Six team members and nineteen participants arrived in Dar es Salaam

from thirteen priories and Generalate District Houses: Rome, Tutzing,

Peramiho, Ndanda, Olinda, Manila, Daegu, Seoul, Nairobi, Argentina,

Windhoek/Jinja, Angola, India and Israel (The Benedictine Sisters of Mt.

Olivet were invited send a participant). Sr. Veronica Prieto from

Argentina served as translator-companion for our sisters from Brazil and

Angola, while Sr. Lioba Yang from Ndanda Priory was the translator-

companion for our sisters from South Korea.

In this “News Brief” we wish simply to share

with you some of the events, joys and

impressions of the participants during our first

days in Dar. Here are a few of their thoughts.

Each text box indicates the words of another

participant.

“In the Footsteps of our Pioneers” Participants at the shrine at Pugu

In the Footsteps of our Pioneers: Reclaiming our Missionary Zeal

NEWS BRIEF – Part One, The Dar Experiences

Schedule Wednesday & Thursday,

28-29 June - Arrival Days

Friday 30 June – TEC Center

Opening Mass with Fr. Titus Nkane, OSB, of Kursasini

Opening Prayer & Rite of

Welcome with the giving of

the vitenge

Opening Conference of

M. Angela

Sharing

Preparation for Pugu

Saturday, 1 July – Pugu

Welcome from the Brothers

Showing the church, shrine

and Bible-on-the-Ground

Mass in the chapel

Meal & Prayer time

Concluding with Vespers

Preparation for St. Joseph and

Msimbazi Sunday, 2 July – Dar

Visit to our brothers at

Kurasini

View St. Maria and St. Joseph

houses at the harbor

Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral

Prayer at the tomb of our

martyrs (St. Joseph’s Church)

Msimbazi cemetery and St. Maria Convent

Stop at the Indian Ocean

Monday, 3 July – TEC

Day of recollection

Conference on M. Birgitta

Sharing

Preparation for Tosamaganga

Sr. Inez from Olinda

receiving the Kitenge

I dared to join the Mission Renewal Program

and here I am in Africa. As I follow the

footsteps of our pioneers who came for mission

in Africa relying only on the faith, desire and

love for God, I face challenges.

My life – how easily I get side-tracked and

consumed by worthless things. Then I look at

their lives. (Continued on pg. 2)

At the tomb of the Mikuyumbu Martyrs at St. Joseph’s.

(Continued from page one) Remembering the lives of our foremothers with a spirit upright and focused on God, I humbly ask for their

intercession that I may receive grace and faith to rely on God alone and completely.

While living in the world that is dominated by

individualism, comfort and convenience, these days

have been a time to reflect deeply on sacrifice and love.

Thanksgiving and praise to our God who sent us our

foremothers.

The most moving experience was in the chapel where

Sr. Martha and Bro. Petrus were murdered. When we

entered this chapel the mood of excitement in the group

instantly changed into a deep silence. One could easily

feel the intensity of prayer flowing out of the hearts of

these visiting missionaries.

This thought brought me to all the others (their

companions) who died or were killed and all the hardships

they had to undergo; their tender age, harsh climatic

conditions, dangerous diseases, poor nutrition, lack of

means of transport, insecurity, no health facilities, etc.

All these and many more were the challenges of their day

which they lived with great courage and unwavering faith

as they embraced their mission assignment.

They were truly moved by faith and not by sight and put

on the garment that St. Paul asks all of us to dress in

(Ephesians 6:14-17) “So therefore, stand your ground

with truth as your belt, uprightness a breastplate, wearing

for shoes the eagerness to spread the gospel of peace.

Always carrying a shield of faith and you must take

salvation as your helmet and the words of God as the

sword of the Spirit!!”

We pray for the courage to respond as they did.

St. Joseph Cathedral - Dar

This is holy ground; we’re standing on holy ground, for the Lord is present and where God is, is holy…

Dar- St. Maria and St. Joseph – 1890s

All what we received was deeply touching, seeing how we are

carrying the mission that our foremothers and fathers started. We

missionaries of today, seeing the zeal and courage of our sisters

and brothers, we were all moved to do our mission with zeal.

Visiting St. Joseph Cathedral and Msimbazi

created a deep gratitude in me for:

The tireless work of our missionaries

Their love for mission and people

They still speak through the monument the

goodness of God.

The Benedictine touch everywhere is

touching.

Missionary Benedictine vocation

Praying at the tomb of our sisters and brothers at Msimbazi.

The visit to Pugu and Msimbazi (cemetery) left a deep impression

on me. Great thanks to God and our foremothers.

During these days of pilgrimage, walking in the footsteps of our pioneers here in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, East Africa,

I come to appreciate the journey as a special travel. A travel with a spiritual purpose. It is a journey inward, getting in

touch with myself. As said the homily of Fr. Titus Nkane, OSB, I have to ask myself, “What went wrong, and what went

well in my missionary vocation.” It is indeed a journey that re-awakens my missionary spirit.

Our journey just begun, the Spirit of our pioneers is very much alive in our group. I thank God for this opportunity and

as we move on the road to other foundations, I pray that all of us may be filled with joy and gratitude reclaiming the

spirit of our pioneers.

Departure – Heading South

On July 4 we boarded the bus at 4:00 a.m. to head first to Tosamaganga and then

on to Njombe and Uwemba. The reporting of the next part of the journey will

come in the next News Brief.

At this time, we have received the news of the death of Sr. Marciana. We pray for

her and carry the concern of our sisters mourning her sudden death.

Sr. Bernarda (center)

was our nurse-assistant

in Dar and until we

reached Uwemba. We

are very grateful for

her service. She is

pictured here with Srs. Hyo Kyong and Monica.

They are standing before

the painting of Sr. Martha

of Pugu.

Nothing comes by chance; it is God’s plan. Looking from Fr. Amrhein in his

struggle of thinking hard, trying to find God’s will in his life, until his dream

became true of starting this Congregation of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters

and Brothers. He was a very prayerful person with an attentive heart to listen to

God’s voice to the direction that he was leading him. From the beginning where

our congregation was established, our foremothers also were very attentive to

God’s voice, listening to the Holy Spirit where he was leading them until today.

We thank God for his guidance.

Today I, as a sister of the Missionary Benedictine community living in Tanzania,

how am I living my consecrated life? Today I am here looking back to the

footsteps of our foremothers, reflecting on their zeal and dedicated hearts to Jesus

being ready to live a very poor, difficult life in Tanzania (at that time it was

Tanganyika). They had poor environment, no security and many other problems.

All these problems they counted to be nothing comparing to the higher and

rewarding life in heaven.

Lord, grant us that same spirit and zeal. Help us to be missionaries always ready

to offer our lives to do your will. Like our foremothers did according to their gifts,

e.g. helping the needy, the sick, listening to people’s problems, consoling them.

Inspire in us the same, that in everything we do as missionaries, we may witness

Christ and bring salvation to ourselves and to other people.

God, every day of our lives, transform us, especially in this time of renewal. Let us

be the people that other people may see God in us.

Renewal Participants

Sr. Beena Theckanath

India

Sr. Bonifasia Ngonyani

Ndanda

Sr. Elisabeth-Magdalena Zehe

Tutzing

Sr. Febronia Kimario

Ndanda

Sr. Gabariele Penka

Jerusalem

Sr. Insuk Hyo Kyong

Seoul

Sr. Jacinta Mwangangi

Nairobi

Sr. Jeanne Bott

Rome

Sr. Josepha de Oliveira

Olinda

Sr. Julitta Enkono

Windhoek/ Jinja

Sr. Katharina Mtitu

Peramiho

Sr. Maria Belarmino

Olinda

Sr. Maria Inêz de Amorim

Olinda

Sr. Marie Paul Kang

Daegu

Sr. Mary Paul Baul

Manila

Sr. Monica Son

Daegu

Sr. Paulina Ngueve

Angola

Sr. Rosa Pascal

Nairobi

Sr. Verónica Prieto

Argentina