Brief Pakistan Earthquake Report: Br. Victor Franco, General Councilor, has been in Pakistan for a number of days and reports the Brothers in Pakistan are all alright. The terrible earthquake's epicentre and devastation are primarily north of where the Brothers of Pakistan are located and were spared the tragedy that has struck.
^{(Br. Donald Johanson)}

Young Lasallians Want to Be Active Participants in Lasallian Mission: During their most recent meeting, the International Council of Young Lasallians viewed and discussed the DVD “Together and by Association in the Service of the Poor,” which has been proposed by Brother Superior and General Council, as the first document to help the Institute and Lasallian Family move together on the path toward the 44th General Chapter. Recognizing that Young Lasallians are called to be active participants in Lasallian mission, they prepared a statement of their hopes and concerns as the Lasallian Family begins to prepare for the International Assembly of 2006 and the 44th General Chapter of 2007.
^(ICYL)

Lasallian Youth in Africa: The Lasallian Youth Movement is growing in the District of Lwanga, which encompasses the countries of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Young Lasallians of the District thank the Lasallian Youth Assembly, which was organized by the District at St. Joseph’s School in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in September 2005, for encouraging the growth and development of the movement. According to Lasallian Youth Head Leoul Worku of Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, those “who attended the Assembly in Addis Ababa were able to share their wonderful experiences with the others” and “are now acting like candles in the thick of darkness.”

For example, St. Mary’s Boys Secondary School in Nyeri, Kenya, houses young street boys on the school campus. The Lasallian students see “the juniors,” as they are called, as their brothers; and a family kind of interaction is encouraged by the school administration. The Lasallian Youth group at the school, which numbers about 50 students, also visits the Narumoro Home for the terminally ill and the Sagana Home for the aged. Student Kennedy Kirumwa reports that prayer helps these Young Lasallians; it “discourages selfishness in oneself and promotes generosity to society.”

Young Lasallians at Rongai Boys Secondary School in Kenya strive, according to student Joram Ndirangu, to “leave a mark in faith, service, and community building” and to become more aware of “social justice issues.” They share time, food, and clothing with less fortunate youngsters, especially the residents of nearby Venessa Children’s Home.

At Besrate Gabriel School in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, Lasallian Youth visit the nearby compound of the Missionaries of Charity, where the sick, the dying, the mentally handicapped and also young mothers and their children are given help. “It is mostly the mothers and the children that our Lasallian Youth help.”
^{(Lwanga La Salle Gazette)}

1st Signum Fidei Youth Congress in Peru: About 100 young people and members of the “Signum Fidei Fraternity” of the District of Peru gathered from 3 to 6 August 2005 in Quillabamba, Peru, to study the mission of Lasallian young people in the Fraternity. One of the co-founders of the Fraternity in 1975-1976, Brother Manuel Olivé participated in the Congress.

The “Signum Fidei Fraternity” is one of those intentional Lasallian groups of Associates recognized as “structurally linked with the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.” Its members, wishing to live fully their baptismal vocation as Christians, associate with the Institute to give living expression of the love of God in the educational world, especially among the young and the poor.
^{(Br. Bill Mann)}

Keesara River in Full Spate: What began as just another wet afternoon in Keesara, India, on Monday September 19th had by the following day, become a torrential downpour. Little did anybody suspect the consequences of this constant rain, but by the late evening of Tuesday the 20th reports began to spread of serious problems in Keesara and the surrounding villages. Only in the light of the following day did the full scale of the devastation become apparent for all to see.

The once placid stream following quietly through the village of Keesara had become a racing, swollen torrent. It was now a mighty river in full spate, sweeping all before it. The water level reached the parapet of the newly constructed road bridge and overflowed the river banks in gushing torrents, flooding all the surrounding, low-lying areas, thereby causing a lot of damage to property, poultry, standing crops and cattle.

Life was disrupted in many villages. The rising water level prevented access to Pendyala, Gandepalli and Itavaram/Nandigama. Houses were flooded, water forcing some families to seek shelter on their roofs. Crops were washed away. Many cattle died. Telephone and electric poles were uprooted.

Many river bank cottage and small industries, such as brick making and sand reclamation, were completely destroyed, leaving a lot of local people unemployed. As well, the flood waters destroyed the livelihoods of many farmers. A particularly harrowing scene was the sight of whole families squatting on the roadside, forlornly looking at their flooded houses and ruined crops.

The flood disrupted traffic on the National Highway, causing long lines of trucks, buses and cars on either side of Keesara. All the schools and colleges remain closed today for fourth day.

We the Brothers with our borders – boys and girls - undertook flood relief programmes. But the damage caused by this “Once-in-a lifetime” event was very heavy and it may take many years before life for the affected villages returns to some kind of normalcy.

September 19th, 20th and 21st – these three days will now become part of the folklore / history of Keesara. The events are etched deeply in the minds of the villagers, to be told and re-told with each passing generation.
^{(Br. Arockia Doss, Principal)}

Changes in the Secretariat of the Lasallian Education Mission: During the month of September, following the French District Chapter, Brother Superior General named Brother Nicolas Capelle as Visitor of the District of France. Brother Nicolas will start this new mission on November 15th 2005.

To succeed him from November 15th, Brother Superior General named Brother Frederick Mueller, of the LINE District, as Secretary for the Lasallian Education Mission.

Brother Frederick Mueller will live in Providence, USA. Brother Alfonso Novillo of the CIL team in Rome, will be the Assistant to the MEL Secretary in Rome, looking after publications.
^{(Br. Lorenzo Gonzalez Kipper)}

Brothers return to Cambodia: In an email dated 14 September, Br Gregoire, Visitor of the District of Vietnam informed us that three Brothers began their orientation in Cambodia on 4th August. At present they are concentrating on Cambodian language studies. In November two Brothers from San Jose will join the community. The Brothers first entered Cambodia in 1906. Br Gregoire requests our prayers for this new mission. We now have a Lasallian presence in 16 countries in the PARC Region.
^{(Br. David Hawke)}

Let Your Light Shine: Congratulations to St Michael’s College Henley Beach on its selection to be an international centre for excellence in mathematics. St Michael’s was selected from among 300 expressions of interest from schools across Australia and will become a pilot school for materials designed to nurture excellence in mathematics. The program is an initiative of the Australian Federal Government.
^{(In the Loop, Issue No: N 05/34)}

Some brief news from the Novitiate in Griñón, Spain: On Sept. 24th Brs. Rafa Palomera and Jorge Sierra (District of Valladolid), Tomás Collado (District of Andalucía) and Jacek Kieler (District of Poland) celebrated their Initiation into the Religious Life in Griñón, Madrid. After some days of retreat and preparation for this celebration in San Asensio, they chose as their motto: “If you become as little children you will enter into the Kingdom of God”.

They themselves told us: “Many are the reasons, persons, ideas and experiences which have united us and made possible the fact that we wish to begin our lives as Brothers of the Christian Schools. Of course the main reason is our individual experience of God discovered in Jesus risen from the dead each day in those who suffer, especially children. Our work with groups of children and young people has shaped our lives to the point of wishing to commit ourselves radically to them and this not just in any way but with the hope which united John Baptist de la Salle and the first Brothers in the little schools for the poor. Making ourselves like children is uniting our lives with those who need us most, with cheerfulness and confidence in our Father.”
^{(La Salle Novitiate)}

If you have news notes that you would like us to consider publishing, please email us:lasallew@lasalle.org