Welcome to Kenya!

A DREAM FAR AWAY

 
My name is Fr. Cosmus Mutie, parochial Vicar at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, North Myrtle beach, South Carolina. Originally, am from a small village in Kenya, Africa. Four months ago, I was the pastor of San Jose Parish on the northern part of Peru, Latin America for a period of seven years before moving to the USA.
 
Jesus commands his disciples in Mark 16:15 to go to the ends of the earth and preach His gospel, words I was reminded by Fr Patrick O’Toole CSSP who inspired me to priesthood. At the age of 13 years, back in 1994 when as an altar server I told him in our small Maddy sacristy after Holy Mass that I wanted to become a priest. I can happily say today that am still moving to the ends of the earth to spread the joy of the Gospel.
 
Inspirations come in different forms and sizes. My inspiration to go to the seminary and become a priest was to make people happy with the gospel just like Fr Pat did, ever smiling priest, always ready to listen, and the good Samaritan I knew and I still know.
 
My village is on the eastern part of Kenya in Machakos county: a semi-arid area where the biggest challenge affecting the general well-being of people is lack of water. While growing up the hardest task my mum would ask of me was to go and look for water, because I had to walk for several miles with a jerrican on my back, most times coming back home late at night tired and unable to do school homework. I recall one instance we went with my elder sister Rose on a Saturday to look for water but we could not get water because other people had dried up the well, so the following day on Sunday we had to wake up at 4am to avoid missing mass at 11 am. Nevertheless, we still could not make it on time to prepare for mass: the memory is still fresh. On that Sunday, a dream and a wish were conceived in me. A dream that one day I will see my people in the village with portable water.
 
As the wise say, good things come to those who wait in hope without losing faith. I am still optimistic that; one day my people will have water, children will have time to do their homework, that altar servers will not be late for mass, the elderly will have clean water to drink, women will stop waking up at wee hours to search for the scarce commodity. Few weeks ago, I called my sister in-law who takes care of my elderly and sick mum (due to diabetes she has been abutted both legs), normally I call each day before I sleep, which is morning time in Kenyan time to speak with my mum. Unfortunately, on this day I could not speak with my dear mother because my sister in-law (in-love) had gone to look for water. 
Last week but one on Tuesday, I woke up in the morning and as I read my Bible before starting the day, I found myself reading the passage of St James 2:14 “what good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he/she has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him/her? A eureka moment for me, yes, I have had a dream, but only a dream. Yes, I have being having the faith, but I needed to act. After few consultations I realized if I drilled a borehole and powered the water through solar power since we don’t have electricity in my village, I can see my dream come true.
 
Consequently, after consulting the professionals and people at the ground I realized with $50,000 my dream can come true. Kambai village can have portable water for domestic use, my nephew will not be late for mass (by the way, he is an altar server) small girls and boys will have time to study, the sick and elderly will be attended, my sister in-love will be able to grow some vegetables to feed my mother…someone will have reason to smile.
 
Help me realize my childhood dream
 
Fr. Cosmas Mutie