Warsaw Uprising

Tomorrow, on August 1, is the 66th Anniversary of the day on which Warsaw Uprising begun. Please, take note of this tragic struggle of Polish Resistance movement in the capital city of Poland, occupied by German forces, with Russian and Polish communist armies standing idle and watching insurgents bleeding out and crushed by the might of German occupiers...Warsaw could have been one of the first European capitals liberated; however, various military and political miscalculations, as well as global politics — played among Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) — turned the dice against it.

Imogen

Saturday afternoon. Last day of July. It's been a hectic month for me. And I paid the price for it. Today is one of the lowest days in mood terms. I went to see a classmate, had a great chat, then visited Divine Mercy Shrine in Łagiewniki, went for a quick lunch with a parishioner from my home parish. She is one of those Kraków's living legends, multi-talented person, artist, painter, great person to connect, chat and exchange what's on our minds. I gave her my book she was waiting for. Then, suddenly, I felt I'm accelerating towards an abyss...

Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam

Today the liturgy celebrates commemoration of St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (a religious order of Jesuits). The motto of Ignatius and Jesuits alike - 'Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam' (For the Greater Glory of God) resounds in the Holy Mother Church for the past five centuries and thousands followed its challenging message...

Melting Pot

This is my magic, unique spot on the map of my city, The One And Only Royal Capital City of Poland, Kraków. And in the Great Market Square of this City, there is this Melting Pot, a special place, where I always find refuge as I wander through the streets of my City...a welcoming place where on hot sunny days one can rest and chill out...as on rainy, snowy, cold days, there is always a welcoming cup of hot coffee or tea...

At Last!

What a day of accomplishment and overwhelming joy! I have just come back home from the meeting with my publisher, having been on phone conversation with a printing house for the last few days. Finally, after eleven months of hectic work on the book, I can fill my eyes with the view of my new book and lay my hungry hands on it, feeling it, unwrapping the foil, touching its hard cover and holding like a long awaited guest! The book is just a work of art. Designers from the publishing house and the quality of printing is simply stunning!

Close Encounter

On my way from Dar es Salaam to Zurich via Nairobi, I was seated next to a Tanzanian lady who looked to be a well off. Her two lively daughters, teenagers, sat right behind us. The lady slept all night, wrapped tight in a blanket. When she woke up in time for breakfast before landing in Zurich, she opened up and told me her story...

Swiss

Sitting in the Julius Nyerere International Airport lounge, right after check-in, which went surprisingly efficiently and quickly... Still an hour plus before boarding time. I decided to take out my laptop and do some reading and writing. Then, suddenly, I reminisced a funny episode, when I flew last time from Warsaw to Dar es Salaam via Zurich... This made me chuckle to myself which caused a few raised eyebrows around me...

High Hopes

for the division bell to stop ringing among ourselves over there in Poland... high hopes for these three weeks ahead of me ... high hopes for things on the table to get cleaned up ... high hopes to fulfill my duties there are over there ahead of me ... high hopes for meeting relatives and friends ... high hopes for repairing fallen bridges... high hopes for Divine Mercy conquering all obstacles...

Misfit

I am about to cross from one reality to the other in a matter of few hours. Flying tonight from Dar es Salaam to Warsaw via Zurich. These realities - Tanzania (and Africa at large) and Poland (and Europe at large) - has merged in me throughout the past twenty years of my life and work as a Polish missionary in Tanzania and - I believe - made me someone else, living in between these two realities, or maybe, someone incorporating in oneself both realities. I feel at home in Tanzania. I feel at home in Poland. Yet I do not belong fully anymore to Poland. And I will never belong fully to Tanzania, no matter how hard I try...

Ellis Park

These two words have become familiar to every soccer / football fan across the globe. Famous Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, the venue for the opening and closing of World Cup 2010 and some of the games during the month long tournament. But its history reaches much  further in the past...

Dar Snippets

Just came back from morning tour of the city. Things went pretty well. Some official business points on my to-do list for today and some items just for myself, as I wanted to get the ambiance and feeling of the city, driving and walking around...

New Life

Last week was truly a new life welcoming week long fiesta! Poor Sister Grace, our health center administrator and midwife by profession, helped by other sisters and nurses from the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Health Center in Kiabakari, was rushing daily back to work prompted by anxious people or watchmen from the facility coming to the mission asking for help...expecting mothers were being brought to the gate of the health center and on one occasion - a mum-to-be was left all alone at the gate by a bodaboda rider, as she came herself by motorcycle to deliver a baby!

My Dar

I love this city. Dar es Salaam. The largest city in Tanzania. The business hub for Tanzania and East Africa. The Metropolitan See for Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam. The city with the largest expat community in whole Tanzania. The city which welcomed me on January 8, 1991, when I flew in to begin my new life in Tanzania as a missionary. The city which bids me farewell whenever I fly back home for holidays or looking for help to boost our quest to make Divine Mercy vision in Kiabakari happen and become reality. The city of my choice whenever I need to rest and unwind and do some business. My city. My Dar...

Humanae Vitae

Today, apart from liturgical celebration of the Feast of St. James, the Apostle, and the commemoration of St. Christopher, we commemorate also 42nd anniversary of the promulgation of Paul VI encyclical letter 'Humanae Vitae' which has become a sign of contradiction in the modern world...

Christ-Carrier

July 25th, 2010, and indeed - every year - in liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church is observed as a Feast of St. James, the Apostle, and also as the commemoration of  St. Christopher, Patron Saint of travelers, on which day we bless vehicles (at least it is a tradition in Poland).

Kiabakari 1990-2010

I'm in Dar es Salaam at the moment, on my way home to Poland. 3G broadband in Vodacom mobile network allows me to upload internet version of the DVD on which English subtitles I was working for some time in past two weeks or so (with a great help of Rev. Sister Stephanie Blaszczynski, CR in proofreading - I am very grateful to her for committing her precious time to go through the text and for her remarks and suggestions, thank you so much!).

Tengeru

My friends in Canada I am about to visit this autumn, asked me to come with pictures and videos of Polish Refugees Cemetery located in Tengeru, near Arusha, in Tanzania. Some of them are former refugees from Tengeru camp... This is not only about a place of burial of more than 130 Polish refugees who died while camped in Tengeru, one of several camps in East Africa where Polish citizens escaping from Soviet Union during second World War found refuge waiting for the war to end so they could go back to their homeland, loved ones and neighborhoods...

Random Snippets

Yeah, random snippets on my way from Kiabakari to Dar es Salaam via Mwanza today. If you are chicken hearted or sensitive, please do not read further after this first paragraph as some images may be disturbing to you...You have been warned!

Foundation 'Kiabakari'

So, this the last day before I start my journey towards Poland, towards my Dad, relatives, friends I miss and long for, towards hospital, towards hectic schedule awaiting me there. This is Friday, a regular recollection day, which comes very conveniently as the last day of my preparations, to enable me to pray, reflect, silence my soul and mind and immerse Kiabakari community, myself, all people I will meet on my way during this one month journey and all things scheduled already and those that will pop up unexpectedly there - in Divine Mercy Ocean, to make sure my preparations for the trip are complete in the eyes of faith and reason...

Educational Adoption

I just came back from our pre-school to see how kids and sisters are doing. I was very impressed to notice a huge difference from the time we started the kindergarten. In a matter of four months the place changed, looking more and more like European kindergartens / pre-schools (still a way to go, but we will get there eventually, once we move to the proper facility ie John Paul II Center for Education and Formation. Academically speaking, children have improved in all areas, English language, manual skills, discipline, camaraderie among themselves, subjects...

Invisible Anchor

The closer to my departure for Poland, the harder it becomes to get ready to leave. I just feel I am anchored to Kiabakari with so many invisible chains, ropes, ties, relations, responsibilities, that it becomes unbearable when times like these come to get the parish and all things going on in it ready and safe while I am away, and at the same time to think about what I need to prepare for my trip and the agendas awaiting me there.

Reisefieber

I woke up this morning, generally trashed after bad night and pain in my liver and stomach (getting used to it, and trying to stay positive though), so was quite reluctant to get up from bed and get going. And yet  that overall bad mood was overwhelmed by an excitement of an upcoming trip to Poland. This sensation, so well known to me, whenever I get ready to travel, and so common among the traveling nation worldwide, is called in our European geographical longitude and latitude Reisefieber.

Confidence

Sitting in the church in the morning, ready to to offer penitential service to anyone who wanted to reconcile himself/herself with God before the Holy Mass, I had an ample time, as always in those minutes preceding the liturgy, to think about the importance of the gift of listening to others and the gift of total confidence and privacy, so basic, so important in my vocation, and yet - in any relationship between people.

Third Pillar

The main idea, mission statement and an engine behind all projects undertaken in my mission in Kiabakari  can be specified as follows: “Anyone approaching and ascending the Hill of the Divine Mercy shall find Divine Mercy embracing the whole human person – spiritually, physically and intellectually. The Diocesan Shrine of Divine Mercy is the place where the human soul in particular is being immersed in the Ocean of Divine Mercy. The Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Health Center is the place where the suffering human body meets Divine Mercy addressing its needs. John Paul II Center for Education and Formation is the place where young and adults alike are educated and undergo holistic formation on the basis of the message of Divine Mercy. By these three major avenues which allow a human person meet Divine Mercy in a holistic manner, the whole human being is immersed in, touched and transformed by the Living Merciful God.”

The Better Part

Today's Gospel on Jesus visiting the house of Martha, Mariam and Lazarus, made me remind those occasions I visited my relatives and friends while on holidays at home in Poland.

The Essence

Back to Tarime today for the thanksgiving Mass of the newly ordained priest, Fr. Alfred Kwene. This time at home. It is a custom in the Diocese of Musoma and elsewhere in the world for a newly ordained priest to say his first official public Mass at home parish, shortly after his ordination. While in Poland we customarily celebrate our first public Mass at home parish church on the Sunday following the ordination day, here in the Diocese of Musoma, newly ordained priest celebrates his first Mass literally at home!

Missing Piece

Solemnity of Our Lady of Carmel is observed today, on July 16 every year. This is a major Solemnity for all Carmelite Orders, as Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a Patroness of Carmelites – male and female orders, along with a Third Order of those living in the world but spiritually associated with Carmelite Orders, especially through a sign of filial belonging to Our Lady which is a Brown Scapular.

Greatest Gift

I have just come back home from Tarime, one of the largest towns in our Mara Region, ‘capital city’ of Tarime district. Located just 16 kilometers from Tanzanian/Kenyan border along the main highway from Mombasa via Nairobi and further on to the junction of Musoma-Mwanza highway (Kiabakari is just 20 kilometers to the south of this junction on the same highway to Mwanza). From Kiabakari to Tarime is 87 kilometers and today it took me one and a half hours of moderate driving to Tarime and back home.

Clear Air

It is easier to breathe when you are able to clear the air between you and your lost friend... Today, my personal satisfaction flowing out of the feelings of relief and accomplishment after finishing the work on English version of DVD documentary on Kiabakari and on other DVD project (The Cemetery of World War II Polish Refugees in Tengeru, near Arusha, Tanzania) I was asked for by my friends in Canada (some of them were refugees themselves during the war and right after it, then they found a new home in Canada and elsewhere), has been further boosted by feelings of inner joy after clearing the air between me and a once a very good friend of mine who went AWOL, leaving bad taste in my mouth on the way out, but today I feel like I got him back after waiting for so long.

Two Weeks

Counting days till my short trip home. Just two weeks left. I have to admit that this time I am truly looking forward to those three weeks spent home with Dad and my close friends. And - of course - two major reasons to undertake this 'flash vacation' are a wedding of my friends and my medical checkup in hospital, as I still do not feel confident that I am on a right track to recovery...

Satisfaction

People have different motivational schemes in their lives. Different reasons which rock their boats. The question what really drives one to excel, what it is that one yearns for as a compensation of one's efforts and struggle, will generate different answers. Sometimes we may get only a bunch of blank stares, incredulous looks of people who run on a money monorail only...

El Nino

Still savoring the taste of triumph after the final game of World Cup 2010 in South Africa. First of all, the closing ceremony of World Cup was beautiful, very well prepared, colorful, with great ambiance and contrasts, all blended into perfect harmony.

First Love

Today was my turn to help in Zanaki Parish (mother parish of Kiabakari, which was for a long time a center in the old vast Zanaki parish, then detached from it in 1991 when I started to work on Kiabakari center in order to make it an independent parish which happened the following year). The parish priest of Zanaki, Fr. Piotr Pawlus is on his vacation for three months in Europe, so we - his neighbors - come in turns to help with Holy Masses in the parish while he is away. My duty is to go there once a month and today was the first time I fulfilled my obligation.

Window Cleaner

I  have just opened my daily dispatch from Zenit agency. I found in it a document which drew my attention and I want to share it with you. This is Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor,  the retired archbishop of Westminster,  address to Ireland's priests, delivered on June 15 at the Maynooth Union Celebrations to mark the end of the Year for Priests:  "The Greatest Wound ... in This Present Crisis Is the Betrayal of Love".

Woza!

World Cup 2010 in South Africa is coming to an end. Just waiting to see if Paul, the octopus, was right with his last predictions. I cannot deny I would be more than happy if this was the case, tonight Germany taking third place, and tomorrow Spain lifting the World Cup for the first time in history of the competition.

Void

That is exactly how I feel at the moment. It has been an intensive day, the last day of long period of elections (since March this year) of new leaders in lay parish council, starting from the leadership of every Small Christian Community (41 to be exact in all nine outstations of the parish), every group in the parish (parochial and outstation choirs, the Apostleship of Prayer, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Living Rosary, Holy Childhood, Vocation Group, Catholic Women League, Working Youth, Tanzania Young Catholic Students, Friday recollection group, catechists etc.), every district in Kiabakari township (six districts, namely Busaraga, Jeshini, Madaraka, Nyamisisye Madukani, Nyamisisye Stendi and Nyamongo), then leadership of all nine outstations and finally today we had final election day of the executive committee of the Lay Council of the Parish.

Friends

No, it won't be about that famous soap opera (whatever you call these never-ending TV series). It is about today which has become suddenly, unexpectedly a day enriched with expected and unexpected friends and guests visiting me.

Easter Island

Whenever I watch a World Cup 2010 game, I pay close attention to the pre-game presentation of teams and playing and singing of national anthems. It gets on my nerves big time, when I see those overpaid young men lined up for the presentation, standing there with - in most cases - lifeless faces, indifferent to what is going on around, oblivious of the importance of their national teams being played and choosing not to sing (maybe they simply don't know the words of their national anthems?), while at the same time, team fans on the stands give their all singing their lungs out and doing whatever they can come up with in their ingenuity to emphasize their national pride and love of their country.

Arch-dust

This is a word a friend of mine once used after passing through Serengeti National Park upon arrival home in Kiabakari. He and his fellow travelers he came with to visit me to Tanzania, unwrapped his suitcases and bags of plastic trash bags that wisely were used to secure the luggage. Still, they found out that dust was everywhere, even inside those bags and suitcases, no matter how tightly they were wrapped! He shook his head and said - 'This is not a normal dust! It is an arch-dust! You just cannot win the battle with it!'

Bunda

Half of my sisters, seminarian and myself just came back from Bunda parish, our neighbors, 32 kilometers from Kiabakari on the way to Mwanza. The same town where I go twice a month for penitential service of Carmelite Cloistered Nuns.

Saba Saba

Today we celebrate national holiday in Tanzania, famously knows as Saba Saba Day (seven seven, as it is celebrated on July 7th every year). When I first came to Tanzania in the beginning of 1991, it was still observed and enforced strongly as a 'Farmers' Day', though the origin of the day is the birth of TANU (Tanganyika African National Union) party on July 7th, 1954.

Gas

We ran out of gas home, so I decided to jump into the car and drive to Musoma to get a refill (which means bringing back an empty cylinder to a dealer and getting a full one, paying 45,000 Tanzanian shillings). To my taste and to my parochial budget, the retail price of the gas is way too expensive for any average customer in Tanzania. This gas cylinder will last for a month, sometimes bit longer, sometimes bit shorter. At the same time one sack of charcoal in our area is still around 8-10 thousand Tanzanian shillings. I will use maybe two sacks per month. You do the counting.

The Nursing Mother

On this day, July 6th, we commemorate Blessed Maria Teresa Ledóchowska, 'the nursing mother of the African missions' as she became known due to her commitment to support African missionary effort in her times, by working in the background, founding Sodality of St. Peter Claver, missionary sisters dedicated to supporting missions without going actually to mission territories itself.

Tuesday

Tuesdays usually are my home bound days. The parish covers a huge area, people live in remote villages, though it is not the biggest parish in Musoma Diocese, still - some of them have to walk 15+ kilometers to get to Kiabakari. It poses a difficult issue how to run a 'user friendly' parish.

The Cross

Eighteen years ago, on July 5th, 1992, three weeks before the official blessing of Kiabakari mission headquarters (July 28, 1992 by Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, Apostolic Nuncio in Tanzania that time), we had a special day of the Cross. 

Man of The Beatitudes

My American friends celebrate Independence Day today, 4th of July. Catholic Church in her Liturgy celebrates today other feast though. It is the feast of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, Saint Patron of Kiabakari Parish and the Divine Mercy Shrine, as I have already explained in my previous posts.

Down The Memory Lane

As we celebrate 13th Anniversary of the Dedication of our church in Kiabakari (read my previous post), I thought it would be appropriate to share with you some memories by means of photos taken on that memorable day.

13

To many, this number is associated with all bad things imaginable (at least in many cultures this is the case, including Poland; though for Tanzanians, especially in our Mara Region, and Zanaki ethnic group in particular, number 7 is the bad number, while in Poland number 7 is a good luck number to the contrary!).

An Old Friend

Woke up this morning still feeling unwell. It made me bit nervous, thinking about these three holy days of celebrations and the perspective of getting sick and being unfit was not very attractive to me. So I decided to go to our health center and check blood and other things.

Triduum Sacrum

No, I am not talking about THE Triduum Sacrum during Holy Week - Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday with Easter Vigil. This is another Triduum Sacrum, three holy days we observe and celebrate in a most devout, passionate and solemn way.

Subtitles

I had no idea how painstakingly difficult is to get subtitles right for language version of DVD on Kiabakari, and I guess on any movie out there in the world. For so many years, since I started to watch movies, never did a thought cross my mind how it was being done - those subtitles... Now I know.