She comes walking slowly, the way the ancients walked; her ‘kitenge’ wrapped around her body protecting her for the cool morning breeze of Lake Victoria.

She sits feet outstretched on the prayer room’s ‘mikeka’ (mats), sitting close upon the earth, like the ancients used to sit.

She sits in majestic silence, never moving once as still as the ancient rocks that surround us; her Silence is the Silence of the Ancients, it is Primal. It is the Divine.

Today we had our monthly meeting with our builders. The first thing we do is walk slowly in and around the building. We were all impressed on how the building is taking shape. I am thankful for the beautiful fruit of a lot of work these past months. The combination of stone work and bright colors in the rooms in the lovely sitting of Lake Victoria combine to create a unique building.

As I mentioned before we will not have enough money to complete the building because of the cost overruns of the basement and foundation. I am looking at using some funds I was planning to use for the water tower and furniture. Eventually I will get the funds to finish but in the mean time I’m hoping  for the best. The water tower and some of the furniture will have to wait, for now.

Judi is doing very well blending in with our community. She will be a great blessing for our House of Prayer. Yesterday she guided the Thursday evening Swahili speaking Silent Prayer group. I appreciate her commitment to the contemplative life.

Judi Walter arrived a few days ago from Mombasa, Kenya to begin her journey with us at the Lake House of Prayer. There’s a proverb in Swahili, “Mtu anakuwa mgeni kwa siku nne na siku ya tano tunampa jembe” (A person is a guest for four days, on the fifth day we give her a hoe”. We’ve already put Judi to work here as she help our Thursday meditation group with some gentle body exercises to help us pray with our bodies.

Judi is settling in well in our neighbor’s compound next door but she takes most of her meals with me. Already the menu looks more exciting that just beans and fish. Today we’re having lentils cooked in spices.

We hope to live a simple life so we may invite others to simplicity and peace in Christ.

This morning we looked at windows for our new house. Afterwards walking through the house, passing around the various workers it struck me how in not too long a time this house will be finished (I’m told June).

As for the house I’m living in now, we will be ready to start receiving guests soon. My foreman and expert carpenter, Ernesti is finishing off the furniture that we will be putting into our two guest rooms.

Tomorrow, I will be joined by Judy Walter as we begin the next bend in the Journey here at the Lake House of Prayer.

At morning Eucharist this morning I asked the people would be a good time to have a half-hour Meditation session before our 7am Mass. We settled for 6:30-7am, with the evening session being at 5:30-6pm. So slowly, we are forming a rhythm of prayer that will be the Core purpose of this place. That is why it is called the Lake House of Prayer.

My hope is that Contemplative Prayer will free people to let go of the illusion of their false selves and embrace in Joy their True Selves that is in God. This Reality is what will empower our people to create a society more in keeping with their dignity as True Children of God.

I am writing this from the Maryknoll House in Nairobi. I have come here for a few days to do some shopping (Nairobi is full of Shopping Malls) and rest a bit.

The 8 days at Mwangaza Retreat Center went very well. I feel blessed to have had two young Kenyan men who were open to the Spirit’s guidance. I also am thankful for my supervisor who shared much wisdom with me from his many years of retreat ministry. Now the final requirement for the Spiritual Direction Certificate I have been working for these past three years, is the final one month session at Creigthon University this summer.

My main goal in these few days here before returning to Mwanza was to get an African rendition of Mary and the Child Jesus. We Maryknollers usually go to the Jesuit Refugee Service store and buy beautifully craved ebony statues by a resident artist from Mozombique. When I arrived at the store I was disappointed to learn he returned to his native land, but his last major work, a statue of Mary and the Child Jesus was there. After reflecting awhile on the work I was finally sold on the subtle Mona Lisa like smile on Mary. I had just enough money to buy it with one dollar to spare. Now I need to wrap it enough to make in ‘bag handlers proof’ to survive the flight back to Mwanza in one piece.

I will put Mary in our prayer room at The Lake House of Prayer. I hope the people can detect her smiling with great love at them. I hope I can be attentive to her smile on the days there will be not much to smile about. That’s one lesson I’ve discovered from the people, no matter how bad things get, somebody has a smile ready for anyone paying attention.

Here at Mwangaza Retreat Center below the beautiful Ngong Hills, on traditional Masai land, there is a ring road that circles the retreat compound which retreatants like to use for their evening walks after a hard day at prayer. These days though one walks with a bit of caution. Why? Lions.

Let me back up a bit. The is a world famous Nairobi National Wildlife Park only 3 miles away from here. It is amazing to see a Wildlife Park with lions, leopards, wildebeest, gazelles, etc. right next, and I mean right next to one of the biggest cities in Africa, Nairobi.

A couple of weeks ago a portion of the fence that surrounds the park collapse and a few lions disappear into the city. Only five days ago one lion was spotted nearby. Two days ago a couple of people on the ring road swore they heard a lion in the bush.

On an 8-Day Directed Retreat one reflects on many appropriate Scripture passages to help the retreatant discover the path the Spirit is taking in his/her life. Perhaps Daniel in the Lions’ Den would be appropriate now.

So far, so good. I just came back from a walk and am here writing this blog. God is Good.