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During my visit to Karamoja, I had the opportunity to visit a kraal – a few hundred meters where Karimojong keep their animals during the night. With me was a Filipino Comboni missionary, Nolie Jovilla, Jr. (see box below), who is learning the local language. Some Karimojong friends were our guides.
For the last 9 years, Father Pietro Ciapponi, a Comboni missionary, has been working among the Karimojong, a group of semi-nomadic herders who lives in Northern Uganda. Livestock is their way of living, but it can also cause many deaths: conflicts involving cattle raids are common and sometimes lead to skirmishes with the army. Something that Fr. Pietrois trying to stop, by preaching the gospel of peace and promoting conflict-resolution initiatives. People are listening and, as a way of praising his work, they call him “Father Quiet Bull.”
The hope of clearing the scandals and injustices associated to Kenya’s elite
is vanishing. But there is still a spark: Till the end of this year, the government must announce the conclusions of a new investigation on the violent death of Father John Anthony Kaiser, a missionary who dared to accuse the powerful for not defending the poorest of the poor. If the case is fairly judged, there remains a chance of breaking the long chain of impunity in high places.
Fr. Ruben Dario Oquendo, associated with PIME, is the first priest of his Colombian diocese to make his way to the Asian continent. He talks about the difficulties met in preparation and of the change, but also of his wonder in the discovery that by loving and caring for the poor, “it is God who wants me in this land.”
Once, I was exhausted from my journey to reach a far village in Idam parish. However, when the people noticed my arrival, they warmly greeted me with flowers, smiles, and handshakes. Then the village chief declared: “We are not beasts here in the bush; we are also human beings like you and we want to hear the Word of God and be saved.” Instantly, all my frustrations and disappointments disappeared and I felt so much joy and fulfillment!
For a poor Catholic from a rural area like me, it was not easy to come to the big city and study in a communist university. At first, I felt so bad that I wanted to quit. But my father reminded me that we, Christians, are different. And things began to change. Following Jesus changes our lives, even in communist China.
Father Francisco de Medeiros, known as Fr. Chico, has been working in South Africa for 15 years – in different places with varied challenges. At the beginning of this year, he leapt from an urban Babel of languages, cultures and religions to a rural mission bordering the jungle. A sort of an SOS missionary, he is always ready to be called at any time for any emergency.
The Philippine prison system is described in a recent book as a living hell, more in tune with the 19th century than the modern age. Due to overcrowding, many inmates sleep standing up; the toilets run like rivers; disease and death are the only way to “rehabilitation.”
In prison… in South Africa? No, I was not charged of any crime! When the scholasticate was looking for new forms of ministry at the beginning of 2006, one of the proposals was to start a prison ministry in Pietermaritzburg. I readily volunteered because of my previous experience in the New Bilibid Prison in the Philippines. And I must confess: being in prison has enriched my understanding of being a Christian.
