Friday was the second day of my short visit to Ireland. My hosts planned a full day of meetings for me. In retrospect I must say that I received more than I was able to give those whom I met in various places...
The first meeting was scheduled at Our Lady's Grammar School for girls of age 14-17. It was a good opportunity to share with them my journey in faith, the call to priesthood, call to missions and what Kiabakari is all about, especially on educational side.
The meeting hall, very modern and packed with sophisticated equipment was the venue for the meeting. I was a bit apprehensive before coming to school, but was amazed at the attentiveness and focus of girls during the meeting. It was a great moment of going back in time and reflecting publicly on the mysteries of my spiritual life.
Thanks to Sisters Helena and Yvonne, teachers and girls themselves, the seed of word about vocation in Church, missions and volunteerism has been sown in minds and souls of those wonderful girls. and I am sure it will bear fruit as it always has been the case, whenever I was speaking about these topics.
I recalled yesterday the other meeting I had a few years ago in Nowa Huta in post-secondary school for paramedics. The hall fully packed with about 300 young students clad in green overalls. After few months one of them wrote to me, and now she has become the very first volunteer of Foundation Kiabakari, getting ready at the moment to fly to Africa at the end of this month to begin her voluntary service in my mission...
God's word never returns without harvest...
Right after the meeting at school, I was invited to visit the convent of Sisters of Mercy in Newry where we had a great time sharing light moment, chat and fabulous lunch.
It was First Friday of the month yesterday. I had an urge to go to Rostrevor, to pray at Benedictine monastery there and to buy candles, handmade by monks themselves, which I simply love! Luckily, my hosts, Sisters Helena and Mary drove me there and at the Divine Mercy Hour we were able to kneel down in the church and pray silently for so many people and for so many intentions, hidden in my weary heart...
Of course, I got my candles, which I intend to present to special people...
Then, we drove around Moore mountains, visiting the Spelga dam and the Silent Valley. Thank God, the weather was very clement, and the whole trip was an excellent experience.
At the end of the day I had one last thing to do. Meeting a small Christian Community at someone's house where some ten people gathered, followers of Divine Mercy devotion. We had a nice Mass with a homily and eucharistic adoration with Divine Mercy chaplet and afterwards - sharing our faith and speaking about Divine Mercy in Tanzania, and in Kiabakari in particular. It was a good idea to fly to Ireland with DVDs of Kiabakari. It really helped speaking about my mission and showing it in live pictures...
I was nourished by the living faith and apostolic zeal of that small group of lay people. Such a fantastic experience of domestic Church. I wish everyone was following their example. What can I say? Surely, I will carry them in my heart, praying for them and remembering them at the altar. May Jesus, the King of Mercy, bless them and keep them safe and sound in the Ocean of His Divine Mercy!
And now it is Saturday, early morning... Whole Ireland seems to sleep soundly til now, awakening slowly to the new day, for most - a day of rest... I woke up as always very early, today much earlier than usual, as the sudden toothache did not allow me to have a good night rest. Anyway, the pain is coming and going, so I hope to bear with it till I come back home to Krakow on Monday and have a good look at it...
Have a nice and blessed weekend! Praying for you always!
beautiful
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