Saint Daniel Comboni

(Poem written in 2006)

Born in Limone Sul Garda, March 15th 1831
Northern Italy, overlooking the beautiful Lake Garda
Hash, the great man was born
Our Saint Daniel Comboni was born

Born of a gardener and a housewife
Held pen and pencil at Verona
And ...Guess what?
He was ordained a priest in Trento, Italy


Fizzing with ideas, the lone child of eight,
Wrote a plan for the Regeneration of Africa
Of Africa, Africa of mighty possibilities!
The potentialities of the African person

The story of love, of love galore
Coloured by the cross of patience
Patience that crawls like the creeping crawlies
That patience was in Khartoum.

Such love, such pure placated pleasing love
Africa as '...important in the whole of church's apostolate'
A swear of 'Africa or death'
Africa as 'the abandoned part of the Lord's Vineyard'.

Comboni of humanity, religion and hospitals
Comboni of colleges, magazines
How can one describe you?
Pearl of Africa? Study in love? Church icon?

 Evening of October 10th 1881 grieved us,
 Comboni met Abba Father, sadness made us supple
 Cheer without fear, we laugh through tears
 yes, laugh through tears

 Together with Governor General Rauf Pasha
 European Consuls, authorities, and christian community
 We cried
 Little knowing you were in our midst

We laugh to share the hope you lived
We laugh to share the energy of your resilience
We laugh for the relevance of your life
Inspire us, lead us, walk with us

C) Lorot Salem 2010