HELP WANTED!!

Ask Barack Obama which is harder, winning an election or governing? My guess is he would say the former was a cake walk compared to the later. Thus it is with great joy we send our congratulations to Isabella Moyer, our new President of the International Organization of Marianist Lay Communities and Susan Vogt the new Regional Responsible for North America, Asia, Australia, and Ireland, but we add our ongoing prayers that they can withstand the rigors of governing wisely and effectively.

That brings us to the "Help Wanted" sign posted above. Susan has been the Secretary of MLNNA for the past several years. She is resigning to take on her new duties. We need a new Secretary. A couple of meetings a year, preparation of the minutes, working with Marylin Schweiterman, our archivist, and with Marie Wyman to keep our data base in decent shape are the main responsibilities. The fun part is working with a great group of people to figure out how we get to where we want to go as an organization. Maybe you have ideas on how to make MLNNA better. This is your chance.

I will take nominations for the next two weeks. We are planning a meeting for the fourth weekend of September so it would be nice to have someone in place even if s/he cannot make the meeting. Email me if you have any interest in serving.
 
peace and love,

aj  

Successful Completion of the 5th International Meeting of Lay Marianist
 By Jacqui Griswold
 

I was honored to be one of 6 delegates representing the US Lay Marianist at the 5th International Meeting in Nairobi Kenya last week.   Delegates representing 20 of the 28 countries with Lay Marianists attended.  It was a rich experience to meet so many diverse people who all see the Marianist charism as a way to bring Christ to the world.  Thank-you to everyone who offered prayers for rain in the region and for the Spirit to be among us.

 The delegates discussed, reviewed and approved a document "The Role of Marianist Lay Communities in the Church and the World".  This will soon be posted on the International Organization website of MLC (in 3 languages). 

We also selected, through voting, 8 challenges for the future that the newly elected President and Regional Responsibles will use to direct their agendas over the next 4 years. 



Isabella Moyer (Canada) was elected President.  Susan Vogt (US) elected Regional Responsible for North America, Asia, Austraila and Ireland, Ernest Kasongo (Congo) Regional Responsible for Africa and Felix Arqueros (Spain) Regional Responsible for Europe.  Not pictured Isabel Duarte (Chile) Regional Responsible for Latin America.

Our Lady of Nazareth School
By Jacqui Griswold

The children of Our Lady of Nazareth school dance for their delegate visitors.

The delegates to the International Meeting in Nairobi were given the opportunity to visit one of the Nairobi ministries of the Marianist.

I visited Our Lady of Nazareth Primary School (OLN).  More than a school, it is an oasis in the midst of the huge (200,000 people) Mukuru slum.  This is a place where the children can feel safe and secure, contrasted with the terrible and unsanitary conditions of the slum.  I wish more of you could visit this gem of a Marianist ministry.  They have 1650 children ages 5-14 years.  OLN aims to help the youngest and the poorest children of Mukuru by providing them with a quality education, hope for a better future, and a chance to break out of the cycles of poverty into which they have been born. 

Please consider providing support for this school.  Just $125 will provide tuition for one child for a whole year.

 Link to Marianist home page - then click the second 'click here' in the center column of "Other Ways to Give".   Scroll down to Marianist Ministries Wish List - select Our Lady of Nazareth School to see their needs.