Now It Is Your Turn:
African Missionaries Go to the Ends of the Earth

"Happy Missionary Birthday!" During this Jubilee Year 2000 we are celebrating 2000 years of Christianity. We are also celebrating 2000 years of Christian missionary activity. Think of the billions of people who have lived and died " on this planet earth. They did not see "this" day. Yet we are blessed and privileged to be living now, blessed and privileged to see this year 2000. In his 2000 Message for World Mission Sunday (22 October, 2000) Pope John Paul II states: "The Jubilee is a favorable time for the whole Church to work, thanks to the Spirit, with new missionary impulse… the prospective of the Great Jubilee, which we are celebrating, induces us to ever greater missionary commitment ad gentes."

Chapter 1 of the Acts of the Apostles narrates Jesus' powerful words to the first apostles: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." During the past 2000 years Christian missionaries have carried out this mandate everywhere. Now in this year 2000 we are today's apostles, today's missionaries, today's witnesses.

But now there is a big difference as echoed in Pope John Paul II's stirring words to the people of Tanzania during his visit to Moshi, Tanzania in September, 1990: "Now it is your turn to go to the rest of Tanzania, to the rest of Africa, even to the ends of the earth." These words can be addressed to the people of each of the 53 African countries. So now it is African priests, religious and lay peoples' turn to be missionaries. Jesus says at the end of St. Mark's Gospel: "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation." Now African missionaries are going into the whole world to proclaim the Good News of Salvation.

I. New Meaning of the Word "Missionary"

First we have to move beyond the stereotypes and traditional terminology. For many years in Africa the word "missionary" usually referred to an ordained (priest) or vowed (Brother) white man from Europe or North America. Sometimes white Sisters were included. Now there a new meaning of the word "missionary." We have to distinguish between: 

1. Expatriate missionary (person who comes from outside the host country). This person is not only the traditional white European or North American, but can come from India, the Philippines, Latin America or another country in Africa. 

2. African missionary (person who is born in an African country).

In this context a Tanzanian-born missionary priest (for example, belonging to the Missionaries of Africa or the Apostles of Jesus) who works in South Africa or Nigeria can be called both an expatriate missionary and an African missionary. Just as missionaries can be all colors and nationalities so they can have different vocational charisms: priest, Brother, Sister, layman and laywoman.

The dramatic development in contemporary missiology is that mission is from everywhere to everywhere. Truly the whole church is missionary. Now mission is more situational than geographical. Also a significant contemporary development in world mission is the shifting of the church's center of gravity from the West, from Europe and North America, toward the East and South, towards the continents of Africa, Asia, Oceania and Latin America.

Now all the Local Churches throughout the world are in mission. So we can speak of the missionary responsibility of the Local Churches in Africa. Now the Local Churches in Africa (and other parts of the Third World) are both Mission Sending Churches and Mission Receiving Churches. Now African missionaries are called forth by their Local Churches and sent to other parts of the world. Thus the old distinction between "Western mission sending churches" and "mission lands receiving churches" no longer applies. There is now a mutuality in mission, a mutual sharing, a mutual giving and receiving. Local Churches throughout the world are in mutual dialogue with each other. Christians are part of both sending and receiving churches. Thus African people are both evangelized and evangelizers.

Theologically an expatriate missionary or an African missionary working in a particular diocese in Africa is part of the Local Church in that area. After the Holy Spirit the Local Church has the main responsibility for the Mission of the Church. Religious of Missionary Congregations, members of Societies of the Apostolic Life, Fidei Donum Priests and other missionary groups assist and support the Local Church in this task.

II. African Missionaries Going to Other Places in Their Own Country

For most Africans mission means being evangelizers in their own countries and cultures. There has been significant growth of "home missionaries" in African countries. There are over 82 Kenyan members of religious missionary institutes (priests, Brothers and Sisters) working in Kenya itself. See the statistics in the Kenyan Missionaries Directory 1999 (Nairobi: Mission Promotion Team, 1999) compiled by the Comboni Mission Promotion Team of Father Paulino Twesigye Mondo, MCCJ and Brother Claudio Bozza, MCCJ.

The Catholic Lay Missionaries (CLM) of Kenya started in 1989. The African saying we are called. We are sent appears in Swahili on the cover of booklets produced by this group with a map of Kenya and different arrows reaching throughout the country and outside to other countries. Presently this lay missionary society has 28 members (16 men and 12 women) working in Marsabit and Lodwar Dioceses and Nairobi Archdiocese in Kenya. Ukweli Video has produced a video on CLM called The Extra Mile (PAL, 35 minutes, 2000). It portrays how these Kenyan lay missionaries are of particular service to people who live on the margins of society, are most vulnerable and generally forgotten or ignored. For further information on laity in mission see Chapter Eight called "To Be Called Is To Be Sent" in Joseph Healey and Donald Sybertz, Towards An African Narrative Theology (Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa, 3rd Reprint 2000).

The Immaculate Heart Sisters of Africa with headquarters in Musoma, Tanzania is a missionary-related congregation that works in various dioceses in Tanzania. One of their Final Vows Ceremonies took place in Musoma on 8 December, 1999. At the Offertory Procession each of the three sisters brought up a special gift symbolizing her lifetime commitment and explained it to the cathedral congregation:

1. Cross: following Jesus Christ.
2. Seedling: rootedness and growth in the Christian life.
3. Drum: announcing the Good News.

During his historic visit to Kampala, Uganda in 1969 Pope Paul VI hailed the coming of age and the maturity of the Church in Africa with the now famous words: "You are now missionaries to yourselves." There are many ways that African people can be missionaries in their own countries, in their own local situations. In Tanzania the Mission Commission of the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference (TEC), the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Tanzania and the Mission Awareness Committee (MAC) of the Religious Superiors' Association of Tanzania (RSAT) collaborate to promote mission awareness through seminars, workshops, meetings, publications and special celebrations. Some highlights of the Jubilee Year 2000 include:

1. Four children of the Pontifical Society of the Holy Childhood from Msolwa and Morogoro Parishes in Morogoro Diocese represented Tanzania at the "Jubilee of Children" at the Vatican on 2 January, 2000. One young girl presented a dove to Pope John Paul II in the outdoor ceremony.

2. The First Sunday of Lent, 12 March, 2000 was the "Jubilee of Catechumens."

3. The month of October, 2000 will be "Missionary Month." It will begin with the canonization of Josephine Bakhita, the first modern African woman saint, in Rome on 1 October. Various ceremonies are planned in Tanzania such as a special celebration at Blessed Josephine Bakhita Church in the Mtoni Area of Dar es Salaam.

The climax will be the celebration of World Mission Sunday on 22 October, 2000 that will be the official "Jubilee of Missionaries." In his 2000 Message for World Mission Sunday Pope John Paul II states: "Celebrating the Jubilee of the Holy Year 2000, the whole Church is even more committed to a new missionary advent. We must increase our apostolic zeal to pass on to others the light and the joy of the faith."

There are many creative ways to celebrate this annual missionary feast. One way is to pray the Our Father together in different languages especially in one's first or heart language that might be an African language such as Swahili, Kikuyu, Luo, Luganda or Chewa or an international language such as English or French. This recalls the first Pentecost Sunday described in the Acts of the Apostles and shows the universality of our church. Different African languages can also be used for the Prayers of the Faithful during the Eucharistic Celebration, a "Sunday Service Without a Priest," the weekly Bible Service of a Small Christian Community (SCC) or any prayer service.

A way to symbolize our missionary solidarity with people around the world is to substitute the word "food" for "bread" in saying the Our Father. Many African languages do not have a word for bread that is still unknown to many African people whose staple food is yams or corn meal or unsweetened bananas. Even in many countries in Asia the staple food is rice. Thus in many languages the translation of Matthew 6:11 is "Give us this day our daily food." This global solidarity also reminds us of the millions of people around the world who only have one good meal a day and others presently experiencing famine such as people in Ethiopia.

4. Jesus, Source of Life for All, the book of working papers for the World Mission Congress that will take place in Rome from 18-22 October, 2000 has been translated into Swahili by Father Alfons Ndekimo. This booklet, Yesu, Chanzo cha Maisha Kwa Wote, is being widely used for prayer, liturgical ceremonies, reflection and discussion in Tanzania.

One special way of promoting mission locally is through the missionary outreach of Small Christian Communities (SCCs). Already back in 1979 the AMECEA (Catholic Bishops Conference of Eastern Africa) Study Conference described the missionary role of Eastern African SCCs in these words: "SCCs are an effective way of developing the mission dimension of the church at the most local level, and of making people feel that they are really part of the church's evangelizing work." Now thousands of SCCs in Eastern Africa emphasize practical outreach to lax Catholics or those searching for God as well as accompaniment and service to people with AIDS/HIV, refugees, street children and other needy people.

In some parishes in Tanzania adults interested in becoming Catholics (called "Inquirers") first pass through the SCC in their geographical area/neighborhood that submits the request forms for the baptism of adults to the parish office. Some SCCs have started the ministry of Accompanier in the Adult Catechumenate. A catechumen chooses a SCC member to "accompany" him or her through the stages (steps and rites) of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). The catechumen is invited to participate in all the activities of the SCC. Personal relationships and friendships are an important part of helping people who are preparing for baptism to feel "at home" in their local Christian community. Growth in faith is an experience of living in a believing community. The emphasis is on the faith being "caught" in sharing the life of the SCC rather than just being "taught" in formal instruction classes. Sometimes the whole SCC accompanies "its" catechumens - another example of community ministry and group evangelisation. Here all the SCC members are responsible for the spiritual and pastoral life of their own small community. This approach is closely related to the African values of community, joint responsibility, togetherness and sharing.

III. African Missionaries Going to Other Countries in Africa

For some African missionaries this means being sent to another country in Africa. Bishop Evaristo Chengula, I. M.C., the present Bishop of Mbeya, Tanzania worked as a Consolata missionary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Bishop Augustine Shao, C.S.Sp., the present Bishop of Zanzibar, Tanzania worked as a Spiritan missionary in Zambia. Sister Rita Kimolo, M.C., a Tanzanian Consolata Sister had an official "Sending Forth Ceremony" in her home parish in Kondoa, Dodoma Diocese on 19 March, 2000. She was "missioned' to Liberia in West Africa. She received various gifts that symbolized her missionary commitment. The liturgy, celebration and related events helped her family, friends and the local parish community to feel part of her missionary vocation and future missionary ministry in Liberia.

There are over 99 Kenyan members of religious missionary institutes working in other countries in Africa. See the statistics in the Kenyan Missionaries Directory 1999. Here are two personal testimonies from Letters From the Missions: Our Sons and Daughters Missionaries Around the World (Nairobi: Mission Promotion Team, 2000):

1. From Ethiopia: "I am a missionary in Ethiopia. I am doing something I call 'evangelisation of presence in silence'. Ethiopia is rather a Catholic 'environment'. Orthodox Christians are the most numerous. In principle and theory we are 'more or less the same'. In practice we differ a lot. Like anyone else, we are seen as intruders coming to steal their Christians to our church. The outcome of these attitudes is violence and competition. To avoid this, I opted to witness humbly: just presence in silence. My pastoral work throughout the week is basically among young people aged between 5-18 years. I organize activities for them that are not specifically church oriented but society oriented. Practically, I never organise prayers, as any Catholic Church would do, but, of course, because there are a number of Catholics (about 56) on Sunday we have the Eucharist celebration. During the week there are about seven people who appear constantly. We have activities that attract normally the young." Father Nicholas Makau, I.M.C. Consolata Missionary

2. From Rwanda: "Two months before my profession I got my missionary assignment letter to Rwanda. Being my first assignment, I became very afraid. The situation in Rwanda was very bad at that time. I was full of fear, doubts and I wasn't sure of myself either. I had a retreat after this, soon before my profession. I was able to bring all my worries, doubts and my helplessness to God. Deep down I knew that God had a reason for my going to Rwanda. I felt called for something I didn't know. I felt that there was something waiting for me and unless I was open enough to it, it will never happen. So I felt encouraged, energised and ready to go. I came to Rwanda in 1996…

At the moment, a lot has changed as a consequence of the war. Many people have been traumatized; they live in fear, doubts and even lack of trust. The war has done a lot to old and young, children and all. Being here has taught me a lot: patience, trust, at least how important it is to have a sense of humour and taking a day as it comes. A few missionaries have been killed since I came here. It is a fearful situation at times. We still hope and trust one day there will be peace."
   ~ Sister Rose Ngaruiya, M.M.M. Medical Missionary of Mary

A recent development is African Fidei Donum priests, that is, diocesan priests from an African country who are sent to another country. In 1996 Cardinal Josef Tomko, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, asked the bishops of the dioceses in Uganda with many local priests to send missionaries to other dioceses in Africa which have few, or even no, local priests. So Kiyinda-Mityana Diocese in Uganda with over 80 local diocesan priests sent two priests as missionaries to Aliwal Diocese in South Africa in 1999. They have gone for a three-year term that is renewable. Kampala Archdiocese and Masaka Diocese also sent Ugandan Fidei Donum priests to South Africa. In addition Masaka Diocese sent priests to Rwanda.

IV. African Missionaries Going to Other Continents

Mombasa Archdiocese in Kenya has sent two priests, Crispin Oneko and John Malasi, as Fidei Donum missionaries to Kingston Diocese in Jamaica in the Caribbean, West Indies. See further information in the June and July, 2000 issues of the archdiocesan newsletter Habari Zetu. Archbishop Raphael Ndingi Mwana'a Nzeki of Nairobi Archdiocese in Kenya is planning to send 10 Kenyan Fidei Donum priests to East Germany. Cardinal Maurice Otunga, the retired Archbishop of Nairobi has stated: "Until Nairobi Archdiocese sends priests, Brothers, Sisters and lay missionaries to other parts of the world, the Church in Nairobi is not a mature, established church."

There are over 69 Kenyan members of religious missionary institutes working in other continents such as Asia (13), Europe (7), and North and South America (49). See the statistics in the Kenyan Missionaries Directory 1999. Here are two personal testimonies from Letters From the Missions: Our Songs and Daughters Missionaries Around the World:

1. From Colombia: "I work in the most violent area of this country. My parish is in a department called Putumayo that lies at the border of Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. The people who live here are mixed. There are whites of Spanish origin that come here to work in the army, do business or cultivate cocaine deep in the forest. There are also Indios who have always lived here. They are very poor and most die without visiting a big town. However, each home has a television set. This place is full of soldiers of different groups who kill now and then the people whom they think are not on their side. Living here as a priest, one feels that many people have a great inclination to kill. The value of life is so weak, really. One thing that strikes a new comer here is that these people have a great devotion to the dead, more than those who are living. The violence is so deeply rooted that we should join hands to seek divine intervention...

Sometimes one lives in tension but I am having a wonderful experience. Sometimes people ask me why I had to leave Kenya, which according to them, is in great need of an African priest who can even dare to stay in such a conflictive area. Well, partly I do agree with them, but on the other hand, as a Kenyan missionary, I have come to discover that my country has very good cultural values that are deep in the hearts of the people and should be shared with others. For example, we have the value of life."
   ~  Father Peter Kariuki, I.M.C. Consolata Missionary

2. From Sri-Lanka: "I'm very grateful to God for giving me this chance to serve him among the poorest of the poor in Sri-Lanka in the midst of a terrible war and poverty and also with people of a different culture. Jesus is still telling us that He is thirsty and that it is our aim to quench the thirst of Jesus on the cross by giving love to those in need. If you want to witness to Christ you must give until it hurts.

Here we have a lot of children who have no parents and who have been badly affected by the war. There is a lot of mobbing and shelling but we are not afraid because God will never abandon us in the midst of these difficulties. Many people are very kind and generous; so far they have not done any harm to priests and religious. Their culture respects both young and old people. Very often the store is empty, but by evening, people come with donations and food to feed our sick people."
   ~ Sister Valentine Esther Wacui, M.S.C. Missionary Sister of Charity

The mission collections in Kenya in 1998 were used to support a Comboni Missionary Sister in Eritrea and a Missionary Sister of Charity in Haiti. The mission collections in Kenya in 1999 will be used to support four Kenyan missionaries who are doing missionary work outside of Kenya from the following men's religious congregations: the Apostles of Jesus, Comboni Missionaries, Consolata Missionaries and Missionaries of Africa. This direct financial help allows local Catholic communities in Kenya to feel part of the missionary outreach.

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