Emmanuel Catholic Church
149 Franklin Street
Dayton, OHIO 45402
January 25, 2020
Dear all,
Most of us met during my visit as a
missionary speaker on behalf of the Diocese of Kumbo , though some
may remember me as a student of St. Mary’s Seminary and University in
Baltimore, Maryland, or from the Catholic University of America in Washington,
DC. Currently I am a doctoral student at The International Marian
Institute at the University of Dayton, Ohio. I was able to visit your parish
because the Kumbo Diocese is a participant of the Missionary Cooperation Plan
(MCP), USA. Through the program, the United States’ Episcopal Conference of
Catholic Bishops welcomes us to “make an appeal for [our] missionary cause
and ask for the parishioners’ prayers and financial support. Through this
program, parishioners also learn more about the missionary work of the Church,
which leads to a better understanding of our baptismal calling to share in the
mandate of Our Lord: ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…’ (Matthew
28:20). By Praying with the missionary and by sharing in the celebration of the
Mass, parishioners join their prayers with those of the missionaries and the
people they serve” (Mission Statement for the MCP for the Archdiocese of St.
Louis, MO).
Speaking on behalf of the Diocese of
Kumbo, I mostly have told my personal story in
order to relate it to the bigger picture of the diocese. I grew up in a
village with no roads, health care, clean drinking water nor
electricity. Worse still, we lacked education. Today’s uneducated youth,
especially girls, are left vulnerable for abduction, human trafficking, and
exploitation.
All this is not because the country is so
poor, but because bribery and corruption has eaten into the marrow of the
people. Thus, the Catholic Church of the Diocese of Kumbo must
aid these people in remote areas. When money is donated it goes to
the general fund of the diocese and the Bishop decides which needs
are most pressing. Praise God, a lot has been happening. Because of you
and others like you fifty villages can now boast of clean drinking
water, and health centers are being constructed in several other villages.
Thank you!
Today, I would also like to tell you
about what I am doing and plan to do personally as an individual
when I go back home: I started the Help Cameroon School Kids initiative to help
more underprivileged and vulnerable kids in Kumbo get an education. The goal
is to provide tuition, books, and fees. As of now, it takes
$200.00 to educate one child for a year in a Catholic Kindergarten or Primary
School, and this includes tuition, books, and uniforms. Kindergarten is 2
years and Primary education is 6 years, so with $1,600.00, one child will go
from Kindergarten through Primary six. This is called giving life to someone.
Children will be able to bear witness that education brings light to a
community. After good elementary education, the child’s mind is opened to
the needs of further education, and he/she can easily be helped at this level
to continue. Without these beginnings, the future of these kids remains very
opaque.
I humbly write, therefore, to
solicit your donations which will go directly to these kids to purchase books
and pay tuition fees. You can make your tax-deductible
contributions to “The Cameroon Catholic Community, Virginia.” For:
Kumbo kids. Then mail your checks to2031 Devere Ln, Baltimore, MD 21228.
In future, we will set up a PayPal Accounts so that you could donate directly
online. Thank you in advance for your usual generosity.
I feel so proud to be a Catholic when I see
the faith, the commitment, the love and the willingness to help those in need
among all Catholic communities. May God continue to reward you and replenish
your efforts with an abundance of His grace.
Sorry for the length of this letter. It is
because it is the first one. Once more, thank you for your support.
Gratefully yours,
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Fale Lon
Doctoral Student: University of Dayton
Cell Phone: 443-449-0193
