Bulletin No.29 Summary

Pages 1-2 is a note from Sierra Leone Regional Superior, Sr Adriana Juarez Navarrete, titled “He is the Ruler. Looking back at the year”. The new year started in November 2019, but COVID-19 has spread all over the world. Schools needed to be shut down from 3/31/2020, and although there were not a lot of people infected, COVID-19 had a great effect on the economy - especially hit the poor and weak people. Schools have not restarted, still waiting for the government to make a decision. Since schools are closed, the support funds have been used to help feed the poor and hopefully give them the motivation to have hopes. Continuing on to page 3 is the “2020 Annual Financial Report” from Sr. Esmeralda Franco Leon, Sierra Leone Treasurer, that summarizes how support funds have been used. The first half of page 4, is a writing by Fr. George Philip Ernest Gbamanja, Parish Priest St Peter Claver Parish Lunsar, called “To the members of Walking Together”. With the $5,000 fund, they were able to serve lunch to 1,304 students for 8 times, which was also effective in getting students to come to school on those days. Also talks about how important education is in the villages, and so some of the funds is being used to support teachers to go teach in those villages. The second half of page 4 on to page 6, is a report from Sr. Shirahata “In the midst of COVID-19”. From September 2019 to March 2020, schools were open as usual, but from April 1, the government issued 1 year of a state of emergency, and all schools were shut down. For this, lunch support funds were used to supply over 1000 households with rice, beans, palm oil etc. Making everyone happy. During school closings, Sisters taught each other how to use the PC, how to sew, how to play the guitar etc. Sr. Yoshida has finished her surgery and is recovering. In August Sr. Shirahata caught a strong malaria and typhoid fever which got her hospitalized, but she states that after 6 days she was able to leave the hospital and gradually rest at the Mile 91 Clinic. On page 6 is a writing from Sr.Blanca Lopez called “Music within my heart”. Sr. Blanca talks about how happy she is to be able to live her dream as a missionary, a dream she has had since she was 9 years old. A report “The Song of the Windmill”by Mr. Kuniaki Sato, the Walking Together Accounting Auditor, is on pages 7 to left half of page 8. 6 years ago, he learned how to make a windmill and set up a fund called “Windmill Donation”. From there he donated all the fund from there to “Walking Together”. Following is an announcement from HQ touching on topics such as the general meeting report that was held on September 12 (Sat). 〈Photo explanations〉 P1 Top Left : Sister delivering food to the Village people Top Right : 6th grade student receiving food support on the way home Underneath report title : Sr. Adriana Juarez Navarrete P2 Sr.Esmeralda and students　　　 P4 Fr. George congratulating the children P5　 Sr. Shirahata looking at the collections sent P6　 Sr. Blanca and children　　 P8　 Mr. Kuniaki Sato with his windmills 　(Copy:Hiroko Gotoh、 Translation:Ayako Nokuo) （