The St. Peter Claver Society Thanks Its Generous Donors
(Photo: Working on the Girls’ Dormitory) The St. Peter Claver Society sends a heartfelt “thank you” to St. John the Beloved parishioners and friends for your generous donations to our annual July Special Collection. You made it possible to meet our goal of funding the construction of a simple open-air kitchen at the Cardinal Mazombwe Agricultural and Life Skills Training Center in Kazungula, Zambia. The kitchen will allow boarding students to prepare their meals. Your support is deeply appreciated. God bless you all.
2023 St. Peter Claver Society Requesting Donations to Build an Open Air Kitchen
2022 SUMMER FUNDRAISER FOR THE CARDINAL MAZOMBWE LIFE SKILLS AND AGRICULTURAL TRAINING CENTRE
ST. PETER CLAVER SOCIETY 2022 FUNDRAISER
Zambia’s first Cardinal, His Eminence Medardo Mazombwe, had a dream before his death in 2013: to build an agricultural training center where disadvantaged young people would be prepared for adulthood and learn the skills necessary for rural farming and husbandry, thereby avoiding the many problems accompanying urban migration. The St. Peter Claver Society an apostolate of St. John the Beloved Catholic Church has been working with many Zambian partners over the years to make this dream a reality. We are pleased to report that construction of the Cardinal Mazombwe Life Skills and Agricultural Training Center (CMTC) is well underway with the building of the classroom block, staff house and dormitory. None of this would be possible without our donors’ on-going generous financial support and prayers, for which we are very grateful.
The CMTC is located on a 59-acre property donated by the Makunka parish of the Livingstone Diocese of Zambia. Until recently the project was managed by CARITAS, but Bishop Kalumba transferred management to the Curia on May 30, 2022 and assigned Father Barnabas as project manager. The next phase of the project will include a second dormitory, solar lighting and furnishings for all the buildings.
St. Peter Claver’s Feast Day, September 9
Siblings Improving Daily Since Coming to St. Anthony Children’s Village
When St. Anthony Children’s Village was established in May 2003, the majority of the children were HIV infected, their mothers having died from AIDS. However, with the availability of ARVs (anti-retroviral drugs) for adults and children, more mothers are able to live and care for their children. Currently, St. Anthony’s has increased the number of vulnerable children it welcomes to include those who have been abandoned by their families, or whose mothers are incapable of caring for them, and especially those with special needs. St. Anthony’s provides both physical and emotional support to these children in a loving and caring community. As needed, the kids receive physiotherapy from a qualified physiotherapist. Caregivers continue with the exercises. The St. Peter Claver Society, which has supported St. Anthony’s since 2004, raised the necessary funds to purchase the physiotherapy equipment.
Siblings, James and Chikondi, are not orphans, but their extremely poor parents locked the children in a house without food. When James and Chikondi arrived at St. Anthony Children’s Village, they were severely malnourished; Chikonddi could not walk at all, and James was unable to walk straight. With physiotherapy and proper nutrition, they can now walk and are able to go to school. Donations are especially needed to deal with the impact of the pandemic.
St. Peter Claver Society’s 2020 Special Collection
Responding to the COVID-19 Impact on Zambian Orphans
In late May, 2020, Sister Lucia, St. Anthony Children’s Village Administrator, reached out to the SPCS with an urgent request for $3000 to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak in Zambia. To expedite the aid, SPCS has sent the $3000 from funds on hand to cover the rising costs of diapers, detergent, face masks, sanitizers, cleaning materials and food stuffs.
Please help us replenish those much-needed funds. In addition, SPCS is committed to sending St. Anthony’s $10,000 by the end of July, our annual stipend.
Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Tax deductible donations can be made through Faith Direct, online at saintpeterclaversociety.org or by mailing checks payable to St. John’s with SPCS on the memo line to:
St. John the Beloved Catholic Church
6420 Linway Terrace, McLean, VA 22102
The St. Peter Claver Society is sponsored by
St. John’s and donations are deductible toextent allowed by law.
Who was Cardinal Mazombwe?
Who was Cardinal Mazombwe? He was Zambia’s first Cardinal who had a lifelong devotion to promoting education. In fact, during his 53 years as a priest, he established many universities, nursing schools, hospitals and education centers.
After observing the alarming number of orphans of AIDS in Zambia, the cardinal obtained 200 acres of land near a hospital and nursing school he had founded. His aim was to interest orphans and very poor young people to live at the farm and raise crops and livestock for their own consumption and to earn money to put themselves through school. Since 2002, this enterprise has been very successful in helping almost 200 young adults graduate as teachers, nurses, priests and more efficient farmers who are now self-sufficient and able to help their siblings. Cardinal Mazombwe wanted to stem the flow of orphans to the cities where they are generally unemployed, and too often resort to crime and prostitution, in order to survive.
Second year of paying tuition for 4 Zambian Students.
The St. Peter Claver Society‘s July 8-9 second collections will pay for tuition for the following four young adults, who live at the Cardinal Mazombwe Agricultural and Life Skills Centre in Zambia. They need $4,500 to help them complete their second year of studies.
ALICK ZIMBA, 22, who is taking a three year course at the Chongwe School of Education. Alick reports: I have loved the teaching profession since I was a small boy and I really have been inspired by friends who have done teaching. My future plan is to look after my two siblings who are still at school, I would love to give them the best I can.
THOMAS NJOLE,20, who is studying nursing at St. Luke’s School of Nursing. Thomas notes: I chose nursing because of my desire is to serve people lives. My future plans are to educate my young sisters and brothers and also to help other vulnerable children.
JONATHAN ZULU, 24, who is taking a three year course in plumbing and sheet metal at the Ukwim Trade Institute. Jonathan reports: I have been interested in this course since grade nine. My uncle used to take me with him to his workplace so I observed everything he did. My desire is to get more knowledge. My plan is to build a house for my parents and to support my three siblings all through their education.
REGINA CHULA, 19, who is enrolled in a seven year course in medicine and surgery at the University of Zambia. According to Regina: I chose this course because I am passionate about saving people lives. My plans for the future are to reduce poverty levels in my area by helping Vulnerable Children like me continue their education by providing scholarships.
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Annual Mother’s Day sales
For the first time, the St. Peter Claver Society annual Mother’s Day sales will be selling coffee imported from Zambia which is freshly roasted locally by Beanetics Coffee Roasters in Annandale. In addition, SPCS will be offering coffee/ travel mugs with the design depicted above for sale after Masses on the weekends of April 30, May 6-7 and May 13-14. Two preteen boys created the design and wording which nicely captures both empathy for orphans and gratitude toward one’s mother.
The Coffee sells for $12, ceramic and travel mugs for $10 each, and at a special price: both Coffee + Mug for $20. All profits go toward supporting orphans and children in need at our three projects in Zambia: St. Anthony’s Children’s Village, the Mulele Mwana breakfast and lunch program; and the Cardinal Mazombwe Agricultural and Life Skills Centre.