Meet Our 2011 Novices - Daniel Phiri

My name is Daniel Phiri, and I was born in 1983. We are 12 in my family and I am the seventh-born of eleven boys and one girl. I am a Zambian by nationality and Chewa by tribe, from the eastern part of Zambia. I did my primary education at Chifwani Basic School from 1995 to 1999, and my secondary education at St.Francis High School from 2001 to 2003. I also obtained a Diploma in Social Work at the University of Zambia between 2005 and 2008.

I came into contact with the Christian Brothers in 2008, attended the Come and See program in 2009 and did my postulancy in 2010. I am now in Tamale, Ghana as a novice. It is my prayer to continue discerning my call to become a Christian Brother and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and blessed Edmund Rice.

Meet Our 2011 Novices - Romano Rambu

My name is Romano Rambu, and I was born in 1978. I come from Meru County in Kenya’s Eastern Province. I am second-born in a family of four, and I have two brothers and a sister.

I did all my education in Kenya up to the level of a Diploma in accountancy, completed in 2002.

From 2004 to 2009 I worked with BAT (K) Ltd., then was an auditor of funds for Free Primary School Education, and finally worked at St.Francis of Assisi Parish, Mitunguu, as well as being a volunteer at Shalom Home for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Meru County.

My Hobbies are reading, travelling, watching movies, and making new friends.

I came into contact with the Christian Brothers in the year 2008 through The Seed magazine and Vocation Promotion by Brother Peter Cole. I went for my Come and See in July, 2009, and joined the Postulancy programme last year in Arusha, Tanzania.

I am happy to be here in Tamale and I pray the will of God be done in me as I continue to discern my vocation.

Meet Our 2011 Novices - Blaise Junior Semoso

I was born in 1981 in Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. I come from a province called the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. I am the last-born in my family of four male children. I did all my education in my home province. I graduated with a Diploma in Primary school teaching and a Bachelor of Special Education at the Divine Word University (PNG). I was very young to experience life in the field and last year was my sixth year of working with people with disabilities. I am a specialist in teaching sign language for hearing-impaired people, advocating for in the community for people with disabilities etc.

Meet the 2011 Novices - Belamino Muunga

I am Bonaventure Belamino Muunga, and I was born in 1989 in the Northern part of Zambia. We are eleven children in our family, three girls and eight boys. I started my primary school in 1997 in the central part of Zambia. When I qualified to grade eight, I went to Kapiri basic school until the end of 2005. In 2006 I started secondary school at Ituna High school where I obtained my secondary school certificate.

After completing school I did a certificate in computers. During this period I was in a Vocations Club and already in contact with the Christian Brothers. In August 2009 they invited me for the two months Come and See programme at Moreau House in Mazabuka. The prayer life, pastoral work, community living and other activities at Moreau House deepened my understanding of the Christian Brothers. In January 2010 I started my Pre-Novitiate, and in October 2010 I applied for the Novitiate and I was accepted and assigned to do my Novitiate in Tamale, Ghana. And here I am as a Novice, looking forward to learning more as I am discerning my vocation of being a Christian Brother.

Meet Our 2011 Novices - Abazo Kamara

Joseph Abass Kamara is my name, but I am known as Abazo. I have three sisters and four brothers, all of whom presently are living in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It was there I was born on September 24th, 1982. I was later taken to the northern town of Lunsar by my parents to be raised there. I completed my primary schooling and began my secondary education there, but due to the death of my father I was transferred to Freetown. After completing my secondary school, I decided to return to Lunsar where I started to teach in a school. Even though I was untrained and unqualified, I was in charge of religious studies. Finding that I loved teaching, I enrolled in Teacher Training College completed my teacher’s certificate in 2009. I really love teaching as a profession and my heart has been longing to engage in it. Here in Tamale, I have been happy to be assigned in teaching ministry.

I came in contact with the Christian Brothers through reading the life of Blessed Edmund Rice, a man who was moved by the Holy Spirit to open his whole heart to Christ Jesus present and appealing to him in the poor. I was encouraged to enter the life of the Christian Brothers by Br. Joseph Ture, who is now working in Yengema in Sierra Leone, and by Br. Peter Kabia, who is also working in Freetown.