II Marist International Mission Assembly
Today, 15th September, the members of the hosting team worked from morning until late at night meeting passengers from thirty different flights. The stories have multiplied: delays in schedules, changes in the travel dates, incomplete lists, phone calls that do not go through… along with the pleasure of hugging a brother or friend not seen for a long time. The host team has functioned as a travel agency in coordinating a group of taxi drivers to transport these travelers to their respective homes.
“Karibu” – “Welcome”
At the door of each room, the host team organized a personalized welcome greeting in Kiswahili: "Karibu". They bent over backwards to make this wish a reality for those arriving. Well into the night, team members at the reception desk in Dimesse were waiting to provide refreshments and room keys for travelers. Finding a familiar face on arrival in a strange country produces a gratifying feeling that remains indelibly etched in the memory. And the open arms on entering an unknown residence are a priceless gesture.
The presence of Piluca
Equally busy as the host committee, the coordinating commission spent the day dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. A person with a unique role is Piluca. Piluca is a Spanish member of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa who has worked for many years in Africa. She had met Marist Brother Henri Vergès in Algeria before he was martyred. Piluca’s task is to help the coordinators remain focused on their objectives. As an “outsider” she has the ability to capture details that might escape the attention of the members of the commission. Her task as an analyst of what is happening in the group helps things to work properly. Today I witnessed how her insights helped the group to work more efficiently. The commission appreciates the external guidance she offers.
The community of the Assembly is gradually approaching completion: 20 people have been accommodated in the St Joseph Centre; 22 in Roussel House: and the rest have a room in the Dimesse Centre. Early arrivals have taken time to catch up on overdue sleep, or simply rest after their trip. Others have toured the city or visited places where one can see the animals of Africa in their natural habitat – the Animal Orphanage, the Nairobi National Park or the Giraffe Center.
Day by day, a spirit of family is growing in preparation for the Assembly: re-linking with old friends or forming new bonds with others.
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AMEstaún – 15 September