There are many friends, friends of friends, acquaintances, as well people who come into contact for the first time, who want to contribute to bettering life conditions for the the disadvantaged. Often in Africa, this desire becomes a possibility thanks to the commitment and preparation of priests. With a generous contribution from Spain, Harambee was able to offer a scholarship to Fr. Patrick Ndegwa, a Kenyan priest and Theology student at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. Fr. Patrick arrived in Rome in 2014. He will finish in two years and then teach History of the Church at the Seminary of the diocese of Nyeri (central area of the country, 155 km northeast of Nairobi: 250 seminarians currently study there).”It’s the opportunity of a lifetime: studying the History of the Church at the heart of the Church is something that I never imagined possible. I actually see what I am studying,” says Fr. Patrick.
In Africa, especially in rural areas, a parish might include up to 30 churches often entrusted to the care of one or two priests who are trying to attend to all of the faithful in between, with few economic resources available as well as an insufficient infrastructure that make moving around difficult. “The priest is a point of reference here, sometimes the only one available, and not just for Catholics. It’s someone that people turn to when they have problems to solve, big ones or even small ones of everyday life.”
It’s also why Fr. Patrick feels the responsability and the trust confided in him in a special way. “There is a real need for well-prepared priests, and it is difficult to find quality education. That’s why I am thankful for the opportunity. And I’m not just studying for me, but for the Church in my country.”