A Great Sign

I don't yet have a picture of my very favorite sign ("Gud Fud 4 U"); but this is a great traffic sign.

Simba

I finally saw a lion yesterday. I was with three Jesuit companions, and we went to the watering hole where I'd been told they can be found, and sure enough there was a lioness with a recent kill -- what looked to be a baby zebra (pole sana, mtoto wa punda milia).

Look closely at the trunk of the tree; the lion is resting after having gorged herself. We were, I'm guessing, 30 feet from her -- in the car, of course.

The scene reminded me of Tennyson:

Who trusted God was love indeed
And love Creation's final law
Tho' Nature, red in tooth and claw
With ravine, shriek'd against his creed

More about the Trip to Dodoma

What excited me about the trip to Dodoma and the chance to meet with Sossy and Orobator about OLQP was Orobator's obvious excitement. He embodies the Ignatian value of magis, desire for more, discontent with mediocrity. His challenge to us -- in particular as we envisage the post-secondary education phases -- is to think big. What will distinguish the teachers college? he wants to know -- distinguish us not only nationally but also regionally and globally.

The visit to Dodoma gave me a chance to meet the newest member of the parish community, Fr. Joseph Kiarie, SJ, who was recently ordained after finishing his theological studies in Manila. I look forward to his companionship.

The trip was not without some excitement: we had a tire blow out on Bart Murphy's car en route. I felt like a worthless fool as I stood around and a 70+-year-old man and a provincial superior changed the tire. I offered them some water to wash their hands, so wasn't totally useless -- only mostly.

(This reminds me of an incident about 18 or so months ago. I was visiting Cleveland and Toledo some days after my friend Fr. Tim Kesicki, SJ, had been named the provincial superior of the Detroit Province. I was in Toledo and a horrible snow storm came through. A few hours after it passed, I decided to head to Cleveland. Everything was perfect regarding my timing -- the plows were always ahead of me. Until I exited the freeway -- I got stuck in a huge drift a block away from St. Ignatius High School. Tim and a then-candidate (now novice), Bryan Norton, dug me out as I stood there, helpless. I told Tim, "This is a perfect tableau to capture how a provincial spends much of his timing -- digging people out of the messes they get themselves into!)

Here's a picture of Sossy (left) and the provincial at the construction site.

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A Quick Trip to Dodoma

I just got back from a quick trip to Dodoma. I went with Bart Murphy, SJ, and the provincial superior of the Eastern Africa Province, SJ: Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator, SJ.

I had my annual conference with Orobator on Sunday (we Jesuits call it the manifestation of conscience). On Monday Bart Murphy kindly schlepped me and the provincial to Dodoma, where I had a chance to visit with the community members and to meet together with Sossy and Orobator, ending with a site meeting at OLQP.

I'm beat, so I'll write more about the inspiring days later.

A Visitor from Dodoma

Sossy just arrived for a brief visit en route from Dodoma to Dar es Salaam. It was good to see him, if only briefly.

But I'll see him again soon, for I'm headed to Dodoma on Monday for one evening. I'll be accompanying the provincial of Eastern Africa, Fr. Orobator, who'll be in Morogo on Sunday to meet with me and Bart Murphy.

Bart suggested we save the provincial from having to take the bus to Dodoma by driving him there and staying the night. This will also give Sossy and me a chance together to speak with him about OLQP.

Sossy threw a curve ball to me as he was getting in his car to head to Dodoma: "Marty, you're scheduled to be the presider at the 6:30 a.m. Mass on Tuesday morning. We'll be there with you on the altar." I've moved pretty quickly from saying a part of the Eucharistic Prayer on Sunday to presiding!

Keeping Up Some Research – Maybe?

I received this announcement this past week: Multilingualism and Education: Global Practices, Challenges and the Way Forward; Conference co-hosted by Kenyatta University and the University of

Pennsylvania

The conference is intended to bring together researchers, professionals, classroom practitioners, policy makers, and language specialists interested in issues that relate to multilingualism, education and linguistic diversity as global phenomena. Papers at the conference are expected to range from presentation of research findings to analysis of practice.

I have had the opportunity to participate in the social in the Common Room here at the language school for over a month now. The room truly is common – a place for students and teachers to both relax and work. Our teachers – assistant teachers – are all young people (mostly men) who have to pass one or more national exams before going on to university.

One of the things I’ve noticed is that the teachers take advantage of the presence of native American English speakers in the common room re: English language questions. However, unlike questions elsewhere (“Am I in the road or on the road?”), questions in the common room are more likely to be about register: “How would I say baadaye (later) in American slang?”

A lot more to think about -- and talk about with the teachers; but I think I just may have a paper to present (and it will get me to Nairobi!).

Sad News

I read on Facebook today that Sr. Peg Dolan, RSHM, died (a horrible way to learn it; but I went there before reading my email at lmu.edu). May she rest in peace.

Peg Dolan was a legend at LMU. Unlike many legends she was the real deal. She took the time to know people and she was generous with her time. She cared about the people who were in her life, really cared – and there was always room for more people in her life.

I value the memory of our many conversations about the Jesuit/Marymount character of Loyola Marymount University these last years and am thankful for her encouragement to “keep at it” (as she so often said to me). I’m no less committed to LMU now than I was when I was there – it is, after all, an important apostolate of the Society of Jesus. Now, I and so many others who care about the university can entrust its future to her intercession, even as we pray for her peace.