Poland – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Family on mission

18 December, 2024 by Alberto de la Portilla

Me, Tobiasz, together with my wife, Adela, have spent already a few years on mission: two years in South Africa and over two years in Ethiopia. We came back to Poland when our son was about to be born. Five years has passed since that time and three children appeared. With our family increased by Leo (5 years), Jeremi (almost 4 years) and Beniamin (1 and a half year), we decided to refresh our missionary vocation and came back to Africa, this time for a five weeks.

We visited international CLM community in Kitelakapel, Kenya, where we were hosted by Pius, Linda and Marzenka. It was great to see such a beautiful community, having good relationship with local people and among themselves. They welcomed us warmly and made us a real part of their community for that time.

It was beginning of school holiday and we organized activities for children from the neighbourhood. They were eager to spend their time playing, and were excited to see white people the same size as they are, i.e., our children. We took part in jumuias – meetings of small communities, where they read the Bible and speak about that. After Sunday Masses we had meetings with parishoners, where we shared our understanding of God, marriage and raising up children. The words always mean less than example of life, and we hope that being there even for a few weeks only would inspire some of them to pursue the Christian vision of family.

Realities in West Pokot region are very different than those we know from Europe. Men don’t participate in the family life – people were shocked I carried Beniamin in a carrier and played with my children. Most of them don’t come to the church, sometimes not allowing their wives to come, knowing that the church don’t approve polygamy which they practice. Small children are often left alone, with the only care of their not much older sisters. On the other hand life there is beautiful in its simplicity. People are joyful and very hospitable. Surely there is much to be inspired from them and they can learn much from us as well.

We are coming back to Poland with more just good memories of exceptional trip, but with our missionary vocation refreshed. It’s possible to be a missionary staying in your home town. But staying in your home town it’s very easy not to be a missionary. We are so happy we could experience the mission again.

Tobiasz Lemański, CLM

New CLM in Poland

8 July, 2024 by Alberto de la Portilla

On Saturday, June 23 this year, during the meeting of the Combonian family in Krakow, Paweł and Iza ceremonially joined the movement of the Comboni Lay Missionaries.

The event took place before the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, loved by the founder of the congregation, Daniel Comboni. He wrote many times in his letters to always have “eyes fixed on Christ”, these words are the foundation of a missionary’s life.

During the solemn Holy Mass, both candidates read the handwritten act of ac-cession and then presented it to Father Adam Zagaja, who is responsible for CLM in Poland on behalf of the Congregation of the Comboni Missionaries.

CLM, family and friends were present on this important day for Paweł and Iza.

CLM Poland

Our third trip to Ethiopia

17 November, 2023 by Alberto de la Portilla

On October 27, we flew to Ethiopia. This is our third trip. The journey was smooth and we arrived in Addis Ababa on time. We were picked up from the airport by Sister Janina – a Franciscan nun who has been in Ethiopia for over a dozen years.

The next day we continued our journey to our place of stay, to Awassa, to Magda Soboka, who founded and runs the Ethiopian Children’s Foundation “Barkot”, to help her in her work in the Foundation.

Magda’s Ethiopian husband received us at the bus station and welcomed us very warmly.

A surprise was waiting for us, prepared by Sister Franciscan Missionary of Mary, a Pole, Kamila from Łódź, who works at the hospital in Bushulo as a midwife and nurse. Her parents came from Poland to visit her for the first time (and she has been here for 8 years). The surprise was a five-day trip deep into Ethiopia to various tribes and missions led by the Spiritan Fathers.

The trip lasted 5 days. It started on October 30 and ended on November 3.

On the first day we stopped in Arba Minch at the Spiritan fathers’ house. On the way we visited the Park of 40 Springs.

On the first day we went on a boat trip on Lake Chamo, where we saw crocodiles. Then we went to the Dorze tribe, where we were dressed up in their tribal, festive costumes, and they treated us with a cake made of banana leaf flour, alcohol and home-made honey. It was a great experience. Their houses are shaped like a crocodile’s snout. Returning to the mission for the night, we stopped at a factory for hand-made silk and silkworm breeding. We learned about the process of manual production of fabrics, which were also used to sew finished products (scarves, bags, blouses, etc.). It was a very fruitful day.

At dawn after Holy Mass on November 1, we said goodbye to the fathers and continued our journey. We visit the land of the Mursi tribe in Konso. This tribe has been in Ethiopia since the 15th century. They began to build their houses on the mountain, and the entrance to the village and houses leads through small stone corridors, so that no unauthorized person can get in, and forms three circles around the mountain. This tribe cultivates its traditions and customs, creates a community,

We reach Jimma in the evening for an overnight stay at a guesthouse and dinner.

Very early in the morning we leave the guesthouse and set off in the rain to the village of the Turmi tribe. The rain stopped, and we, with a guide and security, visited the village of the tribe which according to the old tradition, places plates on the lower lip of the mouth, and the warriors paint themselves. This tribe changes its place of residence every 3-4 months, looking for food for its flock – it is a pastoral tribe. The inhabitants of this tribe go naked, sometimes covering themselves with a blanket. An interesting fact for tourists is that in the evening there is the “ewangadi” ceremony, there are various shows, bull jumping, dances, etc. When a man from this tribe wants to get married, he must show courage and strength, jump over 6 bulls, and a woman whips herself. The Ethiopian government wants this tribe to dress and send their children to school, but they do not want to and destroy the clothes because it is not their culture. During the day, the men are out hunting. In the village we only saw women and children.

We go to Yabello to spend the night with the Spiritan missionaries. The Missionary Fathers run a boarding house for older boys and girls studying. They encounter great difficulties in employing teachers because teachers want very high salaries that fathers cannot afford. Right now, they would love to see a volunteer who would teach English and computer science. Of course, there are problems with work permits, so such a volunteer could only work for three months.

Unfortunately, the trip ends quickly and we return to Awassa, visit a bamboo hotel along the way, eat at the Inka restaurant and go home in the evening. It was a wonderful trip, full of new information about the life of some Ethiopian tribes and the activities of the mission. It introduced us to the culture and customs of the Ethiopian tribes.

However, we did not come here to rest, we need to start doing something for others. We visit the Center of the Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa and Andrzej was offered few tasks: in the emergency room and in carpentry work. The sister superior, a Belgian, welcomes him very warmly. I will try to help Magda, and there is plenty of work.

Bogusia and Andrzej.

Six months of missionary presence in Kitelakapel

6 November, 2023 by Alberto de la Portilla

It’s been almost half a year since I came to Kitelakapel. It’s amazing how wonderful I feel here from the beginning. Full of peace and joy that what I wanted so much is now coming true. The three of us stay in Kitelakapel, together with Linda, who came here first, and Pius, who has been here for almost a year. These first months were a time of meeting people, getting to know each other in the community and observing everything that was happening around me. I know this adventure will never end. And I do not want it to end. I want to continue to explore, to learn, to taste this life in Africa which is a great gift for me.

In Kitelakapel we’re doing well, we are very busy with a lot of different activities. We still spend a lot of time learning Suahili. Linda is our teacher. We have a lot of pastoral work like: catechism, Young Missionary Group (St. Bakhita group), YCS (meetings with boys from secondary school), Sunday School and attending Jumuiyas (small christian communities). Every Saturday and Sunday we organize compound games for children.

I have started offering my services to the dispensary of the mission in Kacheliba, and the small dispensary of Kitelakapel. My big dream is to work here in Kenya as a physiotherapist. It is not only my profession but also a great passion. I have already taken some official steps to be able to practice my profession here. Pius and Linda continue teaching life skills in two schools and doing tutoring in the primary school. I had the pleasure of observing their work for almost three months when I arrived here.They do it really wonderfully, engaging children and teenagers in various activities. We’ve also started weekly workshops for teachers to improve the quality of teaching. Workshops are run online by an organisation from Poland Why Blue Sky. Now schools are on vacation so we also do other activities.

We took part in very interesting workshops in Nairobi organized by Fr Maciej Zieliński. It was about personality types. We are also planning to go to Uganda for one week to organize some workshops for teachers and nurses.

We’re now trying to set up a permanent tent to have activities with children and adults in case of bad weather, and we would like to have a little playground with swing, slide and merry-go-round for the youngest children. .

We send you our warmest greetings and please, keep us in your prayers 🙂

Marzena Gibek, CLM from Kitelakapel

Missionary sending in Cracow

4 May, 2023 by Alberto de la Portilla

Hello Everyone 🙂

I write to You because I wanna share with You something special. On 18th of April in my parish in Cracow I was sent to Kenya by our bishop 🙂

Surrounded by family and friends I received a missionary cross. It was a very special and touching moment for me. At the beginnig of the May I will join Linda and Pius in Kitelakapel. I can’t wait!

Two days earlier a mission animation took place, also in my parish. Fr Adam and fr Rene said a lot about our Comboni Family and their mission experience.

I got a lot of support from everyone. From my family, friends, community, parish.

I send You a greetings. Please, pray for me and my family.

God bless You All

Marzena