Newsletter
July 2009
The garden looks better and better, the vegies are growing. Some plant are beeing eaten by insects; well we will fix that. The winter this year is very cold. The river is in full flood, the best for 20 years. Plenty of water for the next 2 years for our garden.

13th June 2009
Fr. Mareko departure for Kasane. He will work there for some time and hopefully return to continue to work at Lefoko Centre.

June 2009
We finished fencing of the 2 Ha of land. The garden is slowly starting, we installed water pump at the river and started irrigation, we planted first vegetables.

May 2009
We started to fence the 2 Ha of land approved by the Land Board. For the time being we will do an agriculture project. We started also to build a small house for the 2 workers who will take care of the garden. This humble beginning might be the beginning of the Lefoko Centre as envisaged in the future.

February 2009
For the time being the development of the Lefoko Centre (and fundraising activities) remains temporarily suspended by the bishop. The land issue is still waiting for final conclusion.
However, the idea of the Missionary Lefoko Centre is very much alive and constantly evolving.
The values it stands for are equally important as the facilities.

January 2009
Unbelievable but the land issue has not been finalised. In November 2007 it looked for a moment that finally things started to move. The Land Board wanted to see the place, they went there and ... till November 2008 nothing happened. Then after many visits and inquiries the technical office called me to survey the land before final approval by the Land Board. I was promised that now the process will be finalised very soon (?).
Meanwhile the idea of the centre matured and hopefully will become a reality in coming years.
It was decided that this will be a project under the Divine Word Missionaries, Botswana Province.
Pray for the speedy final of the long process and that God's will be done.

August 2008
Because of the circumstances the bishop requested to suspend the Lefoko Centre project for some time. It is not canceled but it is just put on hold. He also requested to put on hold the fundraising activities. Meanwhile we are continuing to resolve the land issue.

September 2007
Still waiting for the Land Board ... The idea must be good since there are so many obstacles on the way ...

April 2007
Patience, patience and patience is needed ... The land issue is still not resolved. There is hope it will be resolved in May (I hope in 2007). Things are moving very slowly.

December 2006
We are still waiting for the land but many developments are taking place, especially regarding the future support structure for the Lefoko Centre and other missionary projects. See Catholic Safaris.

December 2005
The Land Board in Maun gave us only 2ha of land but for agriculture purpose (???)
We applied for a multipurpose use of land ...
We are continuing to work on the land issues. We need your prayers to finalise everything.
Fr. Mareko is finishing his renewal course in Rome and will return to Botswana end of December 2005. Meanwhile the rains came to dry Botswana! - great joy for people of the Kalahari. Let us pray for good, continuous rains this year for Southern Africa, where ca. 11 million people are presently suffering of hunger - mostly in Malawi and Zimbabwe.

April 2005
We are still waiting for the final decision of the Land Board in Maun.
They promised us to finalise the application process till the end of April2005.
Let us pray for the positive outcome.

The Divine Word Missionaries are still consulting the Bishop and discussing the matters related to the project.

18th August 2004
We are still waiting for the final documents from the Land Board. We were told they will be ready in the coming weeks. We will then start fencing of the whole area. Most of the fencing material is already purchased. The fence cutlines in the bush are marked.
The general outline of the centre is prepared as well. We are consulting the architects and other specialists to finalise the plans for the whole centre.
Meanwhile, the Thamalakane River flows again, and it flows properly after 12 dry years. It is a big celebration for all people of this desert area. The river borders our plot and now we have to use different roads to access the Lofoko Centre area. All roads used previously are under water. But we are very happy to see our river flowing again, full of fish and life bringing to many people of the Ngamiland and Boteti area.
Let us pray for the final positive outcome of the land application process and for the means to establish and run the centre.
Lefoko Centre