Endings and Beginnings

Well, here it is the end of May and also the end of our formation program. The last four months have been a once in a lifetime chance to pray, reflect, and learn about ourselves, community, mission work, and the living church.  Our instructors were all gifted teachers and the community of people I lived with were truly remarkable individuals who I am now blessed to call my friends.  The commissioning ceremony was beautiful and of course, I cried.  They were tears of gratitude and joy and I now proudly wear the blessed gold ring that declares that I am one of God's helpers. 

I am now faced with the practical side of this journey and am starting to pack.  Oh my goodness!  How to begin deciding what to take and what I can do without??  First thing in my suitcase will be anti-diarrhea medicine and a mosquito net!  :)   But seriously, it is a challenge to pack well.  I have had lots of good advice, though, so I am making lots of lists and sticking to them. 

Please continue to pray for me during this time.  Saying good bye to children, grandchildren, and friends is difficult.  God's voice is strong, however, so I am looking forward to new people and new places to love.  Jambo Kenya!

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What I've Learned

We are ending the formation program and I am more sure now than ever before, that this is the right time and place for me to go on mission.  Our classes have focused on prayer styles, church history, bible study, conflict resolution, culture, and knowing ourselves, but the class on social justice and ethics has helped me understand why I have always felt this need to go on mission.  It falls under the theme of solidarity, and states that those with greater share of the good and common services have a responsibility for the weaker members, and it invites us to live, eat and work among the poor.  For me, that translates into going to Africa to teach, and now that I have words to put with my feeling of what is right, I don't feel so weird!!

Since our community experience is also coming to a close, I  thought I'd share a few observations about living in community with 9 other adults and 6 children. 1) Dinners are noisy, but by eight the house is eerily quiet. 2)  Personalities are all different, but our desire to serve God is the same.  3) Prayer time is rich and the children are especially full of trust and faith in God (which often puts me to shame). 4)  Conversations are rich with many ideas and perspectives of very intelligent people.  5)  Sometime consensus is hard to come by.  6) It has been wonderful making so many new friends.  7)  It will be hard to say goodbye.

In 2 months I will be on the plane to Kenya. In the meantime, I am traveling to say goodbye to friends and family and doing some last minute packing.  I am excited and because my African parish priest has been e-mailing me, I feel like I will be welcome to my new home.  Like Fr. B. wrote, "karibu Kenya".

Mid-Way Point

Our formation program here in L.A. is a journey all in itself.  I have completed half of the program and it has been a blessing to live and share with other missionaries and to grow spiritually.  It is in the middle of the program that we find out where we will be doing our missionary work and I have just been given the exciting news that I will be serving in Mikinduri, Kenya as a teacher in a St. Massimo Parish school.  Lay Mission-Helpers has printed out prayer cards for each of us so it is now official!  I am looking forward to the last 7 weeks of the program with my new friends and readying myself for the challenge that lies ahead.  Working with God I can accomplish anything!!!

The Journey Begins

My name is Jan Donohue and I am about to embark on my "third life".  I am a 65 year old widow and retired teacher and now I am on my way to becoming a missionary in Africa.  I have been living in sunny Southern California for the past 24 years and have made the decision to leave all the glitter and glam behind, to see what life is really about, and to serve God.  Will I be bringing God to the African people-- or will they help me to know God?  Perhaps a little of both.  I anticipate the journey.