Community Spirit Soars as Makpandu Boma Gathers Funds for Church Construction
Community Spirit Soars as Makpandu Boma Gathers Funds for Church Construction
By Wilfred Mabu
Hundreds of Catholic faithful gathered on Sunday 24th, 2023, at St Bakhita Makpandu center at the refugee settlement in Makpandu Boma of Bangasu Payam, to raise funds to facilitate the church’s plan to construct a concrete temple in the area.
The faithful during the fundraising exercise put hands together and raised 528,770ssp in cash.
St Bakhita Makpandu center is under Riimenze Parish Catholic Church. Both the refugees and the host community pray at the center which is situated in the camp.
Rev. Father Mbikoyo Charles the Parish priest of Riimeze Parish said that the fundraising exercise aimed to raise funds to construct a permanent church structure at Makpandu Refigure camp for worship.
Fr. Charles further added that the initiative is both for the Parish and center to come together to collect resources to fund the designed project of modernizing the building at the center.
“What we decided was to carry out contributions to one center until all the centers are developed but what is taking us back is lack of cooperation and unity in doing things together”. Fr Charles stated. He added, “We should aim at forming groups to help in supervising this work since we are going to start the process of laying bricks, buying Iron Sheets, and utilizing the money contributed for the construction of St. Bakhita Makpandu center catholic church here in Makpandu”.
On his part, Hon. James Ngbanguayo an MP representing the area, encouraged the community of Bangasu Payam to live in peace and unity with refugees sheltering at Makpandu Boma.
“Let us embrace peace and unity for development in the state as we all need to prepare ourselves in all the other nine counties of Ezo, Yambio, Nzara, Ibba, Maridi, Mundiri, Mundiri East and Nvolo County to work for peace to return to Tambura County because without peace there will be no development taking place”.
Fundraising is a culture that most Christian churches in Western Equatoria State practice as sources of raising money to fund their project plans.
