Monday, December 08, 2008

2008 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE PARISH

On behalf of the committee I am pleased to report that we are again delighted with the level of generosity within the parish.

The year began on a very positive note with a letter of thanks from Fr F Taylor informing us our last remittance was used to facilitate flooring and plastering at the new church / hall at Natandire. He told us the Christians were very happy in their new church. The work is now almost complete and we were delighted to learn the new church has been named ‘Our Lady Help of Christians’. The church is to be consecrated next year in May 2009 and I have accepted their invitation to attend. Any members are also welcome to attend. You can view pictures of the new church on the Malawi notice board in the gathering area of the church or by visiting our website at http://malawisupportgroup.blogspot.com

Next year will involve a significant change in our funding support to embrace humanitarian type projects rather than our previous focus on desperately needed community building works. Any donations parishioners may care to make to these important projects will make an enormous difference to the lives and outcomes of our extended parish family, in these outlying impoverished areas of Mt Siriza and Ntandire. Please see our treasurer Bernie Murray if you would like to make a donation.

The two projects that Fr Taylor has designated for us to help fund in 2009 are as follows.

- Paying school fees for orphans in primary and secondary schools for the areas of
Mtsiriza and Ntandire.

- Assisting feeding 6o nursery school children for Mtsiriza
The Nursery is run by Mtsiriza Church.

Activities this year

This year we conducted a Crazy whist fundraiser card night which was enjoyed by everyone, including many who had not previously played who learnt to play for the first time. The night raised $700.

Our theatre night continues to be succesful and we enjoyed the hilarious comedy written by Alan Ayckbourn entitled Absurd Person Singular.
The theatre was fully booked and we raised just under $1600 including proceeds from the raffle. In attendance were students from La Trobe University who were all from the Ithaca campus of Cornell University in NY and were over here for a semester to study Australian history. They all enjoyed there local cultural experience.

Raffles as always have also been very successful.

At our AGM current office bearers confirmed they continuance for the 2009 year.

FIRST RAINS CAUSE HAVOC





Last Sunday the 23rd Nov 2008 Lilonge experienced its' first rains for the season and some poeple may start planting maize. Unfortunately the rains caused damage to property, including the Ntandire Church and School which takes os all of children from the area. Rectification work has already begun. Posted by Picasa