Frank's Journal 12/4/08

After returning to the parish, and after lunch, I told Fr. Mutiso that I was going to go to the Cyber Cafe that is about 8 blocks from the parish. He called Thomas, and Thomas and Charles went with me. Thomas is about 6 feet, and Charles is another 3 inches taller. I asked Charles what would happen if I were taking this walk alone and someone jumped out to mug me, would people stand by and watch. He laughed and assured me that the mugger would quickly get "roughed up" by the people in the neighborhood. I am safer here than I am dirving 95 to work each day.

Just before the eveneing mass, Consolata came up to me and I quickly called Duffy. The intense joy in her facial expression was amazing. Even over upteen thousand miles and an ocean, the love being shared as they talked was tangible.

At dinner night before last, we ate during a black out. They occur frequently, and this one affected the entire country for 7 hours. Fr. James talked about trying to deliver 3 homilies during a black out and spending the next couple of days voiceless as a result. It also means no light in the church in the evenings, and when the well is installed it will mena no water. We have had 4 blackouts since I have been here.

Today, Fr. Mutiso, Joseph, and I went shopping for a generator. We related our requirements to the staff at the place selling the generators. After they figured out what the parish needed, he gave us the price. Just by "coincidence," the price he quoted us is almost exactly the contribution I intended to give to the church, seeking and praying for guidance as to what to do with it. (When I preside at marriages and sometimes at baptisms, people give me monetary gifts, which I have been saving for this purpose. I brought it with me in cash, dollars, to use when I figured out what to do with it, which I have been praying about since I got here.) We had some difficulty in getting the bank to convert that much cash in dollars to Kenya Schillings, particularly since I left my passport at the parish, so we decided that we would wire the money to the parish upon my return. (Maybe it's the St. Stephen's Father's Club shirt I am wearing that makes them think I might be a drug dealer!)

This afternoon, Charles and I took a mutatoo (minibus/taxi) into Mombassa to get prints of the Taize and other pictures. That gave me the opportunity to make this entry as we wait for the pictures to be printed. The mutatoos are fun to watch. One person drives while another hangs out the side door looking for prospects. They are real hustlers as they weave in and out of traffic, picking up, discharging, and hawking for passengers.

Got to go for now. In case anyone is wondering, yes, I am homesick, but I am surrounded by lots of people who consider me to be part of their family too. And I have to say that I really do feel God with me as well.