Kasweta Mission 2

My dearest one,

I just arrived from another safari mission in kasweta. I am taking advantage of this dry season to be present there often as they are completely unreachable during the rainy season. This is just a short and scattered reflection of my visit in Kasweta.

As we arrived yesterday, I noticed right away that there were very few people in the village. I wondered where they went. We then started our teachings. In my team were youth members mostly, two of them belong to the Apostolic Team of Daniel Comboni. It was a bit frustrating to see the participants in such a little number. Then I was also sick, severe head ache and back ache. The heat was too much for me. At first I thought of malaria, because my symptoms were manifesting, especially my eyes seemed to fall down of pain and my joints were painful. I rested a little bit, and without any complain, I forced myself to entertain people and made fun with the group, also to encourage them because we had a little breakdown on the way.

I prepared at least two buckets of hot milk (skimmed milk) for those who came for teachings. Mothers started to come, mostly lactating mothers, and few old and sickly women. They came to ask a cup of hot milk, so joined the queue with the children. I then started inquiring where the rest of the people and some women are, and I was told that some of the men were at the other side of the mountain. They were hired to carry some luggages on foot across mountains. They will stay there for at least four days. Tough job, as they have to walk in such long distances.

Most of the women came out in the afternoon. They went to cultivate their fields, preparing their land for the rainy season. They normally leave by 5:00Am, start working before the sun rise, no breakfast. They rest and continue working till sunset, no lunch. Their main and only meal is in the evening coming home from hard labour. Even little children have little hoes, so that they help in the field works.

Looking at the feet of these little ones (some are just 5-8 years old) is heartbreaking at times. Some of them have already full of cracks, withered as they walk and work barefoot in the sun. This is always a heart crashing reality. They normally don’t have lunch. They just amuse themselves playing or going to the forest looking for fruits, if there are any. Normally they get very little ones, just enough to satisfy their stomach. But in the scorching heat of the sun!!!! That breaks me!

As I have said, I normally prepare at least two buckets of hot milk for their break time. I feel always deep inside me the desire of these children to have a little drink of milk (a cup each), wanting for more and rushing for their turn. They can only have the chance of milk and sugar when I am around. Sad! Some of them were sick of malaria, so that I am not just a priest there, but also a doctor, at times engineer and others. I always bring some medicines, especially paracetamol and for flu.

There are funny but touching and thought provoking moments as we sit around the fire in the night or even during day time when they come for teachings. Most of them don’t have proper clothes. They would always come with torn and dirty clothes, as if they haven’t changed for weeks or months. The funny thing is that their stomachs are revealing and at times the group laughed at it. But they kept silent when I started to express my worries of possible worms inside or other illnesses. Many have really big big stomachs, and I am pretty sure that they have problems inside.

I am just thinking if one day I could speak to a doctor or public nurse and ask for medicine. I am thinking of tablets that may appear like sweets or candies. I really wish I could get some if they are available from friends. I have great concern for their health. They just drink water from the river directly. I normally carry my own water, but if I run out of water, I also drink from their own water. I can see possible danger in this way.

Still my heart is at peace and happy. But I am full of admiration because the faith of these people doesn’t waver. They are completely isolated at least eight months in a year; still they remain strong and dedicated. At the other side of the world, there are always complains of little discomforts, then leave the church and forget about their faith. Here are people, living in discomforts, sufferings and real deprivations, yet solid in their simple understanding of God’s will.

I stop here...... thanks for your patience in reading.

Love and prayers,
Raul