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, […]
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 […]