Training session on safeguarding of minors at Ejisu, Ghana-Day 2

Today’s session began with the morning prayer which was led by Fr. Salvator Mbonihankuye. After which Fr. Peter Mateso came in with his presentation on “Fidelity to our Charism: Cardinal Lavigerie and integrity in Ministry Safeguarding of children and of the most vulnerable.” Basing himself on the Biblical passage from the book of Genesis 4: 9: “The Lord said to Cain, where is your brother Abel? I don’t know, he replied. Am I my brother’s keeper?”, he invited us to be one another’s keeper. He explained that this ministry has a long-cherished tradition in the Society of the Missionaries of Africa: It is part of our Founder’s legacy. Being faithful to this legacy means embracing both its joys and its challenges. Safeguarding is not just about protecting children, the elderly, or the vulnerable as we may think; it is also about how we live with integrity in our ministry and mission.

During our Eucharistic celebration, the main celebrant, Fr. Lowrent Kamwaza invited us to live this moment of the session as a period of purification and conversion to embrace Safeguarding Ministry as a moment of grace.

The afternoon session was dedicated to understanding the key terms used in Safeguarding and the different forms of abuse taking place in our context of mission. To understand this better, the moderator of this part of the session, Br. Clenerius Chimpali, led us into four groups of work. The groups were tasked to present their discussions and findings in the plenary.  We concluded the day with the evening prayer which was led by Fr. Venant Bukuru.

By: Barthelemy Buredi, M.Afr., Lowrent Kamwaza, M.Afr., Silas Nsabimana, M.Afr., Filiyanus Ekka, M.Afr.