Visiting Kabala

Sunday November 30

In the early morning, Sr. Rosanne, Sr. Eleanor,and I traveled to Kabala, some 80 miles from Makeni to join the community there at prayer. Rosanne and I were part of the parish team 30 years ago and it was humbling to go there and see so many familiar faces and be hugged by so many friends. As we remembered them all well, they remembered us just as well and we really celebrated. Kabala town is coming back to life after being hit hard by the war. In 1995 there had been major attacks that destroyed much of the infrastructure of the town. Our parish house was destroyed and the sisters house was used as barracks for peace keepers. As we drove around town after Mass, there were many more signs of the war with houses yet to be restored than in any town that I have seen yet. But there are signs of hope… the hospital is up and running and better than ever. Government buildings are near completion and all three secondary schools in town are operational and filled to capacity. (The challenge is the quality of the teaching.) So there is life and hope. But the roads that stretch out to the villages beyond Kabala are in grave disrepair.

The present parish team of three Xaverians are doing very well and are really serving the people. Of course, with Sr. Rosanne and Sr. Eleanor present, the people pleaded for the return of the sisters…