Africa

The Africa Unit was formed in 2013 when Sisters ministering in Zambia and Zimbabwe came together to form one group.

Sisters first began their mission in Africa in 1949 with the arrival of four Sisters from India to Zimbabwe – known as Southern Rhodesia at that time.

Sisters arrived in Zambia from England in 1970.  These were followed by missions being established by Sisters from Ireland (1973) and from India (1983). In 1989, the groups came together to form the Vice Province of Zambia.

Please see photographs and stories below to learn more about the variety of ministries our Sisters are involved in.

Garden of Oneness

Welcome to the ‘Liturgy of the Stars’

These meditations are inspired by the mysticism of our beautiful Creation and the wisdom of mystics and teachers of various faith traditions down the ages as well as the spirit of Zambia in the heart of Africa.   Today we stand on their shoulders as we try to grow in our own spirituality. The ‘Liturgy of the Stars’ is an insight and wisdom of Thomas Merton and his experience of Creation Spirituality.

We are stardust of the great grandmother Tiamat.  We belong to the Milky Way with billions of stars. We are stars in the Web of life, the Earth community, shining the face of the One in whom we live move and have our being.  So let us celebrate the Liturgy of the stars. 

Hope you will find these meditations a small step to grow in communion with the ONE at the heart of Life, with one another and all of nature.

Celebrating Earth Day and Woman of Light 2022

Drumming For Healing of People and Planet.

“Earth has no sorrow which Earth cannot heal.” (John Muir)

Welcome to the Garden of Oneness … A Sanctuary of Peace and Harmony

This beautiful Garden is inspired by the Spirituality of Being in Communion and was created by the Presentation Sisters and the local community since 2014.

We believe in the Oneness and Sacredness of all life and so our mission proclaims:

All Life is Sacred, All Life is one.

This Sanctuary is a place of welcome for all, people of every tribe, culture, nationality, religion everyone has a place at the table.

We believe that the root cause of problems facing our world today is not political, economic, social … but spiritual.  It is our mindset of separateness.  We think we are separate in fact we are already One … separateness is our illusion.  The Garden of Oneness offers space and opportunity to experience the PRESENCE within all life,  ONENESS of our Mother Earth and calls us to walk in the way of the mystics and teachers of our story.

The Heart of the Garden is the Sacred Web: the unfolding Love story of God … ‘To tell the story of  anything we have to tell the story of  everything.’  Thomas Berry.  Today we need a story that has the power to connect all peoples, all nations … all religions, and all cultures … It’s a story that tells us who we are, who God is … where did we come from and where we are going. This amazing story is simple yet complex with stunning creativity and beauty.  It is a story of life, death and new life and of love lavished. It is our sacred story …  a story that proclaims that we are One Sacred Community.  In this One Story is all our stories …

This story is woven by God with three golden threads …

Communion: We are one, we are all connected, we all come from the same source, to be created is to be related, everything is related to everything else.

Diversity: We are all different, we are unique, everything is different from everything else.

Essence: The heart of all beings is the Divine spark, the holy Light. We believe in the Light within all life, the flame of the spirit shining in every heart that makes every life sacred.

In short the spirit of Africa proclaims this ‘I am because we are’  Ubuntu

The Peace Hill is an anthill that is sacred to the people in this land.

We honor the mystics of our great story, our great ancestors from all faith traditions and cultures.

These people of light show us the way into the future.  Around the Mubanga tree we honor our Ancestors who guide and protect us, ‘Trees are the first temple of God’ John Muir

Walking the Journey of the Heart we know is a journey to the Heart of the One in whom we live, move and have our being.

Walking mindfully this path invites us to remember that the journey forward is a journey inward. This is an ancient wisdom way of the Spirit reminding us there is no straight road or short  cuts in life. The journey of life is full of twists and turns, it enables the seeker to walk mindfully and make the inward and outward journey.

Our  Common Home: Earth is our  Mother, Our only Home, home to all beings.

Listen to the heartbeat of  God within oneself, within one another and the body of the Earth.

Mother Earth, our beautiful daughter of the Universe, is endangered today. She is the poorest of the poorest of the poor.  She is raped and plundered, she is wounded and broken because of the irresponsibility of humanity. This is a moment of great peril and possibility when humanity must choose.

Think of your great grandchildren asking in years to come: what did my grandfather/grandmother do when s/he knew? did s/he save the Earth for us? Did s/he do anything to protect our future?

The way of  Jesus symbolised by the fallen, but teaming with life tree beckons us to a new consciousness to a radical vision of an open table of prophetic voice and subversive presence in our world today.

We serve the local community by being part of the local church, supporting children to get to school, teaching  ‘health in my hands’ programmes,  providing earth education, promoting tree  planting especially through local schools, celebrating liturgical, national and international days, facilitating a variety of rituals at the  Garden of Oneness to help to experience the Divine at the heart of life.

Finally,

Stay close to the creation, the wilderness of God and you will stay close to the Creator, the wild God.

Listen, Heart of the ONE is beating all around you!!

Pay attention, be astonished and tell about it.

Accommodation is available for those who wish to stay in the Garden of Oneness for peace and quiet.

We are grateful to the Presentation family and friends who support this Garden of Oneness.

Garden of Oneness, Nkyema District, Western Province, Zambia