My First Homily in Swahili

Based on Isaiah 35:1

Somo kutoka Isaya linaonyesha furaha ya ajabu. Katikati ya jangwa, mahali ambapo vitu haviwezi kuwa na maisha ni magumu, Mungu huja na baraka; halafu jangwa linabadilika.

Kila mtu anaendapo jangwani anajisikia kiu. Jua kali hukausha ardhi ya jangwa.

Kama ardhi ya jangwa, mioyo yetu hupasuka kwenye joto la maisha. Roho zetu ni kavu. Jangwa la maisha ni wasiwasi, hali ya isiyo ya usalama, na woga wa vitu vingi.

Lakini tazameni mahali hapa, sehemu ya Dodoma. Tazameni maua ya miti sasa. Mvua inanyesha katika jangwa.

Sisi tunasalimana: “Kristo: Tumaini letu.” Tumaini letu ni Kristo. Tumaini letu ni mtu ambaye aliwaambia watu msalabani, “Naona kiu.” Halafu kiu cha Yesu Kristu kilikatwa na ufufuo.

Tumaini letu si kitu kidogo. Hata wakati ya Majilio msalaba upo. Lakini ufufuo upo pia! Neema za Mungu zipo! Kuna neema za Mungu tele duniani. Neema za Mungu zinanyesha, na kuna tumaini jangwani kwa maisha yetu mapya.

Bila shaka:

Nyika na mahali palipo ukiwa patafurahi,

jangwa litashangilia na kuchanua maua kama waridi;

litachanua maua mengi,

na kufarahi, naam, kwa shangwe na kuimba.

Short, but sweet.

Translation? Try Google Translator.

'Tis the Season

If you wish to make a donation at this time of the year, you can do so by going to the "You Can Help" section on the upper right of the screen.
Thanks so much, and God bless.

My Patron Saint

My patron saint is Martin of Tours, whose feast is celebrated 11 November. Martin of Tours is remembered for at least two events in his life: His setting aside his sword in order to serve God and his dividing his coat, sharing it with a beggar.
Looking at how many clothes I brought with me here, I can't believe I have as my patron one who had so little concern for such things. I'm not a fashion-plate by any means, but what I lack in taste I've made up for in quantity. And my inordinate attachment to these things is showing as I try to decide which half (okay not half, maybe quarter) I should share with the poor.

Umeamkaje?

That's the morning greeting. Literally: How did you wake up? And the polite response is "salama" --peacefully, even if you didn't. I didn't. Our neighbors have watchdogs that yip and bark the whole night and last night there was a nightclub going full blast. I finally managed to get to sleep soundly sometime around 3:00 a.m., only to be awakened by the muezzin at 5:00 a.m. It took me weeks to get used to the trucks braking in Morogoro; I trust I'll become as desensitized to these new sounds -- in the meantime I'm thankful for the white-noise application on my iphone.

I concelebrated the 7:30 a.m. Mass this morning. The church is built for about 1,400 people and there were hundreds of people standing along the sides and outside. The choir was amazing as usual. Before the final blessing I said a few words: Nimejifunza Kiswahili Morogoro. Ni vigumu sana kujifunza Kiswahili; kuna maneno mengi! Siwezi kusema wala kusoma kiswahili vizuri, lakini nataka kusema kama waswahili; kwa hiyo nitajaribu kujifunza kwa bidii. Translation: I studied Kiswahili in Morogoro. It's hard to learn: There are so many words! I don't speak or read Kiswahili well, but I want to speak like Swahili speakers. Therefore, I'm going to try very hard.

The applause I received was amazing.

I did pray part of the Eucharistic Prayer and was told afterward that it was perfectly read in unaccented Kiswahili. People are kind.

A funny story about why I need to learn it: In the sacristy before Mass, the catechist pointed to a bucket filled to the brim with water. Well, I know how important the tradition of washing hands is here, so I washed mine. What he was asking me do, however, was bless the water.

Today will be spent getting settled, writing my homily for tomorrow's Mass, and visiting with my friend Ibariki (from the verb kuibariki, to bless --as in "God bless Tanzania," the national anthem. Incidentally, the national anthem is a prayer -- a prayer that all citizens of this country, whatever their religion, can pray together. Rather nice, that.). Ibariki is a student at the University of Dodoma who is from Morogoro. I'll get a little pumzika (rest) in, too.

Jumapili Njema! Have a good Sunday.

People Work Hard for Their Money

Progress

Here are some photos of the major buildings in phase one. Above is the almost completed residence for patrons/matrons (dorm parents/supervisors). Below you'll see the boys dormitory (two more floors will be added to the structures in subsequent phases), followed by a picture of the dormitories and multi-purpose building from the vantage point of the second level of the classroom building (overlooking the rebar getting ready for the slab to be poured for the laboratory wing). The final picture is from the second floor of the multipurpose building, looking out over the dining hall toward the stage.

Nipo Dodoma

I am in Dodoma.

I arrived here at 9 a.m. this morning, and I'm very happy to be here.

Last evening Malasi, the Jesuit scholastic who is part of the OLQP project, arrived from Dodoma to fetch me and my things. We left the language school and headed to the Salvatorian Institute, where we had rooms for the evening. After looking up Bart Murphy and getting settled, we headed out for a farewell dinner of beer and chicken with some friends.

As we returned from a long, very enjoyable evening, there were sprinkles on the windshield. I suggested that we switch out cars, locking ours in the safety of Bart's garage and parking his outside -- not only for security but also to keep my things dry. Well, I was thankful for that when about 45 minutes later the clouds opened. I've never in my life witnessed such rain -- no associated with a storm, just buckets of pouring rain, coming straight down. It rained like that for about an hour. I thought how nice it would be to sleep following the rain, for surely it would cool down. It didn't. I barely slept two hours before the alarm went off at 5:00 a.m.
As soon as I woke up it began to rain again, though not as hard. This doesn't seem an important detail to narrate except for this fact: we had no canvas. We had to be in Dodoma for a 9:00 a.m. site meeting at OLQP, so there was no other option than to just face the fact that some things were going to get soaked. I did say to Malasi that my experience told me that as soon as we got away from the mountains we'd be fine. And in fact that was the case. I enjoy his companionship and we had a good drive. I've been on that road now five times; driving it after the rains made it a new experience, so green -- even the dusty Dodoma region

The site meeting went well. The buildings are going to be very nice, I must say. I must also say that I am very happy that we did not set a 2010 opening -- there is no way we could be starting school and boarding for 140 form one students in six weeks.
It's very nice to be home, very nice indeed. Speaking mostly English today, but Sr. Euphrasia, the head teacher of the primary school, insisted on speaking some Kiswahili, which I appreciated. She informed me that I would be celebrating Mass at the convent on Monday in Kiswahili -- and preaching. Yikes: Ninahitaji msaada wa Mungu! I need God's help!

Now to work.