Vocation Story. Br. James: “To listen deeply”
“I feel called not only to ‘do’ missionary work, but also to ‘be’ a missionary presence: a brother to all, especially to those in need of hope and healing”. James Ukongo, a Comboni Brother, shares his journey of discernment to serve as a Comboni Missionary Brother. I was born in Yei, South Sudan, into a […]
Mission Diary. Fleeing the war
My name is Elena Balatti, and I am a Comboni Missionary. I serve as the director of Caritas in the Diocese of Malakal. Malakal is a city situated on the banks of the Nile, very close to the border. The regional governor has established a large refugee camp here. For the past two years, intense […]
Mission Diary. At one’s own pace
Brother Jesus Perez Tortojada shares with us his experience as a formator. “Helping young people take on values and strengthen their willpower.” I came to Costa Rica for the first time on July 22, 1982. I remember it well because that day marked the beginning of the Comboni presence in this country. We settled in […]
On the Road. Making Choices
Our life is full of choices. Some regular and daily, others extraordinary and that last a lifetime. Life is full of hard choices and the bigger they are and the more options they have, the harder they can be to make. Most of the time, our choices and our decisions are not made in a […]
Mali. The secret of the earth in the Bogolan fabric
Rediscovering the history of this fabric involves delving into a world of symbols. However, it also entails exploring much of Mali’s past and present, including the craftsmanship of Bambara women and men, contemporary art, and its impact on fashion. “Bogolan fabric is literally composed of the earth, forests, rivers, and sun of Mali.” This quote […]
The African perception of time
The elastic conception of time fosters relationships, nurtures patience, flexibility, and relaxation, while mitigating tension in African societies. However, as Africans become part of the global community, the need to rethink the concept of time is no longer optional, but obligatory. It is common knowledge that we, Africans, are not very punctual. In Africa, it […]
Vision Divina: Praying with Our Fingertips
As a way to revive the use of art in prayer, the author, Comboni Missionary Fr. Raul Tabaraza from the Philippines, explores the method of Visio Divina. “Paintings can transform our prayers into a personal dialogue with the Lord.” Lectio Divina, commonly known as “divine reading,” “holy reading,” or “spiritual reading,” was one of the […]
Kenya. Empowering the local people.
The Comboni Lay Missionaries (CLM) in West Pokot, Kenya, have started a project called the Community-Based Organisation (CBO) to empower families and promote sustainable livelihoods. Pius Oyoma, the local coordinator of CLM, talks about this initiative. West Pokot County, one of the 14 counties in Kenya’s Rift Valley region, is located in the North Rift […]
Advocacy & People. Maanda Ngoitiko. In defence of Maasai women.
Maanda Ngoitiko founded the Council of Women Shepherds (PWC) alongside ten other Maasai women. The organisation’s focus is on defending the rights of women and girls within their community, to change gender roles within a traditionally patriarchal society. “I am the daughter of a Maasai herder family from Olosirua, Kenya. My name comes from the […]
China. Brushstrokes of Ancient Wisdom
For the Chinese, calligraphy is an art in its own right, inseparable from painting and poetry. And young people practice it willingly. “In the beginning was the line!” This is how Chinese civilisation seems to have arisen, from the trace of a simple stroke on paper or silk, left by the brush that, for the […]
