Lions, Tigers and Bears...

Well, lions and a bunch of other wildlife, but you knew that if you read Maureen's post.  Here is a quick sampling of a few of the other animals that we saw...

 

 

 

 

 

... and a warthog in the parking area...

 ...and a reason not to mess with the delegation from the USA! LOL

Nairobi National Park/St. Joseph House

our bus!

storks enjoying a day at the beach

Day 2:  Nairobi National Park - quite a trip.  From the windows of a bus with absolutely NO shock absorbers, we saw lots of wildlife.  I wish I were more knowledgeable about what was out there - got a little research to do.  But we DID see zebras, buffalo, deer, storks,quail, wart hogs, rhinos and a wide variety of birds.  AND LIONS!!!!
Back on the homefront - St. Joseph Retreat House - almost everyone now has  arrived. Thanks to Br. Chris from Australia, for getting everyone into their rooms and out on their respective trips today.
 Tomorrow, we will get a tour of the Marist International Center, be entertained by the students there and have dinner in their cafeteria.
St. Joseph is one of three houses where delegates are staying...all relatively close to each other.  Meeting our fellow Marists today was lots of fun- just wish I knew how to speak Spanish!

The garden at St. Joseph House

The front of the house

LION!

The Work of the Commission

I arrived around midnight last Thursday night after a 22 hour flight, via Brussels and Rwanda.  When I awoke the next morning for breakfast, I realized that I was the last of the Commission to arrive here in Nairobi.  Some had already been here for nearly two weeks working on the preparation. 

Nearly all of the 107 delegates have arrived.  The assembly begins tomorrow (Tuesday) at 4:30 Nairobi Time.  We will start with a Karibu Party.  "Karibu" is Swahili for welcome.  This entire assembly, from start to finish has been a dream-in-the-making.  It is breathtaking to see it come to fruition. 

We have no idea what the outcome of the assembly will be, but the Holy Spirit and the charism of Champagnat are all a-buzz!  There's something (more than mosquitoes) in the air!!

A Marist Map of the World?

The above map, created by Br. Tony Leon of Australia, adorns the main assembly hall for the Marist International Mission Assembly.  I posted a picture of the map on the Marist Young Adult Facebook page along with the questions, “Is this a Marist view of the world?  What do you think?”  The picture received many likes but few comments, most of them having to do with the placement of Australia by an Australian Marist!  So, is this a Marist map?

I’m sure that much will be said about this visual during the course of the assembly.  It certainly gives us pause to look at the world differently, perhaps to turn our notions of things upside down and, maybe even, to give us a more accurate picture of reality.  Isn’t this what Jesus did through his words and actions?  Isn’t that what Marcellin did, too, in his time and place?

There are an incredible number of religious houses around this beautiful area of Nairobi.  Many of these houses serve to form young religious men and women who will go into the world to make a difference among the poor.  Yet, the relative wealth of these institutions stands in direct contrast to the poor who sit just outside of their walls.  That visual reminds me that it is not enough to see the world differently but to act upon what we see as so many of these young religious will do.

Is this a Marist map?  I hope so.  I am curious to hear what the Marist International Mission Assembly will say.

A Day of Rest

map of the world by drawn by Br. Tony Leon - notice anything?

The courtyard at Dimesse

Mosquito netting on the beds

So excited to finally be here
Coming over yesterday, the pilot alerted us to the fact that we were approaching the continent of Africa, at Alexandria.  It hit me then, just how far away from home I am.  Africa!  So many connotations - and I am here!  I couldn't keep from staring out the plane window, to see what I could discern about this mysterious, exciting,tumutlous, far away world.  It looked very barren - no sign of any habitation.  Even as the night came on, no sign of lights, until we started our approach to Nairobi.  Which looked huge from the air.
  It IS far away, yet  in true Marist style, I feel very welcomed and comfortable.  Upon arrival, just got unpacked and went to sleep ( under my mosquito netting).  Today, a tour of Dimesse then back to St. Joseph for more rest and dinner.  Tomorrow - Nairobi National Park!  Our residence is just on the border of it.  Can't wait to experience it.  Bernie - this will be where I see the wildlife!The retreat houses ( we've seen two so far) are beautiful.  Br. Steve and I are at the St. Joseph House, just down the road from Dimesse, where the main assembly is held and where some of the delegates are staying.  We have an easy day today - Sunday - to relax, rest, and get ready for the next 2 weeks.

It IS a Small World After All

We made it!  After a long and, thankfully, uneventful trip Maureen and I arrived in Nairobi.  My first reaction – It’s a small world!

One of my earliest memories is being on a ride at the World’s Fair and hearing the song, “It’s a Small World”.  And although I have heard that tune many times since then, I’m not sure that the lyrics really impacted me until yesterday.

Our flight to Nairobi was truly international with people from many countries, speaking many languages, all heading to this international city.  Upon arrival we were met by Br. Teofilo, Portuguese by birth but a citizen of the world who took us to St. Joseph Center, our residence for the next two weeks.  There we were greeted by Australian Brother Chris Wills, world traveler and resident of Rome.  Both of them are familiar faces from other Marist events, great examples of Marist hospitality and evidence of how small our Marist world can be – or maybe just how big it is!

As I was exiting the plane, the woman seated next to me asked what brings me to Nairobi.  When I explained to her about the Marist International Mission Assembly she smiled broadly and told me how she knows the Marist Missionary Sisters in her country of Burundi.  She then shared a bit about her Catholic faith and her recent visit to Lourdes.  The conversation reminded me that as Champagnat Marists we are also members of a larger Marist family and a universal Church.  Our world is big but our commonalities and connections remind us just how small it really is.

There is more emphasis on the breath, depth and width of the Institute these days but sometimes it can be hard to appreciate the internationality of our Marist community, especially as an American.   Even though I have had a few opportunities to take a glimpse at that first hand I am really looking forward to spending the next two weeks with 118 Marists from 45 different countries.  I look forward to this adventure.  Let it begin!

almost ready!

Thursday..we had.a little faculty send-off after school yesterday.  Thanks to those who put it together and for those who attended ( some pictured above).  A reminder of our family spirit, here at Roselle Catholic, in our US Marist schools, and, as we are soon to experience, in the world.   Nairobi!  It all seemed so far off in the future when we first started talking about this last September.  Now, here we are, one day away from departure.  Getting ready!