Greetings from India

My dear Confreres and Friends of the Fransalians, 

I wish to greet each one of you with a grateful heart for your love and concern for our work in the missions. Your constant support and prayers give us the strength and courage to continue with our work in spite of the many difficulties that we face. Lighten up the lives of the poor and the disadvantaged is our Mission and Vision. It is our endeavour to provide service to the most needy people with a number of effective responses to poverty, disease, injustice and other threats to human wellbeing. Our Vision of Integral Human Development is a positive understanding of human person, covering all aspects of life: social, educational, economic, political, cultural, personal and spiritual.

It is very gratifying that for the past 17 years our Verein in Germany  has been able to mobilize and disburse a substantial sum of money each year in favour of the poorest of the poor through the many ongoing projects and programs in our missions. All this was possible because of the good will and generosity of so many people. However with the ever increasing number of appeals for help it has been difficult for us to respond to all of them mainly due to lack of sufficient funds.

We are therefore launching immediately a fundraising program in India beginning with our own Fransalian communities and educational institutions. We would like to enlist many more donors for our developmental works in Africa and in India. With the support of more donors we would like to reach out to those sections of society who live in extreme poverty. We have identified two such vulnerable groups namely those who have no shelter and those who have no means of accessing medical help in emergency cases. We are therefore committed to mobilise and create two separate funds for the homeless and for those in need of urgent medical assistance. With your help we hope to help more people in great need. We would like to reach out to many more people who are vulnerable and continue to remain on the peripheries of society. We need your help to find more donors and sponsors. We are therefore making an earnest appeal to all our friends to introduce our programs and projects to prospective donors and sponsors. 

My last visit to Europe was in 2019. Due to the Covid crisis and for some health issues of my own I was not able to plan another visit yet. God willing I hope to make it in the near future. I wish you all good health and best wishes for all your near and dear ones. God bless. 

Yours cordially,
P. Thomas Cherukat, MSFS 

Greetings from Chad-Cameroon

My dear Confreres, Friends and Benefactors, 

Greetings and good wishes to each one of you from the Fransalian Mission of Chad and Cameroon  which is now entering into the silver jubilee year. It was in November 1999 that the first three Fransalians from India had arrived in Chad to open a new mission. We gratefully remember the heroic works of the pioneers and the several batches of missionaries who had followed them. The missionary zeal and commitment of so many young priests and the generous support they received from friends and benefactors from many parts of the world have helped this mission to grow very rapidly. Today there are 20 Fransalian priests working in this Mission . There are over 70 seminarians undergoing different stages of their priestly formation. Most of these students are from the Mission itself which is a healthy sign of the steady growth of the mission to its full maturity rooted in the local culture. The Mission has 7 parishes, 5 schools, 2 formation houses and several mission stations where many development works are being undertaken.

Nearly 2.000 students are formed in our schools. Our school at Gaki, Doba in Chad achieved 100% result in the public exam. It was for the first time that the students of SFS educational complex at Gaki presented its students for the public exams. Our School at Doba Town in Chad   was placed one among the best 10 schools in the whole of Chad. The school in Ngaoundere too had  very good results in the public exams. We thank all our friends and benefactors who have made their contributions towards building up these educational institutions. Two boys’ homes run by the Fransalians in Chad are highly sought after. We have 39 children at Bero and 79 at  Gaki. We are finding it difficult to run these institutions due to lack of sufficient finance.  We look forward to your continued support for this noble cause.

In this Jubilee year, we had the joy of welcoming our new Provincial Superior from India, Fr. Thomas Kalariparampil who made his first official visitation to Chad-Cameroon from 17 June to 2 July 2023. It was an occasion of thanksgiving and a comprehensive review and evaluation of the Mission and planning for the future. We thank our Provincial for his love and concern for this far away mission in Africa.

A tragic loss of life

With much grief I would like to inform you that our Mission has suffered a tragic loss of life.  One of our young priests from Chad, Pater Abba MTOUDJIEL, MSFS  died of a road accident on 15 April 2023. He was only 33 years old. Ordained priest on 28 January 2023 his priestly life was abruptly brought to an end within a short span of 76 days. He was the second Fransalian priest from Chad. The untimely death of a promising young priest is indeed a rude shock for all of us.  He was known to all of us as a friendly, jovial, talented and hardworking person. We cannot fathom the ways of God. We humbly submit ourselves to God’s Will. May his soul rest in peace.

Thanking you all for your prayers and support. 

Yours cordially,
Fr. Manoj Arackal, MSFS

Gretings from Indien

My dear Confreres and Friends of Fransalians, 

Once again it is Christmas time. The dawn of a New Year is at our doorstep. It is indeed a joyful season. At the same time we are living in very difficult times. The whole world is going through a prolonged period of fear, anxiety and uncertainty. The untold suffferings caused by the Pandemic Covid1 19 continue to play havoc in the lives of millions of people across the world. The war in Ukraine has brought the world face to face with enormous humanitarian and economic crisis. On a daily basis we see millions of migrants and refugees fleeing their homes seeking livelihood and safe shelter in distant lands. In this context Christmas assumes special significance for a world in constant turmoil. Jesus was born in a manger in extreme poverty. The Holy Family had to flee to Egypt as migrants and refugees seeking protection and livelihood in a strange land. The fact that Jesus, the Son of God took upon himself the human flesh and blood, suffered and died on the cross and rose from the dead is a sure sign for us to experience the joy and peace of Christmas. This is all the more true at a time when millions of people in different parts of the world are shattered by poverty, diseases, wars and conflicts. The birth of Jesus in extreme poverty and misery inspires us to lead a life of hope in the ultimate victory of life over death. Let me wish each one of you the joy and peace of Christmas. May this Christmas help us to embrace the New Year with much hope and confidence in the providence of God. A very Happy New Year to all of you. 

We the Fransalians are ever grateful to each one of you for your continued support and encouragement for our work in the Missions. We do appreciate your generous donations especially at a time when rising prices and unemployment are real cause of worry and concern for many of you. Thank you very much for your timely financial support for our projects. 

I am happy to inform you that all our projects in Chad-Cameroon and in India are being pursued with much passion and commitment by our misssionaries and lay leaders in all our missions. Our main project has always been the education of the poor children in our missions. The program of sponsor a child in need is reaching out to more than 700 poor children. Every year there are more requests for help. We need more sponsors to meet the increasing demands. “Medical Aid to the Poor”, “Help the Homeless”, “Covid Care Livelihood Support” are projects we continue with limited resources. Providing drinking water facilities in Chad is yet another project for which we need much more resources. We count on your continued support and thank you whole-heartedly for what you are for us and for our people in the Missions. May God bless each one of you. 

With warm regards, 

Yours cordially
Fr. Dr. Thomas Cherukat, MSFS

Greetings from Chad-Cameroon

My dear confreres, friends and well wishers, greetings from Fransalians in Chad – Cameroon Mission. First of all, I would like to wish each and every one of you a very happy and Christ- filled Christmas. Christmas is a feast of great joy and hope for the world torn apart by war and divisions. Christmas is also a family festival. The birth of Christ brought joy not only to the Holy Family of Nazareth but also to the whole of humanity. 

Fransalian Mission of Chad-Cameroon has completed 23 years of its existence. We gratefully realize that we were the humble instruments of the Almighty to carry out His mission in these Sub-Saharan countries. We are now 83 members in the Fransalian Family of Chad Cameroon Mission: 21 priests, 13 students in theology, 5 students in praktikum, 20 studentss in philosophy, 4 novices, 5 pre novices and 15 candidates. This impressive numerical growth is a clear sign of God’s blessings on this Mission. Fr. Peter Mermeir our Founder said “ God does not ask miracles from us, they are not within our power. He wants only activity of good will”. We can say with legitimate pride that the deep faith, determination and commitment of so many confreres and lay leaders have worked miracles for the people of Chad and Cameroon through the Fransalians in this part of Africa. We thank all our benefactors, friends and well wishers for their support, encouragement and care. Wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a grace- filled New year 2023. 

BERO MISSION

Bero Mission with a large cluster of villages around is situated in the south-eastern part of Chad in the diocese of Doba. It is the southern part of the Sahara Desert where the temperature is above 45°C in summer. Chad is one of the poorest countries in the world with a high rate of infant mortality and a low rate of literacy. The official languages of the country are French and Arabic. The United Nations' Human Development Index ranks Chad as one of the poorest countries in the world with 80% of the population living below the poverty line. Most of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. 

Béro Mission consists of 6 sectors and 40 villages. The farthest village is 45 kilometers away from the Catholic Mission Center. The people of this area belong to a tribe called Ngambady and the local Language is called Ngambay. Most of the villagers are farmers and herdsmen. The people are generally poor due to unscientific way of cultivation, lack of rainfall and poor health condition. 

The population of Bero faces serious lack of infrastructure. Only 58% of residents have access to potable water and only 12% to basic sanitation. Bero is situated in the immediate vicinity of the vast Oil Fields owned by the American Company, Esso. But the 40 villages surrounding the Oil Fields have no access to electricity. We the Fransalians are making all efforts to provide clean and safe drinking water to the local population. With the financial help received from friends and benefactors we have been able to dig more than 30 wells. 

Not even 15% of our mission are literate. In 2009 the Fransalians started the SFS school in Bero.This school is a beacon of hope for the local people. Due to poor financial situation, many families are not able to send their children to school. Many children are malnourished. 

To address this issue free midday meal is provided to the children. Along with the school, the Fransalians are running a Boys’ Home 40 boys as inmates. Most of these boys are from poor families. Every year we receive more than fifty applications but we are able to admit only a few due to lack of infrastructure and finance. In the year 2023 we envisage to construct a study hall for the Boys’ Home in Bero. It will cost around $18 000. We count on the support of our friends and benefactors to realize this project

NGAOUNDERE MISSION

The Saint François de Sales School at Ngaoundere in North Cameroon opened its doors on September 05, 2022 for the new school year. The school has made a name over the past years through the good academic results. The school obtained 100 percent success in the CEP and in the 6th grade entrance examination to high schools and colleges. The number of new admissions are on the increase every year. The school is also being transformed into a bilingual school teaching in French and in English. A PU college is now under construction.

Last year we have been able to carry out the construction of a compound wall for the Kindergarten to guarantee the safety of children. There are yet a number of urgent needs to be met for this rapidly growing school. We will need at least 2 classrooms for Kindergarten. We need to build a water tower to allow students to have access to drinking water and for cleaning the classrooms.We need to create a play area for kindergarten.We need to equip and furnish our computer room and library. We turn to you, our dear friends, once again requesting financial help to meet all these needs for the education of our children. 

I have given you some news in detail only from our two missions of Bero and Ngaoundere. I am very happy to inform you that all our other 7 missions/ institutions/ projects are going on well thanks to your prayers and support. I hope to report more in detail on some of them in my next letter to you. 

Thanking you all, 
Fr. Manoj Arackal, MSFS 

Greetings from India

Dear friends of the Fransalians,

Christmas is essentially a celebration of love, peace and joy. It is a celebration of the Love of God for the entire humanity and for the whole of creation. The birth of Jesus Christ as the Incarnate Son of God has brought us the GOOD NEWS that God cares for all of us. As children of God all of us are destined to experience the joy of being loved by God and by each other. The celebration of Christmas highlights this love-relationship with God and with one another. As we are in the season of Advent preparing for the great feast of Christmas we have an opportunity to renew our lives and to re-commit ourselves for peace and harmony in the world.
Millions of people in many parts of the world continue to suffer from hunger and poverty mainly due to the unjust distribution of wealth and opportunities. The poor are condemned to a life-long deprivation mainly due to the frequent outbreaks of wars and conflicts followed by mass migration and displacements.
The Message from the helpless baby born into a manger in Bethlehem challenges all of us to come out of our own comfort zones and reach out to those who suffer deprivation, exploitation and oppression. Let this Christmas and the New Year be a new beginning for all of us with a solemn resolve to reach out to the poorest of the poor by sharing our time and resources with the needy until it really hurts. I wish each one of you a Very Happy Christmas and a Bright New Year.
I am very grateful to all of you for your regular support and encouragement for our work among the the poor in Africa and in India. Our Mission in Chad and Cameroon is a shining example of God’s providential care for those who are at the side of the poor. The Mission has grown very rapidly in recent years and now in its full bloom promising a great future for thousands of people who may be lifted out of extreme poverty and illiteracy. I am in constant contact with our Mission in Chad and Cameroon through our project office of Vikasjyothi in Mysore. The “Projekt Schuelerpatenschaft” is the main activity of Vikasjyothi right now. More than 50 new sponsors have been found this year. A total of 650 children are being helped. Many more are on the waiting list. In India a large number of children and women from the marginalised sections of society are being helped through our educational and social development activities. A number of new projects in view of empowering the rural women have been initiated recently. May I therefore appeal to all of you to support these projects by finding new sponsors or donors so that we can reach out to many more deserving children and women. May the compassionate and merciful love of Jesus fill your hearts with joy and peace.

Yours cordially
P. Thomas Cherukat, MSFS

Greetings from Chad–Cameroon

My dear Friends and Benefactors,

Greetings of peace and joy to each one of you from the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales in Chad and Cameroon. We wish you all a very happy Christmas and a grace-filled and joyful New Year. In the words of Pope Francis: “ We accompany and follow Jesus as we know that He accompanies us and carries us on his shoulders. This is our joy, this is our hope that we must bring to this world of ours”. May this Christmas be an occasion for us to share our joy and hope especially with the suffering humanity.
The year 2019 has been an year of blessings for our mission in Chad and Cameroon. We have been able to successfully complete the extension of our school at Ngaoundere in North Cameroon. The construction of the SFS Boys’ Home at Doba is nearing completion. The pastoral and developmental activities in all our 8 mission centres are progressing well. We have a good number of seminarians in both our Formation Houses at Ngoya and Ngaoundere. They are the hope for the future of this ever growing mission.
Our Mission in Buea in the Anglophone province of South-West Cameroon has been going through very hard times due to the prolonged political unrest in the region. More than 3000 people have lost their lives in the raging civil war. Over half a million people are displaced. More than a million people are in need of humanitarian aid. Our confreres and the people in Buea live constantly under fear and anxiety. We hope and pray that peace and harmony will soon return to this war-torn region.
My sincere thanks to each one of you for your constant support and encouragement for our work in this remote region. We are grateful to you for your prayers and friendship and for your financial support . We do pray for you and for your intentions. May the good Lord bless you and all your concerns.

Yours cordially,
P. Manoj Arackal, MSFS

THE ONGOING PROJECTS IN CHAD AND CAMEROON

Education

Education is a priority in all our missions. Illiteracy and ignorance are the two major obstacles for development especially in Chad and in North Cameroon. Hence we are running five schools in these regions. The SFS School at Ngaoundere and the SFS School at Doba are the two ongoing projects for which we need further financial support. At present there are 352 children attending the school at Ngaoundere. This year we have been able to construct 7 more class rooms to the existing building. The newly started school at Doba is now equipped with a Kindergarten and a primary school. At present there 156 children in this school. We appeal to your generosity for further financial assistance towards this important project.
Most of the children in the far-flung villages are not able to attend a school due to lack of roads and transport. We have therefore started two hostels or boys’ homes where children from the villages are given facilities to attend our schools. Over 70 children from the economically backward families are given the facility of board and lodge at our Boys’ Homes in Chad namely in Bero and in Doba. The Mission is also helping a large number of girl children with a scholarship for their education.
The ‘’ Sponsor a Child Program” initiated by Agape a few years ago is currently helping over 150 children in Chad and Cameroon besides helping many more in other parts of Africa and in India. At present this program is catering to over 650 children from our missions in Africa and India. We request your continued help and support for this project.

Drinking Water

Acute scarcity of clean and safe drinking water is a major health issue in all our missions. The diseases such as malaria, typhoid and cholera are quite rampant in the region. It has been therefore a major concern in all our missions to facilitate access to clean drinking water to the villages. In Chad we have been able to provide the people with a number of open wells with clean and safe water at a depth of 35 to 40 metres. These wells are provided with a protective wall and safety net around them besides a hand-pump. A large number of the village population is now having easy access to clean water and there is a noticeable decrease in the number of infant mortalities in these villages. An open well in a village in Chad will cost a little over Euro 500 only. In recent months we have been able to dig two such open wells in two villages in Bero namely Missimadji and Sindalolo. We thank our good benefactors who generously contribute towards these projects. In North Cameroon we cannot go for open wells. We need to have bore holes which cost around Euro 4000/- So far we have been able to provide over 22 wells in Chad and North Cameroon where hundreds of people are benefiting from this project. With more support from our friends and benefactors we hope to extend this project to many more villages.

A Project for the Empowerment of Rural Women in India

The newly started garment-making unit at Karehalli in the outskirts of the megacity Bangalore is a project aimed at job creation for the rural women. In recent years, the agricultural sector in India has been going through a deep crisis leading many farmers to despair to the extent that the suicide rate among farmers is alarmingly high. A cluster of villages around Karehalli near Bangalore has been chosen for this new project. Most of the 1278 households in these villages belong to the category of “below poverty line”. It is the womenfolk in these villages who suffer most due to illiteracy and unemployment and the prolonged agrarian distress. The project envisages to provide employment opportunities for the rural women in the area. More than fifty women have undergone training in the first phase and they are already employed and production of garments chiefly the school uniforms have started. Training of new batches of women and production of garments will continue simultaneously. During the period of training the women are given a stipend besides a matching amount of remuneration until they are able to earn a decent salary. The project is highly appreciated by the people in the area. We are now looking for some financial support to provide the trainees a modest stipend at least for the initial one year. Your contribution towards this worthy cause will be much appreciated.

Greetings from India

Dear Friends of Fransalians,

Greetings and good wishes to each one of you from Mysore. On 30 July 2019 I am turning 70. I thank God Almighty for the gift of life that I have received from Him and the many blessings He has showered on me during the past 70 years of my life and 44 years as a priest. It is my wish and prayer that Jesus who called me to be a priest and missionary all these years will continue to help me to work for the poor and needy so that “they may have life and life in abundance”. (Jn.10.10) On this occasion I wish to express my deep sentiments of joy and gratitude to all of you for your continued friendship, affection and support for me and for my work in the missions.

It was in the year 2005 that the Freundeskreis der Fransalianer was founded at Moembris/Kahlgrund in Germany. Today the Freundeskreis consists of around 40 registered members who have always been very close to me and actively involved in mobilising support for our work in the missions especially in Chad and Cameroon. I am very much indebted to each one of them. Besides the registered members of the Freundeskreis we have over 200 well-wishers and benefactors who contribute regularly in support of our various projects in the missions. I am indeed very grateful to each one of them for their love and concern towards the poorest of the poor in our missions in Africa and in India.

I hope to make a visit to Europe from 1st July till the end of August 2019 chiefly to take up a parochial representation in South Tyrol in Italy. I am looking forward to the joy of meeting at least some of you in person during my visits in Germany, Austria and Italy.

OUR PRIORITIES IN CHAD AND CAMEROON

Education

The ongoing educational projects in our missions of Chad and Cameroon are indeed a great blessing for a large number of people in Chad and Cameroon who are otherwise deprived of the opportunity for basic quality education. Bringing education to the poorest has always been the our prime concern of the Fransalians. At present the Fransalians are managing five important schools: 4 in Chad and 1 in Cameroon. All the five schools are of recent origin and they are yet to be fully developed. We have also 2 Boys’ Homes in Chad, one in Doba and another in Bero. I am happy to give here below a few details on each of them.

• SFS School Ngaoundéré in North Cameroon, started in the year 2015 has 268 children in 7 classes. We need to upgrade this school with 9 more class rooms. A compound wall and a playground are also urgent needs.
• St. Francis de Sales School Doba, Chad, started in the year 2018 has 72 children in 2 classes. We need to construct a few more class rooms in the coming year. A compound wall is also a must.
• St. Francis de Sales School Bero, Chad, started in the year 2004 has 246 children in 7 classes. A compound wall is the immediate need.
• St. Daniel Upper Primary School Doba, Chad, started in the year 2004 has 385 children in 8 classes.
• St. Daniel High School, Doba, Chad started in the year 2014 has 615 children in 17 classes. Construction of an administrative block is the immediate need.
• S.F.S. Boys’ Home, Bero, started in 2008 has 43 inmates. Construction of a separate block with a study hall and recreation hall is an urgent need.
• S.F.S. Boys’ Home, Doba, started in 2018 has 15 inmates. Need to complete the ongoing construction.

Over 1500 children of whom around 700 are girls receive quality education through the above schools. The number of children is expected to swell in the coming years as and when we have the necessary infrastructure in place. At present 45 teachers are employed in these schools.

Drinking Water

Thanks to the generosity of some of our benefactors in Germany, the villages of Missimadji and Sindalolo under the Bero Mission in Chad have been fortunate to get regular supply of clean and safe drinking water through the 2 wells dug recently. The people are indeed very grateful to the benefactors who have made it possible. This is an ongoing project in Chad and North Cameroon. During the past few years we have been able to provide more than 20 wells to the far-flung villages of Bero and Doba. We are looking forward to friends and benefactors to help us continue this project without interruption. Our sincere thanks to all our donors.

Sponsorships

The ongoing program of sponsorships continues to benefit a large number of poorest children in Chad and Cameroon. This program was started in 2014 under the Amisales in Rome. After my return to India, the program is brought under Vikasjyothi in Mysore which operates in close collaboration with the Amisales. Together with Amisales over 800 poor children in India and Africa are helped through partial scholarship every year. In the past one year Vikasjyothi alone has been able to make a significant contribution towards the education of the poor children mainly from Chad and Cameroon and from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand States in India. We have been able to grant partial scholarships to over 250 children from Karnataka and Kerala besides the 150 children supported in our Chad-Cameroon Mission. We are looking forward to more friends and benefactors to help us to expand this program and reach out to many more poor children both in India and in Africa. We are grateful to all those who have accepted the sponsorships and for their regular contributions towards this cause. Thank you one and all.

Flood relief in South India

I am very grateful to all those who have responded to my appeal for help towards the relief works in South India in the aftermath of the severe floods that hit the three southern states of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamilnadu. The Fransalians in the three States are actively involved in the relief and reconstruction works. Twenty houses are being built in Kerala for the poorest and 14 damaged houses in Karnataka are repaired or renovated. Cash contributions were sent towards relief activities in Tamilnadu. Vikasjyothi along with Amisales in Rome has been able to make a contribution of Euro 12.000 towards the Common Relief Fund of the Fransalians in Bangalore. Sincere thanks to all those who have contributed towards this project. God bless.

Yours cordially
Thomas Cherukat, MSFS

Greetings from Chad-Cameroon

Dear friends and well wishes,

Greetings of peace and joy to each one of you all from the Chad Cameroon Mission of the Fransalians. I am very happy to be in touch with you through the Agape Newsletter. We the Fransalians in Chad-Cameroon Mission wish to express our sincere thanks and appreciation for all what you are for us. Your prayers and financial support for our projects strengthen us in our work for the poor people in the remote missions of Chad and Cameroon.

I am happy to inform you that all our projects and programs are going on well in spite of the frequent attacks of diseases like malaria and typhoid which are quite rampant in the region. Political and civil strife in certain sectors of the two countries are quite alarming and a constant cause for fear and anxiety.

Trusting in God and supported by so many generous people from within and outside we the Fransalians are moving ahead with great hope and optimism. The five educational institutions we have started in recent years are growing from strength to strength. They are truly the beacon of hope for the many future generations. The two children’s homes and the ongoing drinking water project in Chad provide the much needed support and hope for the poor.

Our mission suffered a heavy loss when one of our young students in theology suddenly passed away. Brother Emmanuel Cyrille, a Cameroonian student was diagnosed with cancer and died on 26th March 2019. He was only 30 years old and was due for priestly ordination in the year 2021. It has been a great shock for the entire mission. May his soul rest in peace.

We thank you dear friends and well-wishers for your prayers, support and encouragement in our missionary journey. May the Spirit of God bind us together with a strong bond of love and affection. We look forward to your continued support for our work in the missions and we promise our prayers for you and for your near and dear ones.

Yours cordially
Fr. Manoj Xavier Arackal, MSFS
Delegation Superior