Nkambe Parish: June 2006
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Six of the nine priests that serve in Binju-Nkambe Deanery met today at Binju Presbytery in ordinary session. Prior to their meeting this morning they had recollection yesterday directed by the youngest priest in the deanery, Father Evans Shang.

At their meeting this morning they appealed that the hierarchy of Kumbo Diocese hurries to raise to fully fledged parishes the quasi parishes that constitute the bigger percentage of the deanery. The deanery is made up of Binju-Nkambe Parish, Ako Parish, Misaje Quasi Parish, Nkambe Town Quasi Parish and Mfumte Quasi Parish. They noted that generally the faithful are no longer enthusiastic about working to become a parish since they have all the semblance of being parishes. In fact, the quasi parishes have residential Rectors and assistant priests and function in every way like parishes. They only differ from parishes in name. So what is the point keeping them as parishes and hopeing they will be better prepared to become fully fledged parishes.

The Apoostolic Administrator of Kumbo Diocese has always maintained that a quasi parish can remain quasi for ever or can even be reduced to being just part of the mother parish from which it was carved out.

The Fathers also deliberated on a number of pastoral strategies that are characteristic of this part of the diocese. They assigned themselves functions to be carried out during the celebration of Pastoral Week at Deanery level in Ako from 20 to 22 July 2006.

In rounding off the meeting, Father Tanto, the dean, remarked that this has been the best meeting of the priests of the deanery since he became dean three years ago.

The three Fathers absent were Father Isidore Lafon, Rector of Nkambe Town Quasi Parish, who has travelled to Rome with the Apostolic Administrator for the Pallium, Father Anthony Lawir,Principal of St Rita's College, who is running the Vocations Camp at Sop Comprehensive College, and Father Eugene of Our Lady of Fatima Quasi Parish, Mfumte.

Robert Tanto.

My name is Calixta Ngumbo. My mother brought me up in the presbyterian Church. Our compound was very close to the presbyterian Church and so naturally we went to that Church. When I was baptised in that Church I joined that "Christian Youth Fellowship" (CYF)Group. I was one of the most active members of the group.

In the CYF Group we did many good works for the Church. I fulfilled all the financial demands that were made of the members of the Church. Our house was burnt in a fire accident one day, and I lost my baptism certificate and all my Church Documentin that accident.

At some point I stopped going to the presbyterian Church and started going to the Catholic Church. In our village, Mamba, there are about 50 Catholic Christians. Most of them hardly go to Church at Kungi when the priest comes there on Sunday. They even fail to go to Church when the priest comes to our village on pastoral visit. Since I developped interest in the Catholic Church, I kept on thinking that God was calling me into this community to contribute ideas and work for the growth of this Church in our village.

In March this year Father Tanto visited our mission. I was returning from Nkambe Market and we trekked together to our village. During the meeting with the Christians I was elected to be Catechist of our Mission. I accepted and now I am Catechist of Mamba.

I think that being Catechist is the best chance for me to know more about Catholic Doctrine, to read the Catholic Catechism, understand what I have read and then share the knowledge with the rest of the Catechumens. Even though I am experiencing a lot difficulties working with the Christians of Mamba, I am convinced that nothing good comes easy.

When I accepted to be catechist, I told the parish priest that in September this year I will go back to continue my studies at Government Bilingual High School (GBHS) Nkambe. I have two Catechumens and I am determined to learn a lot of doctrine with them before I go back to school. The Parish Priest has invited Mr Ignatius Nyugap of Kungi to be going with me to Catechists' Meetings in view of taking over from me when I go back to school. I know that God helps those who struggle to get good results, so I am determined to hand over a good catechumenate to Mr Nyugap. I am also looking forward to the day when I will be received into the Catholic Church and to begin practising my Catholic Faith fully.

Calixta Ngumbo.

We are the Bible Study Group in Binju. Our membership is about 24 today. We meet at the Don Bosco Centre on Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. Today the Bible study Group is made up mainly of youth from the Vocations Group and Mass Servers. But when Father Robert Tanto started the group in 2002, there were many adult members. Some of the adults have been transferred out of the parish, but some have simply grown tired and stopped coming.

For our study Guide, we use "The Daily Study Bible" by William Barclay. The pioneers of the group studied the Gospel of Luke. Since almost one year now, we have been studying the Gospel of Matthew. One of us prepares a unit and presents to the group. Then we discuss the context, the people involved, the meaning for the people at the time, and the meaning for us today. Father Tanto comes often to the Bible Study with us. He explains difficult passages to us.

When we have analysed the passage, we then try to apply it to ourselves, deciding an action to take, based on the challenge we have received from the passage.

We sometimes have difficulties with some parents who think that their children are going somewhere else and claiming to be going to the Bible Study on Tuesday evening. Some members have actually used the Bible Study time as a cover up to go somewhere else. So we have difficulties both from inside the group and from those who are not our members.

Father Tanto has talked to us about a prayer book written by the Diocesan Youth Chaplain of Hexham and Newcastle. We are looking forward to borrowing his copy to use for prayer during our study sessions. We hope that during this holiday time more young people will join us. And we are grateful for the chance given us to write about our Bible Study Group in the parish weblog.

Afor Maurice.

Binju-Nkambe parish celebrated their Pastoral Week from 22 to 23 June. Not very many people were present for the celebration, but a number of missions in the parish were represented: Kungi, Akweto, Bakinchini, Ngotong-Ntumbe, Mamba and Binju.

Unfortunately we discovered that during the pastoral year the pastoral commissions which had been constituted three years ago had still not carried on many of the pastoral activities that were expected of them. It was consoling to hear a few individuals report the things they did alone. A lot more could have been done if members of the different commissions had worked more together. We kept our hope that things can only get better, and that many more people in the parish will see the need to make a meaningful contribution to the pastoral life of the parish.

At the time allotted for General Discussions many participants expressed their desire to see the parish grow in collaborative ministry. They took the chance on that Friday 23 June, which was the Day of Sanctification of Priests at parish level, to express their concern that their priests be seen to work more together and pledged themselves to pray for their priests and help them in every way possible to be holy and committed priests.

Before the celebration ended, a new Parish Council Executive was elected with the following results:

Bawe Henry (Binju):

Chairperson of PPC;

Sih Cletus (Kungi):

Vice Chairperson of PPC;

Sebastian Ntanya:(Kungi)

Secretary of PPC;

Nfor Evaristus Kimbi: (Kungi)

Vice Secretary of PPC;

Visha Vitalis (Binju):

Financial Secretary of PPC

Participants drew up some resolutions to be lived during the current pastoral year, and drew up food and financial levies to make up our Parish Contribution to the Pastoral Week Celebration at Deanery Level in Ako from 22 to 24 July.

Nfor Evarisus Kimbi.

If there has ever been a project that has brightened the future of young people in, and around Nkambe, then it should be the Girls and Boys Town project. It started with a barbing studio and a saloon. This was all very wonderful. The youths of Binju-nkambe Parish were very grateful for this iniative. They lacked words to express their gratitude to their Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Robert Tanto. While the young people of the Parish were still contemplating how to express their gratitude, Fr Robert was also pondering on taking the project to higher heights. Within a short period an Internet Café was setup in nkambe Town.This time around it was not only welcomed by the youths of Binju-Nkambe parish. The whole of Donga and Mantung Division is proud of it. This is the second in the Division.

Before now, news about the internet seemed like a mystery to most of the people of nkambe, youths and adults alike. Many people were scared of visiting the first internet café. All this was because they had never known about it. The Girls and Boys Town Setup has acted as a catalyst to a docile lot. This has been as a result of sensitization in churches and Schools. Fr. Robert and some youths have been telling the people how the internet functions. This has captivated the interest of so many people who rush into the Internet Café wanting to see all they have been hearing about.

Consequently, Internet and Computer training are offered in the Girls and Boys Town internet Café. Because of the cost of running the internet Café, training cannot be offered totally for free. So a token fee is charged for this purpose. Some parents are showing much interest as they send their children for the training. Other children are interested but their parents are not able, or not willing, to pay the token fee for training. As of now, there are five students in the Internet café for training. They are Sharon, Edna, Frisely Emmanuel and Juliet. Many more have indicated to begin on the 1st of July.

We owe much thanks to our benefactors and friends. Fr, Robert keeps telling the people he is getting the money for this project from friends around the world. We don’t know all his friends but, we say to those friends: “gracias! mORE GREASE TO YOUR ELBOWS”. You have indeed changed the course of the river. Things will never be the same again in Nkambe.

This is project will definitely lift the level of thinking of our young people and change the mentality of the people of this area generally.

Bernard Afor.