In this video, Brother Simon Wasike explains a disposition that attracted him to the Xaverian Brothers. Unlike many priests that he encountered, the Brothers were among the people, not distant, not separate. The Brothers didn’t seek status, but appeared to desire ordinary life lived in relationship with those in need of another person’s presence. Brother Simon recounts a story that demonstrates the willingness of the Brothers to challenge society’s darker side.
Transcript: “In my region, brotherhood is not a recognized very much. People, they only know priests. And they regard priests as their role model. So meeting the Brothers made me say, ‘how can I also challenge the society, in a positive way, as a brother, following the example, which I have seen them living in Bungoma.'”
“The was a certain Mama, who was working in the parish, the nearby parish as a catechist. But, unfortunately, [her] husband was affected by the scourge, the H.I.V. pandemic. And so, when they went for the testing, they discover that they were positive. So when the parish priest discovered that the Mama was positive they stopped visiting her, their house. You could send some people, to come to the place to give them sacrament, but the priest didn’t come. Now, when we [the Brothers] visited there, that woman very openly said, ‘You brothers are the people who are doing the real work. You can visit me in my condition. You can talk to me and I’m feeling happy. In fact, I’m feeling some healing within me, just by your presence.'”
“When Jesus…when they are blocking the sick man to reach Jesus, and Jesus says, ‘Let him come to me.’ You see, I’m looking at that as my life now.”