KENYA: Documentation Centre for AMECEA Pastoral Institute a “Treasure for the Region and Church”
Fr. Jordan Nyenyembe, in charge AMECEA Gaba publications
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
After fifty years of existence, the AMECEA Pastoral Institute (API) that is incorporated in the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) Gaba Campus, situated in Kenya’s Eldoret Diocese has set up its documentation centre which is resourceful not only to the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) but also to the entire Church.
Sharing with AMECEA Online in an interview about the documentation centre, Fr. Jordan Nyenyembe who is in charge of AMECEA Gaba publications and has been at the helm to oversee the progress of the project disclosed, “The documentation centre is a treasure for the region and the entire Church.”
“As the Church has been a custodian of sacred heritage like the Vatican Archives and Museum, and even at the parish level in the way records are kept, so also the API has to show resilience in order to preserve its heritage for future generation of AMECEA,” the Tanzanian-born cleric narrated during the interview Tuesday, November 3.
The idea of creating the documentation centre was born after realization that 50 years of the institute’s existence means a lot and API can be a source of theological research and reference for the AMECEA region.
“Since API was created in 1968, it keeps heritage for the Post-Vatican II conversation in the region, for the two Synods in Africa, and especially the heritage for the Small Christian Communities ecclesial model of the Church in the region. Since we have that heritage, we felt that at 100 years when history of API will be written, there will be a source of reference,” Fr. Nyenyembe who is the Chief-Editor of African Ecclesial Review (AFER) journal at AMECEA Gaba Publication narrated.
He added, “All the previous issues of AFER will be stored in the documentation centre, the research papers for API participants and their framed photos and other credible documents that we already have. This will be of great help in providing data if any diocese within the region wishes to get credible information about API and it will also be very useful for the next generation .”
API was established in 1968 at Gaba in Uganda but due to unfavorable political turmoil and insecurity in the country that made it difficult to maintain the institute, the Bishops in Kenya agreed to host the institute, hence AMECEA moved the centre to Eldoret, Kenya, in 1976.
The establishment of the institute in the AMECEA region was to provide ongoing formation and spiritual renewal in a supportive setting, enriched by dialogue among lay persons, the clergy and Religious men and women.
According to Fr. Nyenyembe who has worked at Gaba campus for nearly 7 years, the project of documentation centre sponsored by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has been well equipped with shelves, office chairs, desktop computers, laptop, heavy-duty scanner and other necessary equipment for the centre.
Fr Nyenyembe shared during the Tuesday interview that API whose mission is to promote research, nurture and develop knowledgeable and up-to-date agents of evangelization and integral human development with commitment to transforming societies and enhancing Christian living, currently runs three programs; Diploma in Pastoral Ministry Diploma in Evangelization and Catechesis and a Spiritual Renewal Program.
“We invite all members of AMECEA to make use of the documentation centre so as to know their facility, their history and to acknowledge that API is a resourceful centre for the entire Church,” concludes Fr. Nyenyembe.
