Despite travel cautionary warnings 27 Edmund Rice Education leaders from North America, Latin America, India, Ireland, England, Australia, New Zealand, Southern Africa, Zambia, East Africa, Ghana and Sierra Leone gathered for a 5 day-conference in Nairobi (Kenya) to explore the shape and direction of an emerging idea Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders (EREBB). Wayne Tinsey the Executive Director of Edmund Rice Education Australia initiated the concept of the conference and provided resources to make it happen.
The facilitators, Brian Garrone, Samuel Karanja and Peter Harney, designed a program that began with a pre-conference immersion for delegates to the Mukuru settlement to visit the Ruben Edmund Rice Centre. Participants also met the children, parents and staff of the Mary Rice Centre that cares for children with disability and visited the Br Beausang School at Embulbul.
The opening ritual facilitated by Br Amandi Mboya invited participants to open themselves to the culture and spiritualty of Kenya. Each region presented their way of living the Charism of Edmund Rice within their particular cultural context. The newly elected Congregation Leadership Team attended this session and each day shared meal and celebrated Morning Prayer organized by Sr Ona Bessette CND, Director of Edmund Rice Christian Brothers Schools North America.
The outcomes included a vision statement, six key areas to which all present committed to live and implement which corresponded to major priority areas. These included Developing Our Identity, Transformational Education, One Voice for Justice, Effective Communication, Formation for Mission and Inspiriting Leadership. The Congregation Leader Br Hugh O’Neill launched EREBB at Br Beausang School, after the students presented a series of traditional dances and a lively rendition of the school song. It seemed appropriate that Br Beausang was the site for the launch as it provides education for 800 young people who come from the local settlement where there is high unemployment with few government services. A school that continues liberating hearts and minds through offering quality education to all those who come.
Peter Harney cfc