Babelfish Translation 
RNDM Mission Solidarity News is published four times each year – March, June, September and December.
RNDM Mission Solidarity is the RNDM office that promotes mission solidarity in communications and in funding
for the missionary works of the 920 Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions in 20 countries world wide.
ALL are invited to contribute to our RNDM mission solidarity funds. Christmas ThanksChristmas with its promise of peace, joy and reconciliation is nearly upon us again – we are already well into Advent. The Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions want to assure each of you, our Friends, Sponsors and Associates, of a special place in our prayers during these two wonderful seasons of the Church’s year as we rejoice with you, and with those who have received the support you have given us during the past year. With you so much has been achieved in our missionary works. We hope that you enjoy reading about some of the achievements in this issue of RNDM Mission Solidarity News. Emmanuel : God–with-us.
Report from the British Isles Province <by Marie Carrick>
Rathenraw Family Caring Centre, Antrim, Northern Ireland
Nearly 20 years ago three RNDMs began the Rathenraw Family Caring Centre - from a caravan on a piece of waste ground at the back of a terrace of houses in the Rathenraw housing estate. Many of the families in the estate were desperately lonely, having been allocated a home in this depressed area – far from family and friends – and having to cope with high unemployment and religious discrimination.
The Sisters started a Thrift Shop to generate an income, and the shop became a meeting place for these women who soon found they could also share their troubles there.
Today the caravan has gone; the waste ground is occupied by a creche and playground, and the Family Caring Centre uses the rest of the terrace. The Thrift Shop has become a Drop-in Centre and is now run by the Social Services Support Groups, offering a variety of useful and recreational activites to the community.
Sister M Clement, one of the founding RNDMs – still living in Rathenraw - has just retired as the person in charge, handing over the Rathenraw Family Caring Centre to a dedicated team of workers and volunteers.
Comment: Congratulations to the RNDMs who have worked with the women of
Rathenraw over the past 20 years.
Report from Philippines <by Sister Kathleen Prendergast>
RNDM Mission Project Reports: 1. Food and Lodging for Manobo Girls
Photo: Manobo girls in costume for their cultural festival
Kathleen writes "During 2003 the Dormitory in Kulaman welcomed 53 girls of the
Dulangan Manobo tribal people. After the summer holidays most of the girls arrive back
suffering from various ailments, due to malnutrition. Good quality rice, meat twice a week
and eggs twice a week have been made possible through the help of RNDM Mission
Solidarity. Many thanks!"
The parents of the Manobo girls do all they can to help by providing vegetables, a share in the harvest when there is something to share, voluntary labour around the dormitory, and even a cash donation from some. The parents are very grateful for the help of many friends.
The educational opportunities for the girls are producing great results: there are now seven girls who have reached College level; each has a strong desire to help her own people as teacher, health worker or agriculturist. Amongst the juniors, five gained honours in class while a further seven received mention for being hardworking students. When there is a cultural gathering the girls from the Dormitory make a valuable contribution to the retention of Manobo culture.
These girls, being the first generation of their people to have received a formal education, are very proud of themselves - as are their parents. For so long they have all been used to hearing themselves described as "stupid". The successes of the girls are giving the whole tribe a growing sense of self-esteem because the people see their children starting to take their place alongside others with equality and respect.
Since the wars of the 80s in Mindanao a group of 18 Muslim families, mostly women and children, have lived in abject poverty . They lost their ancestral lands; they have known the insecurity of squatters and they have three times seen their homes demolished. Finally they were forced to flee to the city. The Catholic Bishop made land available for their use and had promised them title to the land. Countless bureacratic and unjust processes had blocked their way until a university lawyer took on their case and RNDM Solidarity provided the funds to buy the access strip to this land. They now have the communal title to the land and markers have been erected to define their property. This has a wonderful contribution to the future of this little community.
Photo: Sister Kathleen gets a warm welcome at Campo Muslim
Report from Bangladesh <from Sister Monica Gomes>
At last – a Cooperative in Srimongol!
Sister Monica writes: " It was my dream to begin a Cooperative with the Tea Gardeners and Khasis in Sreemongal [North East Bangladesh].
In 2000 we received a grant of US$4000 from the RNDM Solidarity Fund. After much research and planning – and some trial and error - we began the St Joseph Credit Union on 10 January 2003. We have already enrolled 588 members, and two employees travel to the Tea Gardens and Punjees to collect the deposits that the members contribute. To date we have collected US$17,500.
We were able to make our first loan to a member in July – at a very minimal interest rate.
Because there are Sisters on the Board of Directors of the Credit Union the people are more willing to trust the Union and to save with it. Now we will work to educate the people on how credit will help them in the future."
Photo: A special Bangladesh thank you for your help.
Report from Myanmar <from Sister Augusta>
RNDM Mission Project Reports : 1. Rotary Hoes
During 2001 RNDM Solidarity funding helped our Sisters in Myanmar with several of their self-supporting agricultural ventures. The funding for rotary hoes allowed for the purchase of two rotary hoes, the cost of diesel and transport, and the wages of the men employed. The men were using farm machinery for the first time; the hoes have replaced their bullocks. The men’s comments: "It is much better than the bullocks and we can get better crops." and "At first I was afraid, but now I am not. I am able to plough very rough land so we can plant our vegetables for the sisters, for ourselves and for selling."
2. Solar Energy for our rural convents and hostels
In rural communities in Myanmar both the Sisters and their students are limited in their evening activities by poor electricity services.
The communities of Euphrasie Centre, Thandwei and Naung Na Pin were able to solve their power problems by buying ‘inverters’ with funds provided by RNDM Solidarity. And solar equipment is being installed in Paletwa, Mindon and Pago.
Let there be light!3. Fowl rearing joint venture – Naung Na Pin
The Sisters tried a fowl-rearing project to generate income for themselves and for the local people by providing five jobs for co-workers to earn a living. They went into a joint venture with a commercial livestock firm and earned themselves a very good name on their efficiency and performance in raising their first batch of 2000 chicks at a small profit.
Sister Augusta writes: "We express our deep and sincere gratitude to our Sisters, friends and benfactors who have encouraged and supported us so generously, and trust us with the funds for our mission works. Our co-workers are very happy to have a place to lay their heads, steady jobs and regular income to be sent to their pannets and needy ones left behind in the villages."
For further information contact:
COORDINATOR RNDM MISSION SOLIDARITY, Sister Mary Rose Holderness, Via di Bravetta 628. Roma 00164, Italy.
Email:
fundraiser@rndmgen.org Phone: 0039 06 6615 8400