3x4

It appears that this year will be divided in three distinctive periods of four months each. The first four months which are currently underway are fully packed with pastoral, spiritual and re-organizational work in Kiabakari. Frankly saying, I am a bit relieved we (Foundation Kiabakari) did not get funding for developing projects this year as it would put my plans for this year in jeopardy. Of course, I will always place the common good and interest ahead of my personal plans, yet, deep in my heart I was somehow happy when we did not secured the funds for our two projects for this year, no matter how important they were to my community in Kiabakari. I was personally worried that if we get the funding that I won't be able to travel this year and do some important things which need my attention. The lack of funding meant that my travel plans for this year, including very important Congress on Divine Mercy in Colombia, would go through. So, I cannot complain, but rather, enjoy this opportunity to have some holidays and do some other things.

There has been a lot going on at the moment in my life and in Kiabakari. That is why I chose to keep silent a bit and withdraw from the public domain to focus on issues here. The Year of Family demands new, fresh and original approach and full commitment to the pastoral work in Kiabakari. Rediscovering ourselves as God's and human family, so rich in talents and charisms. I enjoy renewed formation efforts with my altar servers, vocation groups, apostolic movements in the parish, Small Christian Communities, outstations, preparations of Sunday and daily homiletic reflections, interacting with my people on various levels, in particular in the parochial office. I look forward to the annual parochial lenten eight day retreat which starts this coming Sunday and will be led by Fr. Baptist Regina Mapunda, White Father and his retreat team. I look forward to this year Divine Mercy celebrations  focused on the canonization of Blessed John Paul II, the Apostle of Divine Mercy.

This grassroots level pastoral and spiritual commitment is interwoven with managerial duties I have here in Kiabakari, restructuring of the staff and work program in our health center, enjoying the new pre-school life in new reality and grateful to God for the successful registration of the pre-school and primary school. We have sat together as stakeholders of the education in Kiabakari to think about the best possible environment for our standard four students who will sit for the first time in the history of our parish for the standard four national exams later this year. We have devised lunch for them in school and extra activities - tuition - so all in the class can perform to the best of their ability and achieve good results, thus, bringing our school a due acclaim and recognition.

At the end of April I will travel to Poland and to Europe in general. Lot of things to do and lot of people to see. Things to finalize, to decide, to take new directions and accomplish. Among them - finding resources to push forward construction and completion of the primary school. I will have to build at least one classroom this year so our standard four students can have a place to study next year as we have completed and furnished four classrooms only so far. On the other hand - the completion and firing up of the new website of Foundation Kiabakari and the main website of Kiabakari (we are close to complete technical stuff and start filling the spaces with text and images).

This second period of four months away from Kiabakari will include also my participation in WACOM 2014 in Bogota Colombia in August. Looking forward to this experience and the opportunity of sharing with the world what we do here in Kiabakari and Tanzania to spread the message and spirituality of Divine Mercy.

Upon my return to Tanzania at the end of August, the third period of this year will be filled with the construction of the new classrooms in the primary school, competitions on artistic and sports level in the parish in preparation of the finale of the Year of Family (Feast of Holy Family on December 28). We will have competitions in choirs, drama, poems, drawing and painting, storytelling, dancing etc. We will have netball and soccer league starting in September. There are several couples who come to my office and state their intention to bless their marriages on that feast. Surely, the picture I get is very encouraging and I am positively sure those last four months will be the wonderful time of celebration of our unity and togetherness as God's and human family.

All the plans and hopes I immerse in the Ocean of Divine Mercy so the Lord's Will be done, not ours. Having said so, I ask all of you for your kind prayers. Let it happen! Stay blessed! Praying for all of you and all your intentions in this holy time of Lent.

The Year of Family plan sounds quite interesting!