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26^TH – 29^TH DECEMBER 2006

AT SAMBALAYAS LODGE, LUSAKA

 2006 FORMATION REPORT

1. Introduction

People shape history. And when history happens, people are shaped. So is the history of the Oblate Formation Program in Zambia .

The history of Oblate Formation in Zambia began in 1989 with 3 pre-novices wanting to learn more about the Oblate way of life. The Mission (by then) sent the first group to Lesotho for novitiate. The following year, the Mission changed its plans and started sending the novices to South Africa ’s Our Lady of Hope with scholastic studies being done at St. Joseph ’s Scholasticate. Recently the Delegation has started sending novices to the second regional novitiate in Namibia .  As a Delegation, we have also participated and still participate in the novitiate program in the USA .  In 1996 the Zambia Delegation made history by sending 2 scholastics to the international Scholasticate in Rome . This was followed by another pioneering in 1997 when 2 scholastics were sent to San Antonio for their studies. This year that comes to an end, the Delegation has taken another pioneering by sending 3 scholastics to study philosophy in Cameroun . 17 years down the line, we are glad to say great things have taken place and indeed, when God decides to come and live among God’s people great things are due to happen.

We believe that Formation of an Oblate is essential for the future of the Delegation and of the Congregation as a whole. We therefore, take formation very seriously. It is for this reason that as a Delegation we are interested in the happenings of our brothers who are in formation. As a Delegation, we deliberately began the programme of Regency for our scholastics who have finished their philosophy studies. This for us has become a stage in the formation of an Oblate in the Delegation. We have taken steps to make sure that this program gives life to the Regents themselves and moreso, the communities that hosts them.

When we look back we are aware of the great gifts God has gifted us. At present we see that the number of Oblates in first formation is higher than that of those in full time ministry. We are aware of the increase of numbers of our Oblates in the various houses of formation. In most cases our numbers in some houses of formation are higher than those of other units combined. The frequently asked question is: Are the numbers we have a manifestation of quality or just quantity? History and experience will tell us the answer. I also believe that we are witnesses to our own experiences.

2. The Zambia Delegation Program

Our Delegation Formation Programme is as follows: 2 years of Pre-Novitiate (Zambia); 1 year Novitiate (South Africa, Namibia or USA); 2 years Philosophy (South Africa; 3years in Cameroun); 1 year Regency (Zambia); and 4 years Theology (South Africa and for a very small number in Rome or USA).

3. Regional Participation

As a Delegation we participate at the Oblate Formation Forum (OFF). This is an event that brings together formators from various stages of formation in the sub-region. We also chair and participate in the Coordinating Committee for Formation (CCF). This is an IPC committee that tries to coordinate formation issues in the sub-region. As a Delegation, we are glad that we are part of these activities of the sub-region.

4. Statistics from the Beginning of Zambia Formation Programme

The purpose of statistics is twofold. We can either look at the statistics below and relax that all is fine. On the other hand we may look at the figures below and say we need to do something. Here I present to you our past, our history so that we are aided in our reviews and evaluations and also in our future ministry placement.

YEAR	NO. JOINED	NO. LEFT	Left in Pre-Nov	Left in Novitiate	Left in Scholasticate	Left after scholasticate	Still Oblates
1989	3	3	1	0	0	2	0
1990	6	5	3	0	1	1	1
1991	6	2	1	0	1	0	4
1992	5	3	2	1	0	0	2
1993	7	6	3	0	3	0	1
1994	6	5	4	0	1	0	1
1995	10	5	2	0	3	0	5
1996	7	6	3	0	3	0	1
1997	10	9	2	0	7	0	1
1998	5	2	0	1	1	0	3
1999	5	3	0	2	1	0	2
2000	7	4	1	3	0	0	3
2001	8	4	3	0	1	0	4
2002	13	4	1	3	0	0	9
2003	13	2	1	0	1	0	11
2004	12	4	3	1	0	0	8
2005	14	2	2	0	0	0	12
2006	10	2	2	0	0	0	8
TOTALS	147	71	34	11	23	3	76[1]

5. Moments of Grace

God graces God’s people in many ways. In the past years God has graced us with many things among which are first vows, perpetual vows and ordinations. Below I present to you the graces we have received from the Lord in the last three years:

 

YEAR	1st Oblation	Perpetual Oblation	Priestly Ordination
2004	6		4
2005	9	1	1
2006	12	1	0

6. Formation and Ministry

Our picture in the next three years has to give us an idea of where we are as delegation. In the table below, there are some projection of numbers of those we foresee finishing there studies and  eventually going into ministry.

YEAR	Finishing
2007	1
2008	4
2009	2

7. Challenges Aheard

This section deals with areas of formation which I feel will have an impact on the Delegation.

  a) New Philosophy Proposal

The Delegation Council mandated the Formation Committee to come up with a proposal for setting up a philosophy house in Lusaka . In June and July 2006 meetings were held to try and brainstorm on the way forward. All the members of the Delegation were informed on the outcome of the meetings that were held. From 21^{st -} 22^nd December, 2006 the Formation Committee met to make some final deliberation on the Delegation Council mandate. A proposal to setting up a philosophy house was made and a sub-committee to prepare a final recommendation to the Delegation Council was made. You will be hearing of the progress of this project soon.

This new development will change the formation set up of the delegation. Like any change, we hope the changes to come will give meaning to what we want as a Delegation.

b) Community Stability and Formation:

At our various Delegation Assemblies, we set out to hold Communities as our way of living. The challenge ahead is whether the numbers we have finishing these years will help us to find personnel enough to send to various communities! Are the numbers finishing enough to help us enter into new ministries!

c) Education Standard:

In the recent past, Zambian Education system has started going down. This negative picture will continue affecting us too. Which way forward! The task will be for the Vocation Director to look for those who meet good grades necessary for entrance into the pre-novitiate. This being said, it is also a challenge because good grades 12 results do not necessarily mean an intelligent candidate. The opposite of this statement is true too.

d) Training of Formators

As the Delegation grows old, we need to take deliberate steps in training our formators. This training can be done on the following levels:

-         An in-house training programme for those in formation ministry

-         Participation in Oblate programmes like De Mazenod Experience

-         Mentoring: Learning to learn from experienced Oblates

-         Sending of Oblates for some specialized training

  Conclusion

Formation gives birth to the opening of new ministries. And a group that does not take formation seriously is like to cease to be. In the Delegation, we seem to be aware of formation and many Oblates in the Delegation participate well in the formation of our young men.

We have numbers in our houses of formation. On the larger scale I am aware of the efforts which our men in formation are putting in their own formation. We cannot be perfect yet if we wish to be credible Oblates, we need to begin by taking our formation seriously.

Formation as one of the highest expense in the Delegation. We hope this fact will move us to appreciate what our benefactors are doing for us. Appreciation has something to do with responsible use of what we own in our various communities including scholasticates. With this in mind, we are called to reflect as to how we use the resources we have at our disposal.

Fr. Evans Chinyama Chinyemba, OMI

Lusaka ,

December, 2006

[1] Of the 76 in the column of those who are still Oblates or with the Oblates, there are only 16 who are in ministry (including two who are working in Cedara; three who are studying in the USA ). Therefore, there are only 13 Zambians who are in ministry who have passed through the Oblate Formation Programme since its foundation in 1989.

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