Three members of the SELL Resource Team (Hagar, John Mark and Joshua) with five of the trained mentors of the programme were in Kumasi in the Ashanti region of Ghana from the 5th to the 7th of April for the third phase of the Counselling Skills training which started in 2018. The exact venue was the Spiritual Renewal Centre of the Kumasi Archdiocese. They were joined by four other persons from within Kumasi. The training was facilitated by Fr. Peter Laast and another external facilitator. The programme was intense as trainees were engaged in practical counselling sessions to enable them become conversant with the use of the counselling techniques learned in the previous training sessions. At the end of the weekend’s work participants were given assignment to go and conduct recorded counselling sessions and bring them to the final training session scheduled for May 24 for discussions. The participants, despite the demanding nature of the training, enjoyed the experience as it stretched them to rediscover more of themselves and that the skills learned will help them in the field with those they encounter who are troubled.
On the same weekend there was a workshop on Peace Building at the Bolgatanga Polytechnic in the Upper East region of Ghana. Fr. Leo and Jeremiah were there together with two others of the trainee volunteers – Akwata and Maxwell. They had a good number of the students to work with who were all of the right age group. It is pleasing to the Resource Team to see that the Volunteers are stepping up their efforts to include the tertiary institutions within their catchment areas. It is therefore hoped that as this is properly carried out the Resource Team will have more space to reach out to other communities with the programme. To let you know, Jeremiah is a student of St. Patrick’s Missionary Society (SPMS) and was appointed to the Resource Team for his First Missionary Assignment (FMA). He arrived on the 1st of April and stays with Fr Leo in the Presentation Brothers School community in Logre, where the Resource Room is located. The Team is therefore enjoying the privilege of having Jeremiah who will be around for a year and will be of help to the team in many ways.
On the 10th of the month, the Resource Team in collaboration with Mondo volunteers and the Presentation Brothers organised a clean-up exercise within the Kongo and Logre communities in the Upper East Region to mark the 2019 World Earth Day celebration. Three Junior High Schools participated in the exercise – Presentation JHS, Kongo JHS and Girls Model JHS. The Primary Six pupils of Presentation Primary also joined. This exercise was the maiden edition and it is envisaged to be carried out every year. One of the reasons for the clean-up exercise was also to raise the awareness for the need to care for the environment. It is a step in the right direction in responding to the global call to care for mother earth. A lot of effort was put into the planning and execution of the exercise. There were pens and customised books printed for participants in the exercise. This was but to appreciate them for volunteering to take part in the exercise. It is therefore hoped that this exercise will continue annually and that those who participated will continue to help in practicing and educating others on how to care for mother earth.
On the 10th of the month, the Resource Team in collaboration with Mondo volunteers and the Presentation Brothers organised a clean-up exercise within the Kongo and Logre communities in the Upper East Region to mark the 2019 World Earth Day celebration. Three Junior High Schools participated in the exercise – Presentation JHS, Kongo JHS and Girls Model JHS. The Primary Six pupils of Presentation Primary also joined. This exercise was the maiden edition and it is envisaged to be carried out every year. One of the reasons for the clean-up exercise was also to raise the awareness for the need to care for the environment. It is a step in the right direction in responding to the global call to care for mother earth. A lot of effort was put into the planning and execution of the exercise. There were pens and customised books printed for participants in the exercise. This was but to appreciate them for volunteering to take part in the exercise. It is therefore hoped that this exercise will continue annually and that those who participated will continue to help in practicing and educating others on how to care for mother earth.
John Mark and Joshua were at Fumbisi a community in the Upper East region of Ghana for a mentoring workshop in the Wisdom of Traditions Unit. The weekend turned out to be the best of its kind in this particular community ever since the programme began. The participants, though not many, were of the target group and they engaged the discussions very well. They expressed the need for some of the sessions to be treated with the larger Christian community. The Team Members present encouraged the young people echoing the words of Mahatma Gandhi to lead the way in “Being the change they want to see in [their communities]”.
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From the 17th to the 24th, the Resource Room was closed for the Easter. Resuming on the 25th, the team travelled to Tamale. Hagar and Fr. Leo represented the team in a meeting with the Zonal leaders of the Tamale zone on the 26th to discuss the integration and sustainability of the programme. It was a fruitful meeting as issues were properly discussed and plans put in place.
Fr. Leo, Jeremiah and Joshua travelled to Damongo in the Savannah region of Ghana for a workshop. The workshop was to select suitable candidates to be trained as volunteer facilitators in that zone. On arrival, the team had the chance to visit the Bishop of the Damongo Diocese. He expressed his interest in the programme explaining how it will be of great help to the young people of his diocese regarding the openness of the programme to promote ecumenism and interfaith relationships. In encountering the youth, the team was able to select some candidates for the training and asked the youth chaplain to look into it and to bring in young people from other churches and the Islamic community to be part of the training. He assured the team that he was going to try and get them to be part of the training. The training of the facilitators in this new area is scheduled for October 9 to 13, 2019.
On this same weekend, Hagar travelled out of the country to Geneva for a two-week workshop. The workshop was organised by Edmund Rice International (ERI) to train people on Human Rights and Justice issues. The Team is delighted that Hagar had the opportunity to be part of the training and that as she learns she will come back to be of immense support to the work.
The Resource Team is grateful as always to all who have contributed in many ways in making this month’s activities to come to pass successfully. To the Presentation Brothers, the Volunteers, the Youth leaders, the participants the team encountered at the various places and the benefactors of the programme more especially Misean Cara - Ireland, gratitude is yours immeasurably and it is the prayer of the team that God bless you and keep you; that your cup will overflow with blessings.
BY:
Joshua Anambe
For SELL Resource Team, Ghana
The Resource Team is grateful as always to all who have contributed in many ways in making this month’s activities to come to pass successfully. To the Presentation Brothers, the Volunteers, the Youth leaders, the participants the team encountered at the various places and the benefactors of the programme more especially Misean Cara - Ireland, gratitude is yours immeasurably and it is the prayer of the team that God bless you and keep you; that your cup will overflow with blessings.
BY:
Joshua Anambe
For SELL Resource Team, Ghana
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