Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Christ is risen! As I draw these humble thoughts, I am still and living, intensely, in the spirit of the Lord’s Resurrection, which truly embraces the whole world and carries this message to all races, languages, cultures of every origin and background. Thus the whole universe is transformed and takes on a new form, that of acceptance and cultivation of profound spiritual change and transformation towards every human creation. All rejoice and celebrate in the nature and presence of the Risen Christ, who is the source of love, acceptance, peace, reconciliation, forgiveness and reconciliation. But because I have been living and working within the field of foreign mission for almost four decades, I cannot remain unmoved and unmoved by the spectacle that I encounter daily as I try to bring the message of the gospel to the tribes and soothe the pain and trials of these holy souls. A recent pastoral visit around Mount Kilimanjaro deeply troubled me and raised many questions within me and at the same time, besides saddening me, it brought me face to face with enormous responsibilities when I saw naked children, starving and hungry, thirsty, ragged.
And I explain: Our priest from the Maasai tribe, Fr. Titus, took me to a remote area where I saw orphaned and abandoned children, covering their skeletal bodies, literally buried in the dust under the scorching sun, since it had not rained for many months. I didn’t want to overtly express my feelings, lest I add more tension and sadness. I couldn’t help as much as I should have. What little I had I at least allocated to eat rice in the days to come. I will stop here and continue with my visit to the other kindergarten of the Kikuyu tribal priest, Fr. Mark, and the small orphanage of the Maasai priest, Fr. Titus, both of whom are sacrificing but struggling to make ends meet. What the Metropolis does to help these little children for a meal and breakfast, free education and uniform, even shoes, is to ask for twenty euros a month! Recently, I participated in an international conference in one of the European capitals. Everything was paid for and we were told that each meal cost twenty euros! I thought and reflected deeply on the comparison I made with our situation in Africa, and I admitted that there is much we can do, dear friends of the mission. I leave it all to your judgment and that of your supporters.
For all this suffering that orphans and unhappy children go through, neither their parents nor God nor anyone else is to blame. But it is a sad reality, where they have no right to speak up or cry out about the injustice they are going through, even though they are part of our social system. It pains me to see that these children do not have the pleasure of enjoying nature and its beauties, of experiencing and feeling the satisfaction of participating in everyday reality and of having the right conditions created for them. It is painful every time I am tempted by this temptation with young children and orphans who surround me every day. But I have the consolation that there is room, and plenty of it, for God Himself, who transcends every barrier and limit, precisely to rest and rest the souls of these little children, if we are moved and act effectively for their salvation.
†Nairobi Makarios
