Women With Others--Part I

     So sometime in my Jesuit experience, the expression, "Men for others" was shared with me. I loved it, I felt it and I strived to live it. To me that what being a Man was, being the one who took care of others, protected others, listened to others. I just spent a week with 4 great men, Ken Kempf, John Kuehner, Tim Milford, and Craig Steenkamp there were other great men there also, but I have seen this quartet show me what it meant to be a Man for Others. I first saw "Men and Women for Others" in the Marquette Magazine. Of course, so logical especially when often women are better at it then men. Father Boyle encourages us to move past service into kinship. Move down that hallway of service, to the ballroom with all of the others.

    So over the years, I knew that there was a Jesuit school in Gulu, but I had never taken the time to see it. It is a 35 minute boda ride, down a few dirt roads, but obstacles like this can always be overcome with just a little bit of effort. So Kristine lined up a reliable boda and after some decimal equivalents with Isaac I was on my way to Ocer Jesuit Campion. Tony was a great boda driver and talked for the entire time. UNfortunately, he loved to talk with his hands which can be a wonderful, dynamic conversation tool but not for a guy driving you on a bumpy road. Uh-oh boda boda crash 8??? Incidentally, Tony described to me after I shared my fears all of the reasons I was not going to fall of his boda. we made it no problem,and in the middle of fields and rural green lushness rose this wonderful school. Ocer Jesuit Campion. I was looking for Melissa Hopfinger, former Nerinx Hall Marker, but asked the guard to take me to Father Tony's office.

   In I walked to Father Tony's office,  immediately I saw a Jesuit priest who welcomed me with heart of a man who regularly  welcomes lost souls into his office.  We talked about teaching and students and Gulu and then asked him his advice on one young student.  He was immediately working on the problem,  and was asking relevant questions about this young man.  He offered up advice from a veteran teacher who truly cared about each kid...so simple one child at a time.  He then brought in his assistant Jackie who also offered help, asked good questions, and I could definitely see was a great asset to Father Tony and the school.  Jackie escorted me down to look for my friend in the teachers' room, and that was the last of my conversation with Father Tony.  I will be disappointed if I do not work to have another talk with him.  

    I have kind of buried the lead here as are "Women with Others" have not even appeared in the story yet.  I am reading Neil Young's book each night, so I blame old Neil for my rambling style.  

    So when I first heard "Men for Others" It really was something I wanted to be.   To me that was the purpose of being a man.  Being there to watch over, protect, serve and help others.  I loved this bit of Jesuit Jingoism.  It was in Marquette Magazine that I first saw "Men and Women for Others"....of course 400 strong Biloxi women prove that to me every summer.  And then of course, Father Boyle challenges us to move past the "Men and Women for  Others" to "Men and Women with Others".   He challenges us to move down that hallway of service to the ballroom of kinship where we are standing together WITH PEOPLE.   I had this written last night and lost this paragraph,  but I remember thinking about Ken Kempf, John Kuehner, and Tim Milford.  Each of these three men in the own unique or "Popular" way was always thinking about others, helping others, and being with others.