Jean Marie Mwamba Kabaya, Comboni Brother, Congolese, shares with us some reflections on what it means to be a formator of young people who are preparing to be missionaries.
I have now been in Nairobi for a year as a formator at the International Brothers’ Centre, the final stage of formation for young people who decide to consecrate themselves to the mission as Brothers.
I know the capital of Kenya because I was formed in the same community and I obtained my Doctorate in Philosophy there in 2015. Although this is not the first time that the Congregation has asked me for this service – I had already been a formator of postulants in Togo and in my country, the Democratic Republic of Congo – before coming here I deepened my studies in this field at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome.
The community is made up of 14 members: seven missionary Brothers and two formators – Brother Christophe Yata, from Togo, and myself – our community hosts five scholastics, young Comboni priest candidates who have just arrived in Kenya and are learning English. In total, eight nationalities are represented in the community.
Our community life is quite structured. Everyone studies from Monday to Friday. While the scholastics progress with the language, the brothers continue their studies at the Institute of Social Ministeriality of the University of Tangaza, about 30 minutes by car from our house. The afternoons are dedicated to manual work, catechism and study. There is no shortage of sports, festive gatherings or choir practice, all interspersed with essential moments of prayer. The Eucharist is celebrated every day at half past seven in the morning.
We have a chicken coop, rabbits and a small vegetable garden. Since I arrived, we have never bought legumes because we grow them ourselves. These tasks, in addition to their economic value, help the brothers to understand the value of work and the need to commit themselves to self-financing projects and then, when they are sent on mission, to do the same with the people.
The weekends are dedicated to the apostolate. We are divided into three groups. Some go to the parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe, very close to our house; others to our Comboni parish in Kariobangi; and the rest to Kibera, also close to the parish. In the first two, Brothers and seminarians accompany the groups of children and young people, while in Kibera we collaborate with an NGO that distributes food and other emergency aid to the poorest families. I usually accompany the students to Kibera, where many people live in overcrowded and very difficult conditions.
One of my responsibilities as formator is to prepare catechesis, which requires me to have a constant attitude of research and ongoing formation. I also follow the formation of the young people and meet with each one of them at least once a month. I am happy that they open their hearts and tell me about their difficulties, which at the same time challenges me to be consistent in my missionary life.