Sorry that I have been so late in my blogs. Last week I was teaching a one week intensive course at St Francis Counsellor (No, I haven't misspelled this. It is the English spelling. The Director of the Institute is Irish so demands this spelling.  I was teaching a foundation course in Integrated theory. The emphasis is the blending of ancient eastern thought with the awareness of modern thought. It all about matter, body, mind, soul and spirit thinking. I had a class of 20 students who were either just beginning their studies or who were in the process of getting a Bachelor degree.
So I am back at the Novitiate in Kakoba for the week and return next week for another intensive week giving the faculty an intensive week in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in substance abuse treatment.  I will try to post some pictures through the week, Until then ODE  peace

Yoweri Museveni

This smiling man was the first face I saw stepping out of the airport in Entebbe, Uganda. Every free space was plastered with his picture. He is Yoweri Museveni the current President of Uganda and is running for re-election. President Museveni has had a long and colorful history in the politics in Uganda. He has overthrown two presidents, one being Idi Amin. When I saw his picture I said to myself, “Wearing that hat, he must be confident of being elected.” Indeed it seems that he will be re-elected as evidenced by the huge crowds he gathers where ever he goes. Much larger than any of the other seven candidates for president.

There is a presidential debate on Friday January 15, 2015 . It is the first time that such and event has occurred in Uganda. So this is an historic day for the country. There is some doubt that President Museveni will attend as he might have previous commitments. The hope here is that the election itself will be conflict free. It is scheduled for February 18, 2016. While the campaign goes on, children throughout the country are on holiday until after the election.  

Kakoba, Uganda

Greetings! Sorry about the delay in communicating. I am in Mbarara, Uganda (actually Kakoba which is a village just outside of Mbarara), which is the site of the the Province's Novitiate.This may be my permanent assignment.  I haven't been able to write because of no internet access. Well that was remedied yesterday. So here I am. The weather in Uganda is pleasant. It has been overcast much of the time which keeps the temperature down. The Novitiate is a working farm. They grow maize (corn), beans, okra and a variety of fruits (mangoes, papaya, avocado, banana). We have three goats, two cows and 6 pigs and 10 piglets (soon to be sold). Life here is simple and centered around prayer, work and study.  Here is a picture of the area.  The friary sits on a hill so the view looks down. Sorry about the clarity but things are very hazy here. Wood fires are a main way of cooking food. 

 The tree is the foreground is a papaya tree.

Breakfast time at the friary.

Succulents I have known

Found in the friary garden but very
prevalent in the area. I am told this plant
is an import from colonial times.

This is my last day the Rift Valley, Lower Subukia. I return to Nairobi tomorrow to prepare for a move to Uganda. This will be my permanent location until June and probably thereafter. So... I have been taken by the flora of the Rift Valley, because of the cyclical nature of rain and aridity there is a profusion of succulents  ans I thought I would share them with you.  Hope your New Year is blessed. Pax et Bonum  ODE  tim

Also found in our friary garden tended well by Br. Florentius

Found growing wild along the fence line
just outside the friary.

This is called a Pencil Plant.  It is used commonly as fencing but
here is growing wild. Oh by the way, it poisonous.

Aloes growing along side the road. You see one in bloom on the
left.  This to is an import to Kenya. This species originated in Mexico
and parts of the US

Christmas Reflection

The following is a reflection offered at Christmas morning Mass at St. Jude Church in Lower Subukia, Kenya.

Today we celebrate! We celebrate the very special gift that God give us, His only son. All that we have is gift. God has given us good things like the air we breathed this morning as we woke or the warmth of the sun on our faces, or the food we will eat today. All of these are gifts from God and they are good. Yes we suffer. Life is hard and sometimes life gets harder and not easier only harder. Is suffering from God? No. God suffers when we suffer. I suffer because I do not trust God.

This Christmas – once again – we are reminded that God gave us his only son, Jesus. God became flesh and lived as one of us. Because of Jesus, God knows our suffering and pain Jesus knew suffering and pain AND joy and happiness. God knows it all and is waiting. Waiting for us to turn to him for help. God is ever ready to turn our sorrows to joy and pain into happiness. But we have to ask.

This is a season of gift giving. Some are big gifts and some maybe small. Some may not get any gifts at all this Christmas. God is always ready to give of himself – this day and every day. His love is abundant and his mercy sweet. His over-flowing love continues when we love in return. God needs our love. We love in return by giving God thanks and by loving all those we see everyday – even those who do not love us. God's gift of love is multiplied by loving in return by being generous, forgiving, helpful, and thoughtful of others. Today is a celebration of God's love. Let us love one another. Amen

Here is a picture of me with a parishioner St Jude church. Her name is Elizabeth.

Christmas Blessing to all who read this.  OED  tim

Views From the Laundry Line

I hope these pictures capture the immense beauty that is around me even doing the most mundane things, like putting laundry out to dry.

Have a blessed Christmas. ODE   tim

Subukia

I arrived here from Nairobi on Wednesday by car.  Sabukia is just under 200 km north from Nairobi. Several firsts occurred on the way.  I had my first sighting of a zebra in the wild, first sighting of a baboon (they are bid don't mess with them), The first time I saw the grandeur of the Rift Valley and finally the first time I crossed the equator. A lot for an old man in one day!  Sabukia is a rural village in the Rift Valley so there are mountains and hills all around. I was told that I would experience what real life in Kenya is all about.  So far so good.  The friary is comfortable despite the frequent power losses. (The friary has only had electricity for the past year.) The house is backed up by solar power so essentials are still available.  I will be here through Christmas.  Here are some photos I took of the place.

This is the friary chapel. The hut-like design is very typical.

This is the friary. The picture is a bit fuzzy due to all the rain we have been having.  I am assured that the dry season is coming soon. My guess its a combination of global warming (blame everything on global warming) and El Nino.

This is a picture of a landscape feature that can be seen around the friary.  I was curious about what they were called. Obviously they are cacti. So I went on line (not always easy to do here) and discovered they are called poisonous cactus trees. Much to everyone's surprise.  The sap of the cactus can blind a person or cause caustic like burns on the skin. Nice to be seen from a distance.

Peace from the Rift Valley.  OED