Uphill

It has been a bit uphill for me for the last few months this year, with all sorts of 'dark side of the moon' experiences. After recovering somehow, though not completely from flu / pneumonia, I had a bit of a rough time for the last week with efforts to stabilize my blood pressure. Today I felt unwell and after the first Mass I asked the doctor from our health center with a lab technician to have a look at me. They found out after lab check that I have amoeba. I wonder where exactly I got it. Not sure. So, I am on medication now, which roughs my feathers a bit, but luckily I have a visiting priest who came for a short retreat to Kiabakari, so he helped me with Masses today. Thanks be to God! I hope that drugs will kill off amoeba quickly and I will be completely fit for work in a short time. Prayers appreciated, homies of Kiabakari Snippets! Thanks in advance!

Halftime Over

As I feel better and better each new day, I reckon the halftime is almost over. After six months of hectic schedule and huge challenges with little or no rest, my body gave up and I got sick...

Naaman's Skin

"But his (Naaman's) servants came up and reasoned with him.
"My father," they said,
"if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary,
would you not have done it?
All the more now, since he said to you,
'Wash and be clean,' should you do as he said."
So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times
at the word of the man of God.
His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean". (2 Kgs 5:13-14)...

Journaling as a Catalyst

This is a very interesting and very important article touching a valid topic which might be close to you or someone close to you -  sent over to me by Melanie Bowen, a blogger and contributor to  Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance blog. I recommend you read it, share it and spread a word about it...

Taking It Easy

I used to commit the same crime in regards to dealing with malaria. Forgetting that the motto of this beautiful land, so many times heard and repeated - 'Haraka haraka haina baraka' (there is no God's blessing in haste) or 'Pole pole ndio mwendo' (Going slow is the right speed), is full of wisdom and maternal care of Mother-Africa, reminding me to take it easy and go slow when needed. Just like now when I got hit again by malaria and - frankly saying - should be firmly lying in bed, taking it easy and letting drugs to do the job and the body to regain the full strength...But...

Again

Don't feeling well for the past two days. Checked my blood this morning and found with malaria again. Not a good news. Yet another round of strong medication to fight parasites in my body. I wonder how long  my liver will continue to accept this kind of merciless abuse... It's a price, I guess, you gotta be willing to pay for being a long-term missionary in Africa. So be it.

Would You?

In times like this, when I am sick and in pain, and not because of my mistake or fault, but 'just like that', getting sick of malaria and typhoid, as now, it feels like a special kiss from God. It feels and it conveys a message to me that I am alive and that part of my life is needed for someone or something else. It feels like God telling me He needs me and my life and health is worthy of sharing with others... It is hard to explain precisely this feeling, this message... But I believe that in times like this one now, my life means something, has its broader purpose and serves some worthy causes...

Hit Again

Thought I was careful enough to sleep under the mosquito net and keep the house off limits to mosquitos. Nevertheless, for the last two days I've been feeling strange and the condition got worse and worse as hours passed. This morning I went for checkup in our health center and found out that I got hit again by malaria...

Lourdes

On this day the Catholic Church celebrates the 19th World Day for the Sick. The day our thoughts and heart make a pilgrimage to Lourdes in France, to Our Lady, the Health of the Sick, to join other pilgrims present their for their annual pilgrimage, and with Her and through Her intercession, we meet anew the sick living among us, we pray for them, renew our commitment to assist them as best as we can, and we pray also for people of health services worldwide, thanking them for their professional work and sacrifices and surrendering their efforts to the Lord for a special blessing...

Dark Side OF Life

Plunged into darkness and abyss of uncertainty, clinging to resignation to Lord's Will, as my body gave up this night and was unable to wake up with horrible headache, high bp, nausea and couldn't go to church. Thought the day of departure has come...Feeling better now a bit, still I surrender myself up to the Lord and His Providence. May His Will be done. Listening to gregorian chants to immerse myself in serenity and worthy emotions and repeating the words of Thomas Merton prayer as I do so often in my life in last few years...