In the beginning...

It all started in the summer of 2011...I was assigned to the parish of Our Lady of the Snows in Reno, NV for the summer.  One day I was told that an African bishop would be coming to stay for a few days.  I was even asked if I would mind driving him around here and there.  Little did I know this would be the start of a big adventure :-)

My first impression of Bishop Frank Nubuasah of Francistown, Botswana, was of course that he wasn't like most bishops I had ever met.  First of all, he introduced himself to me as "Frank."  I had never met a bishop who did that. (I have since met exactly one other bishop who introduced himself to me by his first name and without the "bishop" title, but Bishop Frank was first.)  As I got to know him, I found him to not only be so approachable and personable, but truly humble and gracious.  He had no airs about him about being a bishop.  In fact, he one day did my laundry.  Imagine a bishop doing a seminarian's laundry!  I had left some clothes in the washer.  I came home and found them neatly folded and stacked in front of my door.  I was so embarrassed!  I asked Bishop Frank why he did my laundry.  He told me that he needed to use the washer.  When I told him that he should have just thrown my wet clothes in the basket wet, he responded "Why would I do that? We are brothers." That's the kind of man he is: a true servant-leader.

But what struck me most of all about this man were his stories about Francistown and his work as Bishop.  He expressed to me his worry about his priests, who are so isolated.  "I often worry how they are dealing with being alone," he told me.  Bishop told me about the farm he started and was caring for to help teach the people how to take care of animals and crops.  He told me about the schools and clinics he was trying to build.  And he told me about all the people dying from AIDS that the Church must care for.  "Do you know how much it costs to save one human life from AIDS?" he asked. "Fifty dollars.  That's it.  Fifty dollars pays for a month's worth of AIDS medication which gives a mother her son for another month, or a husband his wife for another month, or children their father for another month.  Fifty dollars.  That's it."  Of course, I was reduced to tears.  How often does fifty dollars pass through my hands?  And not even for essential things?  For weeks after, I found myself measuring my spending habits in terms of lives (perhaps something I need to do again...).  I was very deeply touched by everything this man said and represented.  

Then came the moment that started this journey.  We were talking about simplicity of life and I jokingly said that perhaps I should come visit Francistown, as it might be good for me.  The Bishop looked at me and said with all seriousness, "It would be wonderful if you could come for a summer.  You should ask if your diocese would be willing to send you for a pastoral experience."  Now I think it is important to understand that I have never had a calling to be a missionary.  I admire people who do it and seem to love it, but it is just not me (which is why I suppose I'm a diocesan seminarian).  But this stuck in my heart.  I couldn't get the thought of coming to Francistown out of my mind.  I prayed about it and talked to Frs. Chuck and Paul (Spiritual and Vocation Directors) and both were extremely encouraging.  So I wrote a proposal to Bishop Calvo and our Seminarian Board asking if I could go.  I have to be honest, I didn't expect them to say yes, or to do so quickly.  Literally, they met on a Tuesday and Wednesday I received a text saying, "Chris.  Looks like you're going to Africa" from one of the board members.  That was in early November 2011.  Seven months and 2 immunization shots later, here I am in Botswana.  It is still surreal in many ways.  Just last night, I laid down in bed and looked out my window at a different set of stars and constellations and told myself, "I'm really here."  It's only been a few days, but already things are afoot (which I'll blog about later).  Now you know how it is I got here.  I'm on mini-vacation right now until Bishop Frank returns and I get my formal assignment, but for now I am enjoying the hospitality and faith of the people of Francistown and Our Lady of the Desert Cathedral.  More to come! 

Peace.