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Kenya: Taking a fresh breath from the missions |
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Scritto da p. Eugenio Boatella, imc
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 On 27th July a group of eleven youth from Korea plus Fr. Tamrat and Fr. Eugenio landed in Nairobi, ready to open their hearts and work in two of our institutions, Familia ya Ufariji and Sagana Mission (St. Mary’s Village).They came full of enthusiasm and curiosity (new culture, new food, new people…) and in the first days they enjoyed all of it. The food at Consolata Seminary, the people they met and the show at Bomas of Kenya. The first Sunday was celebrated at the Consolata Shrine were they presented themselves and sung a nice song for the congregation.The program took them to Familia ya Ufariji, the center for orphan children that take care of them, where they have been painting, cultivating and helping in the construction of a new office block.
At the same time they shared a lot with the children. During this first week they had the opportunity to visit the nursery school at Soweto slum and Kamiti Security Prison, two realities that made them to open their eyes to the suffering of the people.The second weekend took them to Oyugis (near Kisumu) to visit the family of the late fr. Otieno. After a long journey through a devastated road we reach the place were the family and some friends and neighbors were waiting for us. We celebrate the mass and share greetings. On Sunday we celebrated the mass in an outstation of Alendu Parish and we could visit the missions of Chiga and Buoye also.After Kisumu they arrived in Sagana, cool days without sun but full of energy to paint the houses of the old ladies of St. Mary’s Village. The result was… well not so bad but what can you expect from “non professional” people? Thank you anyway!Meanwhile in Sagana they went to visit the family of Fr. Njoroge and they tested what is to walk in the mud when the tarmac is nowhere anymore. At the end of the way Njoroge’s Sister was there to receive them with a good kikuyu meal so tarmac or mud doesn’t matter when the stomach is full. On Sunday some of them went with Fr. Awiti for missionary animation in Thika and the rest remain in Sagana Parish.They said good bye to Sagana and departed for Mukululu on Tuesday, to meet Br. Argese and enter in contact with the rain forest of Nyambene. The hospitality of Br. Argese, the unique beauty of the forest, water, centenary trees, fresh air and excellent food gave them the opportunity to relax and take a break to think about the experiences and feelings of this days.
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