One needs to accept the everyday reality of sickness as a major factor in the time it takes to get things done. For example, I hired someone to make some curtains for the house I am living in; after two days I get word she has malaria. A week goes by with no word from her, then I hear her eye is troubling her. Another week has gone by and I haven’t heard anything.

The woman who does my laundry(by hand) did not show up at the usually time. She came later with her sick child in her arms who had an infection on her neck. This mother told me she had another sick child at home. I haven’t heard from her since. She is a widow, alone and poor, it may be awhile till I hear from her.

Today my foreman, Ernesti sent me an SMS that his father is sick and he would be late if he came into work at all today. He did come in when his father refused to go to the hospital but it looks like this will be a chronic challenge for Ernesti to attend to his ailing father in the future.

Then of course, I can get sick. I am grateful that my health has been great since moving to the House of Prayer a few months ago. It is a challenge to keep a healthy attitude when sickness is always so close. One learns from the people to keep getting up and keep on going regardless of the sickness around you, after all one has to care for the sick.

 

The  last few weeks I have been working on personal and work validation from the government. First the  personal, to live and work in Tanzania an expatriate must have a two year Residence Permit which usually is not to hard to acquire. Now one has to go through the Dept. of Works then on to the Immigration Dept. It seems there a lot of people in the country without permits and the government is cracking down on them, which just makes it harder for those with permits. So, my permit expires 11 March at which time I hope I will have some kind of valid document that allows me to stay in country. If not, I go to Nairobi for a ‘vacation’ while I wait for the process to find an end.

We continue to build with a ‘receipt’ but not a building permit. We have been waiting one year for the building permit that has gotten stalled in the local government’s offices. I have asked the Bishop to get involved more to help us speed up the process. So hopefully, we can get the permit, perhaps around the same time I get my Residence Permit sometime next month before 11 March.

Either way, one learns to wait with a curious, wondering heart like Mary to see how life will unfold.

Walls going up!

Walls going up.

Last week I signed the contract for the second phase construction and completion of the Core Community House. Since then the work has begun in earnest with six skilled masons and many helpers making up the building crew.

The various rooms are coming into shape and what strikes me is how the separate apartments would be ideal for individual retreatants for solitude. Perhaps this house can be used for both Core Community and people coming for retreat.

Finally, yesterday seven people came for “Taamuli” (meditation) yesterday. We had a lovely Silence to Still our restless souls. My hope is as the physical building grows, so to will peoples’ desire to  sit in the Silence.

 

“Taamuli” is a Kiswahili word meaning, roughly translated, “A Light Shining”. This is the word I use to try and speak of Contemplation. I started this Contemplative group here at the House of Prayer a few months ago with limited results. Last week, as I wrote a few days ago, only Michael, an eight year old boy showed up. Yesterday, three women came and we had a fruitful session.

The session starts with a welcome and a passage from Scripture, followed by a short teaching, then a 20 minute section of Silent Mediation. Although my teaching probably was not totally understood, I was touched by the quality of the Silence with those women.

Silence is something inherent in all healthy cultures. So while my rational explanation for Christian Meditative Silence was lacking, the deep Silence within the women was not.

Today I meet with Mr. Chassa and Mr. Mbwambo, our contractors to discuss the next phase of our construction project. We are finishing up the first phase in which we built the foundation for the Core Community House and a large water tank for the entire area.

Things going well, we should sign the contract for the second phase in which we will finish the house in a couple of days. It is encouraging to see the dream/vision take material shape. I pray and hope however this unfolds, we will be faithful to the original vision of Simplicity.

I continue with two Christian Meditation groups, one in a neighboring parish and one here at the House of Prayer. Yesterday only one person attended here at the House of Prayer, Michaeli, a 8 year old boy.

Michaeli has been a regular at our Tuesday group, always coming early, waiting for us to get quiet before the Lord. I guess I could have postponed the group for lack of attendance. But why? Jesus said himself that such are they of the Kingdom.

 

It has been awhile since writing here. I just returned three days ago from Nairobi, Kenya for the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers annual retreat and meeting. The occasion always is a great opportunity to visit other Maryknollers whom I normally would not see since they work in different areas in East Africa. I didn’t bring my computer, wanting to stay away from screens during this time, thus my absence on this blog.

Here now at the House of Prayer we are finishing up the final works for the water tank and the foundation of the Core Community House. I hope we can start the second phase of the development of our construction project by the end of this month or early next.

Yesterday I had a conversation with a local priest on the contemplative life. He asked me to come to the minor seminary later this year to give a reflection day for the minor seminarians. I agreed, thankful for such openness to the contemplative life and hopeful for the future.