Work at PCC

By Ephriam BAM

I take this chance to introduce to you some of the activities taking place in the Printing and Communications Centre (PCC) in the Diocese of Kumbo.

The Printing and Communications Centre is the Bishop's Secreterait. So the main aim of PCC is to offer its services to the Church of Kumbo, but we go an extra mile to also serve the population of Kumbo and beyond. For example, all the church's documents are being printed at PCC. On the picture on the left, you have 3500 copies of a book that contains 108 pages was just completed in Februaury this year. This is one of the heaviest jobs the machine has done.

In PCC we offer services like;

1. Typying and professional Layout of Documents.

2. Internet Cafe services.

3. Video Coverages and Video editing.

4. Mass printing of documents and booklets.

The Principal activity in PCC is Printing. In PCC we have a Copyprinter (RISO RP 5000).

This machine has been very efficient since 2003 that we got the machine untill this year that we have been having somany problems with the machine. From September 2003that the machine was installed in PCC, we have been able to print 3.438.431 copies on the machine. As of January 2007, we have had 7 different major repairs on this machine. The work load within this period has also been very high that the machine could not withstand. You can see some sample photographs of the workdone within this period and some of the breakdowns.

At the moment, we are printing the last phase of primary school examinations for this acedemic year. PCC is charged with the printing of examinations for all the catholic primary schools in the diocese of kumbo with over 12.000 cadidates.

Brasseries Du Cameroun turns Junction leading from Kumbo to Shisong into a podium

By Bernard M. KONG
The importance attached to the road leading to Shisong, a village, 3.5 km away from Kumbo town in the North West Province of Cameroon can not be over emphasized to anyone in the province and the republic at large. Efforts have been made both by the Sisters of the Tertiary order of Saint Francis of Assisi (TSSF) and the Kumbo Urban Council to have the road

constructed to no avail. Actually, a series of Novembers have come and past with the inhabitants expecting that work will begin on the road as promises were made but nothing has happened yet. The indigents still hope that in the nearest future some attention will be given the road.
For those who do not know where and what I am writing about; St. Elisabeth General Hospital, one of the most renounce medical institutions in the republic is in Shisong. Patients come from all over the republic and other neighboring countries for treatment here. For some time now, the construction of a Cardiac Complex which will serve the whole of central Africa is going on in Shisong.
On April 19 2007, Brasseries Du Cameroun, the biggest beer company in the republic turned the junction leading to Shisong into a podium. The road was blocked with Lorries containing tons of beer and prices and with tents providing shade for people who gathered at the advert. Drivers of cars bringing patients and care takers as well as those tracing their ways to their various homes in and out of Shisong had to smuggle through clandestine paths to trace the road to their various destinations. Unfortunately for the poor citizens, the path to favour them led through the small food market at Squares-Kumbo which would not go through because two cars met and there was not enough space to bypass. When I caught sight of this uncivilized scene, I asked my self if the civil authority of the Kumbo Municipality were aware of what was going on. Normally for an occasion of this nature to take place, civil authorities must be contacted and an authorization obtained. Other occasions of this nature have been organized in Kumbo at the municipal stadium and other parts of the town meant for such shows. How for God sake can one block the way leading to the hospital just because we want to advertise beer?

Kumbo – Limburg celebrate 20 years of Partnership

By Bernard M. KONG
The journey started in 1987 when the then Bishop of Limburg Mgr. Emeritus Franz Kamphaus and the then Bishop of Kumbo, Archbishop Cornelius Esua agreed to begin the venture. At the time, they looked for ways to live the Vatican two which calls on churches in the various parts of the world to reach out to all. How best could this be done in the context of two local churches was a question in the minds of the Bishops.
Like a mushroom shooting out from the earth, the relationship started by the faithful of both Dioceses exchanging letters and short visits. People had to go out of their normal day to day lives into the unknown. Travel a long way to a strange country with a strange language or languages and even have to dare eat stuffs that one was not brought up with. These daring ventures where carried out by people of different age groups. The fruits of this precious relationship are immeasurable. The many letters and visits have given members of both dioceses the chance to get to know each other better. It has helped people to learn that it must not always be the way it is done. This is common in our society where whenever there is a change, we say "it is not done this way". We have come to know that live changes with time. With this spirit, we are able to accept our brothers and sisters of Limburg as they are. They too in Limburg have come to learn that Limburg or Germany is not the world.
Today, the 22nd day of April 2007 we celebrate 20 years of existence of this relationship. During his sermon in a high holy mass to mark the beginning of this celebration, Fr. Cyprain Tatah called on the Christians to love unconditionally. He said Christ after resurrection referred to his disciples as friends; the same people who all rejected him before his death. He called on the faithful to emulate Christ and the relationship between Kumbo and Limburg will surely grow from strength to strength.
20 years after is a time of stock taking! It is time to stop and look back. Bishop George Nkuo in his address to the partnership committee said he is ready to continue in the relationship. He thanked all those who have worked hard down the years to build the relationship. He promised to make his contribution and called on all to continue to give life to this precious relationship.

War Victims in Mbesa being consoled by CERAC: 02/04/07

CERAC consoles with the war victims in Mbesa

Ephriam Bam

The impact of the recent inter-tribal war between Mbesa and Oku has been felt right to the nation’s capital of Yaounde. This is said so following the visit of the personal representative of the First Lady Madam Chantal Biya; founding president of the Circle of Friends of Cameroon (CERAC) to Mbesa and some CERAC women to hand over gifts to the war victims as a sign of their consolation to them.

On the occasion to hand over gifts to the war victims in Mbesa, the founding president of CERAC-Madam Chantal Biya was represented by the minister of Commerce; Madam Ama Mouna. Welcoming the personal representative of the first lady to this locality, the mayor for Belo sub Division; Hon. Bernard Tosam thanked the Circle of Friends of Cameroon (CERAC) for the great attention it has given to Belo sub Division. He thanked this organization for visiting Mbesa shortly after it visited Mbingo Baptist Hospital during the World Leprosy Day. While regretting the consequences of the inter-tribal war between the two neighbouring villages, the mayor said Belo council has stood by the war victims of Mbesa to give them assistance since the war began, providing them resources such as food, clothing, rehabilitation work and also helping to keep the forces of law and order in the village to restore peace but lamented that their mega resource couldn’t continue to do enough for the people. He thanked CERAC for finally coming to their aid to rescue the people from their bad conditions. As an appeal to CERAC, the mayor declared that as the personal representative of the first lady returns to Yaounde, she should know that the Mbesa people are crying and seriously need assistance to rehabilitate the many homes destroyed and reconstruct the destroyed pipe borne water.

As a sign of gratitude and appreciation to the kind gesture of CERAC to their village, the former deputy mayor for Belo Sub Division on behalf of the people thanked the CERAC women for the significant consignment of gifts which they brought. To him, this consignment of gifts will bring some comfort to the war victims. In return for these gifts, he asked the CERAC women to give their appreciation to the first lady for her motherly gesture.

Talking to the people of Mbesa, the personal representative of the first lady to this occasion in the person of Madam Ama Mouna expressed shock and pains for the wonderful destruction she saw in the village. She called on the inhabitant of the village of Mbesa to be courageous and take heart for the unfortunate incident while stating that she and her members came purposely to console with the war victims and their families. She promised to recount her experience to the first lady when she returns to Yaounde for onward reaction. Under one of the key objectives of CERAC which is to give assistance to the needy, the CERAC women and the personal representative of the first lady brought to Mbesa some gifts which will help to lessen the pains the war victims are going through. The consignment of gifts to Mbesa to help the people included bags of rice, bush lamps, gallons to fetch water, margarine, cutlasses, hoes, mattresses, blankets, bed spreads among other things which were handed over to the fon of the village to distribute to the people.

First Chrism Mass of Bishop George NKUO: 04/04/07

A Priest Is the Messenger of the People of God

Livinus Tal Bam

The priests of the Diocese of Kumbo have once more been exhorted to re-examine themselves and renew their priestly ordination vows so as to make themselves the true messengers of God in the lives they lead. This call was made at the St. Theresa’s Cathedral parish in Kumbo recently at a concelebrated Chrism Mass which brought together all the priests of the Diocese to take part in the solemn rite of the consecration of Holy oils.

Beginning his exhortation to the priests at this chrism mass, His Lordship Bishop George Nkuo felt quite uplifted for the first time to have all the priests of the Diocese around him and called for unity among them to form a one and strong presbyterium which will bear and share with the bishop, the pastoral responsibility and care of the Diocese.

Thanking God for the gift of priesthood in the life of mankind and especially in the lives of the Christians of Kumbo diocese, he called on all the priests to always pray to God for perseverance in their priestly ministry. Quoting examples of persevering priests in the Diocese, the bishop greeted with great satisfaction, the Vicar General Emeritus of the Diocese of Kumbo; Rev Fr Peter Watson who will be celebrating 50 years in the service of the lord as a priest in July this year, while thanking God for the energy and strength he has bestowed on him in the years gone by. He also congratulated the parish priest of the St. John the Baptist parish Elak; Rev Fr Hermann Guffler who has also persevered in the priestly ministry and will be celebrating 40 years as a priest in July 2007. Rev Fr Robert Tanto, the parish priest of Binju-Nkambe will be celebrating his silver jubilee too on the 14th of April this year. This and many more, the bishop thanked God for their lives as priests and jointly wished a happy anniversary to all the priests of the Diocese who will be celebrating their respective anniversaries with a great attention focused on the supreme love of Christ to them.

Continuing his call to the priests, he reminded them on their position in the world. The priesthood he said is a ministry while the priests are the ministers. A ministry which is a service with servants, he cautioned them as the servants of the priestly ministry to stay loyal to Christ who is the one and eternal priest in their unceasing availability to the people of God while serving a link to join the people to God. He warned the priests to stay clear of all earthly pleasures and property while stating that although they are men in the world, they are not the men of this world.

Drawing inspiration from the scripture readings of the day taken from the books of Isaiah and Luke, the bishop called on the priests to continue in a courageous manner, the work of Christ which has been passed on to them. The priests then publicly renewed their priestly ordination vows at this mass and took home the consecrated oils to continue the work as servants of God to his people in their various parishes.

People at PCC - Kumbo

People working at Printing and Communication Center - Kumbo

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Printing and Communication Center - Kumbo Diocese

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