Perpetual vows and ordination to the Deaconate of Jemboy Caspis

On Friday, April 7, Caspis Salarde Jemboy, professed his perpetual vows before Fr. Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie, General Superior of the Comboni missionaries, in the presence of Fr. Radol Austine Odhiambo, Provincial Superior of Kenya, in a celebration presided by Fr. David da Costa Domingues, Delegate Superior of Asia. Many Comboni missionaries who are serving in the Pokot Zone and others from the different communities also joined the celebration in gratitude for the perpetual consecration of Jemboy.

The following day, April 8, was the time for the Christian community of Holy Cross Parish in Kacheliba to come together for the ordination to the Deaconate of Jemboy. The celebration was presided by Most Reverend Maurice Crowly, Bishop of Kitale. It started at 8am with a procession from the Tapadany Christian Community, where the adoptive family of Jemboy lives (Mr. Peter Sakal and Mrs. Magdalene Sakal). Dancing and chanting, they brought Jemboy to the grounds of Holy Cross Parish where the stage was set to accommodate all under the shade of the trees for the more than three hours celebration, attended also by representatives of the neighboring parishes from the Pokot and Karamoja areas. Priests and Sisters from different religious groups were also present.

The Eucharistic Celebration was followed by a festive celebration where the different small Christian communities of the parish presented their gifts and greetings to Jemboy through dances and songs, bringing the celebration to the evening hours of the day. It was a full day of joyous celebration in gratitude to the Lord and to St. Daniel Comboni for the great gift of the missionary vocation given to Jemboy. At the end of the day, people’s hearts were filled with joy, for one of their ‘adopted’ sons had offered his life to serve the Lord as member of the Comboni missionaries. This is the second Comboni missionary from Asia who has been adopted and brought to the Deaconate in this Christian community of Kacheliba. The first one was Fr. Albarina Moises Rellon who is presently serving in Vietnam. Our heartfelt gratitude to the Comboni community of Kacheliba, particularly to Frs. Boadi John Bliss Anthony Kudjo, local superior, and Mula Eutiquio Muso, Parish Priest, himself a native of the Philippines.