(2024) I was contacted recently by one of our young mission priests, Fr. Japheth, who had extended time on his American visa and was hoping for a much needed break. The situation in his country had been difficult and a cultural war makes even regular difficult life more threatening.
In our initial conversations he wished to visit in February during the season of Lent. My immediate reaction is a common one for me and echoed the response of Jesus to a couple of his disciples, "You do not know what you are asking!" (Mark 10:38). February in Buffalo is not the most comfortable time for African visitors. As circumstances required he had to delay his visit until just after Easter in early April.
Arriving at the airport I finally met him at baggage claim, he arriving at a different location of the airport from the one in which I was waiting. It was great to see him again. As soon as we stepped out of the terminal though, the April cool temperatures hit him. "And you wanted to come in February" I asked? Our first stop was a winter coat dealer and we equipped him with a warmer jacket, hoody sweatshirts, socks, hat, and the like.
His weeks among us was filled with joint prayer, concelebration of Mass, and some site seeing that we hadn't accomplished during his previous visit. Of course we had a traditional Buffalo Fish Fry, a stop to Shea's Buffalo for a wonderful production of Mamma Mia, and the newly renovated AKG museum! The visit also included a good quantity of down time to rest, text, conversations with friends back home, etc. Fr. Japheth said just to have the time to rest and feel safe and secure was indeed a blessing. The blessings were far from over.
We had arranged his return flight from the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and so were able to spend a full day touring some of the sites in our National's Capital. Our first visit after morning mass in the Discalced Carmelite Chapel in NE, DC, was the Basilica National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, followed by a visit to the Washington Monument, MLK Jr. Memorial, and his first ever "Hot Dog" from one of the street vendors.....
The blessings continued with some benefactor's providing funds to ROTA which enabled Fr. Japheth, now back home in Cameroon, to travel more safely to his many out-stations during his parish ministry. May the Lord guard and protect you in your selfless ministry to God's people in the Diocese of Kumba, Cameroon.
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