When I finished my Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in 2008, I joined my family business. My family runs a small hotel and restaurant business. I worked for a while at the hotel and that helped me develop business skills that have helped me to be aware of expenditures and how it is important to take care of small things in order to cut costs. However in 2010, my life changed drastically when I met Fr. Antonio Aguirre of the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle (MCSPA) through a family friend.
My vocation as a missionary was born in Turkana where the MCSPA carries out much of its apostolates. I was deeply touched by the dedication and care that the missionaries gave especially to the sick, hungry and needy nomadic people of Turkana. As I accompanied Fr. Antonio Aguirre with whom I lived and worked in the Community, my life was immensely changed. I began to attend daily mass, and this helped shape my faith, the homilies and conversations that we had were like food for my soul which ignited a spark for the missionary life.
My experience in the Community enhanced my spirituality and my human formation to the point where I began to consider the priesthood. These thoughts burned in my mind and in my heart. When I gave a helping hand to the needy, I always felt so fulfilled. I also admired how the priests of the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle touched concrete lives in their work, all of which had its inspiration and strength in values of the gospel. I saw how these values are translated into concrete and tangible realities.
After 4 years in Turkana, I enrolled for philosophy studies at the Spiritan Seminary at Arusha, Tanzania. I was enriched with a wide philosophical spectrum of ideas that encouraged me to question many things that I had taken for granted. I was very much challenged not to take things at face value. This led to inquisitive moments of my life that also helped to reaffirm a commitment to my vocation.
After the philosophy studies, I went for missionary experience out of my country, Kenya, to Malawi, a country in the southern part Africa, where MCSPA is running a mission. In Malawi, I was also struck by a couple of experiences that left a deep mark in me. I accompanied Fr. Fernando of the MCSPA as he carried out his pastoral duties. I saw how, despite their poverty, the local villagers offer the little they have to the priest. It was beautiful to see this spirit of generosity coming especially from people who have little. Fr. Fernando also impressed me; he addressed the community’s challenges and problems by checking the wellbeing of their domestic herds, their spiritual needs and their physical needs by drilling boreholes for the local communities.
Thus many persons and experiences helped developed my deep desire to journey towards the priesthood. Through the concrete examples that I have seen from other priests, they have demonstrated to me the true meaning of a shepherd of the flock of Christ. It is in the encounter with the people in concrete ways that we touch their very lives and become true witnesses of Christ.
I have just enrolled at Loyola School of Theology in Manila, Philippines, to pursue theology studies with the intention of ordination. I continue the practical formation in this missionary charism of the MCSPA at our Formation House in Manila.
Taking all the above into account, I am fully convinced that I may obtain a quality formation and develop a better understanding of my faith. I am certain that the theology program, practical formation and personal experiences will provide a better and deeper understanding of the Gospel values, so that I may be competent to transmit my faith effectively, in theory and practice, to the societies to which I may be called to mission in the future.
Sammy Gitau Muchiri, MCSPA
Note: For more information contact us on admin@mcspa.org
