We continue this series with Fr. Antonio Guirao Casanova, Comboni priest and missionary, who has been twenty-three years in Kenya. On this occasion, he tells us about his approach and coexistence with the semi-nomadic tribe of the Pokots. During that time, he has carried out essential work in the field of education in both rural and urban areas in the capital, Nairobi. (Interview in Spanish)
I would like to tell you the story of Tarekegn who used to be a street child. Tarekegn comes from a family that is not well-off. He has both parents and as many as seven siblings. Tarekegn used to go with his father to the district called Zero Amist. His father used to give catechesis in one of the Protestant churches. The boy, however, began to fall into bad company. In the local area, he met street children who encouraged him to use stimulants, to go out with them and to beg.
Tarekegn got so screwed that one time he ran away by himself and stayed on the street. He began to spend days and nights there. He took on some very bad habits. His family knew this and had sporadic contact with him as his home is just outside Awassa and his father works in the city itself. Tarekegn, however, was not listening to anyone.
One day he ended up at the center. He began attending open classes. He was one of the first boys to be admitted to the center shortly after the pandemic started. The boy was glad that he could live with us, but I must admit that it was not easy with him. During his rehabilitation, we had various problems with him, which were relatively more than with other children. Tarekegn has changed a lot over time. There was a year with us. In the end, it all turned out well and he went home. He lives with his family and continues school. I believe it will stay that way and he will never come back to the street.
Magdalena Soboka, CLM Ethiopia
We share a series of videos recorded by “Casa África” in Spain. An initiative of this institution that aims to be a tribute to all those who made Africa the center of their lives.
“Many Spaniards have lived most of their lives in, by and for Africa. Given the advanced age of many of them, the memory of their experiences could be lost. That is why the Memory Project was born, with the sole intention of collecting and safeguarding their experiences, their contributions, their personal and professional triumphs and failures, offering a historical and documentary window that allows us to know what Africa was like half a century ago, something that can help us understand its current situation”.
We will recover some of the interviews with Comboni Missionaries.
We will recover some of the interviews with Comboni Missionaries. We begin this series with the interview of Comboni Bishop Jesús Ruiz who for so long has worked and continues to work with the CLM (now Bishop in Central African Republic in the diocese of our international community of Mongoumba). [Video in Spanish]
Since our center for street children began to operate, God has helped many children with our hands. I believe our work makes sense even if we change the life of just one child. Meanwhile, I counted all the children we sent to school, providing them with the most necessary clothes, uniforms, exercise books and school supplies and for whom we provided full board or whose families we offered food and cleaning products every month. It turned out that there are exactly 30 of them. We changed the fate of 30 children! 30 children started or returned to formal education.
Overall, we helped more children. There were many more children who came to us, could eat a hot meal, wash themselves, wash their clothes and participate in activities. This is not the end, because our mission is still going on and getting more and more active. Many boys come to us and we continue to try our best to find the best solution for them so that they have a relatively happy childhood and future ahead of them. After all, God has beautiful plans for them … “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jr 29,11
Magdalena Soboka, CLM Ethiopia
To celebrate Easter it is necessary to be prepared, that is what we have done as a group of Comboni Lay Missionaries in Sahuayo (Mexico), we have continued working from our current reality, it has not been easy to have to adapt to a mode where we have to put distance to protect each other, we have covered our face but not our Spirit and that is how we have done the activities that are needed to continue walking in our missionary journey. Our information retreat, which had already been scheduled for the second time, was favorably carried out, thanks to Quique and Vero who set the date as coordinators in consensus with the group, when the time came not all those who had been contemplated participated, more people arrived who questioned our Being and Doing as a group.
In the Formation Juan José has been the one who prepares our themes for growing, we also ask for the support of the Comboni Missionaries who have always been part of our formative and spiritual growth and on this occasion the Comboni Sisters were also present and shared with us the theme Comboni Family, they made us experience the richness of our Charism and the aspects to be improved, these moments of growth helped us to keep in mind that God has a specific mission for each one and that in the group we can put in common what each one has for a better use of it.
As a culminating moment we have been able to celebrate the Missionary Day (JORNAMIS) where young people have the opportunity to share topics that help them to grow, share their dreams, express what they think of what the world offers them today, learn about vocations to discover their calling and make the commitment to be useful to those in need making us aware that we are brothers in Christ. This space has been recovered after months of paralysis due to the pandemic and today it is once again an apostolate for the CLM Monica, Manuel and Ricardo who have the grace to work with young people.
When the time came, Holy Week was already at the door where we had the opportunity to celebrate in different ways, with the Family, working and some of us were able to go to a mission in the communities of Guerrero where we have already worked as Laity and also to communities near our city that are more isolated than usual for us. It filled us with strength to live with people who share with us what they have without expecting anything in return, opening the doors of their homes to share food with each of us, supporting us in everything we needed and most significantly sharing our faith. These were experiences that allowed us to experience the Risen Jesus from our particular life, moving that which should be purified and transformed with his Love.
CLM Beatriz Maldonado Sanchez
