JRS Adjumani

The Month of September was filled with various activities; Catechists’ Training in Basic Counselling, a Youth Retreat cum Leadership Training for 30 selected youth from the Chapel communities and JRS pastoral accompaniment in a Students’ Retreat cum Leadership Training for 30 students from JRS Sponsored Secondary schools. All were residential retreats for three days. In between we had three workshops for catechists on sacred scriptures. The Program on Old Testament is becoming a hit as they are eager not only to study but also to connect with their lives in a reflective way

In all the retreats cum leadership programs, we had three objectives: first, to see and observe the realities of their contexts in the schools and in their own respective Christian communities; second, to study and reflect on what kind of leaders they have to become to respond to these situations and to go back into the Gospels to discover Jesus’ Leadership traits. The last objective was to chalk out a very concrete plan to enact till March 2024.

All of them enjoyed the peaceful environment at Multipurpose Training Centre and the kind hospitality of the staff especially of the restaurant. They enjoyed the well-furnished individual rooms and comfortable bedding. Through the evaluations, we could gather their high appreciation of facilitators and gratitude for JRS and Mission Aachen our generous donor.

I’m surprised at our youth animation, when one young boy made a request for JRS: “Our girl -colleagues go through immense pain buying sanitary pads because of expenses. Most of them get absent frequently. We do not want JRS to provide but teach us to make such”. Immediately I was granted approval by my Project Director to proceed for a training on making sanitary pads. Every community selected 3 youths each from six communities for the program, trained by our Tailoring Instructor. –A GREAT INITIATIVE-

With gratitude I remember our Jesuit companions, Micheal Mohr, Jesuit Scholastic from Gregorian, and Fr. Edmund Mallya from Ocer Campion College, Gulu helped JRS, our participants and personally myself during these programs.

What did I learn as a Jesuit in JRS?

1. The birth of JRS is the great vision of our beloved Fr. Pedro Arrupe who was passionate in accompanying these most vulnerable people on earth. Therefore, accompaniment is the hallmark of JRS and not only for JRS but for Christian discipleship itself. We need to WALK WITH the OTHER as Jesus did. Yes, it is hard because of the worldly influence of quick results and stress on success.
2. I really see the great value of bringing our catechists together and training them together. They are from different tribes. Their interaction such as in the seminar room, rosary together, Mass together, dining together, chatting together after sessions, and even arguing on controversial topics enhances the widening of their hearts and minds. It is a profound experience to see the Dinkas and Nuers enjoying working together and planning to adopt strategies to enlighten other youth in their communities and schools.

The trainings and facilitations are the keys to open the minds for new ways of thinking. Surely, the informal value of teaching and learning has a great impact. I see the growth of their own thinking and feeling patterns especially of the youth.

3. More and more, I admire and value the great mission horizon paved by St. Ignatius and companions in the Constitutions: to go to places where others did not dare to go, for the neediest ones for the greater glory of God and greater good of people. At every encounter with these refugee friends, this great insight is lived and experienced.

This year marks 30 years of JRS Uganda beginning from Adjumani. Our pastoral department is organizing a football tournament among our six chapel communities to celebrate the occasion during the whole month of October. It has four categories (Youth -Girls, Youth – Boys, Children – Girls and Children – Boys) for Rev. Fr. Pedro Arrupe Trophies. The communities are really enthused and busy with practices.

We offered a warm tribute and appreciation to Fr. Tom Smolich, SJ the outgoing International Director of JRS – “We are ever grateful for your love and affection showed to us”. During our last training of catechists, they had the opportunity say “Good-Bye” to Tom and wish & express “All prayerful wishes for future mission” on a WhatsApp Call.

Personally, I thank Fr. Tom for opening the doors of JRS for me and continuous appreciation and support throughout. “Thank you, Tom for EVERYTHING – JRS has really moulded me to be a true JESUIT like unto my great model Fr. Arrupe”