February - 2019

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AGM and Annual Accounts

Feb 28, 2019

AGM and Annual Accounts

CMS Ireland will hold its Annual General Meeting at 2pm on Saturday 30th March 2019 in the Emmaus Centre, Swords (Co. Dublin). All CMSI members are welcome - as are those who are happy to sign-up on the day. The AGM forms part of Shine – our Annual Members’ Day – which also includes an annual review in the morning and a shared lunch. The AGM provides an opportunity to look back over the past year in the life of CMSI, as well as looking to the year ahead. There will be reports

A Giant Leap of Faith

Feb 27, 2019

A Giant Leap of Faith

Billy is now safely back home in Moira. It is hard to imagine that the struggle for safety and survival continues unrelentingly for so many back in South Sudan. As Billy boarded the plane for Yei a month ago it was announced that a new offensive was about to be launched from Yei against the main rebel group who had not signed up to the 2018 peace agreement. On the drive between Yei town and the airstrip Billy witnessed convoys of armoured vehicles being prepared for the atta

First steps

Feb 17, 2019

First steps

One more week to go and I feel as if I’m only just beginning to get a handle on where to start. Just finding out who is who, where things are, what is working, what is available in town, what other organisations are around and who I should visit has been slowly emerging. I have had several useful meetings with Bishop Hilary and the diocesan staff to develop a plan for the reopening of the Vocational Training Centre (VTC). Making a realistic budget has been a challenge with ra

A game with no rules

Feb 7, 2019

A game with no rules

Greetings to you all from a very hot and dusty Yei! I went to town this morning with Rev Simon to change some money. I immediately realised I should have taken a cardboard box for the bundles and bundles of notes I got in return! We went to Immigration to get an extension to my visa, as it was due to expire the day before my return flight. They put a new visa sticker in my passport dated 4 Aug 2019. I hope they're not expecting me to stay that long… Bishop Hilary’s vision is

Roadshow events celebrate Impact stories

Feb 5, 2019

Roadshow events celebrate Impact stories

Seven down, two to go! The last two weeks of January saw the CMSI staff team host seven Impact roadshow events across Ireland, visiting Belfast, Dungannon, Dromore, Ballymena, Cork, Dublin and Bushmills. The Impact series offers a chance for members, supporters and friends of CMSI to meet together and to hear recent highlights from the work of the society and its partners. In keeping with CMSI's current annual theme, this year's Impact presentation features stories of God's p

Billy's first few days in Yei

Feb 4, 2019

Billy's first few days in Yei

Billy Smyth has spent his first few days in South Sudan. He sent us some brief reflections on how he has found his return to Yei Diocese. On the way to Yei, I spent a day in Entebbe and met with a former colleague from Yei VTC, who later held an important position in government. He is now a refugee in a camp struggling to make ends meet for his family. It was lovely to catch up with him but distressing to see the impact of civil war on my friend. Arriving in Yei on Saturday I

Billy Smyth returns to Yei

Feb 4, 2019

Billy Smyth returns to Yei

At the start of February, former CMSI Mission Partner Billy Smyth returned to Yei Diocese, South Sudan to begin a Short-Term Experience Placement (STEP). Billy previously served with CMSI's Global Partners in both Uganda and in South Sudan before returning to Northern Ireland with Jenny, Abigail and Caleb in 2006. Billy and Jenny's last placement was in Yei Diocese, under the leadership of Bishop Hilary Luate Adeba. Billy and Jenny's work centred around the Vocational Trainin