Keane Peregrinations

I write from The Paul Noonan Centre, Tamale, Ghana. As indicated in my previous missive I will be here, and later in Kenya. I am available at the usual email address, in Tamale [Ghana] 22 May to 7 September; Nairobi [Kenya] 8 to 17 September. On 17 September I return to Lusaka.
Busy April has given way to busy May. For the last fortnight in ISC I was privileged to be involved in the Final Profession Programme for Religious, representing Christian and Marist Brothers and Presentation, Holy Spirit and Notre Dame Sisters. Certainly an eclectic mix. The participants are from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Liberia, Ghana, Kenya. Having to leave them, though our time together was short, was a bit of a struggle. They’ll survive.
The Feast of Blessed Edmund Rice was celebrated at Nalubutu Road, to which the Poplar Avenue and ISC communities were invited. Following a quiet prayer session organised by Clement Sindazi everyone enjoyed a pleasant social evening centred on a Braii [Bar-B-Q.]
Another pleasant experience on Sunday 10 May was the invitation of the Irish Ambassador Bill Nolan to a luncheon in his residence honouring Father Michael Kelly SJ and Brother John Meade CFC, both of whom have made a major contribution to life here in Zambia.
Here in Tamale I am be assuming the duties of three different people, fortunately not all at the same time. Vivek da Silva is studying in Chicago; Henry McGann will be on leave in Ireland; Prince Tarawalie is undertaking studies in Ireland. Denis Vaughan is joining the team when he returns from Ireland. Fourteen novices are from Zambia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Kenya.
My journey here was almost incident-free. Seen off by Tom, Sue and Bridget on Thursday 21 May I left Lusaka at 00.10 hrs [ie ten minutes after midnight!] I caught a flight from Nairobi at 9.30 hrs, and arrived safely in Accra after six hours! at 12.10 hrs. I overnighted at the Divine Word Missionaries Hostel before catching the flight to Tamale on Friday. A slight hiccup did not cause undue confusion. A ticket to Tamale awaited me at the Antrack Air [who guarantee Total Flight Comfort] office. The agent somehow got confused. After some delay I was duly presented with my ticket with instructions to present myself at the airport at 5.30 hrs. However, the ticket was issued in the name of Simon Kummah, our taxi driver in Accra. Instead of rushing back to the agent we decided to allow matters settle. So I presented myself as Mr Kummah at the check-in, said nothing, smiled, and eventually received my boarding pass. With my new persona, coupled with an identity crisis bordering on schizophrenia, I duly arrived at my destination, to be greeted by Vivek. Actually Richard Walsh was in the departure lounge awaiting a flight to Accra, in the plane in which I arrived. We did not meet. So by and large we enjoyed plain [plane?] sailing [flying?]. The flight takes about 75 minutes. By public bus just 12 hours!
One of the joys of the visit is meeting up with old friends and acquaintances. Many tales were exchanged. The last week of May, my first full week here, I was busy with classes every day. However, Monday 25 May being AFRICA FREEDOM DAY we commenced our lessons. Inter alia my classes here will cover history of Edmund Rice and the Congregation, St Mark’s Gospel and St Paul. Thursday 28 May I facilitated my first reflection day for the novices.
Money! South Africa has the Rand; Zambia the Kwacha; Nairobi uses Kenyan Shillings; here we use Cedis [$1 = 1.42 Cedi] A few all-powerful US dollars gets one out of all difficulties.
I have acquired a Zambian driving licence. I can keep driving until March 2014! Procedures are in place to fulfil Ghana’s Road Transport strict requirements.
The month of May this year ends with a doubly strong religious coincidence, the feast of the Visitation and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. It is time to rejoice.
(Frank Keane)