba school is nearly ready and by the time this report is

published the kitchen will hopefully be functioning. His Lordship and the volunteers

visited this village where the bishop imparted his blessing.

GURECH – BLESSING OF A SCHOOL KITCHEN.

The school kitchen makes sure that pupils eat

food in a clean environment. Besides, as the

smell of food attracts wild animals, the

persons working in food preparation are

protected and not exposed to attacks. The

blessing of the Gurech kitchen took place on

Feb 11th by Bishop Markus.

KUTA SHORA – BLESSING OF A

KINDERGARTEN. In the presence of twelve

Maltese volunteers another school was

opened on Feb 11th. The first pupils who will

be attending met their distinguished guests

with flowers and kisses. Bishop Markus who

blessed the school praised the great help that

the Movement gives to his diocese through

the generosity of the Maltese and Gozitan

population.

CARDINAL VAN THUAN HOME FOR THE DISABLED – BONGA The principal walls and

staircases of this home are now in place. For

several months the work had to come to a

standstill as the Ethiopian Government wanted to

finish the principal road first. Thankfully, works on

this project have recommenced. On Feb 12th, Fr

George

Grima

together

with Bishop

Markus and the contractor visited the site. The

Maltese volunteers who went along with them

marvelled at the size of this undertaking and

could hardly believe how big was the generosity

of the Maltese and Gozitans. While this report

was at the press we received word that the first block was finished.

BOQA – A CHAPEL DEDICATED TO ST

JOSEPH. The building of this chapel is

moving apace. On Feb12th the first

procession with the painting of St Joseph

was held. This painting is the work of the

Maltese artist George Apap. As usual the

local population celebrated the event with

their joyful participation. This chapel is

being built by funds coming from the parish of Qala, Gozo, whose patron saint is St

Joseph. On March 19th, St Joseph feast day, the roof of the chapel was finished. On the

same day the parish priest of this chapel, Rev Abba Girma, received a photo of the

most generous benefactor of this chapel, Mgr Anton Sultana, archpriest emeritus of

Qala. The new St Joseph chapel is the largest chapel in the whole diocese.

LIBRARY IN GINYO With the help of Maltese

volunteers a library is being built in the village

of Ginyo, where as yet, there is no electricity.

Here we are working principally with children

coming from families suffering from leprosy.

The Movement is supplying the primary school

children with a library which we hope will be

beneficial for those kids.

DIOCESE OF GAMBELLA

BURE – A NEW PROJECT. Education

is making great strides in the diocese

of Gambella. Recently the Movement

has started building the first school in

the town of Bure with the

participation of the group „Reaching

Out „ under the leadership of Keith

Marshal. On Feb 20th, Fr Grima

accompanied by Bishop Angelo visited the site and were happy to see the progress on

this project.

BONGA – BLESSING OF A BOREHOLE.

On Feb 20th Fr. Grima blessed another

borehole sponsored by the Movement .

This borehole offers a much better future

to the inhabitants of Bonga. In Bonga the

water is close to the village, but it is the

children who have to carry water home,

and so miss school.

OPENGA – BLESSING OF A BOREHOLE.

On Feb 22nd another borehole was blessed by

Bishop Angelo in the village of Openga. The

local people live in very primitive conditions.

The borehole project has shown that the

people in charge of the village care about

improving the environment and primary

education will be starting soon.

OPENGA – BLESSING OF A NEW

PROJECT. On Feb 22nd Fr G. Grima,

together with the chaplain of the village of

Openga, blessed the works at the start of

the construction of the first school. As yet

there is no formal education in this village,

but hopefully, in two years‟ time, this

situation will be remedied. When the local

people have any problem they seek the

advice of the „Wise Man‟ who is the oldest

man in the village. They strongly believe

in the Maltese saying : “Be guided by the council of an old man”. This project is taking

shape with the help of volunteers from Gibraltar who are members of the Movement.

PINKYO- BLESSING OF A BOREHOLE.

On Feb 22nd the parish priest of Terfaye

Petros took Fr G Grima and the

volunteers he had with him, to the village

of Pinkyo to bless the borehole that a

year before another group of volunteers

had dug up. Kevin Grech and Mark

Cremona organized various activities to

collect funds for this borehole. Up to a

short time ago women and children used

to go to the river to get water. As the

river is infested with crocodiles, some of them never returned home.

ABOL WITHOUT WATER.

The town of Abol in the diocese of Gambela suffers from lack of water. As a result the

whole population suffers especially the children who are made to bring home water for

the family. To do this they have to walk for long distances. As their time is taken up

with this duty, they have no time to attend school. With the goodwill and generosity of

some Maltese people we have been entrusted to dig a borehole where it is most

needed. Hopefully, within a few months, this town will have water and a school for the

youngsters.

DIOCESE OF NEKEMTE

KETCHI - A NEW KINDERGARTEN.

A new school has been blessed by the Vicar

General of the diocese of Nekente. Abba

Solomon Berhahu instead of Bishop George,

who happened to be in Rome on an „ad

limina‟ visit. In the meantime the parish

priest Mikitu Kebede has already started a

learning program for 150 children.

SOMBU – CONTINUATION OF BUILDING

OF A NEW KINDERGARTEN

After a petition by the parish priest

Berhanu ASsrat , diocese of Nekemte, the

Movement has started building the first

school in the village of Sombo. When the

parish priest met Fr. Grima he told him

how parents of school age children are

helping in the actual building as they are

so anxious for their children to start their

schooling.

AMBO – DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AND

HOMES TO LEPERS.

On March 3rd the volunteers of the

Movement went to the town of Ambo

and gave out food to those lepers that

still live amongst the graves, as these

people are the poorest in the

community. On the same occasion Fr.

Grima informed the parish priest of the

lepers that the Movement is offering financial help so that more homes are built for

people suffering from leprosy.

AMBO – DISTRIBUTION OF WHEELCHAIRS.

Fr. Grima, along with the volunteers and the

parish priest of Ambo, visited several

families and heard their many heart-

breaking stories. As a result two children

coming from extremely poor families were

given a wheelchair each.

SHIKI WATER PROJECT. The water project in the village of Shiki has started. At the

moment thousands of people are drinking contaminated water. It is hoped that by the

end of January 2015 this project will be finalized and clean water will be made

available. It has long been the ardent wish of Sister Grace that at least these people will

have safe drinking water.

ALEKU LAGA DANO – A NEW WATER PROJECT.

During the last three months the people of

Aleku Laga have been working tirelessly to

have water close to their village. Now that it

has been finished, everyone is enjoying this

very necessary commodity. It has always been

the dream of these people that one day they

will not have to walk for two hours or more to

get their water, a job assigned to children.

Now with this borehole we have killed two

birds with one stone; there is water close by

and children can go to school.

GIVING OUT OF WHEELCHAIRS IN BABICHE

AND IN AMBO

The Movement has purchased wheelchairs which will be distributed in two towns, Ambo

and Babiche where adults as well as children need them.

KENYA PROJECTS

REFORM IN ALIMENTAITA. Elections in Kenya are a time of violence and death.

Innocent people are killed and houses and families

destroyed. This is the result of fierce fighting among the

many different tribes of this vast land. As a result,

thousands have fled their homeland and ended up in the

diocese of Nakuru. The Catholic Church there made them

welcome and supplied them with land close to

Alimentaita. The Movement is doing its utmost to help

these persecuted people. It provided their children with

their first school, dug a borehole and supplies children

under ten with daily food. This year a new hall has been

built to serve as a refectory. Now these children no

longer eat sitting on the floor.

KAKAMEGA DIOCESE

BIRTH OF A REFECTORY AT KAKAMEGA.

Last year the Movement installed a good

sized kitchen for the local children. Now

the St Michael Foundation has offered

funds to the Movement so that a

refectory be built at Kakamega. Hopefully

this summer some young volunteers will

give a lick of paint to the place.

THE LAUNCH OF A GREENHOUSE

PROJECT. As the saying goes, it is better

to give a man a fishing rod than a fish.

Guided by this maxim we have this year

started an agriculture project. We have

already built a glasshouse and are

teaching adolescents how to work the

land so that they have a better future.

A NEW PROJECT AIMED TO

HELP THE POOREST FAMILIES,

Last year Fr. Grima was

accompanied by a Maltese

couple who were moved by the

great poverty that they

witnessed. This couple asked Fr

Grima to give a helping hand to

the most needy families; so the

programme „SOS Families‟ was

launched. Direct monthly help

is given to various families,

mostly to those where there are

serious illnesses like AIDS. These families cannot support themselves and many of the

benefactors in this scheme have not adopted just one child but whole families.

DIOCESE OF KISUMU

A REFORM IN THE KITCHEN AND

REFECTORY OF THE RANGALA

ORPHANAGE.The need has long been felt

to upgrade both the kitchen and the

refectory of the orphanage which looks

after a good number of small children. Fr

Grima undertook the necessary works and

now the project is finished and will soon be

blessed.

NEAR COMPLETION OF THE CHAPEL AT BONGA. It appears that the long awaited

chapel of the Holy Family complex is now

nearly ready and we hope that it will soon

be opened to welcome its new, young

parishioners. It is hoped that by the end of

this year Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth of

Kisumu will bless it. This home will open

its doors to children suffering from aids,

deaf mutes , blind and Albino children. The

nuns‟ religious Order of St Anne based in

Kisumu not only receives help from the

Movement but also from the Mother House

in Holland.

A NUNS‟ CONVENT IN NYAMONGE. With

God‟s help the nuns‟ convent at Nyamonge

is now finished. In the near future we will be

taking in orphans who suffer from AIDS.

This home was possible because of funds

given by the Movement and with the help of

he parish of St Mary Magdalene in the

diocese of Philadelphia.

BRAZIL- DIOCESE OF CROATA

PERITORO – A COURSE IN MUSIC

The town of Peritoro situated to the north of Brazil

is very poor. Here, the mission of the Movement

is to look after adolescents who are threatened

with drugs and violence. The Movement helped by

Italian nuns is doing its utmost to keep these

young people away from vice. To further enhance

the life of these youngsters courses in music have

started and are well attended.

KM 17 – THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN KEEPS INCREASING.

The nuns of Amor de Deus run a school

which has been a great success. The

increasing number of children and poor

families find refuge here. This year the

number of children has increased from

120 to a daily attendance of 432

children. Here children under twelve

years of age eat daily and are helped

to build a good and strong character.

DIOCESE OF MARANHAO

UPGRADING OF THE OUR LADY OF GRACE HOME,

This home is situated in a very poor quarter of Brazil where there is a leprosy hospital.

In this home we accept children coming from families suffering from this illness. As the

number of children is continuously swelling there is a dire need for expansion. With the

help of the Hard Rock Cafe‟ of Malta we are adding new halls and renovating other

areas.