When we embarked on this year’s Lenten Gift campaign in support of BUILD THE FAITH’s project to construct a church for the St. John Paul II community in the Archdiocese of Bamenda, Cameroon, we knew this was a message that would resonate within our Collaborative.
We have been the grateful recipients of the outstanding Pastoral Ministry of Fathers Gabriel, Lesley and James. Their presence with us has enriched and expanded our concept of the Global Church. The mission of building a church in their local community in Cameroon was a tangible way to make a difference in the lives of the growing population of Catholic Christians.
And BUILD THE FAITH has a special connection with our Collaborative, as it was inspired by the unwavering faith in God exhibited by Christina Dangond Lacouture, a young girl from our parish who was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer at the tender age of 6. Partnering the mission with the extraordinary trust and purpose of BUILD THE FAITH further brought the global into the very personal and local.
It also inspired us to set an unprecedented goal of $100,000 for our gift.
When we launched the campaign in March, the community had reached the halfway point in construction using the initial funds raised by BUILD THE FAITH, and BUILD THE FAITH was working to raise the remaining $100,000 needed to complete the building. In the history of the Lenten Gift we had never even approached half of that grand total. But Christina, who lived by the teachings of St. Faustina “Jesus, I trust in You”, and Fr. Gabriel, who heard God’s voice saying to him, “Just ask,” compelled us to do just that.
We are overjoyed to announce that thanks to your incredible generosity, our 2025 Lenten Gift has raised just over $105,000!
Earlier this month, Fr. Gabriel shared a reflection on BUILD THE FAITH’S blog, called A House for Hope: How a Church Rises from the Ashes of Conflict. In it he wrote,
When I first told the Christians, “Let us keep praying; God will answer us,” it was more than a pastor’s hope – it was a desperate faith born from years of watching communities suffer from the war that began in 2017. With economic hardship deepening and entire villages demolished, it seemed impossible ever to build a church of our own. Realistically, we thought it might take fifty years or even more.
But God had other plans.
In this Jubilee Year of Hope, God sent us BUILD THE FAITH – a miracle from across the ocean. BUILD THE FAITH came into our lives when there was no hope and when all we had were prayers and dreams. You listened. You saw us. And through your generosity, we now dare to believe that what was once impossible is now at hand.
This help does not just mean bricks and mortar. It means recognition. It means our story is seen and heard. It means that in a world where people often look away from suffering, someone looks toward us…
To all who give – your names may be unknown to us, but your love is not. It is felt in every brick laid, every roof beam raised, and every child who will one day kneel before the altar you helped build.
You are not just donors. You are co-workers in Christ’s vineyard, and for that, we say: thank you. You have not only built a church. You have built faith.
May God bless you abundantly.
Thanks to the work of BUILD THE FAITH and your generosity, this dream is becoming a reality for the people of the Saint John Paul II community in Bamenda. We will continue to keep you updated on their progress – please keep them in your prayers, and know that you remain in theirs.
