Upcoming Film On Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati - Patron Saint of Kiabakari Parish

Happy 115th Birthday, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati!

Gaudete!

Today is the Third Sunday of Advent. This Sunday is called also "Gaudete" Sunday due to the joyful message proclaimed by the Mass formula and the Liturgy of the Word.

We have several reasons today for a very joyful celebration. The Holy Father has opened the Door of Mercy at St. Peter's Basilica on Tuesday. On Wednesday our Bishop of Musoma did the same in Holy Mary, Mother of God Cathedral in Musoma. Us did the same on Friday. Today another Doors of Mercy will be opened my the Holy Father in Rome's Papal Basilicas, in particular at his own cathedral at St. John  in Lateran.

In all dioceses of the world and indeed in every parish in the world the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy will be inaugurated and Doors of Mercy will be opened all over the world.

I have yet another - personal - reason to celebrate in gladness, gratitude and joy. This morning I have received the shipment of my new books and publications which I prepared for this Year of Mercy. A new book on Divine Mercy, a guidebook for readers of the Word of God, the examination of conscience for adults, the examination of conscience for the youth, the Jubilee prayer and the checklist of corporal and spiritual deeds of mercy during the Jubilee Year.

Immediately after we finished offloading the truck and stored books securely - the heavy downpour came all of a sudden and it still rains as I write these words three hours later. We were lucky, otherwise the shipment would get soaked in rain.

Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo! Thanks be to Merciful Father for the safe transportation of the shipment. Thanks be to Merciful Father for these first couple days of the Year of Mercy and extraordinary blessings and graces we have already received.

The Scissors For You

This is Eveline, a bright student in our Blessed Maria Teresa Ledóchowska pre-school in Kiabakari Catholic Parish. Her dream is to be able to continue her studies in our educational institutions up to Form Six class in High School. She knows too well we have pre-school completed only, while the primary school is still under construction since August 2007 with only six classrooms ready and the school kitchen to be completed in the next month or so. A secondary school and a high school are still in the planning phase only. But she is full of hope that her dream will become reality some day and the ropes of limitations coming from the place of birth and scarce opportunities of proper and continuous education in this area to develop her skills and talents and obtain the best education possible in Kiabakari - will finally be cut through with the help of Fundacja Kiabakari and the people of good will worldwide. Here are the scissors for you from Eveline. Come and take your part in cutting through those bonds enslaving dreams of our children and the youth in Kiabakari.

Huruma Cup 2015

Many years have passed since we held Huruma Cup in our parish for the last time. Many factors contributed to this fact, including some biased judging in the past which made the youth disenchanted with efforts to prepare and perform well. This time I made sure judges are picked by me personally and there is no undue influence on them. I do hope this will be the opening of the new chapter in the history of our parish. Engaging all - children, youth and adults alike - in sports and arts competitions. This year we begin humbly with five categories in arts - choir, debate/ngonjera, sung poem/shairi, drama/igizo and traditional dance/ngoma.

On Saturday, July 4th, we had the first day of the competition - the elimination of art groups from Kiabakari town. The judges did a good job, uninfluenced by anyone and I guess everybody agrees with results. We were enjoying the performance of the groups together with our volunteers from USA - Emily and Maria.

The second stage will be on Saturday July 25th with groups from all over the parish. The best groups in each category will perform in front of the Bishop Michael Msonganzila and the parochial community on Sunday July 26th, on the parochial feast day, which will include Confirmation for our parishioners, 60th birthday of Fr. Godfried Maruru (my friend and helper whenever I am away or in need of extra hands), Jubilee of 60 years of work of our catechist Boniphace Kisunda and my Silver Jubilee as missionary in Tanzania.

Here are some images from Saturday competition. Enjoy!

Corpus Christi In Kiabakari 2015 - Images

All images by Ewelina Kościelniak.

Germany Appreciation Day and The Fifth Graduation in Our Pre-School - Images

Selected images in random order from a special day at our pre- and primary school in Kiabakari on Wednesday December 3, 2014, as we - firstly - honored and showed our gratitude to German people who helped us in the span of past five years with two development project and by sending four teachers-volunteers to Kiabakari. And secondly - celebrated the fifth graduation in our pre-school. We were very happy to welcome our special guests of the day - German volunteers from Internazionaler Bund organization - Hanna and Nele who work as teachers-volunteers at Kigori Primary School since August this year. I leave captions and explanations of images to you, viewers. Link to the full photo album on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152841962026912.1073741853.649361911&type=1&l=f227eec667. Enjoy!

From Zero To Hero

Coming back to Kiabakari has been always a special experience - like getting a shot of pure adrenaline straight into the main vain or like jumping straight into the deep cold sea. This time this adrenaline shot kicks stronger. This time the sea is a bit rougher and colder.

Monday evening, upon my arrival back to Kiabakari, I have found on my desk a heap of correspondence and documents waiting for me to go through. Among them a schedule of the upcoming pastoral visit of the Apostolic Nuncio in Tanzania in our diocese of Musoma (Sept 11-17). The first point in the itinerary of the Nuncio - Kiabakari, on September 11. Interesting thing - as I type this post, in general the people in Kiabakari have no idea the Nuncio is coming. I guess the one who substituted me while I was away, did not publicized the news to the faithful.

Now, you don't need a flourishing imagination to figure out how long it took me to switch from the holiday mood to the full combat mode.

Yes, you are right. A millisecond.

So, after holding an emergency meeting last night with the executive council of the parish and the Sisters, things are beginning to move quickly ahead. We have exactly one week left to go from zero to hero. Keep your fingers crossed!

We have hosted Apostolic Nuncios in Kiabakari twice already.

First time, on July 28, 1992, The Archbishop Agostino Marchetto blessed and opened officially the mission in Kiabakari and the quasi-parish of Kiabakari was initiated by the then Bishop of Musoma Rt. Rev. Justin Samba.

Second time, Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto came to Kiabakari on August 17, 2001, to raise the parochial church in Kiabakari to the dignity of the diocesan shrine of Divine Mercy.

I wonder what this third coming of the Nuncio to Kiabakari means to us this time? For sure, we will receive the Nuncio as the Holy Father Francis himself. The meaning, the value and the outcome of this pastoral visit I leave entirely to the freedom of action of the Holy Spirit.

Priority 2014

Arrived to home town of Kraków last Thursday night for the long awaited vacation intertwined with the quest of securing some help for the completion of our primary school in Kiabakari, medical checkups, visitations of people and places dear to my heart and so forth.

I am very grateful to my colleagues who invited me for mission awareness Sunday, with preaching and fundraisings for the cause. I am grateful also to Miss Agata Krupa, volunteer of Foundation Kiabakari for the design of the info leaflet I will be distributing in the parishes and places wherever I will happen to be. Gratitude to Fr. Roman Zapała who volunteered to cover the expenses of the printing of the publication and to Wydawnictwo Platan in Kryspinów, near Kraków, for offering to print it immediately and for the costs of the materials used only. Thank you so much, you people of immense heart for the mission's cause in Kiabakari. God bless you much! I do hope this little publication will help people I will meet in my quest to know better Kiabakari, Foundation Kiabakari, what we do, what is needed there and so forth.

Here it is - the little leaflet, my little companion on the road from May to August. May God grant special convincing powers to all readers of this publication to move their hearts to join our cause and help to push it forward. It is in Polish language, understandably, and here it is shown front and back on one page for better viewing.

You've Got To Move It, Move It!

Revival of the parochial family in Kiabakari in the Year of Family includes holistic revival of various apostolic groups and movements. Among those - vocation groups (altar servers and non-altar servers), youth groups and associations.

Our altar servers decided to get rid of laziness and started regular training before any serious attempts to check their skills with other football youth teams in Kiabakari and the area. Luckily, we have several sets of football jerseys, so their internal test matches can be played in full 'combat' attire. The older boys jerseys came to us through courtesy of our former German volunteers - Denise and Thomas. The younger boys jerseys I got years back, even before I was transferred to Musoma Cathedral in 2002. The pictures below I took before their training matches a couple of weeks ago. The little ones played in small teams on small pitch.

Girls' vocation groups is not forgotten either. I have just finished laying out of the netball court with professional goal posts, traced the lines and checked on the stock of netball jerseys. We have plenty of netballs courtesy of Australia, seven sets of netball jerseys. Some of them will go to our primary school, the rest will stay with parochial girls' teams. 

We plan to have a all-parochial tournament in football and netball starting in September with the climax and finale on the Feast of the Holy Family on December 28 this year.

Eighteen Years

Look carefully at this picture below:

It was taken right after the Divine Mercy Sunday Mass in 1996. Late President of Tanzania, Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and myself were standing at the corner of the not-finished-yet shrine of Divine Mercy (it was dedicated on July 3, 1997) and we were talking about the situation of the education in Tanzania and in Mara region area in particular. Mwalimu was very adamant about the need of providing the quality education at grassroots levels, especially in our areas. He was giving me his moral support in the realization of this dream.

I was showing Mwalimu the future development of the parish, where the planned institution were going to be located and the picture caught the moment where I was talking about the future primary school in Kiabakari. We were looking in the direction where now there is in fact the not-finished-yet building of the primary school.

I am praying to Mwalimu now, believing strongly that he is in heaven, to pray for us, so that after eighteen long years since that day where we talked about the importance of education in Kiabakari, this dream comes true this year. Please, pray with me to Mwalimu!

One Week

One week left till the opening of the new school year, the day when our new pre-school fills with children laughter and smiles. Can't wait! Such a huge reward for all the effort of the passed year.

Rain And Ground Water Harvesting, Cleaning and Storing Project - Images

And the final post for today - just a few pictures of the final stage of the completion of the rain and ground water harvesting, initial cleaning and storing in concrete and PVC tanks development project in my mission in Kiabakari, co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland. These pictures were taken also in mid-December, like the previous two posts. I had no time to post them earlier - internet issues and guests prohibited to do so. Today, I am in Musoma, so the internet is gentle enough to allow to upload the pics. Mind that the latest works are not depicted here. Not all elements of the project are seen here as well. This is just to let you get a general idea of the nature of the project.

I will post final pictures along with the remaining two projects once they are in full swing. Still, what is seen here, fills my heart with pride and gratitude to God, Polish Foreign Ministry, Foundation Kiabakari and all people involved directly and indirectly in the realization of the project.

Extension Of Health Center In Kiabakari Project - Images

A few pictures of the final stage of the completion of the development project of expansion of our health center  in Kiabakari, including the construction of new wards, ICU of infants, maternity ward, gynecologist's office and so on, co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland. 

These pictures were taken in mid-December, the latest works are not depicted here. Late equipment arrivals as well. A couple of new wards, not all. I will post final pictures once the new wards are open and fully operational (first, I need to stamp logos on bedsheets, hang mosquito nets, place the trash bins according to color code, prepare hospital clothes for patients - these clothes were not included in the project and to finalize the tender for running of our new hospital kitchen before I allow patients to be admitted in the new wards; and so forth). Still, what is seen here, fills my heart with pride and gratitude to God, Polish Foreign Ministry, Foundation Kiabakari and all people involved directly and indirectly in the realization of the project. 

Modern Pre-School Project in Kiabakari - Images

A few pictures of the final stage of the completion of the modern pre-school development project in my mission in Kiabakari, co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland. These pictures were taken in mid-December, the latest works are not depicted here. I will post final pictures once the pre-school is open and students are in the school. Still, what is seen here, fills my heart with pride and gratitude to God, Polish Foreign Ministry, Foundation Kiabakari and all people involved directly and indirectly in the realization of the project.

Silver Jubilee in Kiabakari - Images

My Jubilee logo by Florian Ludovick Kaija

Men in black - me, Fr. William Bahitwa and Msgr. Aristaric Bahati

The Week

Last week, the Week, the time we have been waiting for and talking about for a very very long time. The last week of the Year of Faith, the last week of the current liturgical year, the week of my silver jubilee celebration in Kiabakari on coming Thursday, the week of the blessing of our three development projects, the week of the official opening of the said projects, the week of the fourth graduation in our pre-school.

The air in Kiabakari is ripe with anticipation. The church for the past two Sunday is fully packed, parishioners who grace our parochial church usually on major solemnities come to attend the Masses. People listen eagerly and attentively to announcements at the end of the Mass wanting to get the full picture of the coming celebrations.

Although I feel weariness and tiredness after many months of hard work on projects and other celebrations of the Year of Faith, adrenaline keeps me going. And the last Thursday recollection day in Bunda Carmel, filled with silence, prayer and the Holy Mass to Holy Spirit filled my heart and soul with calmness, inner joy, resolve, gratitude and spiritual power.

I enjoy phone calls, emails and messages I receive these days from well wishers and people willing to contribute towards the expenses of the celebrations. This spirit of togetherness, friendship and love is what makes these days so special.

Thank  you, Lord!

Divine Mercy Hill dressed for the upcoming celebrations

No Vacation

Looks like my blog has been quiet for some time, almost one month now. Whenever I want to sit down and type a few lines, things come up and I have to dive into deep water of current challenges and responsibilities. Luckily, I have started to seen the light at the end of the dark tunnel and soon will come back to more regular posting.

Development projects are in the final stage which demands my presence daily at construction sites as the finishing works depend heavily on the esthetic taste of the project client. Registration process of our pre- and primary schools has to begin anew after mistakes done by the people responsible for preparing the report for the ministry. This takes time and resources. Hopefully, in the couple of weeks the brand new report will be submitted again in the Ministry of Education. Today we made another good step towards the completion of the report.

Visitation of the statue of Our Lady which travels around the diocese in each parish in the Year of Faith has reached us in Kiabakari on Wednesday. Tomorrow is the day to hand it over to our neighbors in Mugango Parish. It has been a time of grace and intense prayer with the pinnacle which was the diocesan pilgrimage of Catholic women of the diocese on Saturday and Sunday with night vigil. Today the statue is at Sisters' convent and after evening Mass there, I will be the last one to welcome the statue in my house chapel, where it will stay with us till tomorrow morning.

Health center equipment for the project has started to come by road transport from Dar. The last part of the shipment we expect to receive soon if not this week then the next.

The parish after the visitation is turning its attention to the next point in the celebrations of the Year of Faith. This will be my silver jubilee of priesthood on November 21, with the consecutive official opening of the completed projects - done by the District Commissioner of Butiama District with the representative of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The preparations to both events are well underway. This will be a summit of all my personal efforts of the entire year. Please. keep us all in your prayers, so we succeed!

I guess, this will be all for today. Praying for you always, dear readers of my blog. Stay blessed and happy!

Meanwhile In Mwibagi

The reconstruction of the church destroyed in thunderstorm and twister nine days ago has begun (reinforced concrete beam ready, preparations of roof beams underway). Due to the help from our member of parliament, Hon. Nimrod Mkono, who donated roof sheets, timber and nails for roof work, and the contribution from other source, we will be able to finish the job in short time and bless anew the church on Sept 29, the Solemnity of Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Patron Saints of Mwibagi church.

Kiabakari Open For Business

Having finished a tense period of long preparations of the ordination of Fr. Augustino Mapambano, his thanksgiving Mass and all events related to it, we can go back to work. Kiabakari open for business again. My mind and heart shifting back to parochial pastoral and spiritual life, development projects, daily stuff coming from our educational and healthcare facilities, diocesan events like tomorrow's silver jubilee of Fr. Julius Manyonyi in Masonga Parish which I am going to attend. After all, Father Julius along with Monsignor Aristaric Bahati are my classmates - we were ordained same year, 1988. So, I really look forward to tomorrow's long journey to Masonga parish. Nice day off Kiabakari and its duties.

On Thursday I will accompany our volunteer Jane from Rome who has been working for a couple of weeks in Kiabakari serving children in our pre-school during her annual holidays. Jane is working professionally for Italian Television Rai Tre, but she decided to offer her holidays this year for voluntary work and asked to come to Kiabakari to do so. As she will be leaving next week back home, this week is the last bell for her to reward herself a little with a day trip to Serengeti. I want to make sure that she gets the value for money as the experience shows that when my volunteers go by their own, without the knowledge of Serengeti, sometimes drivers tend to shorten the day and save fuel for which we paid after all, and they come back in the afternoon without even reaching Seronera and Hippo Pool. So, I will go with Father Augustino to make sure we get what we paid for and Jane and us enjoy spectacular views and close encounters with the wildlife. Expect some nice picture soon!