Living here temporarily  at the Bishop’s house I get to meet a lot of people. There is a priest here from the Kilimanjaro region on vacation. One day he asked me if I had any books on Yoga. I told him I had given away most of my books when I left my former parish including my Yoga books. But I told him that I know something of Yoga and I would be willing to show him some exercises if he wished. So we made a date and time to meet on the roof of this four story building for a session.

The session went very well Fr. Ubonyo was a very good student. It was quite a site for me being on that roof surround by the hills of Mwanza with Lake Victoria in the distant, the sun going down, the cows, goats and many dogs moving toward their nighttime shelters. And me teaching Yoga to a Tanzanian priest. Perhaps a sign that the Catholic Church of Tanzania can be open to the goodness of other religions, after all this is what Vatican II called us to: the engage the world, to get out of the ‘basement’ and get up on the ‘roof’ and LIVE.

I live on a steep hill that overlooks Mwanza city and Lake Victoria in the distant. It is a good size hill for walking so I try to walk in the early evening before sundown. Usually I go around the hill three times so people are starting to get used to me. Some children like to try their English out on me, others ignore me, some greet me in Kiswahili.

Today a young Moslem girl dress in traditional Moslem dress ran out as I was passing by, grabbed my hand and said, “Good afternoon” with a big lovely smile. I tried to start a conversation with her but she joyfully ran back to her home as suddenly as she came out to greet me. Perhaps we need to hand the world back to the children to show us adults how a simple joyful greeting can change the world.

Today I celebrated Eucharist at an outstation of Kirumba Parish where the site of the future House of Prayer would be. The Pastor introduced me before mass then departed for another outstation to have mass. During his introduction he mentioned that I would be like their pastor ministering to their pastoral needs. He also stated I would be working a lot on the new ‘spirituality center’ so they the Christians should not be surprised.

This is a big challenge for someone like me to come into an area so poor that the expectations are that I would be doing something concrete right away for the community. As the introduction continue I felt a strong interior pull in my spirit telling me I am entering a sensitive topic: How will I form good relationships with the community without getting into a lot of ‘busy’ projects to help the people.

So what to do? The proverb says, “You create the path by walking it”. I will talk the Pastor this week and be as clear as I can about how we can both cooperate in a way that is beneficial to all involve. I will also need to be open to being connected to the locals through liturgical functions but not meetings which deal with the running of a parish. In a way a House of Prayer does not make much sense with so many basic needs unmet but then again a spiritual transformation is needed to truly meet these basic human needs.

Today the Bishop Yuda Tadea  and I went out to the land where we hope to develop the House of Prayer. The view is stunning as the second largest fresh water lake spreads out before us like an ocean. We walked all corners of the land looking for the beacons which mark out the area legally. We found all the beacons except three and those we have made arrangements with the government land department to have them put in.

As we walked the land the bishop and I spoke about how to start developing our dream. I suggested we put up a permanent wall once we have all the beacons. He agreed so perhaps we could start working on the wall in a month or so. A wall for a House of Prayer does not sound very prayerful but a necessary development. The bishop planted some trees but most of them were eaten by goats. The possibility of someone invading the land illegally could set us back months, even years with court cases. We have the legal title of the land, now it falls on us to be good stewards of this piece of land to develop it for the spiritual growth of future generations of Africans here on this part of Lake Victoria.

Yesterday I went up one of the many steep hills in Mabatini to visit a Christian Community that I was very fond of during my time here as Pastor. The climb is very steep, one steps carefully over many rocks and loose sand. One reaching the top we were met by around 40 children in yellow and white uniforms standing in 4 lines singing and dancing a welcome to me. They proceed to lead us right through the heart of the village center singing their hearts out as we passed through the market full of buyers and sellers.

After walking, dancing and singing our way through the market we reached a small hill where a small table with plastics chairs were set up. The people sat on rocks and sand surrounding me with a warm welcome. I shared with them my experiences of the sabbatical and they read me a report of the development of their community. During this time it started to rain and a discussion broke out whether to run for cover or stay a just get wet. We just stayed and got wet as the short thunder storm quickly passed by. I’ve always love the natural flow of life in Africa. It’s raining a bit? No problem, let’s sing another song thanking God for this much needed blessing.

Two days ago I spend 2 and a half hours with Bishop Yuda Tadea Ruwaichi of the Diocese of Mwanza. This was an important meeting for me to determine if I could proceed with the dream of the House of  Prayer. I came away from the meeting affirmed that the way forward is open. The bishop is very keen on establishing a “Spirituality Center”. I was thankful that we have many of the same ideas about Silence and Solitude and the people’s need to deepen their Spiritual lives.

It was also decided during our conversation that I would live at the Bishop’s house until we can build a small house on the land of the future House of Prayer. The Bishop’s house is on a hill overlooking Victoria Lake. The environment is conducive to having solitude and silence.  I believe living there for awhile will help me develop a good working relationship with the Bishop that will be helpful for the future of the House of Prayer.

I did not tell anyone here at Mabatini (the parish that I started with the people) that I was coming except for a very few people. But with physical sightings and the help of cell phones the word that I had arrived spread like wild fire. The youth came the first evening, then the numbers started to increase that I did not even have to leave the parish grounds because everyone was coming to me.

A mixture of surprise and delight was felt by all. Hugs, not just a handshake were in order as we looked into each others eyes so happy to be together again. I am humbled at the sincere joy of the people to meet again. I am also grateful that my inner heart response is one of Joy also.

I told the people at the morning mass that I came back to Mabatini to greet them as a sign of respect for the 10 years of life an work together. I am remembering and realizing that we truly had something special, unity in diversity. The people could not prepare dances and songs to receive me because I did not tell them when I was coming. But their joyful embraces and heartfelt gratitude to see me again was matched by my own joy of being with them again. I am struck by the fact of just how special our time was together.

This Gospel from yesterday’s Sunday readings has touched me very much. First Jesus, ‘withdrew to the border region of Tyre and Sidon’. Jesus broke down the borders that humans put up by going to an area no self-respecting Jewish teacher would go because it was ‘pagan territory’. I hope the House of Prayer could be a place where anyone would feel at home. I also was struck on how Jesus himself grew in greater awareness of his mission by his encounter with a ‘pagan’ woman. I hope I can be open to change when life ‘interrupts’.

The Canaanite woman touched me by her lack of fear of what others may say, her perseverance and wit (she is the only person in the Gospels who got the better of Jesus in a debate). She engaged Jesus fully and creatively and she would not let go until she got help for her child.

As I return tomorrow to Tanzania to begin a new adventure in faith, I go with the inspiration of this Gospel: to go the borders to break down any separation of humanity, to engage life in all the events and people that I encounter daily, to put aside my timidity to be free to live out God’s Will for  me, to persevere, to never give up when I discern God’s Will, and finally to have fun, use humor and wisdom to ‘win’ the day. All is in God’s  hands anyway.

When the first generations of Maryknoll Missioners first came to Tanzania beginning in 1946 they came by ship. The safari (trip) lasted between one and two months. There was much time to reflect and pray about the new adventure of faith. The new missioner used the time to prepare him or herself to meet the many challenges that life in Africa offered. Now one can get to Africa in 21 hrs in the air. Only time to go to the restroom and read a newspaper while one is waiting for a change of airplanes in Europe or Dubai.

There is a 11 hour time difference between California and Nairobi, Kenya. The experts say that for every hour difference it will take one day to get over jet lag. Another words for 11 hrs one needs 11 days to get into the rhythm of life in the new home. So, the first work of a missioner it to get over jet lag by getting out in the sun, drinking a lot of water, forcing oneself to eat when everybody else is eating and sleeping when everyone else is sleeping.

One has to accept the limitations of one’s BodyMindSpirit. You are not a machine that just turns on a switch and one’s bodily functions automatically working in concert with the pace of your new home. One is out of rhythm. The challenge is to be able to contemplate and accept one’s being out of step for a few days. Good practice for being as one Maryknoll priest says we are, misfits always a bit out of step in a foreign land.

I landed in Nairobi, Kenya yesterday evening after a short (5hr) flight from Dubai where I got an overnight hotel room after a 16 hr flight from San Francisco. The Nairobi airport had a big fire last year that destroyed much of the passenger terminal and the baggage claim area. The temporary area for Immigration, Customs and Baggage claim is in what will be the new parking lot. It  is much too small for the volume of traffic  coming through. Getting through Customs was pretty chaotic, in a manner it was a blessing for me because the Custom agent was so overwhelmed with the number of passengers and the tight space I just gave him my custom form a slipped by without a word.

Many African governments struggle with infrastructure throughout society whether it is health, transportation, education,

or business infrastructure. Coming from the USA it can be a shock and frustration to the traveler. One looks to the African’s patience to see how to handle the situation. Sure one can complain and get angry and sometimes that even helps. But for the most part one continues to learn patience as a way of life.