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| Sr. Prisca Matenga ACWECA new Chairperson |
In her speech during the colorful installation ceremony at the closing mass of the 16th General Assembly at Andrews Motel in Lusaka, Sr. Matenga thanked the outgoing Chairperson, Sr. Margaret Aringo and the entire executive team for their tremendous dedication in accomplishing many things for the Association.
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| Sr. Margaret Aringo ACWECA Outgoing Chairperson |
Sr. Prisca also commended the outgoing ACWECA Secretary General, Sr. Catherine Okari for working extremely hard to bring ACWECA up to where it is now.
“You are an angel. I salute you on behalf of ACWECA. We thank you for your true innovativeness and for your brilliant ideas. We thank you for your intelligence and for having moved ACWECA forward, for loving ACWECA! We are proud of you; thank you so much. We will pray for you”.
The Chairperson further disclosed that Sr. Okari will leave ACWECA Secretariat sometime next year together with the entire outgoing team.
At the same occasion, the new Secretary General, Sr. Enelesi Chimbali from Malawi was ushered into office.
Sr. Prisca thanked the congregation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (SBVM) for generously giving her services to ACWECA offices.
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| Sr. Cathrine Okari ACWECA Outgoing Secretary General |
“We will continue to be in touch with one another, we will work hand in hand with one another. We commit ourselves to remain focused, to work as a team so that we bring ACWECA to the next step that, ACWECA continues to grow in terms of our spiritual life and to grow in terms of development”.
The Association of Women Religious Institutes of Malawi (AWRIM) presented gifts to the outgoing leadership team to show their faithfulness and appreciation for services rendered for the past three years.
“You have indeed worked hard, you have really supported us, you brought all the programs to Malawi and we are grateful for that, you have lifted us up as Malawians and today we are giving you these gifts because you have really worked very hard in your office for the past three years and on part of the gifts we are also bringing the Secretary General, so thank you very much”, said one of the representatives.
The Sisters from Eritrea also gave gifts for each country present.
Meanwhile, Sr. Matenga also expressed gratitude to the partners. “Without you supporting us financially, this conference would have been impossible; we thank you very much for having helped us and for having come through to participate with us in our deliberations”.
She also appreciated the Zambian organizing committee who worked hard to make the conference a success.
Sr. Matenga urged the sisters to remain focused, be empowered by Gods grace and remain committed for the love of the Lord.
“We move forward and we are not afraid because the Lord is with us. He is not behind us, he is not away from us, he is walking with us side by side so we will be able to move forward with ACWECA and serve with compassion and with love, to serve with dedication”.
The 17thACWECA General Assembly will be held in Kenya from August 16th-29th, 2017.
Source: Sr. Helen Kasaka, from ACWECA Meeting Zambia.