Jambo Youth Issue 19

Inspired Writings Letter of Pope John Paul II to Women (29 June 1995.) This word of thanks to the Lord for his mysterious plan regarding the vocation and mission of women in the world is at the same time a concrete and direct word of thanks to women, to every woman, for all that they represent in the life of humanity. Thank you, women who are mothers! You have sheltered human beings within yourselves in a unique experience of joy and travail. This experience makes you become God’s own smile upon the newborn child, the one who guides your child’s first steps, who helps it to grow, and who is the anchor as the child makes its way along the journey of life. Thank you, women who are wives! You irrevocably join your future to that of your husbands, in a relationship of mutual giving, at the service of love and life. Thank you, women who are daughters and women who are sisters! Into the heart of the family, and then of all society, you bring the richness of your sensitivity, your intuitiveness, your generosity and fidelity. Thank you, women who work! You are present and active in every area of life - social, economic, cultural, artistic and political. In this way you make an indispensable contribution to the growth of a culture which unites reason and feeling, to a model of life ever open to the sense of “mystery”, to the establishment of economic and political structures ever more worthy of humanity. Thank you, consecrated women! Following the example of the greatest of women, the Mother of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word, you open yourselves with obedience and fidelity to the gift of God’s love. You help the Church and all mankind to experience a “spousal” relationship to God, one which magnificently expresses the fellowship which God wishes to establish with his creatures. Thank you, every woman, for the simple fact of being a woman! Through the insight which is so much a part of your womanhood you enrich the world’s understanding and help to make human relations more honest and authentic

Last Drop Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake. Victor Hugo

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Jambo You(th) 2007

February 11, Sunday: Issue 19

Don Bosco Utume • •

Jambo You(th) is a weekly news letter aimed at helping the Youth in molding their daily lives in Christ. Our vision consists in two phrases: ‘GOOD CHRISTIANS’ and ‘HONEST CITIZENS.’

Features

Pep-up Young and the Bible Facts in Figures Site Seeing Inspired Writings Last Drop

: Stories for Reflection, Food for Thought : Spirituality of the Five Fingers : Bishops of Kenya : Introduction to a new Website : Letter of Pope John Paul II to Women : God is Awake!

The Secrets of Heaven and Hell An old monk sat by the side of the road. With his eyes closed, his legs crossed and his hands folded in his lap, he sat. In deep meditation, he sat. Suddenly his zazen (meditation) was interrupted by the harsh and demanding voice of a samurai warrior. “Old man! Teach me about heaven and hell!” At first, he sat as though he had not heard, there was no perceptible response from the monk. But gradually he began to open his eyes, the faintest hint of a smile playing around the corners of his mouth as the samurai stood there, waiting impatiently, growing more and more agitated with each passing second. “You wish to know the secrets of heaven and hell”? Replied the monk at last. “You who are so untidy. You whose hands and feet are covered with dirt. You whose hair is uncombed, whose breath is foul, whose sword is all rusty and neglected. You who are ugly and whose mother dresses you funny. You would ask me of heaven and hell?” The samurai uttered a vile curse. He drew his sword and raised it high above his head. His face turned to crimson, and the veins on his neck stood out in bold relief as he prepared to sever the monk’s head from its shoulders. “That is hell”, said the old monk gently, just as the sword began its descent. In that fraction of a second, the samurai was overcome with amazement, awe, compassion and love for this gentle being who had dared to risk his very life to give him such a teaching. He stopped his sword in mid-flight and his eyes filled with grateful tears. “And that,” said the monk, “is heaven.” Fr. John W. Groff Lesson: Experience of heaven or hell depends on how we relate with others. We can make a world of difference in the way we treat people around us. www.jamboyouth.multiply.com

Jambo You(th) 2007

Editors: Anastasio Sdb & Shyjan Sdb

Know the Bishops of Kenya

Young and the Bible Spirituality of the Five Fingers’ In the Gospel of Luke Chapter eleven, the disciples went to Jesus and asked him, “Lord teach us how to pray.” (Luke 11:1). And Jesus taught them the Lord’s Prayer. Few days ago, as I was praying, I was very distracted. At once I repeated the same words; “Jesus Teach me How to Pray.” And Jesus taught me how to pray with my five fingers. Thumb: “This finger,” Jesus said to me, “points at you always. As you sit to pray, start by acknowledging your unworthiness in front of God. Ask for pardon for all your sinfulness. Thank Him for His forgiveness and His infinite mercy in your life.” Index Finger: “This is the finger that you use very often to point out things, especially accusing others. As you continue with your prayer, remember those people whom you have ‘pointed finger at.’ Those people who you blame always. Pray for them. At the same time, recall the people who ‘point at you’ for your welfare – your parents, teachers, friends, relatives, guardians, superiors etc. Thank God for the presence of these people in your life. Middle Finger: “This is your tallest finger,” Jesus whispered to me with a smile. “It represents those people in authority – your parents, teachers, leaders, formators, superiors etc. These are the mediums through which I communicate to you. As you gaze at me during this moment of prayer, pray for your leaders. Start with your Church leaders, government leaders. Pray especially for the leaders whom you think are not role models in the society. Ring Finger: “This finger represents those whom you love dearly, those close to your heart. As you continue praying, bring all your close friends in your imagination, feel them… touch them… smile at them..! Thank God for the love you experience through these friends. Say a prayer of forgiveness to any of them who might have hurt or wounded your heart.” Small Finger: And finally Jesus said to me; “This is the smallest finger. It looks weak and unable to do anything by itself. In fact, it is the weakest of all other four fingers! Before you end your prayer, pray for all the weak people of your society: the poor, the children, the young, the voicesuppressed, etc. Remember my words: Blessed are the poor… for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mat. 5:3) I don’t think of all the misery, but of all the beauty that still remains Anne Frank www.jamboyouth.multiply.com

Jambo You(th) 2007

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Most. Rev. John Njue : Chairman, KEC Co-adjutor Archbishop of Nyeri Archbishop Alain Paul Charles Lebeaupin : Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya Rt.Rev Philip Sulumeti : Vice Chairman, KEC Bishop of Kakamega Most. Rev. Raphael Ndingi Mwana a’ Nzeki : Archbishop of Nairobi Most. Rev. Zacchaeus Okoth : Archbishop of Kisumu Most. Rev. Nicodemus Kirima : Archbishop of Nyeri Most. Rev.Boniface Lele : Archbishop of Mombasa Rt. Rev. Peter Kihara Kariuki, IMC : Bishop of Marsabit Rt. Rev. Peter Kairo : Bishop of Nakuru Rt. Rev. Paul Darmanin : Bishop of Garissa Rt. Rev. Cornerius K.Arap Korir : Bishop of Eldoret Rt. Rev. Joseph Mairura Okemwa : Bishop of Kisii Rt. Rev. Philip Anyolo : Bishop of Homa Bay Rt. Rev. Alfred Rotich : Bishop of Military Ordinariate Rt. Rev. Maurice Crowley : Bishop of Kitale Rt. Rev. Norman king’oo Wambua : Bishop of Bungoma Rt. Rev. David Kamau Ng’ang’a : Auxiliary Bishop of Nairobi Rt. Rev. Antony Mukobo : Bishop of Isilo Vicariate Rt. Rev. Patrick Harrington : Bishop of Lodwar Rt. Rev. Francis Baldacchino : Bishop of Malindi Rt. Rev. Virgilio Pante, IMC : Bishop of Maralal Rt. Rev. Salesius Mugambi : Bishop of Meru Rt. Rev. Cornelius Schilder : Bishop of Ngong Rt. Rev. Luigi Paiaro : Bishop of Nyahururu Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Okombo : Bishop of Kericho Rt. Rev. Martin Kivuva Musonde : Bishop of Machakos Rt. Rev. Anthony Muheria : Bishop of Embu Very Rev. Fr. Paul Healy : Administrator, Kitui Diocese Vacant : Diocese of Murang’a

Site Seeing World Youth Day 2008 Home Page www.wyd2008.org This is the official website of the World Youth Day 2008. WYD 2008 will be held in Sydney Australia. All the news connected with WYD 2008 is available in this site. Besides the information regarding the programme there are also lot of materials to know the Catholic spirituality. Through the WYD’08 experience, young people from throughout the world will make a pilgrimage in faith, meet, and experience hospitality and the love of God. The young people will have an opportunity to rediscover their baptismal calling and the centrality of the sacraments of the Eucharist and reconciliation, and so discover a new apostolic zeal to witness more fully the Gospel in the modern world.

Not he who has much is rich, but he who gives much www.jamboyouth.multiply.com Jambo You(th) 2007