From Coal to Kola

This past week since I have been back in Liberia, Bruno, the catechist I have been traveling with, has been teaching me more about the land and how the people live. At times it seems like I’m having my own biology lessons.

He first explained to me the process they use to make coal. This cleared up a lot of different sites I have seen during my time here: large stacks of wood piled up everywhere, smoldering piles of dirt, large bags of unknown material being sold all around the markets.

After this, Bruno has been pointing out all of the different vegetation that we come across. From corn to cassava to kola nuts, I am now skilled in the art of recognizing and distinguishing these different plants species. And not only recognition, but he has taught me how they plant, harvest, and cook most of these as well. So I figure now if this priesthood thing doesn’t work out I could make a fairly competent farmer…in Liberia at least.

It is amazing, though, how the people here have learned to live off the land in every way possible. They make their housing mostly from natural materials they find locally, they cook what they grow, and the children use their imagination to play with whatever they can find. Even when it comes to adapting to this postwar environment, the people are ready and able to adapt right along with it.

From the first moment I flew into Kenya I noticed the difference from Liberia. The increased poverty and desolation that I have experienced the previous five weeks were greatly reduced. And even though we had an amazing week exploring the beauty of Kenya, I am glad to spend my remaining few weeks back in this place. So that I can end this assignment with these people and their country fresh in my mind. So that I can learn whatever else I can about their way of life and their hope for the future. And that I take all of this back with me as I continue on my own journey through life back home.

-Dan
written 08/03/11

Peace

I heard a phrase last year that has recently emerged once again in my mind: You can’t pray unless your basic needs are met. So, in other words, it makes it hard to focus on prayer or reflection if your stomach is continually growling, the sweat is pouring down burning your eyes, or silence is impossible to find amidst the sounds of thirty adolescences around you. But there are those times when the stars seem to align and conditions are perfect for prayer.

Luckily, this is exactly what happened this past weekend during the priestly ordination I was blessed to attend. Two young deacons, Johnny-Clement and Terence, have now become the two newest priests in the country of Liberia. I had the pleasure of meeting Johnny-Clement earlier in the summer, and he made a point to get my phone number to make sure I know when the ordination took place so I could attend.

And on top of the ordination itself, it was the first ordination celebrated by the new Bishop that I saw ordained the very first weekend I arrived. He gave a beautiful homily extolling the virtues that are gifted by the Holy Spirit and necessary for carrying out the ministry of the priesthood. All the while, Archbishop Zeigler sat humbly off to the side, speaking only words of gratitude at the conclusion of the Mass.

I find it divine timing that the ten week period I find myself in Africa I was able to witness the ordination of two priests and a bishop. And for myself it has been a powerful experience, but not as apparent as I may have hoped for. I prayed before the ordination this past weekend that the Lord move in my heart if He wished, again finding myself praying for clarity. Only afterwards I realized and thanked God for the consolation I felt, not from any explicit feelings of confirmation or clarity, but in the grace I received from putting trust in the Lord by faith alone.

I call consolation…filling [the soul] with peace and quiet in its Creator and Lord.
-St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises


-Dan
written 08/02/11

Little Lion Man

Allow me to reflect a moment on the wonders of the animal kingdom alongside the mysteries of our faith. In particular, the king of the African plains, the lion. Seeing this animal up close, but luckily not too personally, was definitely one of the highlights of my trip to Kenya. But seeing one particular pride several times throughout the week and observing some of their behaviors got me thinking about our own lives.

Watching our two cats at home, we often comment that “they have the life.” They sleep most of the day, have their food laid out for them at the same time every day, and receive constant attention (whether they want it or not). Well, it appears that our house cat’s larger cousins aren’t too far off. Granted, while they do have to hunt for their own food (or stalk is more like it), they seem to sleep most of the day as well, and the cubs definitely receive constant attention, and if not they seek it out themselves.

But there is another feature to their lives on the Serengeti that I found most interesting. They seem not to have fear of anything. But of course, why should they? What animal would dare cross a lion? We saw one male lion in particular sleeping in the middle of the plain, with no bushes or cover of any kind, totally vulnerable.

We all know the classic Wizard of Oz, with the Scarecrow asking for a brain, the Tinman for a heart, and the Lion for courage. These characters were chosen because the objects that they wished for were obvious assets to their person. What is a lion without courage? Merely a scaredy cat (pun most definitely intended).

On seeing this first hand and reflecting on our own call as children of God, this is an attribute that we all need to share. Just as the lion can rest on the plains of Africa with no fear of attack, so too should we be able to rest in the Truth our Lord, not that we won’t be attacked, but with courage that the Lord will provide for those who are doing His will, no matter the challenges we may face.

There is a song by the band Mumford & Sons entitled Little Lion Man. I began pondering the meaning, trying to find a way to tie this all together nicely, and I came up with nothing. Further reflection on the title, however, led me to the apparent paradox that exists in the title, between the man in the song to the actual nature of a lion. The song describes a man who is not as brave as at the start, needing to take all the courage he has left to face yet another mistake he made with another’s heart.

I think this song speaks to many of us, though (pardon the expletive if you go and listen to it now). About the mistakes of our past and the courage it takes to face up to these and move forward, learning from them. And not just about mistakes, but about the courage it takes just to live out the faith in our day-and-age. To face persecution and hardships, to live outside the norm, to put all of our faith in someone that is unseen. It took courage for Jesus to pick up his cross and march up to Calvary, and we are asked nothing less.

Jesus calls to us all just as he called to his disciples on the water, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Fear is the biggest obstacle to those trying to carry out God’s will. And even if God calls us to something that is truly frightening, we can chose to act boldly. To allow the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord be our delight, so that the day will come when the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them.

-Dan
written 07/29/11

Jambo!

Swahili for "Hello"

I am now back in Liberia after an amazing week in Kenya. It was great to be reunited with Bob and Chris and to share our experiences in our respected countries here in West Africa. Not to mention, of course, finally seeing the great creatures that roam the Serengeti on safari!

And thankfully, everyone made it back home safely. But it is a somewhat strange feeling for me to now be “alone” on this continent. Of course I am not alone (I even still have someone from our own diocese here with me) but you know what I mean. I am in good spirits, however, knowing that God still has great plans for my few remaining weeks at this mission. And I was welcomed back with sincere and warming greetings, glad to see the familiar faces of my Liberian friends.

If there is anything I have learned so far, and I know is a major lesson of this whole summer (that I’m sure I’ve already mentioned before), is total surrender to the Lord. And this lesson seems to keep forcing itself upon me. I guess the Lord knows my stubbornness by now. To give the most recent example, I seem not to have the best luck with flights (those who flew with me to Mexico years back can attest), but I decided this time not to worry but just trust that the Lord will see me through.

And who’da thought, but it worked! No matter if it was the five hour delay out of Liberia or not getting picked up at the airport in Kenya, trusting that the Lord would take care of me gave me the peace to take it all in stride. And it all worked itself out fairly easily too.

Not only the logistics of the travel worked out, but the travel companions I made helped get me through as well. On the way to Kenya I met two nuns that were on their way to Ghana (one of whom teaches at the seminary there), and they definitely made the five hour delay move a lot faster. And on the way back I met a Catholic woman who was born and raised in Ghana, but is now a student at the University of Florida in Gainesville. I feel confident now that by the end of my stay here I will find all of the Floridians in West Africa.

My time spent back has already been challenging for me spiritually, though. Not only the longing for home now that Bob is back and my end is in sight, but in a positive way too. I feel that these last three weeks will really test me and allow me the opportunity to look back on my past and forward to my future given the present I now find myself in.

I recently read a quote from Mother Theresa after she had been asked to pray for someone’s clarity. She replied by saying, “I’ve never had clarity and certitude. I only have trust. I’ll pray that you trust.” I stopped after reading this, realizing that clarity is exactly what I had been praying for. I then took this quote to prayer and began to discover the true extent that we are asked to trust. God never promised us certainty, but we are asked to keep our gaze focused on the Lord and to trust, or else we are bound to sink as Peter did attempting to walk on the water.

So for my remaining weeks I will keep my eyes focused, and I will pray not for clarity and certitude, but for greater faith and trust. And I ask for your continued prayer as I continue praying for you all. Also, I hope you all have the opportunity to harass Bob about his experiences while he is home…I know he would love that!

-Dan
written 07/29/11

There and Back Again

I’m home.

Kenya was beyond any words that could attempt to do it justice. John of the Cross said that God “leaves some trace of Who He is” in nature and I witnessed such holy fingerprints in the Serengeti. The greatest joy was reuniting with my brother. I remember telling an inquiring Sierra Leonean that, for brothers, Dan and I “get along better than we should.” He is the Luigi to my Mario, the Robin to my Batman, the Michelangelo to my Leonardo (Ninja Turtles, not Renaissance painters). It was a joy to spend the time with him on that holy landscape.


Thank you to Bishop Lynch, Catholic Relief Services, and the people of the Diocese of St. Petersburg for making this trip possible. Thank you to Bishop Biguzzi, Fr. Francis, and all the people who pierced my heart in Africa—in God’s time, I just may be back. Thank you to the second season of House for getting me through many dreary afternoons. Thanks especially to YOU, the readers, for your support in prayer and encouraging emails. You all helped me to hold on. Special thanks of course to my family, especially to Mom for bearing with the emotional trauma of seeing her two sons leave for Africa—she’ll be seeking restitution. Dan: two weeks to go; you’re in charge of the blog now—hang in there, Samwise. And of course, all glory to the Trinity and Mama Mary.


I will miss Fr. Francis and Bishop Biguzzi, as well as all the parishioners and people I got to know during my stay. I suppose I will also miss the solitude. It was refreshing to get away from cell phones, Facebook, and 24-hour news stations; it forced me to listen better to God and give him the attention He deserves. It's something I have to prioritize now that I am back in the States. But it’s so good to be home.


Well, I’ll be signing off now. I hope to catch my breath and pass back into some kind of anonymity, until at least God calls me out again.


See you next time.

-Bob
written 07/28/11

I Bless the Rains Down in Africa!

I know that I must do what’s right,
as sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti.

And it would not be right to blog a whole summer in Africa and not mention this song at least once. And seeing that tomorrow I am leaving for Kenya, I felt that now was the right time (not to mention I’ve been waiting to use this since before I left. Sad, maybe…).

Bob, Chris, and I are all meeting up in Kenya to explore more of the beautiful continent of Africa and more of our universal Church. Not to mention finally seeing some stereotypical African animals.

After this Bob and Chris will head home to America while I will remain here to hold down the fort, so to speak. I will go back to the mission in Liberia for another three weeks since I started my assignment later than the other two. So, you know what that means...I will plow on with this blog after the 28th without the additions of my brother. For better or worse, you will continue to get updates until I return home August 18th.

I’m not sure of our internet access for this next week in Kenya, so I apologize if there is a short hiatus. But get excited, and prepare yourselves for some sweet pictures when we continue!

It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you.
There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do.
I bless the rains down in Africa!

-Dan
written 07/19/11

Madonna of the World II: Song of Lowliness

There are times when we feel like there is no hope. We look around us and see the world in turmoil and desolation and feel so small beside it. And we know that no matter how good our intentions are or how hard we may try, nothing we can do will even begin to make a dent.

Being in Africa, you can get this feeling quite often. Looking around you see endless poverty, corruption in the schools, and isolation of entire communities from the Word of God. This is the crucial point, though. At this point we can either pack our bags and go home because of the sheer magnitude of the situation, or we can turn to God in our lowliness.

Our Blessed Mother is again our model of humble courage in the face of a world gone wrong. It was at the Visitation to Elizabeth when the song of the Magnificat sprang from the lips of Mary. Here she praises the Lord, her Son, for looking upon her lowliness. While most of us do our best to hide our weakness and prove our own strength to the world, our Mother magnifies not herself but her Son. And this is a lesson we all need to heed. For only a soul that does not magnify itself can magnify the Lord.

And this is meant to give us hope. It is precisely in our weakness that God makes us strong. But for this we must first recognize our lowliness before Him. And for me, at least, this is a heavy burden lifted off my shoulders. Or, I guess it would be more accurate to say that it is an exchange of my own yoke for the yoke that Jesus has offered us, one that is easy and light. Because rather than giving up in the face of the world, we realize that we ourselves are not able to do anything, but it is the Spirit moving inside us that will set the world on fire.

God looked upon Mary in what she believed was her nothingness, so God once more created a world out of nothing. And if Mary saw herself as nothing, who are we to think we can transform the world without the help of our Lord?

But I pray that the Lord continues to grant His strength and humility upon us all so that we may never lose hope. For me as I continue in my journey here in Africa, and for Bob and Chris, that as they will soon travel home they will continue to allow themselves to be emptied only to be filled by the Lord and not any other distractions that they will soon encounter.

It is times when we are overcome with great emotion that a song springs forth from our mouths. Putting all musicals aside, you can see this throughout the Bible, as in Miriam’s song after the crossing of the Red Sea. So may we always be overcome by the love and fidelity of our God, and may the Magnificat of Mary always be on our lips as she prayer:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name... (Luke 1:46-49)

-Dan
written 07/19/11