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March 2011 

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In This Issue
Grateful Hearts
Living in the Light
Wonders of Electricity
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Sister Lorraine accepting flowers in Lemfu
Grateful Hearts
Sister Lorraine Connell accepts flowers of gratitude from an elementary student at Lemfu mission, Congo. The mission now enjoys the "luxuries" of electricity, including potable water and access to the Internet. The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur African Photovoltaic Project is the brainchild of Sister Lorraine who is charged with overseeing the financial health of the worldwide congregation. She accepted the flowers, she said, "on behalf of everyone who has worked so hard to make all of this a reality."
The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur are hoping to establish more photovoltaic systems at other missions in Africa, but the costs are high and the logistics can be daunting. How can you help improve the lives of more precious preschoolers and their families?
Here's how.

Joy in Lemfu   

After a lot of sweat, determination, prayer and ingenuity, our African Photovoltaic Project is lighting up entire impoverished villages in Congo and Nigeria. As a result, these communities are on their way to becoming healthier, better educated, more self-sustaining and full of new-found hope.  
In February, Sister Lorraine Connell, General Treasurer of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, spent two days in Lemfu, Congo, witnessing the project's power to transform lives.  
"It's amazing what a little electricity can do," said Sister Lorraine. "When systems are put in place so that impoverished people are valued and encouraged to participate in our larger sphere of economies, ideas and culture, the entire world is stronger." 
Join forces with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and see our good works multiply.

Have chair, will travel!

Preschoolers with Chairs on Head There are not enough chairs to go around at the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Lemfu Mission in Congo. But that won't deter these preschoolers.

They are off to the Mission's newly opened Cyber Caf� to watch their very first movie --
compliments of the Internet powered by the photovoltaic system installed by the Sisters at the Lemfu Mission last summer. 


Living - and Marching - in the Light of God
The French-speaking school children of Lemfu don't let a small thing like language get in their way.
"The students welcomed me with verse after verse of 'Marching in the Light of God,'" said Sister Lorraine Connell. "In English, no less."
As the General Treasurer of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur headquartered in Ipswich, Mass.,Sister Lorraine is often feted on her arrival at the Congregation's African missions.
Why?
Because she is the mastermind behind the most important thing to happen in centuries to these impoverished communities.  
The Wonders of Electricity
 Preschoolers at Cyber Cafe in Congo The children of Lemfu don't have electricity in their homes, never mind a television or a computer. So when these preschoolers sat down in front of one small computer screen to watch a video about monkeys and elephants they were instantly mesmerized and amazed. The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur open the Cyber Caf� to the entire village community. It is an ongoing process to teach the people how to use a computer and make the most of accessing the Internet. The Caf� is greatly in need of more than just two computers.