Happy New Year
Greetings fellow friends! For us who have successfully exited 2007, we have already experienced a couple of events unfolding in the few days we have lived in the New Year, 2008. Thanks be to God for his unconditional love and for making us see this wonderful year! Nevertheless, the past year had been mixed with both good and appalling events. Indubitably, many lives were lost and yet a lot more were created; jobs were lost and, unfortunately, not even half of them were created; about three months into 2007, Andiamo welcomed the founding trustees, padre Mario Pacifici and don Cesare Castelli who fully settled at Nankhombe House to complement their efforts of helping the youths of Balaka; in the wake of September 2007, Andiamo Trust’s executive team was restructured and other new executive posts were created; significantly, numerous volunteers worked at Andiamo for specified times in 2007 and some made commendable donations to various projects; and the music school started and other numerous projects were successfully established.
Colleagues, the New Year is here. It is, therefore, important for us to enter into the New Year with changed hearts and offers to make to our organisation (Andiamo Trust). What are our resolutions in this New Year as regards Andiamo Trust?
To bring back our memories, New Year celebrations that are preceded by Christmas at the end of each year used to be extraordinary in so far as physical appearance, religious observance, and food consumption were concerned. In those days, at least every family would celebrate Christmas and New Year festivities in style. Families used to go to church, slaughter goats and chickens, and wear new cloths. Though it is true that Christmas and New Year festivities are matters of the heart, it is, nevertheless, horrendous to see the way the perception given to Christmas and New Year has changed. Both occasions have become something ordinary. People now use words such as “zinali kale” to describe Christmas and New Year festivities. This merely signifies that contrary to the way people used to prepare for the occasions, there is no much food, no new and decent clothing, and of course, secularism has increased.
For us here at Andiamo Trust, Christmas and New Year celebrations must be daily trends. The way we used to wear new clothes, the way we ate and drank, and the way we smiled to our neighbours on such festivities must not change in any way! For in putting on new clothes, having delicious meals, and of course, observing church services on such occasions are all manifestations of good will. It is by good will that all the resources that are bestowed to us will benefit every person at Andiamo Trust. It is by the same good will that we will live in harmony and prosperity amongst one another throughout the year!
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us always in this New Year!