Mwanzo Ni Mgumu (Poczatek Jest Trudny / The Beginning Is Difficult)

It's been almost twenty five years (it will be exactly in May this year) when Merciful God called me unexpectedly and suddenly to leave my known world and go to the unknown - to the missions to Tanzania. I will have a special opportunity to celebrate a Thanksgiving Mass with my Bishop of Musoma and the diocesan community of Musoma on July 26 in Kiabakari for the twenty five years of my missionary service to the People of God of Musoma Diocese and Tanzania at large. 

In my autobiography (in Polish) I wrote a few years ago entitled - "Między Taborem a Golgotą. Wspomnienia Misjonarza" I described extensively the very beginnings of my missionary adventure in Tanzania.

Here are some excerpts:

The Visit

Yes, I should and I did write this word in capital letter. The Visit. This underlines its importance to Kiabakari and myself. To have an opportunity and honor to host the director of international cooperation of the biggest pediatric hospital in Europe - Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù in Rome, right here in Kiabakari, was an unique experience, to put it in mild terms. Doctor Lorenzo Borgese and his wife wholeheartedly responded to my invitation to come over and see Kiabakari, and in the first place - Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Health Center in my mission. I got the news from the family of Pier Giorgio that the doctor will be visiting hospitals in Africa, including Tanzania, which cooperate with his hospital in Rome. So, I contacted him promptly and was surprised how kind and forthcoming the doctor was to the idea of coming to Kiabakari while in Mwanza. To the extent that he decided to use his vehicle and did not demand that I come to pick them up. How cool is that?! So, the doctor and his wife came yesterday evening and left this morning after visiting all our institutions in Kiabakari. I will not go into details of our conversations, but they left me with overwhelmingly positive feelings and a solid conviction that this may be a genuine breakthrough I was praying for for too long. And that the cooperation between Bambino Gesù hospital in Rome and our health center may become reality. We must pray for this to happen. And trust the Lord for whom nothing is impossible! They left just a few hours ago but I'm still mesmerised and pinch myself if it was not a dream. Thank you, oh Lord, thank you, Pier Giorgio!