There’s a lot going on here in Kenya. We’ve joined a very close-knit and joyful community. There are three permanent members, three CLMs on the Community Experience, and, of course, we’re on the Mission Experience. Eight people in total.
The community members show us what their daily ministry is like. First, we were able to join them in the chapel for a meeting of boys preparing for confirmation, and we attended Mass with them, where we were introduced and enthusiastically welcomed.
The next day, we attended three lessons at a girls’ boarding school. These lessons were surprisingly professionally prepared and well-run. One of the topics was self-esteem and self-confidence, which can help these young people shape their lives beautifully and in a Godly way. Today, the third day of our stay, brought even more attractions, and tomorrow promises to be just as interesting.
Today, before lunch, we met in the chapel with the boys preparing for the sacrament of confirmation. They danced and sang, followed by a multimedia presentation and several interesting videos.
In the afternoon, about 90 boys gathered in the chapel for a fantastic meeting. The boys had the opportunity to ask questions, which we were answering for over an hour. A lively conversation ensued about politics, the political system, the differences between our countries, and, of course, polygamy.
Finally, we asked them who would pray for Malwina and Leszek’s Missionary Experience today, and it turned out that most of them agreed!
We feel like we have true friends here.
At the end of the day, we had a very joyful meeting with the younger children. There was coloring, learning a song with pointing, and lots of fun playing with bubbles and playing football.
After the fun was over, we could say with a laugh that something extraordinary had happened. In the village of Kitelakapel in the Pokot tribe, smiling dark-skinned children walk around, joyfully singing: “such big one, such small on can be a saint…” (Polish song).
It was an experience that touched our hearts with the light of the Gospel, inviting us to recognize Jesus even when our human blindness prevents us from seeing him. He manifests himself in every moment of our lives, offering us the freedom to choose our paths. Inspired by the attitude of the disciples of Emmaus, who chose the path of proclamation and the breaking of bread, we understood the necessity of sharing this experience with our brothers and sisters, thus transforming our lives and our commitment to the mission.
As Comboni Lay Missionaries, we are called to follow this same path: to proclaim with joy and to place ourselves at the service of those most in need. This learning experience was deepened during the retreat held on August 1, 2, and 3 at the Laudato Si’ Center in Lima, Peru, under the guidance of Fr. Gianni Gaiga MCCJ, renewing our commitment to live and transmit the love of Christ in the world.
“Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow” (1 Corinthians 3:7)
On July 5, we had the opportunity to carry out a missionary day in the community of León El Manzanillo, an enriching experience for both us and the local residents. During the morning, we visited community members in their homes, approaching them with the purpose of informing them about the initiatives we had planned for that day. We also took advantage of each conversation to introduce ourselves as a missionary group and extend a special invitation to participate in the monthly celebration of the Eucharist, which takes place on the second Sunday of each month.
In the afternoon, we shared with those in attendance a brief reflection on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, seeking to spread his message of love and mercy. The day ended with a practical workshop focused on caring for the environment, during which we taught how to make baskets using recycled newspaper, thus fostering creativity and ecological awareness.
As we mentioned, one of the objectives of the missionary work in Manzanillo is for the inhabitants to participate in the Eucharist. After sowing the seed and continuing to water it, it is God who will take care of its growth in their hearts. On Sunday the 13th, some of our members accompanied the community in the Eucharist and noticed that more people attended, which gives us great joy because the Eucharist is the center of our faith.
Gathering on July 20
On Sunday, July 20, in addition to sharing as a community and reviewing our missionary work, we received the following formation topics:
The first proclamation and the missionary role
As missionaries, we must remember that our work does not focus on worrying about results, for triumphs or failures are not evaluated according to human parameters. The essential thing is that when we sow the seed of God’s love, we trust that it will be the Lord who will take care of the harvest. Within the content of the proclamation of the Kerygma, we reflected on the main idea: God is a loving Father who loves us personally and unconditionally. His love does not depend on our being good, but on His being good. However, we may not experience this divine love because of sin, from which we cannot free ourselves by our own strength. Likewise, we cannot defeat our main enemies on our own: the world, the flesh, and Satan. Therefore, we need salvation.
But THE GOOD NEWS is that Jesus has already saved and forgiven us by paying our debt with the sacrifice of his blood. By dying and rising again for us, he has given us new life as children of God, a gift we can receive by believing in him, trusting in his love, and continually converting ourselves. A true encounter with Christ leads us to become part of his body and brings us closer to our brothers and sisters, especially those most in need, in order to build the Kingdom of God.
This central message must be adapted to the particularities of each person, considering the different levels of spiritual development in which they may find themselves. Therefore, when proclaiming the GOOD NEWS, we must first analyze individual needs and develop an appropriate plan that responds to them.
Consciousness
Human beings are made up of three fundamental areas which, although closely interconnected, are analyzed separately in order to better understand and address them. These areas are: the mind, the body, and the spirit.
Consciousness is an inner force that allows us to discern and make sense of every situation in our lives. It plays a crucial role in the search for purpose, helping us to identify meaningful values, goals, and objectives.
To illustrate the concept of consciousness, the parable of the compass was presented as a metaphor:
Direction: symbolizes the most relevant goal in a person’s life.
The body of the compass: represents the individual’s mindset.
Needle: reflects a specific responsibility necessary to achieve the goal.
It is important to foster both social awareness and personal awareness. Social awareness involves having empathy for the perspectives and emotions of those around us, respecting collective norms, and behaving responsibly within the community. On the other hand, personal awareness is oriented toward introspection, managing our emotions, understanding our feelings, thoughts, and the way we interact with others.
By cultivating our awareness as part of our integral development, we take a firm step toward authentic freedom.
Father Jorge Naranjo, a Comboni missionary, tells us in an interview about the reality of life since the outbreak of war in Sudan.
In particular, he tells us about the University in Khartoum, run by the Comboni missionaries, during the war and how training programs are being reestablished to serve young people and give hope to the Sudanese people. (Interview in Spanish)
For the first time, representatives from the three countries of Togo Ghana Benin Province met in Adidogome, Lomé on July 5, 2025.
The three countries of the province were represented to participate in the funeral mass of our colleague BOTRI Ernest’s mother. This Saturday, after the funeral mass, we held a meeting at the Comboni Sisters’ house in Lomé. The meeting was led by the Provincial Coordinator Justin together with Reverend Father Badou Ephrem, Chaplain of the CLM in the province.
The meeting began with a prayer before the roundtable for the introduction of the participants at the meeting. The atmosphere was very friendly and warm. We finally met face to face after being in telephone contact for months.
The Provincial Coordinator conveyed useful information from the Province, and the Chaplain emphasized the necessity of training and participation in training sessions.
The meeting ended with the blessing from our Chaplain. Each of us took the road back home, and through the intercession of Saint Daniel Comboni, we had safe travels.
Lucien Aboe
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