Oral Literature. Dog and Leopard
Long ago, Dog and Leopard were friends. They lived in a cave. They hunted together, brought the meat home and cooked it. They were the best of friends. Dog got so much good meat to eat that he got fat and lazy. He did not go hunting anymore. When Leopard brought home a fine goat, […]
Mongolia. A small and active Catholic community.
The Catholic Church is a small, vibrant community of about 1,500 people spread across eight parishes. Cardinal Giorgio Marengo is its pastor. Christianity in Mongolia began with the spread of Nestorian communities in the Far East, followers of the Syriac tradition and followers of the teachings of Nestorius, bishop of Constantinople. These communities brought the […]
Colombia. “Sharing my experiences of faith”.
Brother Godfroy-Abel Dimanche talks about his experience as a formator and his involvement in pastoral activities with Afro-descendants. I am from the Central African Republic and have been a formator at the Comboni Missionaries’ International Centre for Brothers in Bogotá, Colombia, since 2020. I was previously based in Guayaquil, where I coordinated the Afro-Colombian Cultural […]
Mission Diary. Brother Christophe: Walking with Community.
Christophe Blawo, a Comboni Brother, has just obtained a PhD in Social Transformation from Tangaza University. Here, he talks about what this means for him and the community. The PhD journey is often described as a marathon of the mind, but for me, it was also a journey of the heart and a transformative experience. […]
Oral Literature. Why the Bat Flies at Night
Once upon a time, a very long time ago, there was a war between the Birds and the Animals. Sometimes the Birds would win the war, and sometimes the animals would win. The bat hung upside down in a tree and watched. “When the Birds win,” said Bat, “I want to belong to the Birds, […]
Vocation Story. Companions on a journey
A few months ago, he celebrated 15 years of priestly life, ten of which he spent in the Central African Republic. Father Fernado Cortes Barbosa, a Mexican, shares his missionary experience with us. One afternoon, when I was just 21, I stood on the side of the road waiting for the bus that would take […]
A beacon of hope in southern Jordan.
The Christian hospital in Karak, through dialogue, service, and remembrance, is a daily testimony of interreligious dialogue and solidarity with those who suffer. In the heart of southern Jordan, in the town of Karak, stands a small hospital that, for over 80 years, has represented much more than a simple healthcare facility: it is a […]
Vocation Story. Deacon Mbithi: “I feel deep empathy and compassion for people”.
“My vocation began as a gentle stirring in my heart and blossomed into a living testament to grace, perseverance and divine providence. “Comboni deacon Nicholas Mbithi talks about his vocation journey. I am the youngest of eight children, with five brothers and three sisters. I was raised in a devout Catholic household firmly rooted in […]
On the Road. A golden eagle’s feather
By the shores of a blue lake lies a peaceful Indian village. At midday and in the evening, aromas drift from the tents, giving all, children and adults alike, a great appetite. But one summer evening, the atmosphere in the village suddenly changed. The council of wise men and elders met in the tent of […]
Herbs & Plants. Combretum collinum. A valuable medicinal plant.
It is commonly known as bush willow and belongs to the plant family Combretaceae. It is a small to medium-sized, semi-deciduous tree, growing to 18 m in height, with a rounded crown. Bark is light grey, creamy-brown, reddish-brown or brown-black, transversely cracked. Leaves opposite to alternate, simple, narrowly elliptic to broadly ovate, dark green above, […]
