Weekend? You bet!

Whenever I come across people excited by TGIF (Thanks God It's Friday) frenzy, I question myself if I am abnormal. To me, Friday is the beginning of the busiest time of the week. This 'weekend' is no exception to this rule...

Big And Small

Jubilees, big and small, coming in thick and fast this year. Apart from the main celebration of the Centenary of Christianity in the territory now called Diocese of Musoma, we get invitation now and then for other jubilee events - be it a Golden or Silver Jubilee of a certain parish in the diocese, be it a Golden or Silver Jubilee of priesthood or religious vows of certain servants of God in the diocese, be it a Golden or Silver Jubilee of the marriage or baptism or the birth of our parishioners. Envelopes with invitation card come thick and fast this year! But today there will be a small exception.

Agape

My sisters invited me to come over for the dinner tonight. It was a noble and kind gesture. The superior of the community explained that the sisters wanted to thank me for everything I did for them since the beginning till now and also to apologize for whatever mistakes and troubles they caused along the way. I was moved by this token of appreciation and apologies. I did the same in my short speech and it felt so great to connect on a higher level, after getting in terms with the past...

Ctrl+Alt+Del

Woke up this morning with a strange feeling as if not has happened in the passed 15 months when I was hosting six sisters in my house, due to the unfinished convent which was built by the deceased bishop of Musoma, Justin Samba (unfinished because of his premature death in 2006). Upon my comeback to Kiabakari from Musoma Cathedral in November 2006, I found this building in a poor shape. Had no money to continue the construction, neither new bishop who said that he found no money in the construction account of this project...

Towards The Liberation

The last day of March. A month that brought a lot of mixed emotions and turned out to be a hectic time for me... The dominating agenda was, obviously, the final stages of the construction and finishing works on St. Gemma Galgani convent in my mission...

Countdown

Since the day bishop of Musoma passed by shortly before Christmas and we were able to set the date for the opening of the St. Gemma Galgani Convent in Kiabakari (which I've been 'doing' since I returned from my North American fundraising trip, the time I live in now is nothing but a countdown to that day, April 10th. Living under one roof with a multitude of sisters is difficult enough for anyone, living with them for more than a year is a heroic feat, believe me. I am aware this time was difficult for sisters themselves as well. I hope Merciful God has pity on me and help me to finish this project as soon as possible and make sisters move to their new house. I hope too He considers this time spent together with sisters in my house as a sufficient equivalent of Purgatory and grants me a straight access to Heaven after being able to withstand the pressure and challenge of living together with this flock. Countdown continues... The day of freedom is coming...

Pure Coincidence?

Was it a pure coincidence that so long awaited Sisters from the Congregation of Little Servants of Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculate Conceived who I was asking patiently to come for some 17 years in a row in vain, conceded to my relentless petitioning and came at last to Kiabakari on January 3, 2010, on the first anniversary of the death of my Mum?

Camaraderie

There is this feeling one would describe as a feeling of togetherness in undertaking a huge challenge, in tossing oneself into a deep ocean in hope one will manage to stay on top as one is aware that there are others around who are willing to help and one is willing to help others too in order to succeed together as a team...

Two Victories

This day today brought a genuine mental rollercoaster. Feeling a bit drained and burned out, but calmly happy as two miracles happened today, two small victories, two prayers heard and answered, and all this on this special day, the Feast of the Birth of Our Lady...

Zero-Zero

Just a quick post on what has just happened. Shortly before 7pm, community superior of my sisters came to me asking for help in picking up two sisters coming to visit us from Shirati, some 120 kilometers from Kiabakari. They sent her a sms asking for pick up at Zero-Zero junction (zero-zero, because all distances in our area are counted starting from that junction) which is exactly between Musoma and Kiabakari, some 20 kilometers from here. This is a junction of Musoma-Mwanza highway which passes through Kiabakari and the highway going to the Kenyan border and beyond to Nairobi and Mombasa....

Surprises

As I have sensed and predicted, based on my experience, the first day of the seminar on spiritual warfare brought some surprises. The seminar proceedings are the same as on previous occasion in April, but since the participants are different, the response is quite different.

Mosquitos

I just can't sleep. Not only because it is my chronic problem of sleeplessness since long, but this room I am in, here in Mombasa Generalate house of Sisters of St. Joseph, has so many mosquitoes, it is impossible to sleep! I don't know where they were hiding during the afternoon hours, as I didn't spot any...There is this mosquito net over the bed, but it is ill fitted, too small and too tight, so I can't use it... not even a fetus-like position would help!

Mombasa

The short hop to Mombasa from Dar es Salaam via Zanzibar (15 minutes to Zanzibar, then 50 minutes further to Mombasa) was uneventful, thank God! Though the weather made for some bumpy ride over Zanzibar Channel and on our final to Moi International Airport in Mombasa.

Blessed Among Women

That's how I felt all day long today.

Started the day, as usual, with prayers and Holy Mass in the shrine. With my sisters - of the Congregation of Little Servants of Mary Immaculate. Then breakfast together.

Right after that I drove 35 kilometers to Bunda to the only monastery in Tanzania of Cloistered Discalded Carmelite Sisters. I went there to hear sisters' confessions, as I've been doing since 2001 (with a short break of two years maybe when I was in Musoma Cathedral alone and couldn't cope with all things I had on my head that time). I feel I receive more than I am able to give...Of course, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is priceless, but what I mean is that spiritually I feel extremely enriched whenever I go there, to the Carmel. I thank God for this unique opportunity I was given, when Sisters asked Bishop Samba to appoint me as their regular confessor. I received so much through this service I cannot even explain. I feel blessed...

Rushed back to Kiabakari to pick up my Sisters and escort the old Landrover I was given by Bishop Samba back when I was in Musoma, then gave it to volunteers administering our health center. Since they are gone now, I decided to return the car to the bishop and borrow another one, used Toyota Hilux, but in much better shape than poor old Landrover.

In Musoma I met several sisters from different congregations - Ivrea Sisters, Franciscan Sisters, Immaculate Heart Sisters of Africa, even one Maryknoll Sisters from USA passed me by in her car.

Returned back to Kiabakari in time to get myself ready to go to Buturu, to Chief Wanzagi Secondary School. Sisters of the Resurrection invited me to celebrate the very first Mass in their house chapel. In the house I supervised its construction just recently. This celebration had a deep meaning to me...To be able to celebrate Holy Mass in the place that was just a dusty field a few months before was so rewarding and fantastic feeling!

Sisters were very hospitable and generous in their warm welcome. We had a beautiful Mass with reflection, spontaneous prayers and sense of belonging to each other as came from very far together and shared same experience as misionaries, in our struggles, failures and victories. To pray together in that place had a taste of achievement and victory.

Then lovely chat at the table, deepening that sense of togetherness and community. Great dinner accompanied the conversation. It felt so good to spend this memorable evening together with sisters in Buturu. I am very grateful that this way they wanted to celebrate my ordination anniversary as well. The lovely statue of Good Shepherd I was presented as a gift will remain with me as a visible reminder of this evening...

This day truly was day when I felt in a special way - blessed among women...