African Stories

Compiled by Mart Schnd

About This Document African Stories consists of various African stories, legends, parables and fables old and new. We expect to revise this edition in the future and add more and more stories in the future. The next version with more stories will be released in the near future. This document is free-of-charge. I release this document in portable document format (.PDF) only. Download more E-books I invite you to download the future versions also from my web site. Moreover, I appreciate your comments regarding this e-book. Please let me know any errors or omissions of this publication as well as your proposals to upgrade the quality of this publication. Please use my email address to contact me. http://www.ebooks-ms.9f.com/ martschnd@yahoo.com Distribution I encourage you to freely distribute this document as it is, among your friends, colleagues, family members, customers or any other person who you think interested in or relevant to, in any form as you wish. If anybody who wants to publish this e-book in any from and need us to make changes to this version, accordingly, please contact us by means of above mentioned email address. Legal Notice and Terms of Agreement African Stories consists of various African stories, legends, parables and fables old and new. While attempts have been made to verify information in this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions, interpretation or usage of the subject matter herein. The contents in this publication are intended for informational purposes only. The author and publisher shall in no event be held liable for any loss or other damages incurred from the usage of this publication. The author and publisher reserve the right to terminate this publication at anytime, without warning, and are not responsible for any results forthcoming from said termination. Furthermore the author and publisher extend no warranty of results either expressed or implied from the usage of this information. Results vary by user. By using the African Stories, you agree to this legal notice and terms of agreement. Mart Schnd. Friday, April 29, 2005

Contents
Introduction . . . 5 A. African Christmas Stories . . . 6
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Retelling the Magi Story Around the World . . . 7 The Parable of What Language Does God Speak . . . 9 The Parable of the Person Who Couldnt Find God . . . 11 The Night Before Christmas: An African Christmas Story . . . 14 The Turkana Celebrate a Feast of Light and Hope . . . 17 The Legend of the Showoff Who Prepares For the Visit of Jesus on Christmas Day . . . 18 Celebrating the Christmas Story in Tanzania . . . 20 A Baby Girl Named Tandike . . . 22 There Is Indeed Room in the Inn! . . . 23

10. Im Sure This African Mary Understands My Swahili Prayers . . . 24

B. African Lenten and Easter Stories . . . 25

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Lenten Journey in a Brown Paper Bag . . . 26 AIDS Way of the Cross (Kitovu Hospital, Masaka, Uganda) . . . 28 African Way of the Cross Following Our Local African Situation Especially the Sufferings, Crosses, and Problems of Our Everyday Life . . . 30 Walking the Way of the Cross in Africa Today . . . 32 What is the Most Important Religion? . . . 44 Masanja Goes to Dar es Salaam (story alone) . . . 46 Masanja Goes to Dar es Salaam (story in context) . . . 47 Wanjikus Long Safari . . . 49 Parable of the Two Young Men on the Road to Nakuru . . . 50

10. The Parable of On the Way to Bauleni . . . 53 11. Pauls Two-Year Spiritual Journey . . . 54 12. Magiges First Tricycle Ride . . . 55 13. Pumped Up on Easter Sunday . . . 56 14. Smelling African Flowers on Easter Sunday . . . 57 15. What Mission Is All About . . . 58 16. I Had Lunch With God . . . 59 17. Cold Rice, Hot Soda . . . 60 18. The Poor Celebrate Best . . . 61

C. African Cultural Stories - Animal Stories . . . 62

1. 2. 3. Two Roads Overcame the Hyena . . . 63 The Two Cold Porcupines . . . 64 How the Monkeys Saved the Fish . . . 65

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

The Leopard and the Rabbit . . . 66 The Lions Share . . . 68 The Community of Rats . . . 69 Creation and Separation Myth of Man and the Elephant . . . 70 Origin of Death Myth of The Chameleon and the Lizard . . . 71 Origin of Death Myth of the Old Woman Who Hid Death . . . 72

10. The Sacrifice of the White Hen . . . 73 11. Masala Kulangwa and the Monster Shingwengwe . . . 74 12. The Story of Gumha and the Large Rooster . . . 75 13. The Poor Man Without Work . . . 76

D. African Cultural Stories General . . . 77

1. A Little Knowledge Is a Dangerous Thing . . . 78

Introduction
African Stories consists of various African stories, legends, parables and fables old and new. One challenge is how to communicate the Good News of Jesus Christ to Africans in an African context, in African accents, in an African handwriting. The happy solution is to tell an African story. Everyone likes stories. In the beginning, there are few African Stories about Christmas. These stories are from Africa, East Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. As you read and reflect on these African Christmas Stories, you are invited to tell your own stories. Please send in your stories so that we could include them in this document. We appreciate if you let us know, which stories you like and how and where you are using these stories. Once upon a time

A.
African Christmas Stories

1.
Retelling the Magi Story Around the World
By Akio Johnson Mutek and Joseph Healey, M.M. In Matthews Gospel (Chapter 2:1-12) the Magi (three wise men or astrologers from the East) offer the Christ Child gold, frankincense, and myrrh, which are symbols of wealth and divine worship in the Middle East culture. Among ancient peoples, gold was regarded as the king of metals and thus the ideal gift for a king. It is symbolic of the kingship of Christ. Frankincense was used in religious worship and it is symbolic of the divinity of Jesus. Myrrh was used to prepare the dead for burial and it is symbolic of the humanity of Jesus. However, what symbols would other cultures and peoples use? Let us start with Africa. A catechist in the Logir Ethnic Group in Isoke Parish in Torit Diocese, Sudan said that the three gifts would be a goat, a spear and a small, flexible shepherds stick. The goat is a symbol of royalty and wealth. The spear is a symbol of defense and healing. When someone is sick the blade of the family spear is washed and the water is sprinkled on the grave of a recently deceased parent. It is hoped that this ancestor (one of the living-dead) will bless and heal the sick person. The shepherds stick made from the alyoto tree is a symbol of power. The Logir people in Sudan would give a baby other gifts such as a cow who still suckles her calf. The rich fresh milk given to the mother of the baby is a symbol of wealth. Butter oil from milk is smeared on the baby. This oil is used for the installation of a king and when the rainmaker is chosen. Alyoto leaves are tied on the front of the door to show that a child has been born. These leaves are symbols of new life and fertility. When tied in a circle the leaves portray life and union with the ancestors. Eight days after the birth of the child, people in the local community bring gifts to the mother such as chickens, white millet, fruits, honey and firewood. The Ganda people in Uganda would give the Christ Child a drum, which is a symbol of kingship and authority, a spear, which is a symbol of protecting and defending the people, and bark cloth, which is a symbol of royal investiture. The Kuria people in Tanzania and Kenya would give a goat for the mother, flour for food and oil to shine up the baby. The Sukuma people in Tanzania would give gifts of powerful medicine to protect against witches, a cow and a leopard skin, which is a symbol of royalty. The types of gifts vary according to local customs and show the richness of different African traditions. Some ethnic groups in East Africa would distinguish carefully between the three gifts for the Christ Child and other kinds of gifts for Christ the King or Chief (symbols of power and elder hood such as a flywhisk made from tail of a particular animal). For others

age doesnt matter. A person would lie prostrate in front of even a child king. In the African tradition, it would be very important to give special gifts to the mother of Jesus. Latin America has its own examples. For the Aymara and Quechua in Bolivia coca leaves would be the central offering to the Christ Child. The coca leaf signifies life in the fullest sense and all the joys and struggles surrounding life and death. It is intimately connected with divinity and worship. Other appropriate gifts would be the first fruits of the harvest and the local arts and crafts of the people. For Chilean people gifts to a newborn child would be a blanket, clothing and local handicraft. A schoolboy in the United States of America was retelling the Christmas story and explained that the wise men gave gifts of gold, Frankenstein and mirth. Another person said that the three most valuable things in American society were American Express, Visa and Master Card. These types of answers challenge the depth of religious values in western society. Clearly ongoing inculturation is just as important in North America as it is in Third World countries. New symbols and signs have to be found to speak to our contemporary Western culture especially modern youth. Would the three gifts to represent the American heritage and vision include the treasures of the past -- the Declaration of Independence, a replica of the Statue of Liberty, the American flag? Or would they include gifts symbolizing the present and future -- a diamond ring, a luxury car, a spacecraft, recent amendments to the Constitution that portray freedom and equality in the present multicultural democracy? Are there any appropriate religious symbols in the American context? One teenage girl said that she would not only give the Christ Child the prized gift of a beautiful guitar but she would also write a song for him. In China the gifts would be based on the three main values or symbols in Chinese society. The symbol of blessing would be a male child to carry on the family line. Gold is the symbol of wealth. The symbol of long life is a peach, which blossoms very early in the springtime and thus signifies longevity. So for that mysterious word contextualization or inculturation (earthing the Gospel in local culture), each people and culture have their own rich and meaningful answers. This is a challenge to the universality of the Christian Churches to be a light to the nations. Bishop Akio Johnson Mutek Auxiliary Bishop of Torit Diocese, Sudan c/o NCA - Catholic Diocese of Torit P.O. Box 52802, Nairobi, Kenya Rev. Joseph Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania E-mail: JGHealey@aol.com

2.
The Parable of What Language Does God Speak.
Once upon a time, there was a man in the Serengeti District of western Tanzania called Marwa. In the sixth grade, he studied the Christian religion. At Baptism, he chose the name Emmanuel that means, God is with us. After finishing high school, Emmanuel read magazines and books about God. He believed that God is truly present among us, but he asked, What language does God speak? Emmanuel posed his special question to different church leaders in his village. The old catechist answered. I think that God speaks Latin. The chairperson of the parish council guessed, God speaks our local language Ngoreme. However, the searching youth Emmanuel had doubts. When I get the right answer, he said to himself, Ill know immediately and feel great joy. Therefore, the young African set off on a journey. In the neighboring parish, he asked again, What language does God speak? One Christian suggested Kuria, another local language. Again, Emmanuel had doubts. He began to travel across the whole of Tanzania visiting small towns and big cities. In one place, the Christians were certain that God spoke Swahili. People in western Tanzania said Sukuma while residents in the northeast said Chagga. Emmanuel was not satisfied with these answers. Remembering the African saying -traveling is learning -- he journeyed outside Tanzania. The Kenyans said Kikuyu and the people of Uganda answered, God speaks Ganda. In West Africa, he got different replies: Lingala in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Hausa in Nigeria and Arabic in Morocco. He decided to travel the whole world if necessary. Passing through Europe, he was told French, German and Italian. The Christians of North America said English while South Americans replied, Spanish. In his heart, the young Tanzanian knew that these answers were inadequate. Determined to find the truth he went to China where the local people insisted that God speaks Mandarin or Cantonese. Emmanuel was tired from his long travels but he resolutely pushed on. In India, he was told Hindi. He reached Israel late in December. The local inhabitants said, Surely God speaks Hebrew. Exhausted by his long travels and the unsatisfactory answers, Emmanuel entered the town of Bethlehem. The local hotels were filled. He looked everywhere for a place to stay. Nothing was available. In the early morning hours, he came to a cave where cows and sheep were sheltered. He was surprised to see a young woman with her newborn baby.

This young mother said to the traveling youth, Welcome, Emmanuel, you are very welcome. Astonished to hear his name, the young African listened in awe as the woman called Mary continued: For a very long time you have traveled around the world to find out what language God speaks. Your long journey is over. God speaks the language of love. God loved the world so much that he gave his only son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Overjoyed to hear these words of Mary the young Tanzanian understood Gods language of love for all people, for all races, for all nations. Emmanuel exclaimed, Truly, today God is with us. NOTE: Many stories just happen. One Advent in Iramba Parish in Musoma Diocese, Tanzania we decided to create an original story for the Christmas homily. Congregations on big celebrations such as Christmas and Easter are very large, mixed groups. Many of these people only come to church on the biggest feasts of the year. A didactic homily or sermon may not communicate well, but a story always will. This particular parable came from asking Christians in Iramba Parish the provocative question: What language does God speak? Their answers and the accompanying discussions became the basis for creating this African Christmas parable. It uses different means of social communication such as African languages and African sayings. Rev. Joseph Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania E-mail: JGHealey@aol.com

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3.
The Parable of the Person Who Couldnt Find God
Once upon a time, a certain East African country had many mountains and valleys, rivers and plains. All the people lived in one big valley. The large extended families included grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and many children. These East African people were ordinary human beings with both good and bad qualities. They followed all the seasons of human life: A time for giving birth ... a time for dying. A time for planting ... a time for uprooting. A time for knocking down ... a time for building. A time for tears ... a time for laughter. A time for mourning ... a time for dancing. A time for loving ... a time for hating. A time for war ... a time for peace. A man named John Shayo lived in this large valley. He was a faithful Christian who prayed every Sunday and regularly participated in his Amani Small Christian Community. He helped the poor and needy especially the lepers who lived on one slope. John tried to fulfill all his Christian responsibilities. From time to time, he failed, but in general, he was a very good Christian. In this large valley, there was jealousy, fighting, drunkenness and all kinds of discord. Thieves and tricksters walked about openly and regularly stole cows, goats and sheep. Families and villages lacked peace and harmony. Witchcraft and superstition were part of daily life. After patiently enduring this bad situation for a long time, John Shayo decided to move somewhere else. He said, Certainly God isnt present here. He is the All Peaceful One who doesnt like fighting and discord. He wants peace and harmonious relationships in his human family. John Shayo saw a very high mountain far in the distance. It rose majestically in the clear tropical air. John said, Certainly God our Great Ancestor lives in peace and quiet on the top of that East African mountain. I will go there to find God who Dwells on High with the Spirits of the Great. So John set off on his long safari. At the end of the first day, he reached the foot of this high mountain. The burning equatorial sun had drained his energy. He rested. Very early the next morning he started out again. After three hours of difficult climbing, he was tired and sat by the side of the rough footpath.

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After a few minutes, John was startled to see a bearded man about 30-years-old making his way down the mountain. They greeted each other. Jambo (Hello). What is the news? John told the traveler that he was climbing to the top of the mountain to find God our Creator and Source. The traveler said that his name was Emmanuel and that he was climbing down the mountain to live with the people in the large valley. After talking together for a few minutes, they said good-bye to each other in the traditional African farewell: Good-bye until we meet again. As John continued his safari up the steep mountain, he said to himself, That man is a fine person. He is very intelligent and speaks well. I wonder why he wants to go down to my former valley. Soon John Shayo was engrossed in his arduous climb. The air grew thinner. He climbed more slowly. By late afternoon, he reached the top of the mountain and said to himself, There is peace and quiet here. Now I will surely find God. He looked everywhere. No one was around. John was very disappointed and asked aloud, Where is God? Suddenly a gaunt old man appeared and greeted John. Welcome. Relax after your long, hard safari. Shayo began to describe the arduous trip and his desire to meet God the All Peaceful One. The old man said, Im sorry, but God isnt here on the top of this high mountain. I live alone here. Surely, you met God on the mountain path. He was going down to the big valley to live with the people there and to help them with their problems and difficulties. John was astonished and exclaimed aloud, You mean the traveler I met on the path was God. I didnt recognize him. I thought that I would find him here on the top of the mountain. The old man said, Im sorry. You see God doesnt want to live here all by himself. He wants to join with the human beings he created. Thats the meaning of his name Emmanuel. God is with us. John Shayo exclaimed, But in the valley there are arguments and fighting. Many of the people are thieves, tricksters, troublemakers and drunkards. Why does God want to live with them? Quietly the old man answered, God knows the lives of his people and their problems and weaknesses. There is a myth about an East African hunter who disobeyed Gods command and shot an arrow into the clouds. The sky bled and God withdrew into the high heavens to get away from human beings. However, God the Great Elder loved his human family and wanted to show his tender care. So God our Great Chief sent his Son to pitch his tent among us, to live with us, to share our joys and sorrows, our successes and failures, our strengths and weaknesses in order to save us. We celebrate this mystery of salvation on the feast of Christmas -- the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ our Eldest Brother. For this is how God loved the world: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John Shayo was deeply moved by these words and listened intently as the old man continued. Jesus Christ -- Emmanuel was born and lived among us human beings as an

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ordinary person. He surrounded himself with simple, needy people just like the farmers and herders in the villages of your valley. He helped the people with their daily problems. This is the meaning and mystery of Christmas -- we learn to live like Jesus, Emmanuel our God and a person for others. John, from time to time you can come to this mountain top to rest and pray, but know, my friend that the heart of Christmas is to live with the people in the valley and share their daily problems and difficulties. John suddenly felt that he had learned much wisdom on this East African mountaintop. Deeply touched he said, Ive changed my mind. Ive decided to go back to the large valley and live with the people as Jesus Christ Himself does. The wise old man put his hands on Johns head and gave him a blessing. John Shayo turned slowly. Seeing the large valley stretched out below him, John began to walk down the mountain. NOTE: This story was originally created out of discussions with the Christians in Iramba Parish, Musoma Diocese, Tanzania on how to communicate the joyful and saving message of Christmas in a fresh and African way. Rev. Joseph Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania E-mail: JGHealey@aol.com

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4.
The Night before Christmas: An African Christmas Story
By Peter E. Adotey Addo It was the night before Christmas in Ghana and I was very sad because my family life had been severely disrupted and I was sure that Christmas would never come. There was none of the usual joy and anticipation that I always felt during the Christmas season. I was eight years old, but in the past few months, I had grown a great deal. Before this year, I thought Christmas in my Ghanaian village came with many things. Christmas had always been for me one of the joyous religious festivals. It was the time for beautiful Christmas music on the streets, on radio, on television and everywhere. Christmas had always been a religious celebration and the church started preparing back in November. We really felt that we were preparing for the birth of the baby Jesus. Christmas was the time when relatives and friends visited each other so there were always people traveling and visiting with great joy from all the different ethnic groups. I always thought that was what Christmas was all about. Oh, how I wished I had some of the traditional food consumed at the Christmas Eve dinner and the Christmas Day dinner. I remembered the taste of rice, chicken, goat, lamb, and fruits of various kinds. The houses were always decorated with beautiful paper ornaments. The children and all the young people loved to make and decorate their homes and schools with colorful crepe paper. All of us looked forward to the Christmas Eve Service at our church. After the service, there would be a joyous possession through the streets. Everyone would be in a gala mood with local musicians in a Mardi Gras mood. Then on Christmas Day, we all went back to church to read the scriptures and sing carols to remind us of the meaning of the blessed birth of the baby Jesus. We always thought that these were the things that meant Christmas. After the Christmas service, young people received gifts of special chocolate, special cookies and special crackers. Young people were told that the gifts come from Father Christmas, and this always meant Christmas for us. They also received new clothes and perhaps new pairs of shoes. Meanwhile throughout the celebration everyone was greeted with the special greeting, Afishapa, the Akan word meaning Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Oh how I wish that those memories were real tonight in order to bring us Christmas. However, this Christmas Eve things were different and I knew Christmas would never come. Every one was sad and desperate because of what happened last April when the so-called Army of Liberation attacked our village and took all the young boys and girls away. Families were separated and some were murdered. We were forced to march and walk for many miles without food. We were often hungry and we were given very little food. The soldiers burned everything in our village and during our forced march; we lost all sense of time and place.

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Miraculously we were able to get away from the soldiers during one rainy night. After several weeks in the tropical forest, we made our way back to our burned out village. Most of us were sick, exhausted, and depressed. Most of the members of our families were nowhere to be found. We had no idea what day or time it was. This was the situation until my sick grandmother noticed the reddish and yellow flower we call Fire on the Mountain blooming in the middle of the marketplace where the tree had stood for generations and had bloomed for generations at Christmas time. For some reason it had survived the fire that had engulfed the marketplace. I remembered how the nectar from this beautiful flower had always attracted insects making them drowsy enough to fall to the ground to become food for crows and lizards. We were surprised that the fire that the soldiers had started to burn the marketplace and the village did not destroy the Fire on the Mountain tree. What a miracle it was. Grandmother told us that it was almost Christmas because the flower was blooming. As far as she could remember this only occurred at Christmas time. My spirits were lifted perhaps for a few minutes as I saw the flower. Soon I became sad again. How could Christmas come without my parents and my village? How could this be Christmas time when we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace because since April we have not known any peace, only war and suffering. How could we celebrate as grandmother instructed us to do before she died? She spoke those last words before she died last night. As I continued to think about past joyous Christmases and the present suffering, we heard the horn of a car and not just one horn but several cars approaching our village. At first, we thought they were cars full of men with machine guns so we hid in the forest. To our surprise, they were not soldiers and they did not have guns. They were just ordinary travelers. It seemed the bridge over the river near our village had been destroyed last April as the soldiers left our village. Since it was almost dusk and there were rumors that there were land mines on the roads, they did not want to take any chances. Their detour had led them straight to our village. When they saw us, they were shocked and horrified at the suffering and the devastation all around us. Many of these travelers began to cry. They confirmed that tonight was really Christmas Eve. All of them were on their way to their villages to celebrate Christmas with family and friends. Now circumstances had brought them to our village at this time on this night before Christmas. They shared the little food they had with us. They even helped us to build a fire in the center of the marketplace to keep us warm. In the middle of all this, my oldest sister became ill and could not stand up. A short time after we returned to our village my grandmother told me that my oldest sister was expecting a baby. My sister had been in a state of shock and speechless since we all escaped from the soldiers. I was so afraid for my sister because we did not have any medical supplies and we were not near a hospital. Some of the travelers and the villagers removed their shirts and clothes to make a bed for my sister to lie near the fire we had made. On that fateful night, my sister gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. This called for a celebration, war or no war. Africans have

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to dance and we celebrated until the rooster crowed at 6 a.m. We sang Christmas songs. Every one sang in his or her own language. For the first time all the pain and agony of the past, few months went away. When morning finally came my sister was asked, What are you going to name the baby? Would you believe for the first time since our village was burned and all the young girls and boys were taken away, she spoke. She said, His name is Gye Nyame, which means Except God I fear none. And so we celebrated Christmas that night. Christmas really did come to our village that night, but it did not come in the cars or with the travelers. It came in the birth of my nephew in the midst of our suffering. We saw hope in what this little child could do. This birth turned out to be the universal story of how bad things turned into universal hope, the hope we found in the Baby Jesus. A miracle occurred that night before Christmas and all of a sudden, I knew we were not alone any more. Now I knew there was hope and I had learned that Christmas comes in spite of all circumstances. Christmas is always within us all. Christmas came even to our Ghanaian village that night. Rev. Peter E. Adotey Addo Greenboro, North Carolina, USA E-mail: addox@attglobal.net

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5.
The Turkana Celebrate a Feast of Light and Hope
By Bernard Ruhnau The Turkana nomad such as Losikiria in northwestern Kenya never dreamed of a white Christmas or any other Christmas traditions that come from the western world. As he leads his camels and cattle across the rolling hills of Turkana, he finds his one hope in an otherwise hopeless night - the light of a distant fire in his manyatta, the thorn bush enclosure of corrals and huts, which he calls his home. His thoughts are on his wife who will soon give birth to a child who will be his security in his old age. Hope from a newly lit fire and the Turkana nomads symbolically unite security from a newly born baby. These symbols become part of their Christmas celebrations. Under the star-filled dome of a perfectly clear sky, Turkana nomads such as Losikiria sit on the sandy ground as the celebrant starts the Christmas Midnight Eucharist. Although few Turkana are Christians, they are a religious people who according to their customs traditionally pray actively and fervently. Now in the liturgy they pray new prayers of hope: Father, you make this holy night radiant with the splendor of Jesus Christ, our light. We welcome him as Lord, the light of the world. Once the birth of Christ is proclaimed during the Gospel of the Eucharistic celebration, all the women run into the manyatta with shouts of joy to light a fire, as they would traditionally do when a child is born. According to their custom, they should now bring the fire into the hut of the mother, so symbolically they bring the Christmas fire into the house of the oldest woman because elders have positions of honor in the Turkana Ethnic Group. Meanwhile the men have been waiting outside in the darkness. They enter with great joy and greet the child symbolized by the new fire. The outdoor Eucharist continues as a thanksgiving celebration for the birth of Christ, the light of the world. Then follows a cheerful traditional feast and the Christmas blessing. During these celebrations, the fire is tended by two elderly women and remains the focus of attention for all the Turkana nomads. It is a symbol for their one hope in an otherwise hopeless night. They know that God is present among them. For the kindness and love of God our Savior has appeared to all people (Titus 3:4).

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6.
The Legend of the Showoff Who Prepares For the Visit of Jesus on Christmas Day
By Donald Sybertz and Joseph Healey Once upon a time when Jesus was still in this world, there was an African woman named Kwiyolecha which means The Showoff or a person who wants to make a big impression in Sukuma, an important language in Tanzania. After hearing him speak as no person has ever spoken, Kwiyolecha met Jesus in Shinyanga town three days before Christmas and asked him, Lord, when will you come to visit us? I see you visiting other people, but you havent come to our home yet. Jesus replied, Dear woman, just wait three days and I promise to pay you a visit on Christmas Day. When Kwiyolecha heard this, she was delighted and immediately went home to prepare for the coming of the Lord Jesus on Christmas Day. The Tanzanian woman cleaned her house very well and decorated inside and outside with many ornaments of the Christmas season. She hung colorful African cloths everywhere. She and her servants prepared special food and drink especially the local beer. They slaughtered the bull that they had been fattening. Having prepared everything to the best of her ability, Kwiyolecha dressed in her finest African dress. Then she sat down and waited for the Lords arrival with joyful expectation. Early on Christmas morning a bent old man with sores on his legs appeared at Kwiyolechas house. Upset at this intrusion, she told the man sharply: What have you come here for? Im waiting for an important visitor and I dont want you messing up my house. Go away immediately. Without saying a word, the bent old man left. Some time later, a very old lady appeared dressed in rags and supporting herself with a stick. Exasperated and angry, Kwiyolecha said to herself, Why are all these things happening to me? She rebuffed the old woman and told her, Get out of here. The very old lady did as she was told. Finally at midday a badly crippled Tanzanian boy appeared. He raised a cloud of dust as he dragged along his twisted legs. Kwiyolecha was very annoyed when she saw him and said, What is this wretch doing here? She told the boy, Get away from here as soon as possible and dont come back again. The boy immediately went away. Then for the rest of Christmas Day Kwiyolecha waited patiently for the Lord Jesus, but he never came. The next day, which happened to be December 26, Kwiyolecha met Jesus in Shinyanga town and said, Lord, why didnt you come to our home yesterday? I waited and waited for you.

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Why didnt you keep your promise? The Lord replied, Kwiyolecha, I came to visit you three times, but you did not receive me. When you refused to welcome the bent old man, the very old lady dressed in rags and the badly crippled boy who came to your home, you refused to welcome me. At first Kwiyolecha was dumbfounded. Then she remembered Jesus words in the Gospel of St. Matthew: Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. She began to realize for the very first time what it means to be a follower of Christ and the real meaning of Christian hospitality. So Kwiyolecha looked for another opportunity to celebrate Christmas by welcoming Jesus in a bent old man, a very old lady dressed in rags and a badly crippled boy who might come to her home. NOTE: This African Christmas story is based on a Sukuma (Tanzania) adaptation of a traditional universal legend. The adaptation is written by Father Don Sybertz, M.M. and Father Joseph Healey, M.M. and is found on page 172 of the book Towards an African Narrative Theology (Pauline Publications Africa, 3rd Reprint 2000 and Orbis Books, Second Printing 1999). There are many wonderful versions of this lovely centuries-old legend such as Where Love Is, God Is by Leo Tolstoy, The Christmas Guest as told by Helen Steiner Rice and the childrens story The Woman Who Met Jesus by Elizabeth Chebet. Rev. Donald Sybertz, M.M. Shinyanga, Tanzania E-mail: chancshy@africaonline.co.tz Rev. Joseph Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania E-mail: JGHealey@aol.com

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7.
Celebrating the Christmas Story in Tanzania
By Joseph Healey Come with us. Come. In your imagination now, travel to Kiagata Parish in Musoma Diocese in northwestern Tanzania. Three days before Christmas an African Christmas Hut, (the traditional Christmas Crib in the form of a small African hut) is prepared in the sanctuary of the church. The tall shepherds with their cows and sheep portray a pastoral scene very close to the rural farming community in Kiagata. Bright red, green, and yellow African cloths hang from the ceiling. Long cords hold up rows of pictures and cards. On Christmas Eve afternoon, the carved figures of Mary and Joseph are placed in the open hut, tired after their long journey from Nazareth. The Christmas Liturgy begins at nine p.m. The priest reads the Gospel of Luke in Swahili ... She gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. The priest stops. In a small procession with candles, an altar boy reverently carries the carved figure of the infant Jesus and places him in the manger. With no electricity in the church, the flickering candles dramatically highlight the manger scene. A wave of singing, clapping and drumming reverberates through the church. From the back of the church, a group of men and women of the Kuria Ethnic Group rhythmically dance forward to the beat of shakers and drums. They sing the traditional Kuria song We Come to the Home of the Child just as they do when a baby is born in the village. As they dance in front of the African Christmas hut, the women and girls trill with joy. A sea of clapping, trilling, and joyful excitement sweeps through the whole church. After the singing and dancing, the priest finishes reading the gospel. All the people sing with joy a popular Swahili Christmas song: The Lord Jesus Christ Has Been Born. It Is Certain. Three people who take the parts of the narrator, the angel, and the shepherds can also read the gospel. The choir can sing verse 14. At times a Christmas Pageant Play can be performed after the second reading, after the gospel, or after the night Eucharist itself. These plays are an excellent way of retelling the Christmas story in a contemporary African setting. Children are a great value in African society. Children are new life. Children are the future. A Swahili saying is children are a blessing. A mother giving birth is a joyful community event. There is an African custom of visiting the newborn infant in his or her home. Visitors bring gifts of money, flour, soap and eggs. As a religious parallel, Christians visit the African Christmas hut in church and leave a small donation to honor the Christ Child. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

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Yes, sing again: The Lord Jesus Christ Has Been Born. It Is Certain. Rev. Joseph Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania E-mail: JGHealey@aol.com

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8.
A Baby Girl Named Tandike
By Renato Kizito Sesana We were celebrating the Christmas night liturgy in Tubalange in Lusaka, Zambia, on 24 December 1993. The homily involved those present giving examples of how human dignity was elevated by God who became a little child. After the homily the priest celebrant took into his hands and raised up in front of everyone the baby most recently born into the community: a baby girl called Tandike, a name which can be translated as she who was desired and loved. There were about 80 people present for the celebration. The priest called the people up to the sanctuary to admire the little baby. This took about a quarter of an hour as old and young alike whispered a word or two of affection and welcome to the newly born child. Rev. Renato Kizito Sesana, MCCJ Nairobi, Kenya E-mail: africanews@iol.it or koinonia@maf.org

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9.
There Is Indeed Room in the Inn!
By William Fryda It was a cold, windy night in Nairobi, Kenya with sheets of tropical rain beating down throughout the evening. In the huge slum adjacent to our St. Marys Mission Hospital an unwanted child was born in secret and thrown out naked into a fetid garbage pile. All night long, this child lay exposed to the rain and cold. The next morning some kind people from the slums discovered her in the garbage pile and brought her to St. Marys. She was gray, wet-wrinkled from the rain, so cold a thermometer couldnt record her temperature, and barely alive with only feeble remaining gasps. Using hot water bottles to gently warm her, oxygen, glucose, and liberal amounts of love, St. Marys nurses were able to bring this little child back to life. Bugs from the garbage pile that had crawled into her mouth and ears were removed. By the next day, she was able to begin bottle-feeding. Named Hazina (meaning treasure in Swahili), this tough little child is now a happy resident of our newly opened Maternity Ward. We thank God for the gift she is to us as a Catholic Center of Health Care Ministry In Service To The Poor. Perhaps this child holds a Christmas message for us to ponder. Within our own lives, each of us responds to love offered by others. We can experience Christs nourishing love within our life-story this special season and be richly nourished by it. Rev. William Fryda, M.M. Nairobi, Kenya E-mail: mklkenya@africaonline.co.ke

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10.
Im Sure This African Mary Understands My Swahili Prayers
By Joseph Healey, M.M. It was the week before Christmas in Dar es Salaam and a Tanzanian mother was reminding her young daughter Bahati about the Christmas story. She took a Christmas card of a European painting of the birth of Jesus Christ from the table in their sitting room and said, Bahati, here you can see Mary, Joseph and the new born child Jesus. And there are the shepherds and the animals in the manger. Bahati nodded happily. Her mother went on: If you pray to Mary, the mother of Jesus, she will always help you. But suddenly Bahati frowned and said in a sad voice, But I dont think this foreign Mary -- this Mzungu [Swahili for foreigner] Mary -- will understand my Swahili prayers. Bahatis mother was taken aback and said, Oh! Then Bahatis mother went over to the table, picked up another Christmas card and said, Maybe youll like this one better. It was a painting by a well-known Tanzanian artist that portrayed the scene of Jesus Christs birth in an African setting. The cave or stable in Bethlehem had become an African hut with a thatched roof. Several sheep nuzzled the straw that the baby Jesus lay on. The African Mary sat quietly receiving gifts of maize meal, milk, oil to shine her baby and firewood from her neighbors. Joseph sat attentively off to the side. A single chicken wandered around in the background. Bahatis mother sat waiting. Suddenly Bahatis face glowed with a big smile and she cried out, Oh, yes! Im sure this African Mary understands my Swahili prayers. Rev. Joseph Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania E-mail: JGHealey@aol.com

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B.
African Lenten and Easter Stories

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1.
Lenten Journey in a Brown Paper Bag
One day a Catholic man of Iramba Parish in Musoma Diocese in Western Tanzania named James Onyango planned to go far away to work. He was going to Rusumo in Ngara District in Kagera Region during the month of January to help build a new road through an uninhabited area. Since the work camp was located in a desolate place, James knew that he would not be able to pray in a church. Therefore, he asked the priest at Iramba to help him to pray especially during the coming Lenten season, the months of February, March and April. The priest gave James Onyango a brown paper bag containing various signs and symbols of the Lenten season. He advised James to use these signs and symbols to pray every Sunday and on the big feasts of the 40-day Lenten period. Then James left Iramba. When he reached Rusumo, he began to use the signs and symbols in his paper bag -- each Sunday until Easter Sunday. On the big feast of Easter itself, James sat outside his house in the work camp. When he began to unpack the symbols of Lent in his paper bag his friend Marwa came by to greet him. Marwa asked, James what are you doing? Why have you been using these signs and symbols even up to today? James answered, Our Christian tradition is to make a spiritual journey of 40 days in this season called Lent. Therefore, my brown paper bag has different signs and symbols for each week of this journey. Here at Rusumo there is no church so I use these symbols to help me to pray and to understand better the meaning of this Lenten period. Marwa broke in, Oh, this is very interesting. Explain more. Onyango said, Fine. Our Lenten spiritual journey began on Ash Wednesday in the middle of February. He took out a small jar of ashes from his paper bag. These ashes are the first symbol -- to remember penance and fasting. Then James took out all the symbols one by one and explained to Marwa the meaning of each one as follows: Sand -- for the First Sunday of Lent Stones -- Second Sunday of Lent Cord -- Third Sunday of Lent Candle -- Fourth Sunday of Lent Maize and Millet Seeds -- Fifth Sunday of Lent Palm Branches -- Palm Sunday Towel -- Holy Thursday Cross -- Good Friday Water -- Holy Saturday White Cloth -- Easter Sunday

You see, said James, all these symbols are explained in the Bible readings for the main feasts of Lent. For example, this white cloth symbolizes the white robe of the angel who told

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the women at the tomb that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. Today on Easter Sunday, we use the story of Christs resurrection from St. Johns Gospel. Marwa exclaimed, Why these are symbols from our daily life -- sand, seeds, water, and a cloth. I always thought Christianity was a foreign religion with a lot of strange ideas from Europe. You would be surprised, Marwa, said James, now Christianity is being Africanized. The last time I was in Iramba one of the catechists was talking about Jesus as our Eldest Brother, as a Healer, as the Victor over Death. I felt Jesus was not a foreigner but one of us Africans. James, exclaimed Marwa, youve given me some new ideas. I have a lot to think about now. Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania JGHealey@aol.com

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2.
AIDS Way of the Cross (Kitovu Hospital, Masaka, Uganda)
by Sister Kay Lawlor, M.M.M. Opening Prayer: We adore you, O Christ, as you carry your cross along the dusty roads of Masaka, Uganda. We make the way of the cross in the homes and at the bedsides of those with AIDS. We bless you because through this suffering you have redeemed the world. 1st Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death. He sits shocked, unable to speak. His hands tremble. Marko has just been told he has AIDS. Im going to die, he says. 2nd Station: Jesus Takes Up His Cross. He is weighed down with the knowledge that he has AIDS. How will he tell his family? What will happen to his children? He tells his brother, sells some land, and arranges for his children. Its hard. Its a heavy cross Vincent carries. 3rd Station: Jesus Fall for the First Time. He cannot stand alone. The abscesses are too painful. Peter is too weak. With help, he makes it home and to bed where he begins the difficult task of regaining strength, so he can pick up the cross of living with AIDS and continue his journey. 4th Station: Jesus Meets His Mother. She lies there waiting for her mother to return. Regina has just learned that she has AIDS and is dying. She wants to tell her mother. As they meet, a look of pain and love passes between them. I have slim. Her mother takes her in her arms and they weep. 5th Station: Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross. Richard has so many decisions to make. How can he go on? When his brothers come, he tells them he is too scared to go on. They comfort him; arrange to take him home, plan transport so he can return for treatment. 6th Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus. She lies there, too weak to clean herself. Her clothes dirty and soiled because the diarrhea is almost constant now. Shes alone. Pushed into a corridor so the smell wont disturb others. A young nurse comes, washes her and changes her clothes. Rose smiles.

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7th Station: Jesus Falls the Second Time. He has begun to have diarrhea and no longer wants to eat. Sleep doesnt come and hes afraid. The illness is getting worse. Peter has to stop work. Its hard to keep living with AIDS. 8th Station: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem. Jane has no land. Mary has no milk for her baby. Scovias husband sent her away when he learned she has AIDS. Juliet was put out of her rented room. Betty works in a bar to support her children, providing favors for men to get food for them. The plight of poor women and AIDS. Jesus weeps. 9th Station: Jesus Falls the Third Time. His head feels as if its bursting. Nothing brings relief. Peter lies in bed unable even to open his eyes. As the end nears, relatives arrive to move him from his rented room where he suffered alone for many months. One more step along the way. 10th Station: Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments. They put her out of the house and kept her clothes saying they wouldnt fit her wasted body. They told her to go to her grandmothers to die. Once there, she was again rejected -- stripped of all, even her right to belong. Juliet was returned to the hospital like an unwanted commodity. 11th Station: Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross. He cannot move. Finds it hard to breathe. Must wait for someone to care for him totally. An AIDS-related brain tumor has nailed James to his bed. His mother keeps watch. 12th Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross. Rose, Peter, John, Alecha, Kakande, Joseph, William, George, Grace, Paulo, Goretti...Jesus body dying of AIDS. 13th Station: Jesus Is Taken Down From the Cross. The wailing begins. The car reaches the homestead. As men rush forward to carry Paulos shrouded body, a woman comes from the house. She reaches out to touch the body of her son. 14th Station: Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb. A grave is dug on hospital land -- only staff for mourners. Her nine-month-old child cries not understanding. The grave is filled. All go away. Rose is dead. 15th Station: The Resurrection. We wait!

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3.
African Way of the Cross Following Our Local African Situation Especially the Sufferings, Crosses, and Problems of Our Everyday Life
Composed in consultation with Small Christian Communities [SCCs] in East Africa 1st Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death. Theme: Apartheid, Detention without Trial, Discrimination, Favoritism, Violations of Human Rights, Hypocrisy, Injustice, Torture, Tribalism, Ethnic Cleansing, Genocide, and Unfair Trials. 2nd Station: Jesus Takes Up His Cross. Theme: Hunger, Famine, Drought, Dirty Water, and Floods. 3rd Station: Jesus Falls the First Time. Theme: Sin Especially Breaking the Ten Commandments. 4th Station: Jesus Meets His Mother. Theme: Family Problems, Wife-beating, Polygamy, Unwanted Pregnancies, Unwanted Orphans, Discord, Hatred, Holding Grudges, In-fighting, and Jealousy. 5th Station: Simon of Cyrene Takes up the Cross of Jesus. Theme: Laziness, Selfishness, Difficulties in Traveling, and Dangerous Driving. 6th Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus. Theme: Sickness (especially AIDS, Dehydration, Malaria, Malnutrition, and Tuberculosis), Ignorance About Health, and Scarcity of Medicine and Health Care. 7th Station: Jesus Falls the Second Time. Theme: Drunkenness and Witchcraft. 8th Station: The Women of Jerusalem Weep for Jesus. Theme: Lying and Deceit. 9th Station: Jesus Falls the Third Time. Theme: Blackmail, Bribery, Corruption, Fraud, Graft, Smuggling, Inflated Prices, High Rent, Low Wages, Lack of Jobs, IMF and SAP Regulations, and the External Debt Crisis.

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10th Station: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments. Theme: Poverty, Nakedness, and the Plight of Refugees, Displaced People, and Street Children. 11th Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross. Theme: Political Dictatorships, Military Oppression, Civil War, and Nuclear Weapons. 12th Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross. Theme: Accidental Deaths and High Children Mortality. 13th Station: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross. Theme: Backbiting, Calumny, Contempt, False Rumors, Gossip, and Insults. 14th Station: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb. Theme: Sadness, Despair, Inadequate Housing, and Unjust Land Distribution. 15th Station: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Theme: Jesus Christ (called Victor Over Death in African Languages) Overcomes Death and Brings the Joy and Hope of Everlasting Life. Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M. JGHealey@aol.com

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4.
Walking the Way of the Cross in Africa Today
1. Jesus is Condemned Jesus is unjustly victimized even today Lord, when the Jews came to throw stones at you, you courageously asked them, I have done so many good works, for which of these do you condemn me. That was then, when time was not yet. Now you just surrender without a word for it is time. You stand there like just another man condemned to a cruel death. Ecce Homo! You are falsely accused of blasphemy and treason. You are a victim of bad religion and unjust politics. Religion and state, the guardians of the human person, have now made you their victim. Ecce Homo! Lord, I think of the victims of bad religion and bad politics in Africa. The political prisoners, those threatened, tortured, killed. The thousands of voices that are muffled by the cruel hand of politics. The prisoners of a fear-centered religion, the witch-hunted, those abused by religious leaders. The thousands of hearts that dare not call you Abba. Ecce Homo Africanus! I know, your suffering is only a symbol of our suffering. Help me be the voice of the voiceless. Give me the courage to speak against legalistic religion and lawless politics. 2. Jesus Takes up his Cross Jesus is necklaced even today Lord, You take up the cross. They lay it on you. It is Heavy. Your body aches, wanting to put it away.

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It is Shameful. Your heart throbs, wanting to do something. It is Absurd. Your mind is confused, wanting to find a reason. You are a victim of the mob. Crucify him! There is no escape. They wont let you go. You are a scapegoat for their inability to put things right. The structure of sin that they live in gives them no opportunity to taste justice except through victimizing the innocent one like you. You are now like sheep led to the slaughter. Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. The guilt of the mob is now thrown on you: Crucify Him! Necklace Him! Choma! Burn him! Mwizi! Thief! They beat him with their clubs, hag him with their rungus. They chorus, Crucify him! Choma! Choma! They throw a tyre around his neck, pour petrol, and a sparkling matchstick is enough. He tries to run away but the fire engulfs him more. He throws himself down in desperation. His hands cant remove the fire. His internal organs begin to burst. He lies there charred to death. His face defaced, yet we see a cry for justice! His limbs stuck numb, yet we see a motion for repentance! His fist clenched, asking powerfully, why? Why have you done this to me? Did he snatch a watch, or grab a purse; or did he pick a pocket? Did he or was it someone else? We never know. We never will know. We never bothered to know. We are victims of our own guilt that we know not how to handle. This charred defaced body is our scapegoat. He carries our sins! At least it seems so! Lord, Teach me deal with my guilt. Teach me not to join the mob to shout, Crucify Him! Teach me handle this structure of sin that I live within, Help me examine how my personal sins contribute to this dragon of social sin. 3. Jesus Falls the First Time Jesus fails even today

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Lord, You fail. You falter. You fall. It is too much to take. The staring faces. The accusing fingers. The scorning laughs. You are young and energetic, yet you are weak and helpless. You have a goal, yet it seems distant and blurred. You have a mission, yet the vision is foggy. The weakness caused by lack of support from the people you had trusted. The blur caused by the apparent lack of encouraging results. The fog caused by the dust of the crowds around. You fall! But you know life must go on. Miles to go and promises to keep. A vision to live by, and a mission to achieve. You go on. Lord, I think of the millions of young people in Africa who are fallen. They have nothing that will draw them on. Failed in exams; couldnt produce the required results. I am good for nothing, they say. Betrayed by trust; exploited by relationships. I dont believe in anyone, no more. Lack of opportunities; bogged down by challenges. I have no future. Unemployment. Competition. Mediocrity. What is the use? Pulled down by traditions. Pushed around by bureaucracy. Young people fall, Lord. We need to take up the cross and follow you. Suffering does have a meaning in our lives. You dont count our successes Lord. You watch our faithfulness. It is so important to be on the Way. 4. Jesus Meets his Mother Mothers are made to be strong even today Lord Jesus, When you went to your home village about three ago, you remember what they said? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary! (Mark 6:3) You were son of a woman.

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You didnt know your father! It was so offensive to you in your culture, as it is in my culture. But this woman is strong. Mothers are made to be strong. She has always stood by you. Even when your relatives thought you were out of your mind. Your men friends are nowhere to be seen. Perhaps they are lost in the crowd for sure, John is somewhere there. But this woman, your mother, Mary, stands by you. She walks with you. She feels with you. She is strong. Mothers are made to be strong, Lord. That single mother down the street, her husband just disappeared one day. But she She raises her three kids with courage. She is strong Lord. The other woman in our village, The first son of that family is not her son, He was born before they were married, Yet she knows no difference. She looks after all of them so well. She is strong Lord. Mama Fulani, she has seven children. The other day Baba Fulani came home with two more children. He was given at the funeral. Their parents had died of AIDS. But Mama Fulani is happy to have them. She is strong Lord. Lord I thank you for my own mother, who is strong too. Lord I thank you for your mother, who is now mine too. And she is ever strong, Lord. 5. Jesus is Helped by Simon of Cyrene There are Simons who reach out even today Lord, As you walk the narrow streets of Jerusalem The strong just stand and watch; it is the weak who reach out and offer a helping hand. Simon of Cyrene, a weak commoner. A nobody. A mwananchi! A mlalahoi! He reaches out. He helps. Small help, significant nonetheless.

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Out of nowhere he comes, yet you know he is there. A bystander. A wayfarer. A nobody. He helps. As you stagger along the dusty roads of Africa, Lord The strong just stand and watch; it is the weak who reach out and help. The worker needs a loan to take the dying child to the hospital, The boss cannot give it to him. But his poor colleagues can pull together a harambee. As the helpless widow sits and mourns Her brothers-in-law want to covet all her property. But her poor neighbors, stand around her to guard, and sit with her to comfort. The rich man comes to the church on Sunday, drops his offerings and walks away. The poor woman comes to the church over the week, she is there cleaning & mopping. Yes Lord, The strong just stand and watch; it is the weak who reach out and help. Forgive me Lord, for often acting strong, for standing and watching! 6. Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus Veronicas dares to stand up even today Lord, Everyone knows that you went around doing good. Yet no one dares to act. They stand part of the crowd. No! There is someone who does dare out. One, to be precise. Veronica, she stands apart. She believes in the power of one. She believes it is better to light a candle than to curse darkness. She knows she can make the difference. She wipes your face; she dares to stand up and be seen. I think of the Veronicas of Africa. Those people who believe in the power of one. Big people like Nyerere, Mandela and Tutu. People not so big like Johnson Ngosi -- the 11 year old who died of HIV. And just ordinary people Like the women who quietly keep fulfilling their daily duties making a difference in their homes - caring mothers, faithful wives. Like the young individuals who daily struggle to stand by values of virginity and secondary virginity - courageous young people standing against the current. Like the thousands living positively with HIV, and like a score of thousands of others who keep wiping the face of the Jesus with HIV. Africa needs more people like Veronica, Lord.

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Oh, but it is not she. It is me. Africa needs me. Yes, let me keep lighting candles. 7. Jesus Falls the Second Time Jesus is pushed to the ground even today Again you fall, Lord. You are weak, the crowd is swelling, the street is narrow, the soldiers lose control The onlookers push on to you, you stagger and fall. You fall this time bulldozed by the jostling crowd. After all this eventually you rise, and continue your steps. They do not know what they do. Even today Lord, The crowds bulldoze individuals to the ground. If I do better than they, then they wouldnt let me be! Jealousy. I must be using some magic charm, they say! If they have more problems than me, they will have to find a reason. Often the reason is me. Since I am so quiet, I am a witch! Brutally they hunt me down, Lord. Scarcity mentality: if I had more they fear they would have less. If I succeeded they are afraid they wouldnt. Vicious competitions and cancerous comparisons. Lord, Help me believe in abundance mentality. There is enough for every one. Life is an all-you-want buffet. After all I need to rise up, and continue my steps. They do not know what they do. 8. Women of Jerusalem Cry for Jesus Women cry even today Lord, As you falter on, up the hill, in childish little steps The women recognize you. They cry. Some of them know you as the friend of their children. Others have been cured by you, of small and big infirmities.

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Still others see you as the teacher of their young men. They know in their hearts that you dont deserve to die. Yet what can they say, except to stand and cry. I think of the woman who wets her pillow crying For her husband has not turned up home tonight Is he lying in the gutter dead drunk? Or is he sharing someone else bed? Men know what they do. She cannot speak, she can only cry! I think of the woman who sits in the dark corner of her house mourning For her son has not returned from work. Is he caught by the undisciplined police, and imprisoned without trial? Or has he been attacked by some thugs on the city streets? She knows not what goes on out there. She cannot speak, she can only cry! I think of the woman who sits quietly sobbing, unable to eat tonight For her young daughter isnt back from school tonight. Have some gangsters abducted her? Or has she just decided to go and stay with her boyfriend? She has come up age; the bird has grown wings. The mother, she cannot speak, she can only cry! I think of yet another woman who tonight tosses up and down in bed. For her young son -her only boy- is not seen around for three days now. Has he run away to the city to find work, or to be a street-kid? Or has he been picked up by the rebels to be a child-soldier? There is little she can do. Nothing at all. She cannot speak, she can only cry! 9. Jesus Falls the Third Time Jesus falls and rises even today Lord, You are really tired, thirsty and exhausted. The sun is boiling and the road is dusty. The uphill journey is too trying. Your knees jerk and your body aches. You give up. You fall yet another time. The third time.

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You faint, just for a moment! But you fight the temptation to give up. You start again. Lord, I give up so easily at the face of temptation. I fall in sin. Often I justify myself. It is because of the environment. Oh, everyone does this way. After all, only once! Just once. It is Okay! I am so quick to absolve myself. Lord, Help me fight the temptation to give up in sin. Help me start again. 10. Jesus is Stripped of his Clothes Jesus body is disgraced even today Lord, You stand naked. Stark naked! Only sympathetic artists put a loincloth around you. Otherwise you stand stark naked. As the women shy away their faces The men giggle curiously at your manhood. Sorry Lord! The human body is sacred, Lord. Our African cultures have taught us this. The way we respect privacy of the body of others: When one goes for needs, when one bathes, when a woman gives birth. The way we celebrate our bodies: When we eat, sing, dance and participate in sports. The way we revere the dead body: He or She -the dead body- is still human. Yet today we stand watching you naked. We watch the black body broken away. The splintered ebony. The mangled body of the black slave,

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The exploited body of the colonized Black, And the paraded black beauty in the post-modern fashion shows. How some of our young women dress in sheer imitation, subtly exposing their privacy. How some others sell their bodies for small favours and big. How our men -- young & not so young -- feast on the helplessness of the feminine physique. Yes, today we stand watching you naked. Lord, I am sorry. 11. Jesus is Nailed to the Cross Jesus cant save himself even today Lord, They nail you onto the cross. You hang up there in physical pain: I thirst! It is once again a moment of spiritual crisis for you: My God, My God, why have you abandoned me? And they? They add insult to injury: He saved others, why cant he save himself? They make you a laughing-stock. They seem to justify themselves. After all, they have given you an opportunity to prove yourself. Why cant he save himself? Yet it is a moment of reconciliation for you: Forgive them father You will be with me in paradise It is consummated! Why cant Africa save itself?, they cry, the victimizers. Slave trade and colonialism. Racism and discrimination. Exploitation and domination. Africa has been on the wrong side of human history. Having robbed the black person of their self-worth, They cry out, Why cant Africa save itself? Deprived of generations of young work-force, Bereft of its natural resources, Exposed to alien forms of politics, Dominated in the new game of economics and Scandalized by new styles of social life, The continent still hangs on the cross. Yet as they enjoy the spoil they cry out: why cant Africa save itself? They wont give justice, they doll out aid! They wont repent, they furnish reasons! They justify themselves: why cant Africa save itself? They console their conscience.

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Yet Lord, Africa needs reconciliation. It needs healing. Lord, let Africa experience peace flowing out of truth & reconciliation. Let Africa be a paradise of true happiness. 12. Jesus Dies Jesus dies unjustly even today Lord, As human you die. I know your death is at the centre of Salvation history. Yet in human history your death was an unjust death. A pre-mature death, an unnecessary death, an imposed death. It was an undeserving death sentence. Today, You are one of those mangled to death in road carnage, because of drunken drivers, because of cars that are not roadworthy, because of corrupt law enforcers, because of un-maintained roads. You are one of those allowed to die today in the hospitals Due of lack of basic medicine Due to the want of qualified doctors Due to the neglect of irresponsible medical personnel Due to inadequate health policies Due to the selfish wrangling of the extended family. In Africa, people go the hospital often to die. You are one of those killed in inhuman violence, Because of your political ideologies Because a wayside thug wanted the better of you Lord, you die today in the wombs of mothers! Lord, you die today uncared for, neglected and rejected by your kin Because you have HIV. Lord may you rest in peace. Lord may they rest in peace. 13. Jesus is Laid in the Arms of his Mother Jesus is helpless even today

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Lord, You went around doing good. You helped so many people in your lifetime. Now you lay helpless. Dead! At least for a while! Your loving mother affectionately cuddles you, As if to comfort you, but in fact she comforts herself. For she is helpless too. Lord, I think of the helpless in Africa. The children, that grow up by themselves, often not found where the action is! The street-children, the dirt on the city streets! The women, the beast for work and the blanket to keep their men warm! The single-mothers, the target of womens scorn and mens fun! The poor, whose voice is muffled and their rights denied. The people living with HIV, targets of stigma and judgment. Lord, Who will cuddle them? Who will comfort them but me? 14. Jesus is Buried Jesus is buried even today, but The last station, Lord. You are buried. But this is not the end. Your burial is only symbolic. It is like a corn falling on the soil. Soon there will be life. New life. A hundred fold. Your burial is a silent event of hope. Festivities will soon follow. This is the good news for Africa, Lord. The continent that is featured only with bad news, So badly needs this good news. The just will be vindicated. Your Father is still in control. Amidst the confusion and the contradictions of human history God is in control. Amidst the dark events of human frailty, He is still the master. Todays victims will be soon vindicated. They will be tomorrows heroes. We see this puzzling history in frames, but He plans in whole.

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Lord, I know God still loves the world. There will be a New Heaven and a New Earth. Amen! Alleluia! Rev. Sahaya G. Selvam sdb Don Bosco College, P.O. Box 8955 Moshi, Tanzania dbcdean@elct.org selvamsdb@hotmail.com

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5.
What is the Most Important Religion?
One day the leaders of all the great world religions met to discuss and decide this question, What is the most important religion? Each leader mentioned his or her own religion and then these influential people began to argue among themselves. Finally, they said, We have failed to decide. Now what shall we do? One leader said, I suggest this. We should choose the wisest person in the world. Then he will decide this question. Now the leaders heard that there was a famous prophet called Nabii who lived on the top of the tallest mountain in East Africa (the region of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda). He had great experience and knowledge about religion and everything in life. Therefore, the leaders went to ask him, What is the most important religion? This revered prophet Nabii did not say a word. Immediately he went into his cave to pray and fast for three days. All the leaders waited for him outside. Then Nabii returned to the group of leaders of the great world religions and said, I dont want to decide your question right now; but I ask each leader to return to his or her home and talk with your advisors. Then after one week come back here again. In front of me and all the other leaders, you will state one word that explains the heart or center or foundation of your religion. Then I will compare all your answers and decide which the most important religion is. Immediately all the leaders of the great world religions returned to their homes to discuss with their advisors the very heart or center of their religions. Then they climbed to the top of the great East African Mountain again. There were leaders from the great world religions of African Religion, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Sikhism and so on. In front of Nabii, they stated the one word that explained the deepest meaning of their religions. When they had all finished, Nabii said, Very good. You have all answered well. All your religions have deep meaning and great importance. We have heard the heart of these world religions to be these key words: Ancestors Community Contemplation Equality Faith Forgiveness Joy Justice Life Love Nothingness Oneness Peace Praise Prayer Relationships Self-empting Self-sacrifice Service Silence Spirits

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Nabii continued, Among yourselves, various leaders said LOVE is the heart of your religions. You have answered especially well. On the basis of your answers, the religion that stands out is Christianity. For the heart of Christianity is not just love but FORGIVING LOVE. Merciful love is better. The famous prophet Nabii went on: Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, did a very surprising thing while he was hanging on the cross. The Jews arrested him and crucified him. But before his death he said, Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34). This is a unique example of love, of forgiving love. Jesus also said. I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. (John 13:34). He taught the importance of love, forgiveness and mercy. In the prayer the Our Father Christians pray, Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Finally standing on the top of the tallest mountain in Africa the revered prophet Nabii said to all the leaders who had assembled: Now you have heard. Go and do deeds of FORGIVING LOVE. Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania JGHealey@aol.com

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6.
Masanja Goes to Dar es Salaam (story alone)
There is a well-known Sukuma, Tanzania riddle that goes like this: I have a riddle. Let it come. He went to the coast naked and returned fully clothed? (answer) GROUNDNUT. This riddle is based on the following adapted African story: Masanja was a Sukuma man who lived in Maswa in Shinyanga Region of Tanzania. After getting married and building a new house, Masanja got many difficulties. His wife ran away, his youngest child died, his house fell down and thieves stole all of Masanjas cows. Suddenly he was a beggar. He thought he had been bewitched. Masanja started to despair. Finally, he decided to leave Shinyanga Region, that is the interior of Tanzania, and go to the coast, to the city of Dar es Salaam. He travelled as a beggar without clothes, without money, without anything. After arriving in Dar es Salaam, Masanja started to get lucky. First, he found work and a house. After a while, he opened a store, then a small hotel. He began to make a lot of money. He built a permanent house, which he rented. Then Masanja built a soft drink factory. Finally, he became very rich with many possessions. But he didnt want to live in Dar es Salaam. So he returned to his home in Maswa in Shinyanga Region with great wealth -- a car, new clothes, many goods and a lot of money. Sukuma Ethnic Group, Tanzania Story-Riddle

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7.
Masanja Goes to Dar es Salaam (story in context)
One particular Friday in late March, the Christians of Mtakuja Small Christian Community (SCC) in Western Tanzania met to pray together. After the Bible Service Peter the SCC leader said, We are accustomed to have a Teaching after the Bible sharing. But Easter is drawing near. Therefore, I will tell the story of Masanja, a Sukuma who lived in Maswa in Shinyanga Region. After getting married and building a new house, Masanja got many difficulties. His wife ran away, his youngest child died suddenly, his house fell down and thieves stole all of Masanjas cows. Suddenly he was a beggar. He thought he had been bewitched. Masanja started to despair. Finally, he decided to leave Shinyanga Region, that is the interior of Tanzania, and go to the coast to the city of Dar es Salaam. He traveled as a beggar without clothes, without money, without anything. After arriving in Dar es Salaam on the Indian Ocean Masanja started to get lucky. First, he found work and a house. After a while, he opened a store, then a small hotel. He began to make a lot of money. He built a permanent house that he rented. Then Masanja built a soft drink factory. Finally, he became very rich with many possessions. But he didnt want to live in Dar es Salaam. So he returned to his home in Maswa in Shinyanga Region with great wealth -- a car, new clothes, many goods and a lot of money. After telling this story, Peter the SCC leader asked the community members, What do you think? What does this story of Masanja remind us of? Immediately a Sukuma woman answered, This story is similar to a Sukuma riddle. She said, I have a riddle, and Peter answered, Let it come. The woman said, He went to the coast naked and returned fully clothed? Another Sukuma answered, Groundnut. Everyone laughed. Then other community members eagerly joined in the discussion. One woman said, In my language Kinyamwezi we have a riddle that says: You went far away; you returned with great wealth? The answer is millet. A Ngoreme youth said, I remember a riddle in my local language Kingoreme: I shot my arrow without feathers; it has returned with feathers? The answer is runner bean. Another SCC member named William said, I think the meaning of all these riddles resembles the example of the groundnut seed that is planted in the earth in order to later sprout. It grows inside of its shell. Afterwards the groundnuts flowers are showy and very beautiful. This example is also like a verse in Chapter 12 of St. Johns Gospel, Unless a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies it remains only a single grain, but if it dies it yields a rich harvest (John 12: 24).

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Then Peter said, Good. We have heard a fine explanation. But theres still one more thing. Why have I told this story of Masanja near Easter Sunday? For a while, the SCC members were quiet. Then a widow named Modesta delighted the other Christians by saying, The story of Masanja and the groundnut riddle and the example of the grain of wheat all resemble the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If a groundnut can be so changed, surely the Son of God can rise from the grave in glory. The death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of our Christian faith. In our everyday life, we die and rise with him. Jesus Christ and we Christians too are like the seed that is buried in the ground before it can grow and bear fruit. Immediately all the community members clapped for this widow. They recognized that she had touched the very heart of the Lenten season and the feast of Easter. Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania JGHealey@aol.com

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8.
Wanjikus Long Safari
There is a story about a certain East African woman named Wanjiku. She was very beautiful and energetic. All the people looked at her when she walked through the city. Then God beset Wanjiku with many troubles. Her father died. Her mother died. Her husband died. Wanjiku began to despair. She cried out and asked God, Why, Oh God? Why have you done this to me? Why have my dear ones died? My father and mother were very old, but my husband was not old at all. You, God, gave him water but he did not have time to drink it. Her first-born child died suddenly. Then Wanjiku held her youngest child to her breasts and pleaded to God, Dont take this one. He is my life. He is my support. Dont take my child. Who will take care of me when I am old? But the child died in Wanjikus arms. Finally, Wanjiku lost even her wealth and possessions. She stood up and raised her voice to God in heaven, Why have you afflicted me so? Why have all my family died? Then Wanjiku built a high tower to climb up to heaven to talk with God about the death of all her family. She did not understand the meaning of death. But the tower collapsed. Then Wanjiku looked around and saw the horizon stretching out to link together heaven and earth. She said, Now I know a good way of reaching God. So she started to walk toward the horizon. She thought that in this way she would finally reach heaven. Wanjiku walked. She walked very far. She walked around the whole world without reaching heaven. But she kept walking. People laughed when she passed them. They asked Wanjiku, Where are you going? Wanjiku explained her plan to walk to heaven in order to talk with God about the meaning of death. People laughed even louder and said, All of us human beings will die. What about you? But Wanjiku continued to walk around the whole world. Finally, she reached Jerusalem in Israel during Easter time. She was one of the women at the empty tomb of Jesus Christ very early on Sunday morning as the Gospel of Easter says. At that time, Wanjiku received light concerning her problems and an answer from God concerning the meaning of death. She learned that it is necessary to die before meeting God in heaven. Death is the door to enter everlasting life. We follow Christ in his death and resurrection. In Jerusalem Wanjiku understood many things and believed. Adapted from a story by Father Joseph Donders, M.Afr.

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9.
Parable of the Two Young Men on the Road to Nakuru
A Contemporary Retelling of the Emmaus Story in Africa Today Now that same day two young men were on their way back to their home village of Bahati, 18 kilometers outside of Nakuru, Kenya. John and Charles got on the bus at the Racecourse Road section of Nairobi and found two seats together on the right hand side. They began talking about all the problems they had encountered in Nairobi since arriving there six months before. Like so many Kenyan youth from the rural areas, they had left their village of Bahati after finishing Form Four and tried to find jobs in Nairobi. At first, they were unsuccessful, but then John got a job washing dishes in a small restaurant near the fire station. Charles was a good handy man and got occasional work as a day laborer in an outdoor garage (Jua Kali) in the Eastlands section of town. It was not much, but it was a start. They joined a group of young men connected to one of the main opposition parties called Movement for a New Kenya. Their charismatic leader regularly spoke out against the bribery and corruption in the government. John and Charles often participated in protest rallies. The political rallies were exciting and the youth volunteered a lot of their free time. The two young men enjoyed the ferment of the big city, but they didnt have enough money to go to nightspots and bars regularly. Also they realized that things were getting more dangerous in Kenya. Then everything started to go wrong. Several times violence took place after the political rallies. One day there was a big riot in downtown Nairobi and three people were killed. The movements leader was arrested and put in detention. The government declared him an Enemy of the State. The two young men were dejected. Their hopes for a New Kenya were dashed. To make matters worse, Johns picture appeared in the coverage of the riot in one of the daily newspapers. When his boss heard about it, John was immediately fired. Then their small flat was broken into and they lost most of their belongings. After Charles had malaria three times, the garage did not want him back. The two unemployed school leavers became very disillusioned about life in the big city of Nairobi. Everything was so expensive. Several of the girls they met always wanted to go to the in places in Nairobi with the latest pop music. John and Charles started bumming around. When their money finally ran out, they decided to take a bus back to their home village.

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On the bus, a man in his mid-thirties sat in the next seat reading a book. Near Naivaisha, the bus had a flat tire and everyone had to get out. While waiting by the road John and Charles struck up a conversation with the man and began telling him all their troubles. They explained how they put their hopes in one of the main opposition parties but now their leader was in detention. The movement was in disarray. The youth admitted that they had given up the traditions of their Kikuyu Ethnic Group and wanted the fast Western lifestyle of Nairobi. But everything was so expensive. They had failed in their first time in Nairobi and now were really depressed and discouraged. The stranger said that he was a lawyer and asked them some challenging questions about how committed John and Charles are to bring about social change in Kenya. Are they ready to make real sacrifices to promote justice and peace? Why had they given up their African customs to follow the latest foreign music and clothes styles? The lawyer said that he wasnt taken in by some of the fast-talking politicians and their many promises. But he was committed to work for change from the grassroots up and to be a voice of the voiceless. John and Charles said they had been Catholics but then tried one of the newer Pentecostal groups in Nairobi. The man asked them what real values they have to guide their lives. Are they really interested in serving others or only in satisfying themselves? Soon they were back on the bus and the two youths continued to talk about how hard life is in Kenya for young people. When they reached Nakuru, the man started to look for another bus that would take him to Eldoret. But the two youths had liked their conversation so much that they urged him to have lunch with them. During the meal, the lawyer said that he had studied African traditions very carefully. African customs, sayings and stories contain a lot of wisdom for todays world. He spoke very convincingly. The man mentioned several important African stories and novels that the two youths had studied in Form Four. He gave the example of sharing a meal together. He said fast food restaurants in Nairobi destroy the value of eating together in a relaxed familystyle way and enjoying good conversation. The man explained how a meal is perhaps the most basic and ancient symbol of friendship, love and unity. Food and drink taken in common are obvious signs that life is shared. The youths laughed when he said that only a witch eats alone. The stranger used the African proverb relationship is in the eating together to explain how a pleasant meal can build community and trust. He talked about the human and spiritual values in sharing together. He even explained the meal symbolism in a religious context. John and Charles followed his words very intently. Then they shared their own views. Suddenly the man called over the waiter, paid the bill and with a quick wave was out the door and gone. The two youths sat amazed. This lawyer had such wisdom and experience. How much they liked hearing him explain African and religious values. Now he was gone. Then they remembered that he was a famous and outspoken civil rights lawyer who had

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been living in England because of the political tensions in Kenya. He always was on the side of the poor and victimized. Also, they recalled that he had written several books about the importance of African values and traditions. This stranger had really challenged the two African youths to rethink their lives and their values. John and Charles decided to return to their home village with new hope and purpose. They agreed to make a fresh start in their lives. Later on, they would return to Nairobi and help bring about real changes in Kenyan society. Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania JGHealey@aol.com

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10.
The Parable of On the Way to Bauleni
This parable takes place after the end of the 1994 African Synod as two Zambian bishops return to Lusaka from Rome. In the story, they become the two disciples returning to Emmaus. The two bishops are tired, disappointed, disillusioned, and even depressed about their month of hard work in Rome and the uncertain results. They are helped by a taxi cab driver named Mtonga who takes them to a meeting of a Small Christian Community in an area known as Bauleni, an estate established by squatters. A young woman with a two-weekold baby named Sinodi, a young man with the dreams of youth, and an elderly refugee speak with the bishops. The parable narrates, The bishops listened, their hearts moved. Why were they bored while listening to the solemn speeches given in the Vatican hall during the synod? Instead, the simple language of their people set their hearts on fire. Their tiredness was gone. They felt more and more at home. In an interesting African twist to the biblical parable, Mtonga and the SCC members together as a community are the Jesus figure in the story. The lay Christians together minister to the two bishops and give them new hope. In the last part of the parable, the younger bishop says, They have proclaimed the Resurrected Lord to us. Story told by Father Renato Kizito Sesana, MCCJ

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11.
Pauls Two-Year Spiritual Journey
Maro sat in front of his house in Kenyamonta Village in Western Tanzania. Something was bothering the 79-year-old elder who belonged to a traditional African religion. It was the priests question, Why dont you be baptized a Catholic? At first Maro laughed at the question, but after more thought he decided to enter the two-year adult catechumenate. The two years went by quickly. He learned a lot about the seven sacraments and the church as a community of believers -- something he had heard his children and grandchildren talk about for many years. He liked especially the weekly meetings of his Small Christian Community with the Bible sharing and lively discussion about religion. During the official Rite of Initiation Maro formally chose his new name Paul. Finally April came and the final preparations during Holy Week. Everyone praised Paul for persevering during his two-year spiritual journey. As the water was poured over his head at the Holy Saturday Easter Vigil Paul was overcome with emotion and said to himself, Yes, now I am a Christian. Then all 38 newly baptized went out of the church to change from their old clothes into white garments symbolizing their new life in Christ. As they returned singing and dancing, a wave of joy, happiness and enthusiastic clapping filled the whole church. After the adult baptisms Pauls wife Theresa came up for the blessing of their marriage. As she and Paul received communion together for the first time, the beaming faces of all of Pauls children and grandchildren were wet with happy tears. Paul clapped with everyone else and thought to himself, I feel young. After all, Im starting a new life... Story based on a true story created and told by Father Joseph Healey, M.M. and the Tanzanian people in Iramba Parish, Musoma

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12.
Magiges First Tricycle Ride
Maige Jumola is a 14-year-old crippled boy who lives in Mwanhuzi Parish in Shinyanga Diocese, Tanzania. His legs are shriveled to the size of short broomsticks. He propels himself by his hands sliding along on his knees. I met him for the first time during Holy Week three years ago. He never misses the Sunday Eucharist and special feast days. He crawls the one mile from his poor hut in the village to the church. I try to spend time with Maige especially on Easter Sunday when his smile is brighter than usual. He joins the choir in having a soda after the Eucharistic Celebration. He is not a Christian but enjoys reading about religion. I gave him some simple books in Swahili on the Catholic faith. This year I decided to buy Maige a tricycle. It has regular-size bike tires. The pedals are up front and are propelled by your hands. When the parish priest and I brought the tricycle on the back of our pick-up truck everyone in the village turned out for the big event. When Maige tried it for the first time, a big cheer came from the crowd. Tears of joy streamed down his cheeks as he pedaled by himself. Spontaneous clapping followed him along the road. Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania JGHealey@aol.com

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13.
Pumped Up on Easter Sunday
We see Shaq ONeal and other players getting pumped up before an important basketball game when the adrenaline is really flowing and they feel that they can do anything. Well, I drove into the parking lot of the festively-decorated St. Peters Church in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Easter Sunday to prepare to celebrate the 9:30 a.m. Mass. Suddenly I heard the joyful Swahili singing, drumming and clapping radiating from the church at the end of the previous mass. The joy and enthusiasm were electric. Immediately, spontaneously, I was pumped up, sky high, ready to go. As I walked from my car, some colorfully dressed African school children came running over to wish me a Happy Easter. Then as I walked into church, a Tanzanian woman wished me well and hoped the Holy Spirit would be with me in my homily. Wow! I was really pumped up. Isnt this what the Spirit of the Risen Christ is supposed to do to us? Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania JGHealey@aol.com

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14.
Smelling African Flowers on Easter Sunday
Ive always been intrigued by the expression dont forget to smell the flowers and envious in a good sense of people who always seem to have time to do so. At 6:10 a.m. on Easter Sunday morning 1993, I woke up on the cement floor of Kemugongo Outstation Church in Iramba Parish in a very rural, isolated part of Musoma Diocese, Tanzania. We had celebrated the lively Easter Vigil Service the night before with singing, clapping, dancing and short plays into the early hours of the morning. The children especially radiated an almost electric joy. Now after a mosquito-filled, sleepless night I packed my overnight bag and mass kit to drive 40 miles to the other end of the parish for two Easter Sunday Eucharists at Maji Moto and Nyiboko Outstations. I walked around to the east side of the church and was literally stunned by the rising sun. It was a brilliant gold ball that got bigger and bigger to envelope the whole horizon and floods the African plains with growing, glowing light. Excitedly I exclaimed to my Tanzanian companion, The sun is rising on a new Easter morning. Last night we sang, The Lord Jesus Christ has risen. It is certain. How meaningful that God is called the sun in many African languages. My friend replied, I feel God with us here right now. I wanted to linger and enjoy this moving experience, but... Then the magical moment was gone. Back to our local reality we loaded millet, a goat and some other supplies in my four-wheel drive Toyota truck for the bouncy road (a better description is bush track) ahead. Then we set off across the open plain. I hope God doesnt mind that we didnt have more time to stop and smell the African flowers, but the Christians of Nyiboko were also waiting for the Risen Son this radiant Easter morning. Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania JGHealey@aol.com

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15.
What Mission Is All About
I remember the time in Iramba Parish in Musoma Diocese, Tanzania when I drove in my Toyota truck to the distant outstation of Kemugongo to celebrate the Easter Liturgy during the rainy season. Halfway across a swampy plain the mud became so thick that I had to abandon my truck and walk the remaining one and a half miles in ankle-deep mud during a light rain. I arrived at the outstation chapel wet, dirty and tired. The local Christians ran toward me clapping and dancing with joy. The Padri has come. We will have Mass, they shouted. Immediately I forgot my wet, muddy clothes and my tiredness. I was caught up in the enthusiasm of the people as we prepared to celebrate the Easter Eucharist -- Christs resurrection that is the central event in our Christian faith. As I looked out at the happy, excited faces in that outstation community I realized in a flash that this is what Maryknoll in mission is all about. Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania JGHealey@aol.com

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16.
I Had Lunch with God
NOTE: When Mary Magdalene meets Jesus in the garden, she first thinks he is the gardener. Then she says, I have seen the Lord. Yes, Jesus comes to us in disguise. But how often do we recognize him? How often can we say, I have seen the Lord? A little African boy wanted to meet God. He knew that it was a long trip to where God lived. So he packed his suitcase with small cakes and a six-pack of soda and started his journey. When he had gone about three blocks, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park just staring at some birds. The boy sat down next to her and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his can of soda when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry so he offered her a small cake. She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again. So he offered her a soda. Again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted! The little African boy and the old woman sat there all afternoon eating and drinking and smiling, but they never said a word. As it grew dark the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave. But before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the old woman and gave her a big hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever. When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, What did you do today that made you so happy? He replied, I had lunch with God. But before his mother could respond he added, You know what? Shes got the most beautiful smile Ive ever seen! Meanwhile the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy? She replied, I ate small cakes and drank soda in the park with God. However, before her son could respond she added, You know, hes much younger than I expected. East Africa adaptation of a universal story

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17.
Cold Rice, Hot Soda
For the missionary in Africa the Holy Week is the busiest time of the year and the peak of the churchs liturgical season. When Father Joe Reinhart scheduled weddings and baptisms on Easter Monday in Musoma, Tanzania, he didnt bargain for the many celebrations and feasts to follow. After a long liturgy of over three hours on a hot day, he started making the rounds of parties and meals. Rice is served on special feasts and everyone waits for the first cold soft drinks. Joe wanted to stop in at every celebration, but always was a little bit late. Try as he could he always ended up at homes when the nicely cooked rice had cooled down and without refrigerators, the cold soda had gotten warm. But he had been waiting for years for some of these people to be married in church so this particular day he didnt mind cold rice and hot soda. Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania JGHealey@aol.com

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18.
The Poor Celebrate Best
Easter is a season of special joy. I discovered this anew when I celebrated an outdoor Swahili Mass a week and a half after Easter in St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Small Christian Community (SCC) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The setting was an empty lot in a poor, lowincome section of Mikocheni. Bright colored African cloths provided a festive backdrop. Neighborhood SCC members joined the celebration. From the clapping songs to the spontaneous joyful shouts to the women and girls ululation (special trilling sound made in the back of the throat), the place was really jumping. During the last joyful Easter song, the 30 or so little children literally jumped up and down with enthusiasm and excitement. I recalled the wisdom of the saying: The poor celebrate best. Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania JGHealey@aol.com

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C.
African Cultural Stories: Animal Stories

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1.
Two Roads Overcame the Hyena
A very hungry hyena went out on the Tanzanian plains to hunt for food. He came to a branch in the bush road where the two paths veered off in different directions. He saw two goats caught in the thickets at the far end of the two different paths. With his mouth watering in anticipation, he decided that his left leg would follow the left path and his right leg the right path. As the two paths continued to veer in different directions, he tried to follow them both at once. Finally, he split in two. As the well-known African proverb says: Two roads overcame the hyena. Story and proverb found in many African languages

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2.
The Two Cold Porcupines
One cold night two porcupines found themselves alone out on the plains. There was no shelter or place to keep warm. They only had their body heat. But they were scared that if they stood too close together during the night one could prick and even kill the other by mistake. After experimenting, they found the right distance to stand next to each other. They were close enough together that their bodies gave heat to each other, but far enough apart that they would not prick each other during the night. Folktale told by Bernard Joinet, M.Afr.

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3.
How the Monkeys Saved the Fish
The rainy season that year had been the strongest ever and the river had broken its banks. There were floods everywhere and the animals were all running up into the hills. The floods came so fast that many drowned except the lucky monkeys who used their proverbial agility to climb up into the treetops. They looked down on the surface of the water where the fish were swimming and gracefully jumping out of the water as if they were the only ones enjoying the devastating flood. One of the monkeys saw the fish and shouted to his companion: Look down, my friend, look at those poor creatures. They are going to drown. Do you see how they struggle in the water? Yes, said the other monkey. What a pity! Probably they were late in escaping to the hills because they seem to have no legs. How can we save them? I think we must do something. Lets go close to the edge of the flood where the water is not deep enough to cover us, and we can help them to get out. So the monkeys did just that. They started catching the fish, but not without difficulty. One by one, they brought them out of the water and put them carefully on the dry land. After a short time, there was a pile of fish lying on the grass motionless. One of the monkeys said, Do you see? They were tired, but now they are just sleeping and resting. Had it not been for us, my friend, all these poor people without legs would have drowned. The other monkey said: They were trying to escape from us because they could not understand our good intentions. But when they wake up they will be very grateful because we have brought them salvation. Traditional Tanzanian Folktale

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4.
The Leopard and the Rabbit
Once upon a time, the Leopard lived in a small house far way in the bush. After thinking for a long time, he decided to look for a better place. After a short time, he found a suitable place nearer the other animals. The Leopard began to cut sticks for building a house. After collecting a big bundle, he carried it to the new building site. While the Leopard was doing all these things, the Rabbit was nearby watching. He also cut a bundle of sticks and put them near the Leopards bundle. But the Rabbit did not tell the Leopard. The next day the Leopard brought another bundle. He was surprised to find a second bundle already there, but didnt know who had brought it. However, he put down his own second bundle. Meanwhile the Rabbit was hiding and watching the Leopards work. Then the Rabbit cut a second bundle and brought it to the site, making a total of four. The Leopard continued to bring bundles of sticks and the Rabbit did likewise. When the Leopard saw that the sticks for building were enough, he began digging the foundation for his house. When he got tired, he went away. The Rabbit also came and dug the foundation for the second wall and put in poles. He got tired and went to sleep. Day after day, the Leopard and the Rabbit were building the same house without meeting or talking together. Soon the house was finished, the first side having been built by the Leopard and the second side having been built by the Rabbit. The Rabbit was the first to move into the side of the house he had built. Then the Leopard moved into his side. Then the problems began. The Rabbit lit a fire on his side of the house and the Leopard on his side. The Leopard was surprised to see a fire lit in his house without his knowledge. He shouted, Who is that mad person lighting a fire in my house? Then the Leopard and the Rabbit began to quarrel without solving the problem. The Rabbit thought of a way to make the Leopard leave the house to him. He told his wife to pinch the children to make them cry loudly. When the children began to cry the rabbit asked his wife in an angry voice, Why are the children crying? Mrs. Rabbit answered, They are crying for the Elephants liver. The Rabbit answered boastfully in a loud voice so the Leopard and his wife could hear. Tell them to stop crying. Finding an Elephants liver is no problem for me. Tomorrow I will kill an Elephant and give its liver to my children. When the Leopard heard these words, he became terrified. He thought that the Rabbit was a very dangerous person. If he could kill an Elephant for sure, he could kill him also. After a few days, another quarrel erupted between the Leopard and the Rabbit. Then the Rabbit thought of another way to terrify the Leopard and drive him away. Again, he told his

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wife to pinch the children to make them cry loudly. When the children began to cry, the rabbit asked his wife in an angry voice, Why are the children crying? Mrs. Rabbit answered, They are crying for the Leopards liver. Meanwhile the Leopard and his wife were listening very carefully to this conversation. The Rabbit answered boastfully in a loud voice so the Leopard and his wife could hear. Tell them to stop crying. Finding a Leopards liver is no problem for me. There is a Leopard right here in this house with us. I will kill him easily and give his liver to my children. I dont want my children to be deprived of anything. The Leopard was terrified and told his wife: Dear, we must move away from here immediately. Otherwise we will all be killed by the Rabbit. Early the next morning before the Rabbit family got up, the Leopards moved out. On the road, they met the Baboon who asked, Why are you sweating so much and in such a big hurry this early in the morning? Why are you carrying all your belongings? Where are you going? The Leopard replied, We are running away from the Rabbit who plans to kill us and feed us to his children. I have been thrown out by the Rabbit from the house I built with my own hands. The Baboon answered: Oh, I know the Rabbit. Thats one of his tricks. Let me take you back to your house. But we must tie our tails in order to go together. So the Leopard and the Baboon tied their tails together and went to where the Rabbit was. When he saw them, the Rabbit began to rebuke them. He told his wife to pinch the children to make them cry loudly. Then the Rabbit asked his wife in a voice that could be heard by everyone, Dear, why are the children crying? Mrs. Rabbit answered, They are crying for the Leopards liver. The Rabbit said in a loud voice, I planned with the Baboon that he would bring the Leopard here and so he has. Keep calm, my children. You are going to get the Leopards liver right now. When the Leopard heard this, he became very angry and began to insult the Baboon saying, Is this your plan, Mr. Baboon? You deceived me. Do you want me to be killed by the Rabbit? He became terrified and tried to run away. But since his tail was tied to the Baboons he could not. They ran in opposite directions and their tails were badly bruised. In this way, the Rabbit took over the whole house. Traditional Sukuma, Tanzania Folktale told by Sukuma Research Committee

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5.
The Lions Share
One day the lion, the wolf and the fox went out hunting together. They caught a wild ass, a gazelle and a hare. The lion spoke to the wolf, Mr. Wolf, you may divide the venison for us today. The wolf said, I would have thought it best, Sire, that you should have the ass and my friend the fox should take the hare; as for me, I shall be content to take only the gazelle. On hearing this, the lion was furious. He raised his mighty paw and struck the wolf on the head. The wolfs skull was cracked, so he died. Whereupon the lion spoke to the fox, Now you may try and divide our meal better. The fox spoke solemnly, The ass will be your dinner, Sire, the gazelle will be your Majestys supper and the hare will be your breakfast for tomorrow morning. Surprised, the lion asked him, When did up learn so much wisdom? Said the fox, When I heard the wolfs skill cracking. Nubian, Sudan Fable

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6.
The Community of Rats
Once upon a time, there was a community of rats in a certain African village. In one particular house, a big and mean cat terrorized the rats. They decided to work together and build a small but strong hole that they could easily enter, but the bigger cat couldnt. After finishing and testing the hole the rats were very pleased by their teamwork and cooperation together. Then at a community meeting one rat said: The cat himself cant go into the hole but he can still catch us as we enter and leave the hole. Who is going to tie a bell around the cats neck to warn us when he is approaching? Everyone was silent. All were afraid. While they succeeded in building the hole together, no one was ready to sacrifice himself or herself to tie the bell. Folktale told by different storytellers in Eastern Africa

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7.
Creation and Separation Myth of Man and the Elephant
God created man and an elephant. These he put in a beautiful garden, and he walked with them every day. There was pure drinking water in a flowing river. But the elephant started muddying the waters. He would listen to neither God nor man who told him not to. In the end, man killed the elephant. God, though, was upset at this act and drove man out of the garden. Hence, the Borana now live in a ceaseless search for water in drought-stricken lands, semi-nomads in a semi-desert. Borana-Oromo, Ethiopia/ Kenya Myth

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8.
Origin of Death Myth of the Chameleon and the Lizard
When God had finished creation, he wanted to send people an important message. He called the chameleon to go and tell them that after death they will return to life. The lizard had eavesdropped. However, she had misunderstood what the chameleon was told. She ran quickly to tell people what she thought she had heard God say, After death there is no return. The agile lizard had long reached the people when the chameleon was still on his way. People thought the lizards message natural and a matter of fact. When at last the chameleon arrived and delivered Gods message, people ridiculed him and said, You stupid chameleon, we already know that we are all going to die and that death is the end of everything. Yao, Malawi/Mozambique/Tanzania Myth

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9.
Origin of Death Myth of the Old Woman Who Hid Death
In the beginning times people lived happily without any fear of death. Now it happened one morning that God (Imana) was chasing death to exterminate it from the land of people. When God drew near to arrest (catch) death, death ran into a dog and possessed him. Then the dog quickly ran and entered into the small hut of an old woman who happened to be sitting near the fireplace warming herself. Then death spoke through the dog saying, Hide me. If God comes inquiring about me, tell him that death is not here. The old woman, being surprised to see the dog and hear him speak, hid the dog under her bed. Then she went out and sat in front of her house. Suddenly God appeared with great speed. Seeing the woman, he halted and asked: Lady, have you seen death? No, Sir, replied the old woman. I am rather blind and death is not here. Maybe he passed by running. But because he knows everything, God said: You have hidden death. So from now on you will die, just like death. (Hangaza, Tanzania Myth

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10.
The Sacrifice of the White Hen
There was a young Nigerian boy named Olu who had a pet white chicken. They became great friends and inseparable companions. One day the hen disappeared and Olu cried and cried. Then after three weeks, the white hen returned to the compound with seven beautiful white chicks. The Nigerian boy was overjoyed. The mother took very good care of her chicks. One day late in the dry season the older boys set a ring of fire to the bush area outside the village. Everyone stood outside the ring as the fire burned toward the center. The purpose was to drive little animals such as rabbits and small antelopes out of the circle. Then the waiting cutlasses claimed their prey. When the slaughter and the fire were over, Olu and his friends walked through the smoldering embers. The boy noticed a heap of charred feathers and smelled burned flesh. It looked like the remains of a bird that had not escaped from the fire. Then Olu realized in horror. It was his beloved friend the white hen all black and burned to death. Then came the sounds of chicks. The mother hen had covered them with her body and they were still alive and well. The mother had given her life for her children. She died that they may live. Yoruba, Nigeria Story told by Denis OSullivan, S.M.A.

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11.
Masala Kulangwa and the Monster Shingwengwe
Once upon a time in East Africa the monster or ogre Shingwengwe swallowed all the people in the world together with all the domestic animals except one pregnant woman who hid in a pile of chaff. Later this woman gave birth to a boy named Masala Kulangwa (whose name means the smart or clever person who understands quickly). When he grew up, he asked, Mother, why are there only the two of us? Where are the other people? She answered: My dear one, everyone else was swallowed by Shingwengwe. We two are the only ones left. From that day on the young man started looking for the monster. One day he killed a grasshopper and arrived home singing: Mother, Mother, I have killed Shingwengwe. Rejoice and shout for joy. But his Mother answered: My dear one, this is only a grasshopper, not the monster. Lets roast him and eat him. Another day he killed a bird and arrived home singing: Mother, Mother, I have killed Shingwengwe up in the hills. Rejoice and shout for joy. But his Mother answered: My dear one, this is only a bird, not the monster. Lets roast it and eat it. Another day he killed a small gazelle and arrived home singing: Mother, Mother, I have killed Shingwengwe up in the hills. Rejoice and shout for joy. But his Mother answered: My dear one, this is only a small gazelle, not the monster. Lets roast it and eat it. Another day he killed an antelope and arrived home singing: Mother, Mother, I have killed Shingwengwe up in the hills. Rejoice and shout for joy. But his Mother answered: My dear one, this is only an antelope, not the monster. Lets roast it and eat it. Finally the clever young man Masala Kulangwa found Shingwengwe, overcame him and cut open the monsters back. Out came his father along with his relatives and all the other people. By bad luck when he split, open the monsters back Masala Kulangwa cut off the ear of an old woman. This woman became very angry and insulted the young man. She tried to bewitch him. But Masala Kulangwa found medicine and healed the old woman. Then all the people declared the young man chief and raised him up in the Chiefs Chair. Masala Kulangwa became the chief of the whole world and his mother became the Queen Mother. (Summary of the Sukuma, Tanzania Song Version of a Traditional Myth in many African Languages)

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12.
The Story of Gumha and the Large Rooster
Gumha was a famous and powerful leader of the Bagalu Dance Society that used to compete with the Bagika, the other well-known dance group in Sukumaland. They contested with each other on a regular basis and depended on special magical medicine to ensure success in their dance competitions. Because of his powerful medicine, Gumha was responsible for the success of the Bagalu dancers. This made the Bagika dancers extremely jealous, and they did everything possible to bewitch Gumha. As it happened, Gumha had an extraordinary rooster who used to perch on the roof of his house. When the witches approached the home of Gumha in order to harm him, the rooster would start to crow. On hearing the rooster, the witches would become frightened and say: What is this? The rooster is crowing. It must be getting light. Let us run for it or we will all be killed. Then the witches would run away without doing any harm to Gumha. The followers of Gumha would say in a boastful way, Gumha has such powerful medicine that none can harm him not even the witches. When Gumha finally died his disciples said, Our master was not bewitched, but God himself has taken him. Truly, there is nobody as powerful as God is. There is no one like him. He is the one who gives us our life and he is the one who takes our life away. From this story comes the proverb There is only one bull in the world (that is, God is allpowerful). (Traditional Sukuma, Tanzania Folktale told by the Sukuma Research Committee)

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13.
The Poor Man without Work
Once upon a time, there was a poor man who did not have a job or a place to stay. Finally, he went with his dog to the palace of the Sukuma chief. The chief warmly received the man with his dog. The poor man was accepted as part of the royal family. The chief fed both him and his dog. Later on enemies came to kill the chief. The dog barked, the alarm was sounded, the chief escaped, and his life was saved. Traditional Sukuma, Tanzania Story

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D.
African Cultural Stories General

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1.
A Little Knowledge Is a Dangerous Thing
During the colonial period in Kenya there were three Kikuyu men Kioi, Githogori and Kaminju who thought that they knew everything. They decided to go to adult education classes to learn English. When they went to the school they carried with them books and pencils and put them on a table. When the tutor came he asked them, Who put these items here? They said in the Kikuyu language ni ithuii atatu. The tutor told them that to say this in English they should say we three. They learned these words and went home. The following day the tutor found they had sharpened their pencils very badly like sugarcanes and asked them, What did you use to sharpen the pencils? They said in Kikuyu na banga. He told them that to say this in English they should say with a panga or knife. They went home and came back the following day. But the tutor told them that he would not teach them until they come back with school fees, that the classes were not free. He sent them away and told them if they were asked why they were sent away they should say it was because of money. As they walked home, they feared that they might forget what they had learned so they decided to assign the three phrases they had learned so far -- we three, with a panga or knife and because of money -- to the three of them respectively, that is, to Kioi, Githogori and Kaminju. As they were going home, they came upon the body of a man who had just been killed so they started looking around the scene. As they were looking around a colonial policeman arrived in a car, saw the dead man and asked, Who killed him? Kioi replied, We three. The policeman asked, With what? Githogori replied, With a panga or knife. The policeman asked further, Why? Kaminju replied, Because of money. Now the three Kikuyu men thought that they knew English quite well and were eager and happy to speak with a white man. But they were immediately handcuffed and landed in jail. So the English proverb, A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Story, Dr. Gerald Wanjohi, adapted from a Kikuyu Ethnic Group story on a satiric radio program, Nairobi, Kenya

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