Jambo!!!!!!!!!

Jambo!!!!!!!

We are here!!!!!

And what a journey it has been!!!!!

I have too, too much to share and I do not have the time to write!!!!

A Bishop is coming to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass here in 20 minutes and I will need to go.

Also, I went to a little mini-mall with our team and bought an external modem and had to go back because it would not work.  When I went back to the store Geoffrey reviewed all and told me that it was fine.  I opened my computer and insisted that we try it.  We did and it worked!  Praise God!  I was so happy.

As I sat in the Sacristy of the Shrine where we are having the mission, I opened my computer with great anticipation of trying to share a little of what we have lived over the past several days, and guess what?!?  The external modem was NOT working!!!!  Fortunately there was a priest standing there wanting me to share the blog with him and when my modem failed to work, he brought me to his office  and let me use his wifi for this short period of time.

What I can share with you in a very condensed manner:

.....the travel was very difficult but amazing.  We missed our flight from London to Nairobi as we were delayed for 90 minutes on the plane in Chicago.  We landed at 9:30 am London time and were rebooked on another flight at 8:00 pm that evening that arrived in Nairobi at 6:30 am Nairobi time.  Judi took several snaps of all of us sleeping deeply in a quiet corner of the airport on some bench seating that we found.

....Africa is amazing!!!!!  The people are beautiful!!!  Everyone walks everywhere!  All of the ladies are dressed in beautiful, colorful dresses!  Men wear suits.  They are so, so joyful and so full of love.  Everyone is so happy to meet each one of us.  And they sing, and they sing.  And the music touches the very inside of your heart when you are sitting in the midst of it.


As soon as I can get the wi-fi, I will begin posting.


I have to run to mass.  Please know that we carry each of you in our hearts.  Please remember us in yours.

A Glimpse Behind

A Glimpse Ahead!

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“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'”

Jeremiah 6:8

It is almost time to go!  Tomorrow morning the four of us, Lisa, Theresa, Judi and I will meet at the airport at 10:00 am in anticipation of the our flights which will begin at 12:25 pm from Knoxville.

 We travel from Knoxville to Chicago...

            Chicago to Heathrow in London...

                             then from London to Nairobi!

We arrive in Nairobi Tueday evening at 9:00 pm.  Father William Oruko, who traveled to Africa ahead of us, will be picking us up from the airport.

The time difference between Nairobi and Knoxville (EST) is 8 hours (ahead of us).  The weather is a little cooler than it is here.  It is around 70 degrees F in the day and around 50-55 degrees F in the evening.  

The Mission of the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus begins on September 20th and ends on September 23rd.  Lisa, Judi and I will continue on our pilgrimage after the Enthronement Mission ends until we leave to come home on October 1st, arriving in Knoxville on October 2nd.  Theresa will be leaving to go home on the Monday evening following the Enthronement Mission.    A copy of our complete travel itinerary was included on the last blog post.

Lisa sent me a summary of the Enthronement Mission this evening which we will post near the Registration Tables.  I thought that I would post a copy of it here for your perusal:

THE ENTHRONEMENT OF

THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS

The Apostles of Jesus Shrine of the Sacred Heart &

Immaculate Heart of Mary

September 20-23, 2012

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

2:00pm         Arrival and Registration

3:00pm         Welcome and Introduction/Overview – Facilitators from USA

3:30pm         Procession of Our Lady (Entrustment of Mission to Mary)

5:30pm         Opening Mass – Rev. Fr. James Mukui, Chaplain of

Sacred Heart Nairobi Archdiocese

7:00pm         Supper

8:30pm         Novena Day 1

9:30pm         Talk on Prayer Life – Deacon Meshack Maina

10:00pm         Exposition/Night Vigil Prayers/Rest in the Lord

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

8:00am         Breakfast

9:00am         Session #1

10:00am         Personal Reflection

11:00am         Session #2

12:00pm         Angelus then Lunch

1:45pm         Gathering/songs

2:00pm         Session #3

3:00pm         Stations of the Cross

4:00pm         Break

5:30pm         Mass – Rev. Fr. Otieno, Apostles of Jesus Superior of Kenya

7:00pm         Supper

8:30pm         Sharing/Testimonies

9:00pm         Talk on Sacraments, Sacramentals and Church Vestments

10:00pm         Exposition/Rosary/Night Vigil Prayers

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

8:00am         Breakfast

9:00am         Session #4

10:00am         Personal Reflection

10:45am         Gathering/songs
11:00am         Session #5

12:00pm         Angelus then Lunch

1:45pm         Gathering/songs

2:00pm         Session #6

3:00pm         Chaplet of Divine Mercy

3:30pm         Break

5:30pm         Mass

7:00pm         Dinner

8:30pm         Reflections/Feedback

9:00pm         Talk on Human Virtues and Christian Virtues

10:00pm         Exposition/Rosary/Night Vigil Prayers

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

9:00am         Mass and Enthronement of Shrine

-Offering-Receiving of the Image and Covenant before Final Blessing -Family and Community Images are Blessed

12:00pm         Lunch

1:00pm         End – Safe Journey Home

“Sacred Heart of Jesus…I Trust in You!”

“Your Will be Done!”

“Immaculate Heart of Mary,

Rosa Mystica…Pray for Us!”

Thank you for your continued prayers that this Enthronement Mission and pilgrimage will be all that God would like it to be.  Please know that we will remember all of you in our prayers throughout our travel and work.

Let the work be All His...

A little less than 2 days and counting...

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I love to read!!!  And, I remember when I started my love affair with books.  I was in the fourth grade and Mrs. Hanley would read us a chapter from a book at the end of the day if we were all behaving well that day.  The first book that she read to us was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  I loved that book!!!  The characters came alive as did the factory and that was the best part because it was all about candy.  And what kid does not love candy?  I remember sitting on the end of my chair as she was reading the ending to the book.  It was tremendous!  The next book that she read to us was  Island of the Blue Dolphins.  And I absolutely loved, loved, loved that book!  I was hooked and that was the beginning of my love affair with books that has just never ended for me.  

My mom also loved to read and would take all 5 of us girls to the library about every two weeks.  I would pour over the books on the shelves looking for just the right title. Then open it to read the first page.  If it kept my interest, it was coming home with me.  I remember just loving this book called Harriet the Spy.  Harriet constantly carried around a black pebbled composition book so that she could write down everything that she saw as well as her thoughts as soon as they came to mind.  I can not for the life of me remember what it was book about, but I do remember her carrying around that composition book and writing everything down.  I also remember being fascinated with Harriet and her horn-rimmed glasses and just loving the story.  She wrote  very well and told the story just as it needed to be told.  And that is what I will try do -  I will try to document all aspects of  our trip, hopefully,  just the way that our Lord is wanting me to do!  


I will be posting as much as I possibly can.  Hopefully, every day.  It depends on our time and my ability to hook up to the Internet wherever I am.  If you would like to be reminded when an entry is posted, please place your email in the right margin of the blog and an entry will be sent to you automatically.  I am also going to be putting scrapbooks of photos and slide shows into the margin once I figure out how to put the widget in place and then load the pictures.  This blog has truly been a journey for me as well!  

We are almost ready to go!  This past week we met at Sacred Heart Cathedral to pray a Holy Hour for our mission.  We were very blessed to have several friends join us in prayer for that hour. Lisa placed the image of of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a statue of Our Blessed Mother, and a small lit candle on a small table in front of where we were praying.   It was a precious time of prayer and fellowship.  God is so good!  All the time!

Before we leave Knoxville,  I wanted to say on behalf of Father William, Lisa, Judi, Theresa and myself  that we thank each and every one of you for following our journey through this blog as well as in prayer and spiritually binding yourselves with us in it.  

Please continue to remember us and this mission in your prayers.  Please pray that the mission will be all that God would like it to be.  That the work will be All His...And, we will be praying for you in thanksgiving for you and also for all of your intentions.   

May God bless each and every one of you.  

Here is our itinerary for your perusal:

KENYA PILGRIMAGE

Monday, September 17

Leave Knoxville – Arrive at the airport by 10am

Tuesday, September 18

Arrive Nairobi – 9pm

Wednesday, September 19

Nakumat/Meeting with local committee/Visit the Shrine

Thursday, September 20

Mission of the Sacred Heart begins

Set-up and organization following breakfast

Registration begins at 4pm

Friday, September 21

Mission                                                     

Saturday, September 22

Mission

Sunday, September 23

Enthronement Ceremony – Shrine of the Apostles of Jesus

         Community Enthronements in late afternoon

Monday, September 24

Visit sites in Nairobi

Holy Family Basilica, Resurrection Gardens, Masai Market

Java Nairobi House

8pm take Theresa to airport

Tuesday, September 25

Van to Nakuru National Park

Overnight in Nakuru

Wednesday, September 26

         Morning Safari

         Van to Nyang’oma

Thursday, September 27

         Breakfast

         Retreat at Holy Cross Parish

Friday, September 28

Tour Nyang’oma – various schools/medical center, etc…

Saturday, September 29

Grand Opening of Laura’s Place in Orengo

Sunday, September 30

Mass of Celebration of Fr. William’s home parish in Orengo

Monday, October 1

Travel from Nyang’oma to Kisumu early afternoon

6:35pm departure to Nairobi         (arrival 7:20pm)

11:15pm departure from Nairobi to US

Tuesday, October 2

         4:30pm Arrival in Knoxville

Thank you God for this opportunity to serve you and others…

Your Kingdom Come…

On the road to Emmaus...

“Sacred Heart of Jesus…I Trust in You”

Home is Where Jesus Is

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The original title for this entry was:  "Home is where the heart is".  But then I realized that when I am at daily morning Mass and when I am receiving Communion that I am always telling Jesus that He is my heart.  I have no idea where this is coming from-I just know that it is.  I realized, while writing the title for this entry that my Home is truly wherever Jesus is.

I love the sacraments of our Church.  Communion first and then Confession.  I usually try to go as often as I can to Confession.  This past month, however, I was not able to go for about three and a half weeks.  And that is a long interval between confessions for me.  When I think about the Sacrament of Confession and how I am absolved of all of my sins - I am just so grateful for it.

When I first truly began reading scripture, I understood how important it was in my relationship with Jesus to know my sins, be sorry for them, confess them and then pray a penance for them.  John the Baptist states it so clearly:

Matthew 3:2 "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!"

Matthew 3:3 "...Prepare the Way of the Lord, make straight his paths."

When the Pharisees and Sadducees came to observe John at his work, John called out to them:  "You brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce good fruit worthy of repentance..."  Matthew 3:8

I know that the sins that I commit create obstacles in my relationship with Jesus; I see them as roadblocks that prevent me from living in full relationship with our Lord.  Going to confession is not easy for me and it never has been.  Even when I usually go every two weeks.  I mean, how much can one person sin in two weeks?  I am always surprised when I sit and do my examination of conscience in preparation for confession.  And that is the most difficult part for me.  It is not so much telling the priest all of my sins that I committed (that is difficult too, but not as difficult as one would think), it is realizing the number of sins that I commit and how horrible it is to really see myself as I am.  I am really not that holy person I envision as me walking around.  I know and strongly feel Jesus' unconditional love for me as the sins that I commit do not make Him love me any less.  Acknowledgement of them, contrition for them and absolution of them allows me to be as close to Jesus as I can possibly be.  My heart is more open, clean, and receptive to Him.  And that is why I love to go to confession.

Last week I cleaned out our mud room and laundry room.  Both were a complete mess.  Every time I walked in the house by way of our garage I would have to pass the rooms.  And, every time I walked by them I would feel disgusted, overwhelmed and guilty.  Last week I spent a few hours and cleaned both rooms from top to bottom until they sparkled.  I would almost go out of my way in our home just to look at them to see how clean and organized they were.  A week has gone by and I am noticing how often I need to re-straighten them or wipe down the counter tops just to keep them clean.  It takes time and work to keep them clean and straight.  It turns out that it was not a one-time deal.  However, with it being so cleaned and organized in the first place, it is certainly easier to keep it that way.

It occurred to me that cleaning out the laundry room and mud room is a lot like me going to confession to clean-up my heart and soul.  As I stated earlier, Jesus is always in my heart and I tell Him so each time I receive communion.  How horrible it must be for Him to be inside of me with all of that dirt and baggage that needs to be cleaned up.  After confession, I think about how wonderful it must be for Him to be in a place that is finally tidied-up and clean.  And, like the continual straightening up of the rooms in my home, regular confession is just like that - noticing what needs to be straightened or cleaned and doing it on a regular basis.

How does this all fit-in with our pilgrimage to Africa?  I have mentioned on more than one occasion how difficult it is for me to leave my home and my family - my comforts - my regular quiet life.  What I have not mentioned but have learned through this whole blogging process is that my home and my comfort is found in Jesus.  When I am in Africa surrounded by the amazing people that I am traveling with, the amazing people that we will be meeting, working with and praying with, I will know that I will be just as home with them as I am anywhere else because I will be with Jesus.  I will miss still my home and family a great deal but I know that I will still feel at home away from them because I will have Jesus in my clean and straightened-up heart.  He is always there.

We have often heard it said: "Home is where the Heart is..." and together, wherever we find ourselves, be it Kenya, or Tennessee, or at school, at work, or in the car...we can say:  "Jesus I am home and at peace!"

"Turn away your face from my sins;

blot out all my guilt.

A clean heart create for me, God:

renew in me a steadfast spirit."

Psalm 51: 11-12

Living the Day-to-Day with Jesus

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Everyone has their own way of living their day-to-day with Jesus.  Even if they do not know Jesus, even if they don't talk to Him or even think about Him, they are still living that day-to-day with Jesus.  Our personal relationship with Jesus is just that - personal - and I strongly feel that it is none of my business how that is for anyone else other than for me.

We enthroned our home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in late April eight years ago.  My mom, Eleanor, aka El, who lives in New York, was present for our family's Enthronement Ceremony as she was visiting us because it was the same weekend that our son, Ray, was receiving his First Holy Communion.  An essential part of enthroning your family and home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is to have an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus that is placed or hanging in a prominent place in your home.  Our image is displayed on a small table in our kitchen which is truly the heart of our home.  As soon as you walk in the kitchen, it is the first thing that you see.

I have been thinking about our Enthronement to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and how it has truly impacted our family each and every day.  Most of the time, I know that it is in subtle, invisible ways.  We love being together and spending time with each other.  We laugh and talk and enjoy each others company.  Jesus is quietly ever-present in that family time.  

And, it can also be seen in an outward way with regard to praying with my kids.  I think that it was during our preparation for our Enthronement that I started praying the Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus prayer with my two children in the car as I was taking them to school.  We continued to pray that prayer every morning together for the next 5-6 years and still do when we are occasionally in the car together in the morning.  When Kristin was old enough to drive, she and Ray would drive to the high school together and they prayed the prayer in the car together without me being there!  Ray, who is now 16, and soon to be 17 (September 5th), drives to school in his jeep.  He and I are running out of the house around the same time (he to school and I to mass) and when he runs in to say good bye to me in the morning I say to him:  "Have a great day!  Listen, learn and work hard!  Pray the prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the car! And I LOVE YOU!"  And he always says: "OK Mom..."  And he does pray!  I know that because I receive confirmation of it when we are together in the car on an occasional weekend morning. When I ask him to pray with me, he prays the consecration prayer beautifully, completely and with familiarity.  And I am reassured that God has blessed me with these two amazing, wonderful, prayerful kids!  That are growing up way too fast! And that the Enthronement has been a grace and blessing for each of us separately and together as a family.

On the Saturday after we return from Africa, on October 6th, I will be making my first private, annual vows (promises) as a Lay Missionary of Charity.  This is a description of what a Lay Missionary of Charity is (This is copied from the LMC website.  The link is provided below):

THE SPIRIT of the Lay Missionaries of Charity is one of total abandonment to God's holy will, child-like trust in His Fatherly care and readiness for service in profound humility after the example of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  THE AIM of the Lay Missionaries of Charity is to quench the infinite thirst of Jesus on the Cross for the love of souls, by means of the annual profession of the four private vows according to the Statutes. THE SPECIAL MISSION of the LMCs is to work for the salvation and the sanctification of the members of their own families and of the poorest of the poor of the whole world: 

-with their constant effort to transform their own families into true sanctuaries of love by means of family prayer, dialogue, sharing and service;
-doing ordinary little things with extraordinary love, for the greater glory of God;
-living a life of prayer, penance and service, marked by simplicity, humility, and the practice of the Gospel teachings; loving and adoring Jesus under the species of Bread and Wine;
-with their consecrated presence in the heart of the world;
-loving and serving Jesus hidden under the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor;
-giving material help according to their own means and spiritual comfort to all those who are in need;
-sharing, as far as possible, the work and the life of the Missionaries of Charity;
-accepting with JOY their own sufferings and offering them to the Lord in total surrender, loving trust and cheerfulness.

I know that in my life that God has abundantly blessed me in this apostolate (work) and charism.  It was not by my choice - it was God's choice.  He invited me and I said yes.  It is not always easy - sometimes I am asked to stretch myself more than I am willing to give - I often see my inadequacies; my weaknesses and I can not begin to express how difficult and humiliating that can be- but it is also a life that is extremely fulfilling and very joy-filled.  It is one of much Love - Love given and Love received.  A beautiful gift.

Enthroning our family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus goes hand-in-hand with my apostolate as a Lay Missionary of Charity.  The two are interwoven in a very special and purposeful manner - both are meant to build up the family in a life lived in, with, and centered around Jesus.  Sometimes I am amazed and somewhat surprised as how God works in my life.  I see it as a puzzle where each piece is necessary and put together in a certain way.  

If you would like to read more about the LMC's, you may find them here:  http://www.laymc.com

Welcome the presence of the Heart of Christ, entrusting your home to Him. Before the open heart of Jesus, seek to draw from him the true love that our families need to build up a civilization of love." John Paul the Great