Br. Moses

Sasa najidanganya! It is obvious because, time has elapsed and over the years I could say I have been entertaining a kind of a

delusive thought that I am equal to Br. Moses. Way back in 2005, I wrote a letter to a ‘to who it may concern’, to a nobody, to ‘I don’t care who you are’ and to a ‘whoever you think you are’. To my surprise, it happened that someone, out of humility accepted to be addressed as Such. There he was, inviting me to meet him and enjoy his hospitality, to come and see. That ‘someone’ was Br. Moses. In that letter, I had stated that I wanted to become a priest. This is exactly the reason why I and Moses can never be equal although it is written in our constitution that we should all be equal. When I arrived at the Holy family basilica, Moses was there waiting for me and he introduced himself as Brother Moses – remember I want to become a priest not a brother, “what for do I need a brother?” I thought to myself. He drove me to St. Brigdet center. Everybody else I met there was a brother – no priest and I thought this Moses had tricked me their brotherhood thing! During the group introduction, Br. Moses introduces himself as an ordained priest “but we are all equal brothers here” he said – I had gotten it all wrong.

 I will tell you why now we are not equal! I met Br. Moses five years in his priesthood. He had been a priest long before I ever dreamt of becoming one. He has been in the priesthood such that he doesn’t need a PA to tell the whole world he is one. Much as he keeps saying that we are all equal here, how can I become equal to him who received me to this way of life? Besides, what he is great for – humility – is far beyond my reach!  

St. Francis, Hola.

It was a great day here at St Francis Parish, Hola.

•The Christians came,

•prepared

Then they celebrated

Br. Mugo

            On the 3^rd of August 2013, I sat facing the entrance to our chapel at Padre Pio Friary. I watched as people walk out of the chapel after witnessing the final commitment of Mugo, charles, Omwami and Chege. To many brothers, it was just another profession. To me, it was a different profession because there was Mugo, he who always gives hope and encourages. I watched with admiration. Mugo is one person I have come to think of as a brother whom with reciprocation know and understand, even if it is in silence. From day one, when Br. Osoro handed us over to Umoja house, Mugo acted a guardian to me. You see, I have my own way of getting myself into trouble; he always seems ready to bail me out. His final profession was simply not just another profession. It reminded me of many times with him and particularly a day at umoja he gave me a kind of talisman. I vividly recall that day. It was just another working day and Mugo and I were assigned to work by the volleyball pitch. There used to be an ever-resurrecting small tree there. Mugo looked at it and said, “haka kamti huwa kanakufa mara moja kwa mwaka, ukiona kamenyauka next time, ujue sasa wewe umemamilaza upostustanti.”  True to it, the next time the small tree shed its leaves was the time for me to leave umoja for Kasita.

Br. Steve (N)

I always find it a wonderful thing to deal with people who are certain of what they want. Ever since I met Steve, I have always seen him as such. I am sure I can safely hide behind him because he is amusingly assertive, which I unfortunately lack. I remember a time we traveled to Kisumu for the burial of Br.Jabedo’s mother. We left Nairobi at four in the morning, took a very light breakfast at six in Nakuru and that was it, the meal for the rest of the day. We were quite a number of us in that car and all of us kept grumbling without openly telling the guardian we needed some food. How could he make us go for a whole twelve hours hungry, yet it was not Lenten season? Had it not been for Steve ever jokingly assertive character, I and all of us in the car would have changed nothing with our grumblings. Of course, we didn’t get a very good meal – it was ugali and Pilsner – but it is better than none at all.

Br. Steve (O)

Steve is simply a good man ‘but’ I tend to think he is too good. When I joined the order, he was at St. Padre Pio friary, Lang’ata and that first encounter is indelibly highlighted at the back of my mind as a one brotherly encounter. His was a very long stay at the friary. In fact, he remained there until some months before I came to stay in the house for Theology. What is he, if not a veteran in the house? I believe even the mosquitoes must had grown tired of his blood by the time he left the house.

                    I wonder if any single thing is really of concern to him. Our fears don’t seem to be his fears. In other words, fear doesn’t seem to exist in his world. Usually, we tend to be protective of people, things or even places - for our security's sake which is at times paranoid - not Steve. He has mentioned fear in my presence and as such awaken me in a way. One time, we were preparing for a house picnic and I was, just like everybody else, upbeat about it. As we waited for some other brothers to join us, someone started chanting and to keep with the mood, I took the drum and accompanied to chant. I didn’t do it for long. Steve looked at me and asked “Why did you stop” and then he continued “Richard shida yako wewe ni muoga sana. Unajua kitu lakini unaogopa watu, unaacha kufanya. PIGA NGOMA!” It was so easy a thing for him to say, yet so penetratingly put.

Br. Callist

At times I wonder how people get to do so much with seemingly less strain. Callist is one of them. I met him for the first time when he was making his final profession in Nairobi. Unlike the rest of the brothers in the same profession, he seemed so energetic despite the fact that they had all traveled from Tanzania and ran up and about for the day. As I trimmed his hair in preparation for the D-day, I expected him to doze off as many do. It happens always, the shaving machine soothes and often people doze off especially if they are tired, he did not.

                    It never occurred to me that traveling was a hobby to him. I have seen him travel from Mpeketoni to Nairobi to Kisii and back, non-stop – he even did the driving at one point. Traveling is seemingly a beautiful thing he takes pride in. Some months ago, he was talking to the one itinerary Br. Chris who was trying to challenge his him as a novice in regards to traveling. According to Chris, brothers hardly travel to new places unless the Order initiates, “lazima wengi wenu mtegemee shirika” to which Callist responds, “Travelling depends on ones interest. Mimi nilienda kwa Nyerere na Juzi tu nilikuwa Uganda, on my own”. Now I know why he seemed so full of life when I met him for the first, even after so long a journey from Kasita, it was just but a hobby. Indeed a brother full of life and energy.