This long holiday has been an awesome return to
my first experience of religious life. The very first day I joined, I found Br.
Ndoria doing the very things he is doing right now as am typing this. Hurling
maize to the chickens, observing jioni (our special bull) as he grows massively
big and it is almost like the bull’s growth depends on his eyes, collecting mangoes and other things. Unlike the
past when I was a postulant, and seldom asked questions, I had a chance to ask
him why he does these things. At first I thought he is wasting time because in
my shallow understanding I wondered, why keep chickens, goats, cows among
others, that we never slaughter yet we buy meat. It was a very simple question
to him because he didn’t even think much about the answer, he already had it.
He smilingly explained “hii ni shule na hapa tunawafundisha nyinyi vijana
kuhusu miradi ili ukiwa parokiani kama parish priest msiwasumbue wakristu na
mahitaji yenu kila wakati. Hii miradi ya kuku, ng’ombe, na mbuzi na hata shamba
ni ya kujiangaliliwa na kujifunzia.” Well I understood that very well and went
to my room to bring my camera in order to take photos of these animals. Aren’t they
there to be seen?
A round of applause for Br. Ndoria!
ReplyDeleteSilent and hidden, yet still making an impression to a few who are a little bit more keen and through them hopefully to many more. I seem to recall a saint who said something like; 'use your words only when necessary', kind of let your actions preach. I want to believe that Br. Ndoria in his hidden silence finds meaning in this world of animals and that also in very simple ways translates that meaning to daily life. His simplicity for instance; the fact that he is focused on the animal kingdom for the glory of God ------- could that have been drawn from the simplicity of some animal -- say the sheep. I can't help but ask myself, "Do I find meaning in what I do? Is what I do making a difference in my life as well as in the lives of others?"
May he rest in eternal peace this day
ReplyDeleteOh that was nice Ndg. Wanyeki
ReplyDelete