From: Lubosh <ljh655@cscgpo.anu.edu.au>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.catholic
Subject: Kingdom of God #2
Date: 12 Dec 1992 06:55:11 GMT
Organization: ANU
Distribution: world
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X-XXDate: Sat, 12 Dec 92 01:55:36 GMT

Zaire
-----
As I said before many of the mission stations were very distant for any
other kind of help, so the most usual thing was to send what they needed
by mail. Many times just a letter with a nice postcard brought a lot of
joy. To understand why Fr Stefan sends that little message with his
letter - the postage in Czecho-Slovakia raised  quite significantly
(especially the Parcel Post to overseas destinations) in the beginning of
1992 when a lot of state subsidy was removed from the postal services. Of
course, the number of packages dropped, and there were attempts to
organize a container for delivery of goods to all stations in Africa - it
would come cheaper, but from the point of view of the little black kids
it's probably much better to get twenty postcard and five parcels a week
than one big container a year... Here are the letters:
---------------------------------------------------------
+!																																								15-7-92
Dear sister Helen,
heartly greetings for you, and wishes of many more blessed years. Let the
God's blessing accompany you for the rest of your life. 8-7-92 I was
delivered 62 letters from 26 senders, and 437 postcards. And that's all
thanks to you. Now you be also responsible to reply to all those good
people in my name and in the name of the black children express all
thanks. I can't write to everybody. And do write Kolwezi instead of
Kalwezi.
Dear Helen, read also these little message below, and maybe send
photocopies to all those who sent the postcards. I'm leaving for a
retreat tomorrow, 350 km from Kolwezi, and I'll be back in August. The
letters from here are delivered to Belgium, and from there to the rest of
Europe by train. I'll tell you more when I'll come to Slovakia.
God be with you! I'll write more in August.
Yours in Christ,
Stefan Gazdik, SDB
-----------------------------
Dear friends,
	warm greetings to all of you who sent us those beautiful postcards. I'll
leave it to you if you can send some again. Well, the postage went up...
Last year we were able to buy bread for 1,600 zairs. A week ago it was
120,000 zairs for half a kilogram. And while I'm writing this message,
half a kilo of bread is sold for 200,000 zairs. But - what are we going
to do? Not to eat bread anymore ?
	For these black children your postcards are so dear! And please, put a
strip of tape on the back of the envelopes, as it often happens that the
envelopes come open. And be sure of my prayers for you every day. I also
want to ask you for prayers, to support us in our work here.
Mother Mary, pray for us!
Your sincerely,

Fr. Stefan GAZDIK, SDB
Mariapolis B.P. 1121
KOLWEZI
ZAIRE
Africa
---------------------------------------------------
"...you did it for one of the least important of these brothers of mine,
you did it for me!" (Jesus Christ)
PS: Have you got a postcard, have you got a stamp? I'm just going to look
for one... ;-)
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