Daily Prayers

Thursday, 10 March 2011

SOCAY Training Institute

I visited the SOCAY training institute over the last couple of days.
 
Initially I went over to see them about their entry in Annals magazine, but found they had some computer problems to sort out. These I have not been able to fix on-site and have brought two machines back to 2 Mile for further work. The power at Hohola seems to be highly variable and I think this is a cause of their main problems. Their UPS is a Non-PS, so they really need a new one of those, plus cables, before they totally fry their computers. The other issue is dust. Their newer computer, in particular, was thick with dirt both inside the chassis and in the power supply.
 
While there, they showed me the classroom that was rebuilt with assistance from the Mission Office after a fire, and talked about their plans for the future. These include business training, including IT skills, and home economics. These ideas are yet to be quantified and funded. I passed along information about how the Mission Office can assist with disadvantaged youth programs and also some of the project request forms.
 
Apparently they were donated some old computers, which I didn't see, for the business program. Someone else had looked at those and found that they weren't functioning.
 
Anyway, I shall use the equipment to be repaired plus some others that I am already working on for a computer repair and troubleshooting "master class" today. When we return the computers I will give a brief talk to the SOCAY students.
 
Attached is a photo from SOCAY. The building at the far end is the one repaired with Mission Office assistance.
 
Peace,
Sean
 

Annals

I have spent some time over the past week completing the edition of Annals in Cassy's absence. You will be pleased to hear I am taking it to the printer tomorrow (Wednesday) following approval by the Board today.
 
Distribution is another matter, but we'll cross that bridge after the printing is in train. The distribution quote from Post Courier was roughly twice the cost of printing. So we won't be taking them up on that. One idea that we will work on is asking through the MSC network if there are businesses shipping goods around who we can piggy-back onto. Tropicana in Rabaul had apparently previously offered to do this a couple of years back.
 
Anyway I'm sure we will work it out.
 
Happy Annals reading!
 
Peace,
Sean
 

Thursday, 3 March 2011

Greetings from PNG

Last Friday I travelled to Rabaul and was kept busy fixing computers and doing training, taking photo's of Br James' 50th Anniversary celebration, taking photo's of trucks and buildings at Vunapau to support funding requests, and of course photo's of water tanks. I passed on the information about MSC Mission Office funding for water, AIDS, and disadvantaged youth together with the other funding options that you suggested on your visit. I enclose copies of a few including Mission Office tanks at FMI sisters, Vunapope, and Matupit Island.
 
Brief details of Br James Uratrip MSC - 50 years a MSC
Date of Birth:     14/07/1936
Place of Birth:    Ratongor
Home Parish:     St Anscar, Ratongor Parish
Province:            East New Britain Province
Citizen:              Papua New Guinea
Novitiate:            Douglas Park
1st Profession:    26/02/1961
Final Profession: 26/02/1967
Currently:           At Chevalier Centre, Kininigunan (Kokopo-East New Britain Province)
 
The celebration of his Golden Jubilee of religious profession was held at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Vunapope, on 26th February 2011.
 
Peace,
Sean