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Make Time For What You Love

Take My Dearest Treasure

In her Diary, Saint Sister Faustina writes:"... when Mass began, a strange silence and joy filled my heart. Just then, I saw Our Lady with the Infant Jesus ... . The most holy Mother said to me, 'Take my Dearest Treasure,' and she handed me the Infant Jesus. When I took the Infant Jesus in my arms, the Mother of God and Saint Joseph disappeared. I was left alone with the Infant Jesus" (Diary, 608)

In this holy time of the celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ as I celebrate the Christmas Eve Mass tonight, I wish and pray for all of you, my dearest relatives, friends, benefactors and readers, that what Sister Faustina experienced, we all may experience as well - tonight and every day of our lives: taking Infant Jesus in the Holy Communion - Our Lady and ours Dearest Treasure, the Incarnated Divine Mercy of the Father.

May Jesus let us feel His loving presence, blessings and light in our daily lives, especially in times of trial, loneliness, distress and cross.

May Jesus empower us through our merciful words, thoughts, decisions and deeds to radiate His Presence, Power, Love, Mercy and Light to others in our daily lives - to those hungry of love and understanding, those in need of a listening ear, of a shoulder to lean on and of an appreciation, to those searching for a deeper meaning of their lives, to those crying for our help and support. 

Lots of love to you all from all of us here in Kiabakari!

Christmas Gift

The best Christmas gift I could ever imagine or wished for from our standard 4 students! The results of their national exam (first ever in a short history of our primary school) have been announced today. Our school was the first in the Kukirango ward (gmina in Polish). Out of 1002 standard 4 students who sat for the exam in all primary schools in the area, our students took the top eleven spots. All of our twenty four standard 4 students took places between 1 and 31. Our girls and boys set a high benchmark to beat for their peers in our school in future years.

We are very happy that our concerted efforts - hard work of our students, sisters, teachers and parents supported by my personal benefactors, Fundacja Kiabakari and its friends and sponsors (including 'Makulatura na Misje' dedicated team) via volunteers, educational adoption scheme, construction of the modern school, textbooks, educational gifts etc. - pay off. Well done, everybody!

Late Christmas Gift

I am very happy that together with my friend, film professional and producer, Aldimilablis Novatus, we were able to complete the DVD project of the short movie on implementation of the First Aid Project in Kiabakari. Today I sent copies of the movie on DVDs via DHL to the headquarters of Foundation Kiabakari for further forwarding to people I want to get this late Christmas gift, in particular those involved directly in the project.

Polish Christmas in Lake Zone

On Friday, December 28, 2012, we had a second Christmas in our Polish community of Lake Zone. This time the venue was SMA regional house in Bwiru, Mwanza. Some twenty people attended. It was a marvelous time and a great initiative which we must preserve and continue. Enjoy a few pictures I took on that day.

Mission Accomplished

Typing these words at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam. I am on my way back to Kiabakari. God willing, I will land in Mwanza midday, then will proceed to Buzuruga bus terminal to catch a bus to Kiabakari. Should be back home in Kia in the evening...

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...

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...

No More...

The fourth day of the Octave of the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in short - The Feast of The Holy Innocents, Martyrs, gets a totally different dimension, validity and importance for us, if we see in those Holy Innocents not only babies slaughtered centuries ago in Bethlehem and its neighborhoods, but also all unborn babies denied their right to life and happiness by the sin of abortion. And this sin is going on as we speak...

A voice was heard in Ramah,

sobbing and loud lamentation;

Rachel weeping for her children,

and she would not be consoled,

since they were no more.

Silence

I do hope you kept Christ in your Christmas celebrations. And met Him in the silence of your heart, peaceful in right balance of your conscience cleansed by Advent preparations and the sacrament of reconciliation. I am not into writing Christmas cards, sending decorated emails or passing smses with fancy 'Xmas' pictures and texts. If you are into this kind of Christmas communication and wishes, I am sorry to disappoint you by keeping silent. But what I did is this: I said breviary in silence for you and for the intentions dear to your heart. Then while elevating the consecrated Hosts during Christmas Midnight Mass and today in all Christmas Masses I whispered to Him to keep an eye on you and make sure you stay safe and blessed and your worthy prayers are answered by Him in due time and manner. Then I sat close to the Christmas crib in silence and thought about you asking silently the Holy Family to watch over you and help you the way They deem necessary to hep you...

Yom Kippur

At least twice a year we have the special day of repentance and reconciliation with each other and with God. A day or two before Christmas, again during the Holy Week preceding Easter and once again a day before the annual Patron Saint of the Parish feast day (July 4th). I do not include here communal penitential services (with individual confessions) celebrated on the occasion of Divine Mercy Sunday or other pilgrimage days...

We Walk By Faith, Not By Sight

2 Corinthians 5:7. Very challenging text. As if walking with our eyes closed, believing what we are being told and accepting it at face value. Walking by faith, not by sight. As if landing in a thick fog, guided only by ILS, knowing that the instrument landing system will guide me correctly at a right glide slope path to the center of the runway. As if walking along the edge of a cliff, guided by a voice of someone else, trusting that person completely. As if looking at the valley covered in thick mist, seeing nothing and being told that there is a beautiful valley with picturesque village on the curvy river meandering through the valley towards the horizon...

Plastic Jesus

I know nothing about plastic Jesus. My Jesus is a Son of Man of Flesh and Blood, Soul an Divinity. This is  the One I offer to the Father in the Most Holy Eucharist and when I say Divine Mercy Chaplet. This is the One who knows me through and through and has not given up on me yet. This is Jesus I belong to. This is Jesus I struggle to follow, read and understand. This is Jesus who keeps silent most of times in my life, yet steers it whenever needed and shelters me when I make the mess of my life and bring ruin and chaos. This is is Jesus, real One, who talks to me silently through people and events, through His Word and Breaking of Bread. I know nothing of plastic Jesus...

A Miracle Of Life

Remember the recent uproar of liberal pro-choice people and groups of pressure who cry foul when the ChurchAds.net in UK revealed Advent / Christmas posters depicting Baby Jesus in His Mother's womb with halo around His little head? I consider it a wonderful interpretation of Advent reality - a maternal womb of Our Lady as it was then... But for some, crooked 'art' like some time ago a crucifix in urine or something disgusting like this - is an epithomy of art. I rather see it as a decline and death of human culture that should always serve the proclamation of the beauty of life and genuine talents and charismas of people...

The Four Living Creatures

Following patiently my hosts here in Princeton, NJ as they visit various malls and shopping establishments, I came across a strange setting in one of those shopping centers. My imagination sent me back to the Living Word of God in the Holy Scriptures, as I visualize what popped up in my mind looking at this...