Mission Amatongas

Parents' Day at Amatongas

2016-07-18T05:13:00.001-05:00

This past week was a big one for Mission Amatongas and the secondary school. We had two Parents' Days, one for the entire school and one for our boarders. Our parents got the chance to see the school, stay updated and receive their kids' grades. And of course everything involves singing and dancing! The entire school also gathered for a large assembly outside on a perfect day. There is always something happening in Amatongas.

2016-07-11T02:45:00.003-05:00

We were thrilled to receive new visitors from Spain last week! Br. Cristóbal and six of his students will be joining us for the next 3 weeks. They've already started painting our new girls dorm, played in an official futeball match, and our boarders are enjoying getting to know them. We're excited to see the great things they do here during their stay! More to come from this group...

New Girls Dorm thanks to Ruckstuhl Foundation

2016-07-06T00:52:00.001-05:00

We give a huge amount of thanks to our friends at the Ruckstuhl Foundation for providing us the opportunity to construct a dorm for girls. A new roof, bathroom, shower room and 10 new bunk beds and lockers were provided through a grant from the Ruckstuhl Foundation in Baton Rouge, La. Twenty girls will be moving into the new dorm for the 2017 school year. There is still work to be done, of course, as we now start cleaning, painting, installing new ceramic floor and drop ceiling in the dorm. Our work here never seems to end, but it has been blessed by God.

Shower Room

Bathroom

New Beds under construction

New Septic Tank

Girls Dorm Room

New Roof

More New Roofing

New Toilets

Washroom

Arial view of dorm with new roof

Matt Adler (3 time volunteer) to spend 5 weeks in Amatongas

2016-06-28T10:17:00.000-05:00

We love our volunteers in Amatongas! We give much love and thanks to Matt Adler who arrived with the CLP group, but will remain here for the next 5 weeks. Of course Matt wasn't in the pictures in the last post because he was the official photographer. Stay tuned for many more pictures from Matt, or Mateus, his name in Portuguese.

Coindre Leadership Program visits Amatongas

2016-06-28T08:52:00.001-05:00

Mission Amatongas was blessed and honored this week to receive a visit from eight faculty members from four secondary schools operated by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart in the United States. Without the help of our schools in the U.S. and around the world we would not be able to do the work here in Amatongas. Their visit and service work was a part of the Coindre Leadership Program (CLP) which teaches and shares the Charism of our institute founded by Fr. Andre Coindre and Brother Polycarp. Ametur Cor Jesu!

And the 2015 Corn Harvest Begins

2015-04-11T12:23:00.000-05:00

And the harvest begins in Amatongas, only two months later than usual due to the late rainy season. Soon we will be able to grind our own corn into flour instead of buying 50kgs in town every day. Our wonderful boarders helped fill two trailer loads today beginning work at 5:00 AM.

We give a huge shout out saying thank you to our brothers, students, teachers and friends at Saint Stanislaus High School in Bay St. Louis, MS who raised funds during lent to help us purchase corn flour during these first two very difficult months of the school year.

Cutting and collecting the corn stalks

Stripping the corn

Loading into the trailer

Bagging te corn to be lifted into the loft

Filling the loft

And we always have interested audiences

16 Residents Baptized at Easter Vigil

2015-04-05T12:26:00.003-05:00

Sixteen resident students were baptized at our Easter Vigil last night. It only took 4 1/2 hours, but we got it done. Happy Easter from all of us in Amatongas!

Each of the brothers sponsored at least two students, some had four

Br. Lucas assists at the baptism

Salvador gets annointed

The newly baptized with their candles

Our 16 resident students dressed in their best for the vigil

Cows Finally Arrive in Amatongas

2015-04-05T12:17:00.002-05:00

The two year wait has finally ended. Our 5 new jersey cows and 1 bull arrived in Amatongas. A huge thanks to the efforts of all the students, faculty, administration and friends at Brother Martin High School in New Orleans for raising the funds to build the barn and pay for the cows. Because of you, our dream of self-sustainability is closer to reality.

Land O Lakes delivers the cows

Jersey cows enjoying their new home

They came 5-7 months pregnant, so milk shouldn't be too far away

The young bull seems to happy as well

I wonder how long our kids will be able to play with they young bull

Each jersey cow is tagged and comes with registration

Our First Candidates in Amatongas

2015-04-05T12:08:00.001-05:00

Could these young men be the first Mozambican Brothers of the Sacred Heart? It has been great welcoming the first 3 discerners to our community in Amatongas. They will begin their official formation as Aspirants in June and they will travel to Zimbabwe to begin the program with other young men from the area. If all goes well they will become postulants and then begin their novitiate in Lusaka, Zambia. Please keep our three discerners in your prayers as they begin their formation.

The first three discerners, Micheque, Carlitos, and Eurico

Carlitos

Micheque

Eurico

Micheque with formation director, Br. Lucas

Kitchen Cooking with Gas, Again

2015-04-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

I made a post last year about our kitchen cooking with gas. However, due to some pressure problems we had to abandon the gas and return to cooking over firewood. We are happy to announce now that we have returned to gas full time. It seems like a simple thing, but believe me, it's not so simple.

Once again we thank all those at Manos Unidas for making our kitchen a reality. Now we just have to find a way to pay for the gas. It cost bout $100 for one of the big canisters and we go through about 3 a week.

Our cooks love not having to make a fire everyday

Frying fish is much easier over the burner

The simple pressure valve that made it possible, just couldn't find one last year

Madalena and Ana Paula, the women that make it all happen

Another School Year Begins in Amatongas

2015-04-05T10:51:00.001-05:00

I realized recently that have been posting many pictures on facebook and some people don't use facebook. So, for various reasons, one being historical archive purposes, I'm posting all the stuff I uploaded on facebook recently to this blog.

The beginning of the school year in Amatongas has seen many differences from the past two years. Over 1,200 students began the year with 120 resident students. The increased numbers are due in part to the reputation of the school, but also because of the governments decision to cancel our night school. The reasons for this are too difficult to go into detail here, but it is unfortunate for the students who work all day and don't have the opportunity to go to school at night. However, for the brothers at least it gives us a little break in the busy schedule.

One change you immediately notice this year is the increased presence of students and teachers around the school all day. Students and teachers seem to be taking education more seriously.

Students check out books all day from the library

Students in class hard at work

The classrooms are looking great

The school is a buzz of activity all day

The library stays packed all day with students studying

Feliz Natal

2014-12-18T08:08:00.000-06:00

Figs and Advent

2014-12-03T11:03:00.001-06:00

Posted this on facebook, but I realize some people who may read this blog don't have facebook. So, here ya go.

How did a jar of fig jam help me reflect on Advent? Perhaps only my family will appreciate this, but here goes.

Recently I found for the first time in four years a jar of Fig Jam in the big store in Chimoio. When I brought it back to Amatongas I couldn't resist heating up some of our homemade rolls and eating the figs and hot bread. This may not seem like much to most of you, but I know my family will appreciate this for sure. You see, from my earliest days visiting my Grandma Sweeney (Ella) in Lake Charles one of the real pleasures in life was to sit at the counter breakfast table and be served up hot biscuits and homemade fig preserves, and no one made them like Grandma. As I was reflecting on this fact this week I had another realization and appreciation of Grandma. She was someone completely and sincerely selfless, a gentle and holy soul. She always, every minute, lived and worked to make you happy and full. To this day no one can duplicate her chicken gumbo, potato salad, fig preserves and many others, but I don't think it had anything to do with the recipe. It was all about her putting her whole self into what she was doing. Now, how does this relate to Advent you ask? I think it means everything. As we begin this period of waiting on the ultimate selfless example and gift of Jesus Christ into our lives, we must spend time in prayer and reflection on how we can become more selfless, recalling those in our lives who lived and live it everyday, people who are examples of the Heart of Christ in our lives, God with us now. Beyond her food, I remember as if it were yesterday, Grandma would tell me, "you know I pray for you everyday." I have no doubt she did and continues to do so in heaven.

Early Christmas Gift

2014-12-03T08:59:00.000-06:00

Thanks to a generous donation in the memory of the mother and father of Br. Noel Lemmon, SC, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Louis Lemmon, Sr., we now have a new roof on the building we are renovating to one day use as a new dorm. The roof was installed in just two weeks and is made of only metal materials. The two big rooms could house around 50-60 new boarders. However, as you can see there's plenty of work left to do. New windows, doors, electricity, floors and of course new beds and lockers will be installed during the 2015 school year, or as we get funds to complete the work. We are very thankful though that the hardest part of the job is done and just before the rainy season.

The new roof looks great,
but the floor really looks like it went through a war

Just lacking new windows and doors now

A new front wall had to be built to support the roof on one section

Just in case you forgot what it looked like before

This outdoor bathroom next to the new dorm could be renovated as well

It even has some nice tile

The old toilets need a little work though

Mission Amatongas Article in Vision Vocation Guide

2014-09-17T08:26:00.003-05:00

Starting over from scratch

By Carol Schuck Scheiber. Photos courtesy of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart with special thanks to Brother Chris Sweeney, S.C. Moving from New Orleans to Mozambique was dramatic enough. But for Brother Chris Sweeney, S.C. rebuilding an abandoned school out of the ashes of civil war has made life really interesting.

Click on the link below to read full article in Vision

http://www.vocationnetwork.org/articles/show/451

Miles for Moz Race Swag - Amatongas Style

2014-09-17T05:57:00.001-05:00

How's this for race swag? It just can't get any better. Sign up to run or walk for Miles for Moz at the Louisiana Marathon, raise $250 with crowdrise and you will receive this one of a kind, hand made in Amatongas shirt. Since I'm coming in for Christmas, I'll be delivering the shirts myself. However, in order to get these for Christmas, you need to register by December 1, 2014. You can register to run the Full, Half, Quarter, 5K, or Kids Marathon. Here are the links:

http://www.thelouisianamarathon.com/team-moz/

Crowdrise Fundraising:

https://www.crowdrise.com/milesformozatlamarathon/fundraiser/missionamatongas

Menes models our "Made in Amatongas" shirt

Fundraising Websites - Crowdrise

New Gas Kitchen thanks to Manos Unidas

2014-09-16T12:57:00.002-05:00

Thanks to our wonderful friends at Manos Unidas we have a new kitchen. No more cooking on the floor over a wood fire. In addition to the two new burners we were able to purchase a new industrial vent, pots and utensils as well as a beautiful new sink and table to prepare and store meals. We are indeed blessed to have Manos Unidas on our side. The kitchen also received a new floor, new windows and paint, though it could use another coat or 10 to cover the years of black soot.

Our wonderful cooks, two special ladies loving their new home.

New gas powered cookers with new pots as well.

Gas tanks

New deep sink, even the cat loves.

Our baker is happy as well because we now have an electric oven. He now can bake 500 rolls a day, but in half the time.

Our baker loves his new electric oven.

Over 500 rolls a day

Miles for Moz again at the Louisiana Marathon

2014-08-10T10:05:00.000-05:00

"Miles for Moz" will again be raising funds at the Louisiana Marathon Jan. 18, 2015 in Baton Rouge. Pictured below is the dorm we hope to renovate using 100% of money raised this year. The dorm will be used to house young women in the area who would not have the opportunity to continue their education otherwise. Please consider helping us meet one of the greatest needs in Africa, the education of young women. Follow this link to our fundraising page and set up a team of your own. https://www.crowdrise.com/milesformozatlamarathon/fundraiser/missionamatongas

The dorm we hope to renovate

It's located on the back side of our existing dorm...

...and was used as a hospital maternity ward during the war.

Just needs a new roof, windows, doors, a new floor and lighting

It has been one of my personal frustrations to see young girls here get married off sometimes as young as 13 years of age. Young girls like the one below often do not get a chance to experience their own childhood much less receive an education. It is the world we live in here in Amatongas, but it does not have to continue.

Children taking care of children

Let the Lights Shine

2014-08-10T08:31:00.000-05:00

The lights are on in Amatongas thanks to a few generous donors and much patience.

I'll begin this series of posts with one of the most important additions to our campus, a generator. Because of the many problems with electricity since January in central Mozambique our power supply has been cut off more often than it's on. We have been needing a solution for some time. A huge thank you goes out to the family of Br. Noel Lemmon, Mr. and Mrs. Roland Toups and a combination of many others for providing the significant funds to purchase and install this big generator. We now can power the entire campus when the lights go out, a very important thing since we have school at night.

Our new generator...

...just a big tractor motor, but a whole lot more.

While I was in the U.S. for a few weeks our vegetable gardens continued to grow. We are now harvesting cabbage, tomato, and onion.

Some of our orphans staying with us during the holidays picking cabbage

The cabbages garden

I was home in Louisiana for a few weeks visiting family, brothers and some of our sponsors. It was a great trip, just a little short this time.

Some of my family in Louisiana, the tall skinny little brother
and his clan at a triathlon for kids.

Mass with the Bishop at Santa Clara

2014-05-27T13:21:00.001-05:00

The Bishop of the Diocese of Chimoio, the famous Bishop Francisco Silota, began his pastoral visit to our parish this week. During his visit he takes the time to celebrate Mass at one of the many satellite rural churches within the parish. Today our three volunteers joined the Bishop and the priests of the parish at the Community of Santa Clara, about 20 kilometers north of Amatongas.

The church at the Community of Santa Clara

Bishop Francisco Silota

No stained windows, marble floors, or statues.
Just great spirit.

There's something about mass in a rustic church with people who live in houses built in a similar fashion. Nothing against the big multi-million dollar cathedrals, but the spirit in this church can't be beat. Though the differences are startling, it must be said that the same body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ is present in each. It saddens me when I read more and more about the many problems people have with how mass is celebrated and under what conditions. The great love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus reaches out to all and through all. I was blessed today to experience his love at Santa Clara.

In this church there's no lack of dancing, clapping and singing.

Our volunteers with the Bishop

Volunteers Arrive in Amatongas

2014-05-25T14:00:00.000-05:00

Our three volunteers from Baton Rouge, La landed at the Beira airport yesterday and hit the ground running as the poor picture below demonstrates. After a 41 hour journey and an adventurous ride down the rough EN6 highway Lindsey, Kelsey, and Matt joined our boarders in time for supper. They will be working in Amatongas for the next two weeks teaching health classes in the primary school, tutoring our students in English and helping in the many tasks around the mission. Thanks to our three volunteers and for all those who helped them get here. We couldn't do the work here without the help from many generous people. We are truly blessed and thank God everyday.

Why I need a new camera.
The 3 volunteers walk from the plane to terminal.

The 3 stars arrive in Mozambique

Volunteers are read a letter of welcome...

...and then they're treated to dancing and singing, of course.

Matt Adler enjoying supper with the students.

Lindsey Mouton learning some portuguese.

Kelsey Schexnayder returns to Amatongas
for a 2nd volunteer experience.

New Classroom Block Dedicated at Primary School

2014-05-23T22:24:00.000-05:00

Just one of our little side projects. Last month the new classroom block at the primary school just across the street from our school was officially dedicated. The ceremony included government officials, school administrators, teacher and students. Br. Angel was the official representative of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart. Many thanks go to the Foundation Corazonistas in Spain for providing the majority of funding for this project. The four classrooms with new desks were much needed since the elementary school was using some of our classrooms. We now free up three classrooms which can be used for our students.

Four new classrooms with new desks were dedicated.

Br. Angel with other dignitaries

The ceremony draws a crowd...

...of all ages.

And of course there was much dancing and singing

Novo Galinhas de Ovos

2014-05-22T22:38:00.000-05:00

150 new laying hens arrived in Amatongas after a very long journey thanks to the students, teachers and others at St. Stanislaus High School in Bay St. Louis, MS. Please read the article here about the efforts of the SSC family and their sacrifices to help us in Amatongas. We can't thank everyone at SSC enough for all your efforts. You truly are the "School of Character".

The new Layers are purchased at "point of lay", 18 weeks old when they begin laying eggs. They must be purchased in Zimbabwe because there's no way of getting them in Mozambique. The eggs will be used to feed our 108 boarding students and any left overs will be sold to the local people.

Layers in Zimbabwe raised 5 to a cage

Packed and transported in boxes

The hens arrived late at night after a long journey

Students begin unpacking

The hens finally in their new home

Volunteer Video

2014-03-04T22:47:00.002-06:00

Our volunteers made a video. Check it out. It was from their trip in July 2012 and it's amazing to see how much has changed in such a short time.

Thanks to all our volunteers. We couldn't do this work without your help.

Experiencing Amatongas from Michael Kline on Vimeo.

First Senior Class

2014-03-03T11:49:00.000-06:00

The first senior class began the school year in new classrooms built over the holidays in December and January. We transformed an old parish youth center into two classrooms for the 11th and 12th grades using money saved by the brothers in community over the past three years. A drop ceiling was installed to reduce heat, new desks were purchased, new paint applied, a new entry way installed with a door and awning, and additional windows were installed to improve lighting and ventilation.

Seniors busy at work in their new classroom

View of the junior and senior classroom
building from the brothers residence

Students enjoying a break outside the library

Morning assembly, flag raising and national anthem

Our library gets used all day every day. Students can check out resource books or text books and make copies of class materials. The study room is always filled with students.

Students using the study room in the library

Students checking out books in the library