Church repair in Zambia

Help to repair and extend the church in a newly established parish

The Spiritans (Holy Ghost Missionaries) have been working in Zambia since 1971. The congregation sends its priests wherever pastoral work is particularly difficult, and especially in remote and underdeveloped regions.

In the diocese of Ndola a new parish was recently established in the village of Baluba, which is under the care of the Spiritan Fathers. The number of believers is growing rapidly in this overwhelmingly rural region, and many of the people are very involved in the Church. But the modest church, which is already far too small and moreover in a poor condition, has now been further damaged by strong winds and rain.

Father Damian Lutanda Simungala, the parish priest has appealed to us for help. „The rains are heavy here, and last week our church roof was torn off by violent winds. We are now very worried that, with a leaking roof and its already poor condition, the heavy rains may cause it to collapse altogether. We live in a remote, rural region and although we have endeavoured to strengthen the old church, God alone knows how much longer it will hold. So we are turning to you to urgently ask your support, so that we can avoid a real catastrophe.“

For now Holy Mass is being celebrated in the open air, which is hard above all for mothers with little children and for the elderly. Besides, as Father Damian writes, „We urgently need a church where we can create an atmosphere of prayer and be able to reserve the Blessed Sacrament fittingly for adoration and blessing.“

It is a great sadness for the Catholic faithful in Baluba to see their damaged and crumbling church and to be unable to celebrate Holy Mass in a fitting place. We have immediately promised them 20,000 Euros, so that the existing church can be repaired and the opportunity also taken to extend and improve it. Will you consider helping us with a contribution, so that the people of Baluba can once again celebrate joyfully and praise God in a worthy setting, no longer exposed to the vagaries of the weather?

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