I am in Tuum. This is a small city two and a half hours away from Barsaloi. We are here (meaning the priests and I) because they are going to inaugurate the new parish’s house of Tuum. The bishop is the most important guest.
The celebrations started with a mass. The church was full of people. There was even some Turkana, a rival tribe of the Samburu. Part of the town of Tuum is a “border” between the Samburu and the Turkana, and the parish here work with both tribes. Today, all of them are enjoying the new house with a mass and lunch.
The mass was celebrated by the bishop. The music was very nice. The women wear their best clothes. And today, because of the celebration, there were a lot of men too. The lunch was traditional food: goat, beans, rice and chapati (tortillas). I tried the goat, but I didn’t like it.
After the mass the priest and the bishop blessed the new house. The group of elders also blessed the house with some leaves and milk. The difference between one and the other was that the Catholic priest blessed the house, and the elders used sacred milk!! Another difference was that in the Catholic way they blessed one time. Instead the group of elders went around three times blessing the house (video).
Anyway, it was a very nice celebration. Later in the evening we had dinner (the sisters, priests and I). Father Jairo congratulated Yadira, the main priest of the Tuum congregation, for making the new house a reality. Father Jairo said “I congratulate you for this house and for not waiting for the perfect time”. I identified with this, because I think sometimes we wait for the perfect time and we postpone actions and decisions for a moment that never comes. The perfect time is now!!!