The chaplaincy of the Mahama Burundian refugee camp received a visit from the Lebanese Missionary group for Charity from the 15th to the 25th of August last year. The visit was part of a collaborative effort of the Famvin Homeless Alliance but also among FHA ambassadors for the “13 Houses” Campaign.

The 17 member team was led by Sister Diala Kassably, DC,  a member of the Middle Eastern Province, and Rodolph Haddad, one the 14 FHA ambassadors. The visit was carried out in accord with the principles of systemic change, that is, everything was done with the poor and nothing was done without them.

In fact, in three  the team was able to make 2,130 bricks with the refugees. One day the activity was soccer: visiting girls vs camp girls and visiting boys vs camp boys. Another day was focused on praying for the sick and the adoration of the blessed sacrament, the anointing of the sick was administered to some people. There was time to listen to the pleas of some of these infirm men and women and the day concluded with the celebration of the Eucharist. On other days there were retreats for young people (members of the various choirs and the  catholic actions movements) as well as a retreat for married couples.

In the name of the Chaplaincy, Father Henri Matsinga CM, expressed his gratitude to the team. It gave us the momentum to move forward, collaborating locally first and then internationally. The bricks that were made will be used to build a multi-purpose hall for cultural activities for the Mahama refugees. The Hall will be dedicated to the “13 Houses” Campaign. After the Lebanese missionaries left, the refugees decided to continue to work on this project.

Moreover, the members of the Congregation of the Mission, in collaboration with a team from Spain, has just built two five-rooms houses for two homeless families from Rwanda … these homes are located in the southern province of the Ruhango District and are part of the “13 Houses” Campaign. Besides these two houses there is also an initiative to open an orphanage in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo.

With the meeting the Famvin Rwanda committee we hope, with God’s grace, that good plans will be made to shelter more homeless people.

Thank you to everybody who is with us on this Famvin Homeless Alliance.

We pray that all the Vincentian Family Saints will intercede on our behalf for those men and women who poor.

Father Henri Matsinga CM, FHA ambassador
Source: https://vfhomelessalliance.org/