Lm600,000 donated to missions

The Gesù fil-Proxxmu missionary movement distributed over Lm600,000 to missions in Brazil, Kenya, Ethiopia, Peru, Guatemala, Pakistan and Tanzania last year.

This year the movement plans to build a home for orphans and children infected with Aids in the Homa Bay diocese in Kenya.

In other ambitious projects, support will continue to be given to Ethiopian people suffering from hunger and disease in the diocese of Nekemte, in the city of Karru, and a kindergarten will be built in Shasinda in the diocese of Jimma, the movement's director Fr Gorg Grima said.

He said a total of Lm616,443 had been handed out for support and for various projects in the seven countries, while the movement's income in 2004 amounted to Lm525,831. The movement's bank balance now stood at Lm197,036.

A more detailed account of the income and expenditure is available from the Bishop's Curia in Gozo.

Fr Grima said that thanks to the donations received by the movement, hungry people had been given food and medicine every day and many children had started attending school.

New homes for poor children had been opened in the diocese of Floresta in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil and another would be opened soon.

Work was in progress on the building of the first school for children of the Gumuz tribe in Ethiopia, in a project being carried out with the support of the group Reaching Out.

The group is also collaborating on the building of another school in the diocese of Meki in Ethiopia.

Fr Grima said donations were given to 99 institutes in Brazil, to 48 homes in Ethiopia and to 27 other homes in Kenya, all under the care of Gesù fil-Proxxmu.