Greetings from really,
really, really HOT Lodwar, Kenya.
This is a most interesting
place, very different from our own circumstances. Here, WATER is the thing, first
and last. Fr. Joseph, administrator of the Cathedral parish, has
many "out-stations" to serve. He finds a way to visit each of them
every two weeks. On Sunday afternoon we went to visit one of them, Kapua
(Kah-POO-ah), which was founded one year ago. About 100 indigenous
Turkana people came to their simple church of sticks and palm fronds to greet
us. Many of these people walked miles to acknowledge the visitors. As we
alit from our vehicle, a group of about 30 women all sort of dancing
together, closely packed into a unit, came marching toward us and chanting.
They surrounded us and while continuing to dance around us, one after
another of them would approach us (still dancing) and throw onto our shoulder
the furry end of a cow's tail (which they kept in their hand) as a signal
of honor.
Eventually they had us all
dancing and springing up and down while they sang and sang and sang. We
have the video.
Well this grouping of people
from 5,6,8? small settlements in the region was made possible by providing them
with a well where they could get water for themselves and their
livestock--something it seems like the government should be doing, but the
Church actually IS. These people are hearing the message of Jesus for the
first time--because the Catholic Church with its resources and contacts can do,
and does, what is needed to relieve these people of their most urgent need:
water.
One last thing. We were
overwhelmed by the generosity of these people who gave us 6 goats, 2 chickens,
some small brooms and numerous other hand-fashioned household utensils (wooden
spoons, scoops, gourds for keeping water, etc.). I am not bringing any of the
livestock home, though I hope to get my hands on one of the little brooms.
All for now.
I look forward to seeing you
all soon.
Msgr. Mike
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