Let Them Come

Founder’s Message

IMFH VALUES and GOALS

PREMISE: IMFH’s Vision, Values, Goals and Mission has its origins, roots and inspiration in the charismatic Intuition and Spirituality of St. DANIEL COMBONI (Limone, BS,  Italy, 1831 –  Khartum, Sudan, 1881) the First Bishop of Central Africa, and the Founder (1867) of the COMBONI MISSIONARIES, Rev. Fr. Joseph Rabbiosi, IMFH Founder and Director, being one of them.

BASIC VISION, VALUES, GOALS and MISSION: The following VISION, VALUES, GOALS and MISSION lie at the heart and at the foundations of IMFH as an Institution. They are referred to, upheld, studied and assumed by all the personnel that plays any role in the Institution. They are the “core” subjects of their formation before and during their service at IMFH. All the children followed directly or at distance by IMFH will likewise assumed them as the foundation stones of their life.

1. AFRICA IN THE UNIVERSAL AND INCLUSIVE OUTLOOK: Humanity is not fully realized without the “pearl” of Africa. Africa and Africans are essential to the growth of the whole human family; they have an irreplaceable role to play and without them humanity and the community of Nations will be poorer.
2. THE HOUR OF AFRICA: Yet, Africa and especially Africa’s children, at this present moment, are among the most vulnerable, and exploited people of the planet. The hour has come for whole human community, including Africa itself, to awaken to this unjust reality, assume its fair share of blame and responsibilities, and to work toward the creation of an environment of mutual collaboration and just solidarity for the promotion and growth of the African People, especially the children.
3. SOLIDARITY AND COOPERATION: IMFH will continue to sensitize locally and globally, people of good will, volunteers, institutions and all type of associations in order to promote and support the just cause of the African children and the vulnerable. IMFH believes and promote all type of solidarity and cooperation among all the institutions and forces that are available and ready, as long as there is “deep love and passion” for African children and all those “who do not count”.
4. TO HELP AND NOT TO REPLACE: IMFH presence in the African continent is not to replace the people who are the primary responsible for the children and the vulnerable.  Its role is not to replace but  The help given by IMFH is meant “to help people to help themselves”. Even if some times IMFH assumes a major role and takes on the major part of the responsibilities, it does so only temporary and conditionally. The parents, the family, the extended family, the faith community, the village and its authorities, the country’s institutions, etc… they all need to assume their responsibilities and play their roles as soon as they are in a position to do so.
5. AFRICA WILL BE “SAVED “ BY AFRICANS: African people are the primary subjects of their own progress and growth and they are the authors of their own destiny. Africans have the capacity and the resources to shape their present and their future.   IMFH believes in and promotes self-esteem, self reliance and self-determination of Africans and specially of African Children.

Even though IMFH  recognizes its past history of dependence from exterior help and collaboration, it now acknowledges that the time has come to promote, as much as possible and as a priority, its own well being from within its own structures and the African society. However, since the whole of humanity has been, is and it will keep on becoming more and more interdependent, in this “global village”, IMFH will not relent in soliciting, both locally and abroad, the collaboration of any person or institution of good will who share its same vision, values, mission and goals.

1. INTEGRATED INTERVENTION, NOT A HAND OUT: IMFH intervenes in the life of a child not just as a piecemeal or in a temporary or fragmented way.

Once the attention and the responsibility of IMFH has been drawn by the proper authorities and IMFH intervenes or even assumes the care of a child, within its framework and structures or at distance, it will try its best to harmonize its intervention. In this sense IMFH is not a “Charity Program”.

IMFH will try to follow the child and to assure continuity of support and growth till the life of the child has reached the desired maturity and goal. It will do so always in collaboration with the proper authorities. It will protect the child from any superficial or light hearted intrusion by any person or institution, which may not guarantee proper and necessary care in the child’s on-going journey and total growth.

7. INTEGRATION OF TRADITIONAL AND CHRISTIAN VALUES: God has been walking with our African Ancestors and has revealed to them basic truths and values about human life and collective living. These should be assumed and lived boldly and proudly, even and especially nowadays, in the face of the westernizing of the African culture. The Gospel of Christ, a universal call to truth, justice and love, is not meant to reject any of the positive experiences of our African people and history. IMFH promotes a holistic approach to formation in which traditional values and culture are integrated into the Christian vision of life.

8. INTEGRAL FORMATION: All the children who are blessed with the education of IMFH personnel and structures, directly or at distance, are offered an holistic approach to their formation which is called “integral formation”. The children are helped to integrate and harmonize all their activities and learning, whether in school in formal academic environment, or after school, in community living and interactions, into a balanced and sound personal and social life. This integration is the responsibility of and brought about by all the personnel who interact directly or indirectly with the child. The personnel of IMFH is called upon to be role model for the children who should already see in them the integrated life and maturity they are called to emulate.

8. THE DESIRED MATURITY: Ideally the child followed by IMFH, directly or at distance, will have to reach a twofold purpose.

One, his/her own personal goal: the child’s maturity and self-reliability, including financial stability.

Two, the service to the community: s/he will have to play a meaningful role within the community and the society.

9. “PIERCED” HEART FOR AFRICA and the PAYING OF A PERSONAL PRICE: “The Good Shepherd”, whose heart has been pierced for the love of humanity and for the “lost sheep”, is the icon that inspires IMFH and all its personnel. IMFH expect all the people who are part of its Institution, personnel and children alike, to empathize with the suffering of the “little ones” and of the most vulnerable and to give of themselves, heart and soul, for Africa and Africa’s Children. They must be ready and willing to pay a personal price of self-commitment, sacrifice and suffering for the betterment of their present conditions. The personnel should consider themselves not just as carrying out a job, as per a job description. Likewise the children should not see themselves only as beneficiaries. Personnel and children alike should all be seeing themselves as responding to and living out a special calling.

7. WITNESSES OF THE GOSPEL: IMFH, in its choices, attitudes and behavior, witnesses the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, in words and deeds, in the Catholic Tradition. It is driven by the call to witness the Gospel’s Values of Truth, Justice and Love. Thus all the personnel, as well as all the children, live an ongoing process of a journey of personal conversion and change in order to be and become more and more authentic witnesses of truth, justice and love.

REV. FR. JOSEPH RABBIOSI, Comboni Missionary

IMFH Founder and Director

 

IMFH’s Vision, Values, Goals and Mission has its origins, roots and inspiration in the charismatic Intuition and Spirituality of St. DANIEL COMBONI (Limone, BS,  Italy, 1831 –  Khartum, Sudan, 1881) the First Bishop of Central Africa, and the Founder (1867) of the COMBONI MISSIONARIES, Rev. Fr. Joseph Rabbiosi, IMFH Founder and Director, being one of them.