Emmaus Walk

It is an event that was initiated in the 1990s by the SVD confreres in Nairobi,  involving the young people in the parishes that they were running those days, namely: Kayole,  Soweto and Ruai.

“Emmaus Walk” is an event that takes place every Monday after the Easter Sunday.  It is today a very famous term amongst the youth in all the dioceses where we the Divine Word missionaries work.

From Nairobi Archdiocese,  it spread first to Eldoret diocese before reaching the Archdiocese of Arusha in Tanzania.

This year the event was held in all the three dioceses.

In Arusha the youth walked from our Parish Elect in Morombo and ended in Burka Parish.  On the first section of the 8 Km stretch,  the youth walked in pairs sharing about the events of the resurrection.

In the second section they sensitized the community on the importance of caring for the environment by collecting plastic bags and bottles on the roadside, which they symbolically burnt in Olasiti parish, together with a chain made of papers and placards symbolizing the burning of the old-bad -habits and starting new life. Here too they read the first reading and the Psalm.  The mass had began in Morombo until Gloria.

Then they arrived at Burka Parish where the mass continued, read by the Archdiocese youth cordinator Fr.  Cyril Mollel.   After mass they shared a meal and then a volley match competition among the three parishes and one outstation. More than 200 young people participated.

In Eldoret,  the walk began at the Cathedral and ended in Kimumu SVD parish. In Nairobi they started in Mihang’o and finished in Kayole. According to Fr. Arata Sato, the Parish Priest of Langas Parish, the experience has been getting better every here. “In Eldoret”, he said, “the youths from the three SVD parishes are also joined by many students from the University of Eldoret and the Kenya Plytechnic.

We congratulates all the youth who participated in the Walk and the confreres who made it possible.  It has been a monumental witness to the risen Lord in all the places we passed.

Fr. Lawrence Muthee,  SVD