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| Participants of the Executive Committee Meeting in session |
AMECEA Pastoral Department through the Coordinator Fr. Febian Pikiti Mulenga participated in the follow-up Executive Committee meeting on the 2ndConference of the Inter-Diocesan Peace and Cross-Border Evangelization Initiative which took place in December 2013.
The Inter-Diocesan Peace and Cross-Border Evangelization Initiative was forged in order to harness efforts to enhance the Gospel way of promoting peace, co-existence and integral human development among the people in the Turkana – Karamajong. The impact of chronic conflicts, marginalization, poverty, harsh semi-desert climate, conflict over meager resources and lack of access of essential basic needs continue to affected many communities in this region. It is for this reason that Catholic Dioceses in the region, under the auspices of AMECEA resolved to collectively response to the needs of the people with the context of the pastoral ministry of the Church.
The AMECEA Pastoral Coordinator, Fr. Febian Pikiti Mulenga, attended the meeting of the Executive Committee which took place on 30th April, 2014 at St. Theresa Pastoral Centre in Lodwar, Kenya. The meeting was opened by the Bishop of Lodwar, Right Rev. Dominic Kemingich and was attended by representatives from the following dioceses of AMECEA: Kitale, Nakuru, Lodwar (Kenya), Kotido, Moroto (Uganda), Torit (South Sudan) and Jimma-Bonga (Ethiopia).
In his opening remarks, Bishop Kimengich expressed gratitude to all the participating dioceses in this initiative that is aimed at promoting sustainable peace within the context of the Church mission of Evangelization. He said, “God has continued to work through the efforts we are making in the region to promote peaceful co-existence among the different ethnic groupings in the region. Since we started this initiative, there is a considerable reduction in cattle raiding, community conflicts and forced displacement because of insecurity. We need to continue making a difference using the Gospel approach to our initiative.”
During the meeting, representatives from the participating dioceses reported on the connector activities and initiatives that bring together rival communities to discuss or plan on ways of promoting peaceful co-existence in their communities. Connector activities included meeting with civic authorities, security leaders of the government, elders of local communities and Church leaders to discuss ways of harnessing efforts together that can promote security, education, health/sanitation and pastoral out-reach to the people.
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| Group Photo of the Participants of the Executive Meeting |
The meeting further looked at the proposed Memorandum of Understanding among the participating dioceses which will be a guide in designing and implementing connector or common activities that would promote cross-border peace and evangelization. The MOU will be presented to the Bishops and later be signed under the auspices of AMECEA.
Since the ethnic communities in the Turkana-Karamajong cloister live across the borders of countries in the region, a collective approach by the neighboring dioceses will ensure sustainable peace, development and effective pastoral care in the region.
In addition to the MOU, the Executive Committee looked at the five years Strategic Plan that was proposed in December 2013 during the 2nd Inter-Diocesan Peace and Cross-Border Evangelization Conference. The Strategic Plan proposes connector activities and projects that will enhance promoting a comprehensive and collective response to the pastoral needs of the People of God in the Turkana – Karamajong cloister.
At the end of the meeting, the AMECEA Pastoral Co-coordinator re-affirmed the commitment of the AMECEA Secretariat to continue the collaborative role in bringing together the AMECEA member dioceses to address the common pastoral needs. He said, “To address the overwhelming and complex nature of the issues affecting our communities in this region, we need a collective and concerted effort in the light of the teaching of the Gospel of Christ. In this way sustainable peace, integral development and pastoral ministry will bring about transformation of the lives of our people.”
Source: AMECEA Pastoral Department.