South Africa: Mission to the Basotho

South Africa: Mission and Ministry to the Basotho

By Fr. Lawrence Otieno, mhm. (Lawrence is a Mill Hill Missionary from Kenya)

My missionary service in Cameroon ended in early March 2019. The ongoing war claimed the life of a Mill Hill Missionary companion and fellow Kenyan, Fr. Cosmas Ondari, mhm, who was shot dead on Nov 21st, 2018. There were many deaths among the people that I was serving. The violence compelled me to stop my missionary service and return to Kenya to cool off from the experience of war.

Five months of resting was a healing and renewing experience. It was a time to look at myself and to reflect on the two years and seven months of my priesthood and missionary service in Cameroon. It also enabled me to find ways in which the Lord of the mission has blessed me and go for mission again among the Basotho of South Africa.

The Townships South Africa has a small number of Catholics. The communities of faith entrusted to my pastoral care live in townships that are linked by good roads. Unemployment is one of the major problems in these locations. People live in temporary houses walled and roofed with iron sheets (shacks). They are extremely cold in winter and hot in summer. The township dwellers sit along the main roads and streets to wait for the local council or farmers to hire them for a day’s work but most of the time, they fail and return home empty handed. Due to lack of jobs, many have to survive on one meal a day. Some young people have resorted to alcohol and drugs. Diabetes has increased among the elderly; there are diabetics who have lost their eye sight and legs. Life is difficult for the township dwellers but they are friendly and welcoming. Reaching out to them is always a learning experience.

I witness the presence of Christ, his love active and alive in the mission. The good medical care given to the patients by the government suggests the healing hands of the Lord at work. It is a moving experience to meet a daughter who makes lots of sacrifices to care for her diabetic father, her two children and a brother, from the little income she gets from selling vegetables in the streets. Although the flock entrusted to my care is facing many challenges, I am not discouraged when I reach out to them.

Those in need get food I am aware too that the Lord of the mission is with me and accompanies me in the missionary efforts. I visit the sick every week to listen to them, to pray with them, and to give them Holy Communion. Those in need receive some food to sustain them. Visiting the people of God strengthens their faith and shows the compassion of Jesus. This culminates in the Sunday Eucharistic celebration in different mission stations in the parish.

Like other countries of the world, South Africa is experiencing secularism and its effects which leads people to drift away from God. Sunday masses are attended by the elderly and a limited number of youth. Bars and streets are crowded with youth on the days of worship. This calls for a missionary presence, a humble service of love and mercy that emanates from our rootedness in the Lord of the mission. Besides celebrating the sacraments, there is a need to reach out to the least of the brothers and sisters of Jesus who have fallen by the wayside. We try with loving care to help them to rediscover the love, mercy and the presence of Christ in their life challenges.

Food and help for the needy

May the Lord bless us in our missionary vocation.

Mill Hill Ireland’s Evolving Mission Role

The colourful diagram shows the countries where Mill Hill missions received funds from the Irish region in the years between 2014 and 2021. In eight years €4 million in mission support has been contributed. That support continues at €500,000 a year. As you can see, the countries that receive the money are in Africa and Asia. We now have only one Irish Mill Hill missionary in these mission areas; Fr Denis P Hartnett from Ballyhooly, Co Cork, is in parish ministry in Sindh, Pakistan. We have, however, over 120 young African and Asian priests working in the countries listed in the diagram. The role of Mill Hill Ireland has evolved into supporting these younger members who are witnessing to Christ’s message, love and compassion, in some of the most remote areas of our world, where there is great need for food, medicine, education and other types of development aid. We have had articles in St Joseph’s Advocate about some of what is being done to bring help and hope to people that are struggling with poverty, disease, conflict and insecurity, and in more recent times the terrible consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT PUT IN PLACE Already back in 2013, a study of the future sustainability of the Irish Region was carried out. Our resources, including the money from fund raising, were carefully assessed and a plan for the future drawn up. As well as ensuring there is enough money to care for our retired members, financial support structures for Mill Hill Missions in Africa and Asia were put in place. As a result, since 2014 the sum of €500,000 has been sent annually to the General Council at our Mill Hill headquarters in Maidenhead, England. The money is distributed by the General Council to fund projects in the needy areas where our members work. There is strict control and accountability in all this. There are also subsidies to provide for the needs of the members themselves in areas where there is little or no income. Some help has also been given to other Congregations and Dioceses with particular projects.

We hope to continue sending a substantial sum every year.

SPECIAL DONATIONS In addition to the €500,000 a year that goes to Mill Hill headquarters, the Irish Region also sends special donations directly to the missions. These donations are sent to us by benefactors who specify a particular need that has been highlighted in articles in St Joseph’s Advocate. A good example of this is Ebukuya School Food Programme; in recent years, there has been a great response to articles about this.

You, our supporters, remain one of the main resources for the funds being sent to the missions. On behalf of all our Missionaries and the people they help, we want to thank you for your prayers and financial support. As a result of your generosity, our members continue to bring help and hope to some of the poorest and most marginalised people on earth.