AMECEA: Chairman, Secretariat Staff, National Communications Coordinators pay tribute to Fr. Ndaga’s contribution while at AMECEA

As Fr. Chrisantus Ndaga leaves AMECEA for his home diocese of Mahenge, Tanzania, having served the AMECEA Social Communications Department for ten years, his colleagues and collaborators describe him as selfless, dedicated, good collaborator and a motivator who is open and supportive to all, flexible and accommodative to both clergy and lay people he worked with.

New AMECEA Chairman Rt. Rev. Charles Kasonde who is the Bishop of Solwezi, Zambia, worked in close collaboration with Fr. Ndaga for the last seven years when he served as Bishop Chairman of AMECEA Social Communications Department. He said that Fr. Ndaga worked so generously with zeal, commitment and ingenuity, a person who did not only source for resources but also accounted for it.

“My work as the immediate past Chairman for the department was made lighter due to his focus and planning, and I thank him for that,” Bishop Kasonde said adding, “Since the vineyard of the Lord is vast and we can’t stop saying yes to the will of God, we respond favourably to go wherever our mother Church sends us. We say farewell to you and wish you many blessings in your new apostolate back your diocese.”

Some Staff members of AMECEA Secretariat as well as some National Communications Coordinators had a chance to share a thought on their working relationship with Fr. Ndaga. Following are their sentiments.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo, Coordinator, AMECEA Pastoral Department

As a fellow Priest I would say that he is a great collaborator, open, cheerful, a hard worker and a friend. He was among the first people I quickly connected with when I arrived at AMECEA secretariat. Through him I learnt a lot and being a member who had stayed here for many years, I depended on him for directions on how to conduct myself in this country because among the employees of AMECEA Secretariat we were the only expatriates.

He is a hard worker, creative especially in his work at the communications department. I was impressed by his passion to raise the standard of communications. That inspired me in Pastoral Department to do the same, and not just be contented with the status quo but to make a difference by opening new avenues.

He was always ready to work for long hours with dedication for the department and even for matters that concern the entire AMECEA Secretariat. He was ready to forgo his own joys and ensure that things were moving on the right track. Among them were proposals and reports that we needed for various things including the just concluded AMECEA 19^th Plenary Assembly. He really worked hard to ensure that things were on track. He was very flexible, ready to accommodate other people’s ideas even on crucial matters. He was such an open person whom you would approach at any time with an idea and never gets disappointed. Furthermore, he was always ready to support other departments technically for the good of AMECEA.

Furthermore, he also brought life and joy at the secretariat whenever things got a little heavy. He has a sense of humour and would crack jokes when people were at their low moods. His absence from the secretariat will be felt by all. We are going to miss him.

Christine Mbugi, Coordinator AMECEA Capacity Building Project

I enjoyed working with Fr. Ndaga in the Capacity building programs and other AMECEA Secretariat activities. He was the pilot who helped us fly through project writing and reporting as well as ensuring that AMECEA Secretariat staff welfare matters were taken care of. I appreciate his directness and dedication to the AMECEA Secretariat staff to convey his position on issues brought before him.

Fr. Ndaga, you will be greatly missed for your words of wisdom, encouragement, your humour and making us feel easy even when work pressured and deadlines had to be met. You are leaving AMECEA but your legacy will remain forever across the region. I wish you the very best in your new appointment.

Bernard Mberere, AMECEA ICT Officer

Fr. Ndaga has been instrumental in guiding and ensuring that the use of new media and technology is embraced in the region. He has seen the Establishment of AMECEA ICT Coordination Office following the AMECEA 18^th Plenary Assembly Resolutions. As he leaves the department to go and serve in his Diocese of Mahenge, he leaves behind a rich legacy that we are challenged to work hard and maintain. I wish him well in his new mission.

Rev. Fr. Paul Mung’athia Igweta, Coordinator AMECEA Justice Peace and Caritas Department

I have known him for a short time but I discovered that he gives himself selflessly to the service of the Church and the people of God. He is generous with himself, always ready to help others whenever he is called upon. He has been very pro-AMECEA and anytime that he is called upon even by the bishops who are visiting, he has always been available. It is unfortunate that he is leaving while I am just coming in, but I am sure we would have had a wonderful working relation. We shall miss the wealth of his knowledge about the Secretariat and his services both to the Secretariat and to us all who work here as a family. I am sure that the people he is going to serve will harvest the richness of his collaborative and supportive nature. We wish him well in his next appointment, may God Bless you, Fr. Ndaga.

Rev. Fr. Winfield Kunda, Communications Director, Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB)

We in Zambia will remember Fr Ndaga’s service at AMECEA, especially his zeal and initiatives to ensure that we communicators become a family in the entire Eastern Africa in sharing whatever was happening in our respective Episcopal Conferences.

I remember vividly at the time I joined the Conference, how he initiated me into attending Communication’s meeting at least once every year in different Conferences. This has helped us Communicators in the region to know each other and cement the spirit of information sharing for the growth of communication work in our various Conferences.

On behalf of ZCCB and the Catholic communicators in Zambia, particularly from all our Catholic radio stations, and the ZCCB Communications Officer, Mr Mwenya Mukuka, I want to extend a word of gratitude to you Fr. Ndaga for the services you have rendered to the AMECEA Region in the area of communications. We shall cherish your contribution to the growth of the AMECEA Communications family and be assured of our prayers as we I pray that God continues blessing you in your new apostolate.

Makeda Yohannes, Communications Coordinator, Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat (ECS)

I have learnt a lot from Fr. Ndaga. His passion and dedication for work is very inspiring. Moreover, his utmost desire and efforts to create a close link among the communications offices of all the AMECEA member countries has made become one family, working together for a common cause. We shall miss working with him but I believe that the close link that he has established between us in the AMECEA Communications family will continue through the AMECEA online which he started and developed.

Rev. Fr. Godino Phokoso, National Communications Coordinator, Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM)

On behalf of my colleagues here in Malawi I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Mzee, Rev. Fr. Christianus Ndaga for his contributions at AMECEA Secretariat’s Social Communications Department and in the region. You have done a lot to put our department on the map internationally through the AMECEA Online News. This is the case because AMECEA Social Communication Department played a greater role in publicity. The Social Communications of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi will cherish all these achievements. You were an inspiration to us all.

We wish Fr. Ndaga God’s Blessings, guidance and success in his next assignment in the Lord’s Vineyard

∽End∽

By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online News