December 10th 1998

Dear Friends of Makeni,

Here is another mini newsletter reporting on the work of Makeni Ecumenical Centre:

1. Some good news! The Lusaka City Council and the Minister of Local Government & Housing have finally agreed to exempt Makeni Ecumenical Centre from all rates taxations on its properties. The Founder-Chairman of the Centre initiated a campaign for exemption for registered charities and churches in 1974, and has continued to fight this extraordinary taxation on development work, annually.  The Centre has been warned that it must not have any commercial activities conducted at the Centre.

2. The Centre will be holding once again this year a "Carols by Candle-light" church service in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, On December 20th, at 19.oo hours. It is the one large ecumenical fund-raising effort we conduct; the service is usually attended by about a thousand people. Visiting choirs and the Cathedral Choir participate. The cathedral lights are switched off for the candelighting ceremony, and one or two small children sing "Away in a Manger".

3. The 1998 examination results for some of the Courses offered by MEC have now been published. They are as follows:

  Electronics Senior Course Electronics Basic Course Agriculture Settlement Homecraft General & Tailoring
Enrolled 70 45 22 52 40
Completed   28 15 16 40 18
Full Certificate # 10 11 40 11
To re-sit - 5 5 - 7

TOTALS: 229 enrolled*        117 completed the course(s)

# Examinations completed but results not yet published by the government's Department for Technical Education & Vocational Training

* many who enrol complete only the registration form and pay the registration fee, but never actually turn up for studies, or fail to pay any fees and are then asked to leave.

There are ten students left in carpentry (an 18 months' course) who have not yet sat for the final government trade test examination.

All for now! Please keep up your support of the Centre's activities! With wishes for a blessed and happy Christmas,

Yours in Christ,

Fr Pierre J Dil
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Very Revd Canon Pierre J Dil,
Honorary Chairman Makeni Ecumenical Centre  P O Box 50255,Lusaka, Zambia
Private mail: Private Bag RW304X, Lusaka, Zambia
Tel 260-1-274991  Fax 260-1-272437

e-mail:mecdil@zamnet.zm