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Nigeria Men's Community and Boys' Town The newest development in the Nigeria men's community is the beginning of the construction of the Boys' Town facility in Umuoji. The foundation of the Boys' Town building has been completed and soon this new facility will become home to the Boys' Town, a school for boys, and a clinic. The clinic will offer charitable care for everyone in the area. There will also be a poultry farm on the same property. The farm will provide an education for the boys in agriculture and in the running of a small business that is self-sustaining. We are looking forward to the completion of this new facility since the present men's community and Boys' Town use borrowed premises on separate properties. The older boys stay in the community house in Onitsha, where they study and go to school. The younger boys stay in Eziowele and attend school there. Currently our charitable work consists of a medical clinic in Umuoji, where a local doctor and nurse offer aid to the sick and some of our members work, helping to perform lab tests. This clinic was started by our own doctors from the Epiphany Medical Mission team. Our goal is to develop this clinic into a larger hospital. We also feed many poor people who come to our house and those who are in prison. Many people are unjustly kept in prison, sometimes for as many as six years. For example, someone might pay to be released for a crime they have committed while an innocent person is locked up in their stead. A trial for an innocent person may not take place for up to six years. The jails are crowded, in terrible condition, and often people get very sick. Our members go there, talk with the people, pray with them and bring them food. All of our projects are coordinated by local domus and vinculum leaders. Thanks be to God, there is a steady flow of vocations here. Thomas, one of the newest members of our community, is now preparing for his consecration. He, together with other domus members, is studying pedagogy and administration so that he can work at the new school and Boys' Town and better assist this big project. Our members who study are quite busy because, on top of studying, they participate in the many works that we are involved in. At present there are eight domus members and ten boys in the Boys' Town. In the new house we could have as many as sixty boys. Costs are drastically rising in this area and it is causing a crisis for the local people. And of course, this also affects our community. Our expenses range from the costs of education for our members and the boys in the Boys' Town, to travelling expenses between our current locations. Thank you for your prayers and generous support! Please continue to pray for our community in Nigeria and for the success of this project, that we might become everyday more'...more humble, more fervent, and more zealous for the salvation of souls' (St. Anthony Mary Claret). Anthony E., MJ, director of men's community Onitsha and Henry Nworah, MJ, director of Boys' Town |