Twin Celebration:Birthday and Graduation

I felt really privileged that the arrangement of the graduation date fell on my actual birthday. I see the 'hand of God' in all these and wonder how many people had such a privilege as I did. Thursday, May 10th is a day for me to remember. At 7.30pm the ceremonies of graduation commenced with such grandeur that words cannot adequately express. My almost two years at St. Mary's Seminary and University yielded great fruits in my life. I graduated with a Licentiate in Sacred Theology. I can only knee down and thank God for his kindness.

I am equally grateful to those who could make to the graduation, those who prayed at a distance, those who offered material, spiritual and moral support; may God abundantly reward you. I could not have everyone come because of the restrictions. I hope you all do understand.

Pray for me as I continue to search for a school to do the PhD program. Once more, may God bless all of you out there. I still continue to ask for your support so that I can be able to help the numerous children out there who aren't going to school.

'THANK YOU' TO THE STAFF MEMBERS OF IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY'S PARISH, LOCH RAVEN BLVD

I was amazingly delighted when Fr. Michael Carrion, the pastor of Immacualte Heart of Mary's parish, told me that the staff members have donated in support of my school in Cameroon. This was their Christmas gift to help the neediest children go to school. I am so grateful to Fr. Mike, and all those in his team who supported me in this venture.

I see the image of Christ reflected in this priest, in all that he does:being totally committed to his parish, and serving God faithfully in loving and serving others,  praying, and playing when he has to do that, welcoming, and serving everyone joyfully, celebrating the sacraments with faith and enthusiasm. May God bless Fr. Mike, as most of his parishioners call him.

Personally, my gratitude to him is beyond what words can express. He has accommodated me as one has he had known long ago, but he knew me on in October, 2010. I will forever pray for you, Fr. Mike.

Once more, thank you and your team for everything. St. Teresa of Avila said, "This is what we must strive for earnestly, to be affable, agreeable, and pleasing to persons with whom we deal..." This is reflected in what you do. May God bless you.

The world needs this language of love. Christ commands us to speak this language practically. Every act of love toward the exile, the outcast, the stranger, is considered done to Christ. The rewards of those who do so await them. God our Father, bless all those who reach out to those in need with an abundance of what they have, with good health of mind and body, that they may continue to have the strength to do so. Amen

Help to the Needy

This is someone's "house" in one of the remotest areas of the Diocese of Kumbo. This house serves as a kitchen, a bedroom, a parlor, a store room etc. The roof is made of grass which dries up during the dry season and leaks when the rains come. My appeal is not to build houses for these people, but to educate the neediest children. Education is the only thing that will give a bright future to the future generations. Please, your support will be highly appreciated.

On December 25th  2011, Christmas Day, while in Carroll, Iowa for the Christmas break, someone from my former Parish, St. Kizito's Parish, Sabongari, Diocese of Kumbo, Cameroon, called me on phone excitedly to tell me that he and his children were able to eat some slices of meat because it was Christmas Day. I could not control my tears, thinking of where I was at that moment, living in affluence as I can say because I have never lived such a life before, where I have what I need almost at every time I need it. Out there,  were people "boasting" of having eaten meat on Christmas Day, and perhaps they will eat meat again only the next Christmas. I felt like not to eat again, but this would not be the right attitude; for I need to be strong in order to help others.

 All I can do is to channel the little I have, the little I am given for the education of the neediest children in my village, parish, diocese and country. How am I going to do this without any means? I have been doing it, and it is working because there are a number of generous people out there who are sympathetic, and who want to help. May God reward and replenish your efforts.

 I trust in the power of God, who will lead willing hearts to donate to the support these numerous children in their education.
May God bless you all.

JACK REYBOLD and MARY ANN SORRA

The book of Ben Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) says: "A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: he that has found one has found a treasure. There is nothing so precious as a faithful friend, and no scales can measure his excellence" (Sirach 6:14-15). I thank God for this couple. They are that "elixir of Life" (Sirach 6:16) that the book of Sirach talks about. The idea of this blog came from them in an effort to help me have something sustenable for the underprivileged children in the Diocese of Kumbo, Cameroon. Their donation to this project has been enormous and only God will reward them. You see how they are missionaries by being here in America and touching the lives of so many children out there, where they have never been. Hopefully, they will be there.

Mary Ann is a pro-life doctor. This is a couragious thing to stand for. In fact, she is a proof that the Christian life is counter-cultural. You only need to know how many people are praying for her and how the power of God is working in her and her husband. She receives full support from the husband and the husband receives full support from her. This is an example of a concrete witness to the Christian life. My prayer for them is that they may have the courage, and the wisdom to continue bearing witness to Christ in the manner in which they have begun.

We can change the world by a life of witness. Please, join this link so that together, we can bear witness to Christ and support the underprivileged.

Beautiful Country, Nice and Kind-hearted People -Great America

Dear friends, in the next couple of weeks I shall be sharing with you my experiences in America. I had the opportunity to go to a number of places for mission appeals on behalf of my diocese, Kumbo-Cameroon. Generally, I was touched by numerable things: friendly, kind and generous people, beautiful and well-catered for churches, beautiful roads-that is, there is no place which is inaccessible by roads, and a number of other things which I will bring forth subsequently. Indeed, may God bless America. There shall much to talk about. Catch you!

Working with Children is a Blessing

Jesus said: "Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it" (Luke 18: 16-17).

My first appointment as a priest was to teach in St. Aloysius' Minor Seminary, Kitiwum, Diocese of Kumbo, Cameroon. This is a minor Seminary High School where boys attend with the original intention of becoming diocesan priests for the Roman Catholic Church. I saw this as a blessing to be able to direct young minds to accept God and surrender themselves to serve him in the Holy ministry of the priesthood.

While teaching there, I discovered a lot about young people growing up. They are all full of enthusiasm and zeal to serve God.They teach us sanctity, prayer, honesty, truthfulness, simplicity,love, dependency, trust and a host of other nice things that we may think about. Some children do silly and stupid things as well, but as their guidance, we are supposed to help them in the spirit of St. John Bosco who could tame even the most difficult student.  One could tell that some of them come from good christian families. Most of them would eventually discard the idea of becoming priests, but the christian values which they learn remain in most of those who do not become priests.

There were children from rich families, from poor families, from single parent homes, some were orphans and some vulnerable in that they either had terminally ill parents or wayward parents who did not care about their wellbeing at all. It is good to have poor parents than to have parents who do not care about the upbringing of their children. My heart had always pushed me to go for these children and assist them. We do not only teach children, they equally teach us.

The orphaned, the poor and the vulnerable children are a way that God shows to some of us to grow in holiness by doing something to help them. Our blessing may come from there. In some days to come, we will be presenting to you some testimonies from some children that have been helped through this approach which I started some  ten years ago. I can feel their prayers, not only me alone, but particularly those who helped me to help them.

Please, do not be afraid to donate. Donate to Kumbo kids and we will give you the feedback as soon as possible. I know there are people out there with sympathetic hearts. Please direct your donation here and we will make a good use of it.

My Story

I recently learned my true date of birth is May 10, 1970. I discovered it on a script written by my uncle left in an old box. For most of my life I thought it was September 13th. My parents cannot read or write. When they took me for Baptism, the priest asked when I was born. They told him, "last year during the weeding season," and approximated a date in mid-September.

I am Lon Emmanuel Fale, a Roman Catholic priest of the Diocese of Kumbo, Northwest Region of Cameroon. I was born to Mr. Damian Tulah Lon and Mrs Julita Jeh, the fourth of 6 children. My older brother completed elementary school. My two older sisters did not go to school at all.

When I was eight, I decided to go to school without the knowledge of my parents. I was taking doctrine lessons for First Holy Communion. Lessons started at 6 am, and school followed at 8.45 am. I was very strange when I arrived: no shoes, no uniform, no books, no school fees, no parental permission, no English. The school year was already half way through. The teacher asked me, "What are you doing here? My answer was simple, "I have come to school." She told me to go home. My response was, " I am determined to go to school" The next question, "Who will pay?" I did not know. I just felt an inner push telling me to go to school, and it seemed inappropriate for me to stay home while friends were in school. All I can say is that God was directing me.

That evening I spent the night at my uncle's house, for fear of my parents since I hadn't returned home as expected. Being good parents, they came looking for me. After assuring me that they were going to be kind, I went home with them; a distance of about 3 miles. I would cover that distance on foot every day to and from school, in dews, in the sun, or in the rain for seven years. We managed to make enough money for my school fees: my parents sacrificed, sold crops; my father was an herbalist and could cure some people; my older brother did manual labor; friends gave from time to time; I walked 10 to 20 miles to the market in order to sell foodstuffs. This continued until I became a priest. I attended Major Seminary for the priesthood and earned bachelor's degrees in Philosophy and Theology. Presently, I am doing a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture.

When I come across children in my Diocese who are in the same situation as mine, I become very concerned. I feel really sympathetic seeing good, intelligent and happy children with a bleak future. With my meager priest's allowance of about $400 per year, I can only do a little. I still am unable to help my parents who have sacrificed so much for my education. I have gone to big cities in Cameroon to beg for donations, and some people really give. With this, I have been able to help a number of children reach a certain level of education. Some have completed university. I try to help all, including my own nieces and nephews, but am so limited in means. This is why I intend to create an awareness of such situations and call and beg on everyone of good will to please help in providing a means for these children and bring them to light.

Be assured that your gifts, given wholeheartedly and from a generous heart, will yield abundant reward from the Almighty and surprisingly, you will have even more than you had expected. May God bless you all who read this message with a sincere and generous heart.