Vocation Story of the Father David Odour Ochieng: “Being a good listener”

I was born on 3rd July 1991 at Pumwani hospital in Nairobi Kenya.  Initially, we lived in Mathare slums in Nairobi. However, when I was four years old, our family relocated to Kariobangi on the outskirts of the Capital City Nairobi. I am the fourth born in a family of nine children and the first-born son.

When my mother was about to give birth to me, she was worried about having a second caesarean. The possibility of losing a baby for the third time haunted her. In her desperation to save me, she sought spiritual help. She thought it would come from a Protestant church where miracles were convincingly claimed.

Luckily enough, I was born normally without any complications. At some point during my infancy, I became critically ill.  Again, my mom was desperate. She was advised to seek African traditional medicine to cure my sickness, but she refused. Instead, she offered my life to God. Her faith paid off, I became well.

At a nearby private school I did my nursing and pre-university education. Later I went to a nearby primary school where I studied from grade one to six.

But when I was in class three, I started going with my friends to the nearby Catholic church (Holy Trinity Catholic Church) run by the Comboni missionaries. They introduced me to the vocation group and later to one of my best places, the church’s library. Eventually, I enrolled in catechism classes.

In time, I was baptised and started receiving holy communion. Things moved fast for me. I became an altar server. I came to love and enjoy being one.

While serving at the altar, I could not but admire the priests celebrating the mass, especially during the homily. Besides serving at the altar I participated in other church activities. Unfortunately, my joy as an altar server at Holy Trinity Parish lasted six months. We relocated to the countryside though my dad remained in the city. In 2005, I completed primary school and in 2009 secondary school.

As I waited for my secondary school results, I had ample time to participate actively in our parish youth activities. Our house is a stone’s throw away from the parish. So, I was also able to attend frequent adoration services. During this period my desire to become a priest was strengthened.  I admired my parish priest who spent many hours in the adoration chapel. His preaching captivated me too.

When my secondary school results came out, I could not hold my joy. I passed and qualified to go to the university. Yet my heart was burning to serve God more radically. I wanted to offer my entire life to God.

My parents being non-Catholics were reluctant. They struggled to understand my desire. Dad was particularly affected. He had hoped that I would go to the university and later get a job to support the family as a firstborn son is traditionally expected. Support came from my grandmother.  She was a staunch catholic and understood my decision to join the seminary. My parents heeded her advice to set me free to follow my heart’s desire.

In early 2011, the Comboni vocation’s director invited me to join the “Come and See” program. Subsequently, in August 2011, I joined the pre-postulancy.

I did my pre-postulancy together with two others in the slums of Mukuru on the periphery of Nairobi. We lived in a rented house. It was a nice experience. We worked in the social office helping the vulnerable and most forgotten people in society. We did home visits and wrote reports of the people’s dire reality.

Being in the slums of Mukuru was a Kairos for me. It was my first time to be in touch with human suffering, especially among families. I felt the presence of God. The slum had its challenges like poor drainage system, poor housing, frequent fire breakouts, robbery, and lack of hygiene. Nonetheless, I encountered people who were very welcoming, very joyful, loving, and supportive of the church.

In 2012, I joined the Comboni postulancy in Ong’ata Rongai, Nairobi where I did philosophy at Consolata Institute of Philosophy (CIP). It was a period of human growth and maturity. It was during this period that I learned a lot about inner freedom, personal responsibility, and how to live in a diverse community. I discovered the richness and beauty of diversity in the community. In May 2015, I completed my postulancy.

The same year I went to Lusaka, Zambia for my novitiate training. It helped me to know more about the spirituality of St Daniel Comboni our founder, to be in touch with God and myself through silence and contemplation of the Word of God. I took my first religious vows on the 6th of May 2017, it was a moment of great joy giving my life to God and starting to live as a religious following the charism of St. Daniel Comboni.

In August 2017, I started the scholasticate and joined the Pontifical University of Saint Paul in Brazil. This was an exclusively different experience starting with the language and culture. I needed a lot of patience to enter into this new reality. I learned to put aside my prejudices.  It was a moment of growth as a Comboni missionary living the St Daniel Comboni’s charism that I had assimilated in the novitiate.

As I engaged with those I met, I found myself learning new things. I believe that they too learned something from me. The liberation theology of Latin America helped me a lot. It shaped my perception of God´s presence especially in the vulnerable and marginalized. The idea that God is a liberator of the oppressed was engraved in me. As followers of Jesus, we are called to help and liberate those held captive by corrupt and unjust systems. I completed my scholasticate training in 2021 December.

In 2022, I returned to Kenya. My superiors sent me to West Pokot, Amakuriat parish north of Kenya. There I was to do missionary service as an immediate preparation for perpetual vows and holy orders. I was again immersed in a new reality. The people there are mainly pastoralists.

I found the Christians of Amakuriat parish simple but welcoming and generous.  This is seen when it comes to supporting the parish and its activities, they give wholeheartedly the little they have. Working in Amakuriat parish has taught me to be patient, near the people, and a good listener to make a common cause with them.

On 10th February 2023, I took my perpetual vows. And on 11th February 2023, I was ordained a deacon. The dream to offer my life wholly to God in a radical way came true. Like St Daniel Comboni, I have offered my life for the mission and the people of God without any reservation.

Another milestone in my vocation journey came on 5th August 2023. It was the day I was ordained a priest.

I am now headed to Mozambique where my superiors have assigned me. As usual, I put everything in God’s hands as I embrace this first assignment. To the young people who feel called to serve God in His vineyard especially among the poor and most abandoned of our times, do not hesitate to answer the call. Join us and be a living witness of Jesus Christ in the World.

Comboni Missionaries