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I AM A LAY MILL HILL MISSIONARY (Ko Klaver)

My name is Ko Klaver and I come from The Netherlands.

That they were looking for lay people willing to join them in their missionary work. I was one of the first to respond. I knew the Mill Hill Missionaries already, as I had done some of my training with them.

Contract Member

It was a new venture and the Missionaries had no training course in place for the new recruits yet. I was asked to join an introduction course with another missionary organization. During a number of years we were called Contract Members; it really means what is says: I signed a contract for a period of 3 years with the Mill Hill Missionaries and became a member of the Mill Hill Society for that period. For my first contract I was asked to go to Pakistan, but I ended up in Uganda because of the war that broke out between Pakistan and India towards the end of 1971.

Nagongera Seminary in Tororo Diocese had requested for a science teacher, and I was qualified to teach science. I enjoyed that first stint immensely. It was great to see students discover the logic of mathematics, and getting interested in physics through experiments.

After this first contract I went back to my home country and continued teaching there. About a year later I met a Mill Hiller who had come home on leave from Nagongera; he asked me whether I would be interested in another contract, since they still lacked a physics teacher. It did not take me long to decide and I signed up for another three years.

Qualifications

Towards the end of my 2^nd contract I started looking around for another challenge in the field of construction, as I am also a qualified builder. In Osia Parish Fr. Leonard, who is now in Kotido, knew just such a place: Marigat in Baringo District, 100km North of Nakuru. We went there together to have a look.

At that time, the end of 1979, there was no tarmac road and by the time we arrived we were covered in dust, and it was extremely hot. "How could anybody live here?" I thought! The Father was not at home, there was no electricity; there wasn’t a cool drink to be found in the whole place! After spending the night there, and having a look at the Perkerra Irrigation scheme and the surroundings, I decided to give it a try. "If they could live there so could I!"…. I stayed for 6 years and during that time our building team constructed a good number of schools, churches, dispensaries and cattle dips in that part of Nakuru Diocese. During the last two years we also worked in and around Bomet and Sotik.

When my 4^th contract in Marigat came to an end, Mill Hill came with a request from the Bishop of Soroti for assistance in the construction and rehabilitation of buildings in the diocese. Just about the time when I reached the new place, however, all hell broke loose in the form of civil war, cattle raids, and the arrival of Alice Lakwena with her followers. For two years I found myself mainly involved in relief work and all kinds of things I never dreamed of doing, such as collecting people hit in ambushes, burying people, and generally giving my Guardian Angel overtime in protecting me from bullets and grenades.

God’s Presence

Seeing so many people suffer and others killed made me often wonder "God, where are you in all this man-made misery?" At the same time I never experienced His supporting presence more than in those trying times.

After nearly three years the situation took a turn for the better and we could start with the building work for another three years. I had had enough excitement and I wished for some peace and quiet.

I was asked to assist in the administration of the Procure of the Ugandan Bishop’s Conference as their Administrator. This work I did for more than 6 years.

At the moment I am in my 2^nd year as Administrator of the Mill Hill Guest House in Nairobi and I assist some organizations with their administration and supervision of building projects.

Single Status

Being single is not something I consciously opted for when I started my career with Mill Hill. The advantage of being a Missionary-on-a-contract is that after every contract you make up the balance and decide what you would like to do with the next phase of your life. You are committed, yet you are free.

Does my story sound interesting to you? Are you a professional man or woman with working experience? Do you wonder if becoming a Lay Missionary would fulfill one of your dreams in your life? If so, do not hesitate to contact:

The coordinators of APEAR

Mill Hill Missionaries

P.O. Box 2011 Kisumu, KENYA

 

Er is geen verschil tussen de doelstelling van de leden en van de associates.

Ons aller doelstelling wordt goed weergegeven in onze "MISSION STATEMENT" , DIE LUIDT:

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Mill Hill Missionarissen Mission Statement
Wij zijn een gemeenschap
van missionarissen
mannen en vrouwen uit verschillende werelddelen gelijkwaardig in een verscheidenheid
van talenten en taken.
Wij zijn geraakt door de Geest
die in ons roept:
"Abba, Vader"
om gemeenschappen te vormen
van onderlinge liefde.
Wij worden gezonden
over de grenzen heen
om kiemen te zijn
van hoop
waar alle hoop verloren is,
van verzoening
waar tweedracht heerst,
van vrijheid
waar mensen in verdrukking leven.
Wij zijn geroepen
zuurdeeg te zijn
in Gods Rijk
door onopgemerkt
onder mensen te werken
die aan de rand
van de maatschappij leven
en hun stem te zijn
met alle risico's van dien.
Omdat wij dit alles
niet alleen aankunnen,
hebben wij elkaar nodig
en willen we elkaar helpen
steeds weer
de juiste keuze te maken
Hierbij vertrouwen wij
op de voelbare aanwezigheid
van de Metgezel
die steeds met ons meetrekt
tot het einde toe
omdat Hij ons dat beloofd heeft.