From: ljh655@cscgpo.anu.edu.au (Lubosh)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Kingdom of God #4
Date: 14 Dec 92 05:07:57 GMT
Organization: ANU

Zaire once again
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Brother Stefan in Zaire later sent 15 messages for some of hissupporters
in a letter later (yes the cost of postage is also quite considerable for
them), so here are some excerpts rom them:
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+!																																								Kolwezi,1-10-92
Dear sister Helen,
             may the Lord once make a reward for all your efforts. I have
received a lot of letters with nice postcards. If my health permits I'll
be able to go for holidays from June 15, 1993 to Sept.15, 1993. I'll
spend some time in France, where I have two nephews and five nieces, and
I want to see them, too. But most of my time I'll be in Slovakia. 
Really, your cards are a help to us, but please don't forget to pray even
if you don't send anything, for our poor, for our mission, and for us
here. About 80% of people are hungry, and are glad if they can get
something to eat. We use to distribute some maize flour to the poor. And
do you know how is it in the prisons here ? The prisoners are fed once in
7 days. I use to go and visit there. The situation in general is more and
more difficult. The prices are rising. In July we used to buy half a kilo
of bread for 200,000 zairs, today the price is 500,000 zairs. Well, the
exchange rate - one needs one and a half million zairs to buy an American
dollar.
...
... I work as a bricklayer here, and also teach my boys the trade. The
black people can't understand that a white man works here. While Zaire
was a colony (Congo Belgique), the Belgians did only command them. The
blacks had to keep at least three metres from a white man if they wanted
to talk to him. When asking for something, he had to kneel down.
... Dear Danka, you are concerned if we are not discriminated here. They
are glad we are here. The Salesian brothers have already done a lot of
work here during the 90 years of their mission. Many of our boys have
grown up, some of them were even working as ministers in the government,
many others have taken important jobs in the capital city. Our college
has a very good reputation when they apply for a university study, many
of our students are excellent. And please, don't send me any newspaper
articles. I don't want to get angry on politicians, but to work on the
conversion of this world, to make us all to be one big family, one flock
under one Shepherd. I have a radio, and I can listen to the BBC, so I
know the important news. One more thing - please, put a bit of tape onto
the back of your next letter, the last one from you came open, and there
was nothing in it, except your message - at least. Sister Helen sends
letters that would be able to endure even a journey to Mars.
I want to assure you of my prayers for you, and for all who help us in
our missionary work to save the souls of these poor people.
...Dear Maria from Prague, I received a very nice letter from you, but
you haven't sent any card for the kids. Remember them next time, please!
...dear friends, I ask you all to pray for us... what would our work be
here without God's blessing? I don't forget all of you in my prayers
every day, and every Wednesday there is a Mass with the intention for all
of our friends and supporters. On Sundays we remember especially the
priests, and nuns. We can do much more when we support each other by our
prayers. We also are only human, and wouldn't stand here without God's
help. Well, one of our brothers had left for Europe a time ago, and it
seems he finds it difficult to come back to the mission. His name is
Andrew, please pray for him !
... we are here as candles to enlighten the households. Everybody is
looking at us, we feel as being on a stage. We have to hold on, and burn
as a flame for the salvation of all. So that when we once leave this
valley of tears, we'll be all united in heaven, where the Lord will wipe
away every tear from our eyes.
In the Lord, thankfully yours,
Stefan Gazdik, SDB
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"You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much
fruit, the kind of fruit that endures." (John 15,16 a)