‘YOUR LIFE

KENYA
‘YOUR LIFE
IS A GIFT FROM GOD’
“When I attended St. Justino Secondary School in Umoya, a school run by the Brothers CMM, I felt the
desire growing in me to also become a brother. I was attracted to a life aimed to being of service to others,
to having a bond of love with them, and sharing what we have with people in need.” Speaking is Brother
Zaccheaus Odongo Atieno, from our community in Sigona, Kenya. As brother and teacher, he returned to his
‘old’ secondary school. A man with a clear message for young people. ‘Brothers CMM’ lets him speak.
“After I completed my initial formation as a religious
brother in Nakuru and Sigona, I was transferred to
the community in Umoja. I went there to teach at St.
Justino and spoke to the students about the questions
of life. In the highest classes I encouraged them
to take their studies seriously with an eye towards
the coming exams. I strongly emphasized that they
should be thinking positively about themselves. Most
importantly I tried to make clear the big difference
between ‘school’ and ‘life’. In school you are given a
lesson followed by a test. In ‘real life’ you are tested
so you will learn a lesson.”
Photo left: Brother
Zaccheaus Odongo
Atieno. Photo below:
Brothers of the Summer
School Spirituality (see
pages 12–16) visiting
St. Justino.
“If you go out and want to enjoy yourself, I explained
to them, then don’t forget that your life is a gift from
God and what you do with this gift is offered to God.
Honour all the good Christian values that you learned
at St. Justino. Invite God into your life so that you
will be able to develop these values, and to really live
them in your life so that they will help you to behave
in a socially acceptable manner. Teach yourself to
reflect on this every day. Approach others with
respect and love the truth. This also implies that you
say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ at the right time, and allow others to
do the same. Try to build good relations with others.
Self-discipline, critical thinking, creativity and being
true to yourself, are a few examples of the attitudes
that you as adolescents must develop to live in the
right way and to see your dreams come true. What
really counts in life is not how long you stay alive,
but that you can make your own your life, which is
a gift fróm God, into a gift tó God.
Brother Zaccheaus Odongo Atieno
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in memoriam
BROTHER
LAMBERTUS (E.M.) BERKERS
BROTHER
JOHANNES GEINAMSEB
He was born in Deurne on March 14, 1939 and
entered the Congregation of the Brothers of Our Lady,
Mother of Mercy in Tilburg on August 29, 1957. He
made his profession for life on August 15, 1963. He
passed away on June 10, 2012 at St. Elisabeth Hospital
in Tilburg and was buried at the brothers’ cemetery at
the Estate Steenwijk, in Vught, The Netherlands.
Born in Deurne, he came in contact with the brothers
who took care of elementary education. He wanted
to be a brother too and went to Goirle and later
to Tilburg for religious formation and to study
typography. He worked at Publishing House Zwijsen.
In 1967 Brother Lambertus was asked to start working
at Scherpenheuvel in Willemstad, Curaçao. Three years
later he was needed at Publishing House Leo Victor in
Paramaribo, Surinam. For many years he was director
of this business. In addition he performed secretarial
work for the Holy Family parish in Paramaribo, for
the diocese of Paramaribo and for the Christoforus
Foundation. He held positions in the board of several
communities, was bursar of the Region Surinam and
from 1996 to 2012, Regional Superior. In mid-March
2012, after 110 years, the presence of the brothers in
Surinam came to an end. Barely repatriated, Brother
Lambertus had to travel the road of physical suffering.
He walked that road bravely and with full acceptance,
surrounded by fellow-brothers, associates and family
members. In his suffering he could gratefully say:
“I have had a good life.” Now we grant him the
‘Good Life’, that knows no end.
He was born in Aminuis, Namibia, on December 25,
1991 and entered the Congregation of the Brothers of
Our Lady, Mother of Mercy in Tilburg on May 1, 2012.
He passed away on June 16, 2012 at ‘Mater Hospital’
in Nairobi, Kenya and was buried at the mission
cemetery in Döbra, Namibia.
Johannes was raised in a Catholic family in Aminuis,
Namibia. From his parents he learned to focus his
attention on his fellow man and on God. He loved
his parents and his large family. He became quickly
aware of the needs of his people and after finishing
his secondary education he went to work for the
government as a literacy promoter for older people.
While doing this work his personal vocation grew.
Johannes started as a postulant in Windhoek, Namibia.
On January 16, 2012 he left with five other candidates
for Kenya. There he finished his postulancy in Nakuru
and was admitted on May 1 to the novitiate of
the Brothers CMM in Sigona. He wanted to teach
disadvantaged children. On June 16, 2012, completely
unexpected, his young life came to an end. His Creator
called him home and all that remains for us, family
and fellow-brothers, is to accept this cross. As people
of faith, we ask for the intercession of Mother Mary
that she will take Brother Johannes to the Creator of
heaven and earth, to Him who is called the Merciful
One. May Brother Johannes, in his close relation with
the Almighty be for all of us an intercessor, especially
for the call and mission of the Brothers CMM
in Namibia.
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