We leave under these lines another video recorded by the Spanish television with the Comboni Missionaries in Peru.
In this Comboni parish is also working the Comboni Lay Missionaries for the last 9 years. At present time we are Kike Garcia (Peruvian CLM), Matt and Karissa Misner (CLM from US) with their two daughters.
We hope that with this video you can get close and understand better this missionary reality.
Greetings to everyone
The Borana people are a group of semi-nomadic pastoralists in the far south of Ethiopia whose lives revolve around tending their herds of livestock – cows, camels, goats and sheep – travelling with them in search of grass and water. Their pattern of life is very similar to what it would have been hundreds of years ago. Over the last years, I (Maggie) have visited the Borana area multiple times, including working there on short-term basis on health outreach programs with the Sisters of Charity (SCCG) congregation who serve among the Borana in the rural outpost of Dadim. I have found my time in Dadim both beautiful and powerful, and often I think of the Borana people I have met and the experience I have had there. There is something magical about the pastoralists, their lifestyle and the rugged terrain of their lands that really draws one in.
Perhaps it is witnessing moments like this:
Once when I was working in Dadim, I went with Sr. Annie Joseph (an Indian missionary sister) on a Friday evening to the clinic to see a mother and her 9 month old daughter, who were both admitted with pneumonia. When we entered the room, the mother was sitting holding her child awkwardly on the edge of the bed. Sr. Annie asked for my help to move the mattress to the floor, where the mother might be more comfortable. After moving the mattress, the mother sat on the edge of it just as awkwardly as before. It is likely she had never seen a ’bed’ (as we know them) before. A moment later two boys strolled in with animal skins tucked under their arms. Sr. Annie looked at them and then turned her face towards me and whispered ‘no problem, let them do it their way’. We watched silently, as the mother took the animal skins, spread them out on the floor next to the bed and then laid down on them with her child. In a moment they were both peacefully asleep.
Such a different way of life!
We can all adapt to many different places and people, but how much we find comfort in our own familiar things, foods, language and habits that will always fill our hearts with peace. I had shared this story with a friend and she commented what a gift it is if we can pause and step back – then we truly get to see the world from another’s view not ours. How easily we often jump in with eagerness to talk or share something of ourselves, our thoughts, our ideas but how much we may miss in doing that.
-Maggie & Mark Banga
Comboni Lay Missionaries serving in Awassa, Ethiopia
Pictures of the Borana people in Dadim:
Hello everybody
We leave you a video recorded by the Spanish television in Pangoa (Peru) where the work of the Comboni Missionaries is seen. Places where our Comboni Lay Missionaries have made their last mission field (in Spanish).
Greetings to everyone
As in previous years, the Comboni Lay Missionaries of Peru have had the CLM Annual Meeting. This year we have made in San Martin de Pangoa – Junin on 5, 6 and 7 February in the Comboni parish of that place in the jungle. We met almost all CLM from Lima and Trujillo, and some that are in a period of knowledge of the group.
During those three days we could talk and deepen our work and missionary style, sharing experiences lived in different mission fields where we are present as CLM. We were accompany by the Comboni fathers Valentin Garcia, advisor of the CLM in Peru and Father José Chinguel advisor of the CLM in Trujillo. Comboni fathers of the parish welcomed us very well and we got all the facilities for our meeting.
We begin our meeting reflecting the theme of early Christian communities. Making a comparison with the way of life in native communities, where up to this day they still lives a sense of belonging to the community. Where they shared, sitting by the fire, the joys and sorrows of the day and if someone in the community is fortunate to catch some kind of edible animal the whole community gathers to share as a family the dam, narrating in detail the adventures of hunting. A native of the place shows us its art, culture and how to face the challenges that the avalanche of modernity is threatens native traditions.
The second day we share our experiences of the mission field of a month. We conclude with this coexistence, and reflecting on justice, peace and integrity of creation (JPIC).
On Sunday, the last day, we visited the native community of San Antonio de Sonomoro that is one of the native communities where mission field has taking place in other occasions. There we dialogue with the authorities of this native community and its people.
This annual event strengthens us as a group and the example of indigenous communities motivates us to continue working to strengthen Peruvian CLM community and feel as a family not only in word but in heart and vocation as the first Christian communities.
Fisher Ayquipa P.
CLM-Peru Coordinator
Hello everybody,
I hope you are well as your entire family.
I am in Bangui, I have arrived last night. All the apostolic community and I are well, thank God.
I pass today through the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Bangui. I was there on the opening day, but I could not get through, we went through one of the side doors. I really enjoyed going through it today.
In Central Africa was opened first the door of the Cathedral of Bangui, by the Pope, before the others! On December 20 the Holy Door of the Cathedral of Mbaiki, our diocese opened. Christmas Day opened the Holy Door of each parish. From January 17 until yesterday, the Holy doors opened in all the chapels that had door and the Blessed Sacrament was exposed in all of them for worship, in the custody that the Holy Father offered to our diocese and also offered to all other Central African´s. People were on pilgrimage on foot to the nearby chapels. We, on Sunday, went to delivered it to the parish of Safa. They came to procure us 6 km from the town and then went in procession to the church and remained in worship. The monstrance with the Blessed will visit all the parishes of the diocese until the end of “The Holy Year of Mercy”.
Since 13 December, I do not come to Bangui, there is always plenty to do in the Mission…
Since early January, a teacher and I are giving some afternoon classes to students to see if they begin to read. There are many students in CE2 (4th grade and who do not read anything). Thank God, it seems that they begin to read a little, the first few letters. With the help of God, who gives us the strength and patience to work, and the desire of the students to learn, we will get to learn. This month I was with a class during three days, but it is very difficult because students do not understand French and I do not know Sango to translate what I say. In May I will become the school principal. Pray God to help me in this new occupation.
From December 2 it has not rain, only on February 17 occurred a downpour as usual here. There were 75 days without rain … We had dry bushes, some avocado too, we will see if they still bear fruit. There were many fires in the forest and many cassava fields were burned. Many trees were burned. The atmosphere was filled with smoke, everywhere smelled like that. It was so much that made you mourn! We hope that will not cause more hunger than there are already. Thank God, it came two downpours, all nature has changed… just 34 hours, and tiny herbs came out where it seemed that everything looked dry. Truly, the water is the blood of the earth! Here the rain it calls “ngu ti Nzapa” = water of God, and it is true. Here in Bangui, it has not rained and everything is very dry… very hot!
Elia continues to care for malnourished children and not only. In January, she started going to Batalimo and found very serious cases, very sick children. When mothers do what they are asked (to give children everything it is distributed) they can recover well. When it comes to more serious cases, they are hospitalized sometime in the hospital.
Pygmies are still helped with medication when sick. Fortunately, because many would die since they have no money to buy them.
In the mission we have a home for the pygmies students, so they can better leverage school. Here they eat, sleep, go to school in the morning and during the evening come to study for one hour at the library. They are a dozen students.
Last week doctor Omnimos and his wife spent four days at the mission, as always very friendly. They operated 16 persons (adults and children). Thank God everything went well. This week they are also operating here in Bangui. If there were more people like them, the world would be better!
I wish you well-lived Lent.
United in Prayer
Kisses
Maria Augusta CLM
