On November 10th, 2012 the second group of the Power Girls graduated in Garam. 28 young women received a certificate after having attended four Saturdays with classes on personal and environmental hygiene, values and importance of women in society and church, simple sewing and some snack making. The girls all came from the neighbouring villages. A third group will start early in 2013.


October 29th, 2012 was a great day in the PHJC Congregation in Nigeria. For the first time, four sisters professed their final vows in the community. As this is a very important day, we were looking for a cathedral or big church. We finally went to Emekuku which is the Mother of all Churches in South East Nigeria. The Archdiocese of Owerri celebrated the centenary of the coming of the first missionaries in this year, 2012, in Emekuku.
Our Sisters Chinasa, Veronica, Scholastica and Gloria did their final profession and almost all of our sisters were there to celebrate with them and their families.
The picture shows the sisters with the mother of Sr. Veronica who wears the typical dress of the Yoruba women – the other three sisters are Igbos.


From August 6th to 13th, 2012, our children from Mgbele spent their annual vacation week in Garam. Except for Chisimdiri, all babies now walk and all had a wonderful time.
The outing this year was to Wonderland in Abuja. The journey was made in the two buses, from Mgbele and from Azhin Kasa school.

On the last weekend in July we had a vocation weekend in Garam to which 13 young women came. There will be another weekend at the end of August for those who could not make it because of school examinations.
The three vocation promoters, Srs. Agatha, Irene and Veronica, directed the young women who also had interviews with Srs. Petricia and Christeta.


Realizing the plight of the widows in Nigerian Society, Sr. Irene started a new project in Garam in January 2012. She is meeting with the widows every week, listening to their needs. In June, she could get a microfund on the way which enables the women to get a small credit, interest-free, to start a market stall or repair their huts or …
The women are very happy. 25 belong to the group although not all can come, due to weakness. Those who cannot come, are visited regularly.


On May 4th, 2012, Mrs. Anke Koch from Germany visited our Azhin Kasa school and the children greeted her and the other guests with a cultural dance. Their culture is Gbagi, and they like decorating themselves.


Archbishop Anthony Obinna of Owerri Archdiocese blessed the ground for the extension of the convent and child care centre in Mgbele on March 28th, 2012, in the presence of the local community and Srs. Simone and Petricia.
The first buildings are already getting too small.


Four of our novices were admitted to first vows. As our German Provincial Sr. Simone was present for the occasion, it was especially festive and beautiful. After the profession on March, 24th, the sisters left with their relatives for home leave. After that, in April, they will be missioned to their apostolates in schools and clinics.


March 1st, 2012: Four young ladies joined the formation group in March, coming from Bayelsa, Cross River, Kano and Imo State. We are happy for the mixture in the group and wish them to feel at home quickly.

February 2012: We finally could get land to build our school in Ifetedo, on a permanent site. lt is still forest but will soon be cleared so that the building can start. The King of lfetedo helped us with his cabinet to get this land in the neighbourhood to a secondary school as well as to the university.


January 2012: The babies that we took in in July of 2011, have developed very well. The oldest even goes to nursery playgroup and enjoys it. For the two youngest, the damage done by malnourishment is not fully resolved. But we have good hope.


January 6th, 2012, was a joyful day in Garam. The Apostolic Nuntio to Nigeria, Archbishop Augustine Kasujia, celebrated the Eucharist at the first profession of Sisters Chinwe and Emelda. Sisters from all the missions participated, and as both had also been working as novices in our child care in Mgbele, five of our children were here.