Tuesday, January 31, 2012

In The Fast Lane

Sad to see my last post was about two weeks ago. The life has accelerated so much I found myself in the fast lane, either I liked it or not. The last day of January prompts me to reflect upon the first month of this year. And I find it difficult to believe that so many things have happened in such a short, relatively, period of time. Simply amazing... I'm grateful to the Almighty and all good people I've met and connected with in real life and online. Thank you all! Yet the blog activity suffered big time... And now I brace myself for the second month of the year 2012. It looks like it will have two sides. One - pastoral and development works, as we arrive to Ash Wednesday on February 22, entering absolutely amazing Lent time, with many pastoral activities planned already for this, precisely, time. On the other hand - having finished just installation of new P.A. System in the shrine, financed in half by parishioners and in half by my friends - I turn my focus towards plans for two new classrooms, hoping for positive answer from my benefactors; plans for construction of a new pre-school; along with finishing works on Nyakiswa church. I look forward to receive shipment of new books for standard three and four students any time now. I hope that all sponsors of our Foundation Kiabakari educational adoption program will fulfill their pledges of support as soon as possible, so that we can cope with the demands of our growing school... At the back of my head I look forward to my trip home to spend Easter with my Dad, home alone in Krakow. I can't wait! But first - prayer, work and responsibilities. May God bless us all and keep us in the palms of His hands! Praying for all of you!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

About Us

Just an alert to bring your attention to a short 30 minutes or so photo presentation and music (below) depicting the latest (November 2011)  pastoral visit of the mission team of Archdiocese of Krakow, Poland, in our missions in Tanzania. You may see my mission in Kiabakari (from 6th minute of the program up to almost 11th minute). Plus Musoma cathedral later on in the program where I spent more than four years (2002-2006).

One Of These Days

Finding myself at the lowest point, mentally and psychologically, feeling tired and burnt out, searching anew for purpose of what I am and what I stand for and what I do...

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Momentary Bucket List

Inspired by one of my favorite movies - "The Bucket List", I drew up my own momentary bucket list as I was getting ready to head down to Dar es Salaam for my business trip...

Monday, January 9, 2012

Missionaries from Kraków

Just to let you know, that you may find interesting short videos published here. There are a couple of videos from Kiabakari, from times I described in my earlier post (click here). Enjoy! And while you enjoy, please, say a prayer for us, missionaries, and our work. Thank you!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

What Exactly Is That?

On the last day of Christmas liturgical period, as we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, I've been questioning myself, after meditating on the mystery of Christ Incarnation, His earthly life, Passion Mystery and what followed further on...

That Day

Exactly, on this day, twenty one years ago, I set my foot for the first time on African soil, in Dar es Salaam, upon my arrival to Tanzania, to begin my life and service as a Fidei Donum missionary from Archdiocese of Kraków - for the Diocese of Musoma. I reminisced that day in my autobiography - Między Taborem a Golgotą (Between Tabor and Golgotha), and for those of my readers who don't have this book, I would like to quote the passage from it, describing how it was on January 8, 1991. For those of my readers who do not speak Polish, please use Google Translator (provided in the right column of this blog)...

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Connected Vessels

Solemnity of Epiphany we celebrated yesterday gave me a lot to think about which I shared with my community during the homily of the Holy Mass last evening. Jesus gave Himself totally to us. And He proved His unconditional love to us on the Cross and in the Mystery of the Eucharist. What kind of passionate love is this to not only abandon His divine glory becoming a man like us, but going even further - abandoning His humanity becoming a Bread preserved in tabernacles across the world, most of the time left alone, visited only from time to time by few and during the liturgical celebrations in our churches...

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Poor Granny

My poor granny, the 20 years old Toyota Hilux truck gave up on me this morning for yet another time. I was able to drive for sick calls after morning Mass, then drove to Musoma to pick up documents and certificates I left at printing press a couple of days ago for printing, and to post official letters with notifications to other parishes - of people who received various sacraments in the recent months in Kiabakari...

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Three Years

Time flies by so fast. It's been already three years since my Mum passed from this life to eternity. And as I was celebrating the morning Eucharist for her, memories of the days we were together along with the day I got phone call from my Brother, the mortifying feelings and what followed after that, the Holy Mass for the repose of the soul of my Mum presided by the bishop of Musoma with fully packed church in Kiabakari on January 5, 2009, then my flight to Europe, reconnecting with the family and friends...the funeral on January 9, with the funeral Mass in our parochial church in Krakow, at St. Kazimierz on Grzegorzki and the burial in the family grave in Rakowice cemetery...

Monday, January 2, 2012

Poles Around Lake Victoria

Last Thursday of the year 2011 Polish missionaries and volunteers working around the Lake Victoria gathered together in Kahangala, some 55 kilometers off Mwanza, on the highway Mwanza-Musoma, at Polish Resurrection Fathers mission, to celebrate Christmas in Polish home style...

Sub Tuum Praesidium!

These are the words I spoke while kneeling yesterday in front of the main altar of Divine Mercy Shrine in Kiabakari. When I was getting ready for the New Year Masses in my mission, on the first day of the New Year 2012, on the Solemnity of Holy Mary, Mother of God, I felt a very strong urge to consecrate my mission anew to Our Lady...