Our Shared Mission
In the past few years, the relationship has grown between the Dioceses of Lodwar, Kenya, and Kalamazoo, Michigan. This follows a long relationship between Lodwar's former bishop, the Most Rev. Dominic Kimengich, and a benefactor from Kalamazoo, Mary Agnes McGrail.
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That relationship later included St. Joseph Parish (Kalamazoo); and trauma recovery work in Lodwar by Sharon Froom and Fr. Kenneth Schmidt, both of the Kalamazoo Diocese. Later, Kalamazoo’s Bishop Paul J. Bradley, Msgr. Michael Hazard (Vicar General), and Fr. John Peter, MSFS, made a pastoral visit to Lod war; and then Fr. Joseph Ekalimon, Lodwar’s Vicar General, spent his sabbatical in the Kalamazoo Diocese.
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More recently, a priest from the Kalamazoo Diocese, Fr. Bruno Okoli, has provided priestly ministry in the Diocese of Lodwar; and Fr. Albert Kemboi Tuitoek, a priest of Lodwar, serves in the Kalamazoo Diocese. Now the Diocese of Lodwar and the Diocese of Kalamazoo are led by the Most Rev. John Mbinda and the Most Rev. Edward Lohse. Both desire to preserve the sister diocese relationship. In 2018, a publication brought to the attention of the Kalamazoo presbyt erate the great financial difficulties experienced by the priests in the Lodwar Diocese.
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They responded by establishing a Priests Solidarity Fund, which makes financial resources available to the priests of Lodwar, who then determine how best to receive, distribute, and use these contri butions. In 2021 The Solidarity Fund of Lodwar-Kalamazoo was created as a non-profit corpora tion for the support of the Dio cese of Lodwar, its ministries and schools, as well as its clergy. Gifts to the Solidarity Fund qualify as tax deductible contributions.
Bringing Hope to Those in Need
The Diocese of Lodwar is located in Turkana County, Kenya. It is one of the poorest counties in that country, in which 65% of the Turkana people are nomadic pastoralists. The Diocese is also the site of the United Nations’ Kakuma camp, home for over 300,000 refugees, many of whom are fleeing wars in their homelands.
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The presence of the Church is helping in a very big way to change the minds and perceptions of the people of Lodwar towards the ways of peace. It is very clear that only when educated, evangelized, and imbued with Christian values will there be hope for the future and a lasting peace in their hearts, in their homes, and with their neighbors.
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To ensure that students get a quality education Bishop Dominic established two secondary schools in the diocese, one for boys and another for girls, managed privately by the Church. The goal is to set high standards so that these students will get the best education possible, enabling them to compete with other students in the country for the few vacancies available in colleges. A good moral education with discipline and performance standards gives them hope for the future. Improving standards can make a real impact and help create the nation’s leaders of tomorrow. Indeed, most of Kenya’s leaders have been educated in Catholic missionary schools.