In truth we know that all those who not only do recognize our Institute of the Missions but who also wish it good and help it wherever they can, will be happy to hear about it. So, this year we have though of telling you something about the departure and the arrival of our Brother Joseph for the Mission- field. And instead of our speaking, we will let him talk. " The kind God really loved me for without deserving it he gave me the grace of your sending me to the Missions; I had been asking him for it for seventeen years. Therefore I do thank Him first; them I thank you for deigning to grant me my wish. Yes, I was sad for parting from you all and especially from you personally after we had been together for seventeen years. I felt this grief greatly as I left the Institute. But only God knows the much greater pain I felt when it was time to be separated from you on the ship. After I left you I went down into the cabin and sang the "Te Deum" to thank God for the grace which he was pleased to give me. So I went on deck where suddenly I perceived the Fra Diego children together with two sisters on the bastions. I hailed them; they saw me and we greeted each other. At eleven at night I went to sleep and as soon as I laid on the bed after half an hour, I heard the propelory humming. I looked at the clock and found it was midnight. I popped my head out of the porthole to have a last glance at my mother-land, at my beloved ones, to give my last Farewell. I started to feel some melancholy welling up in me but the revolving properly at which I was looking filled me with courage. Exactly like a soldier during the war at the beats of the drum. I slept in that gentle breeze passing through the porthole. I slept so soundly that when the manservant came to set right my shoes I did not realize. So he called me to drink my coffee. When I saw the coffee, I thought in my heart of hearts to day I will behave like an animal. I will first fill my belly. Seeing this, I nearly could not drink it. As best as I could I performed my spiritual communion and I took the coffee. After I got dressed up I went on deck and found that I knew no one because I was the only Maltese. So I spent up to ten that morning thinking what could be done to befriend one of them." I went towards two arabs who were playing a game of draughts, Fetah and Hafis, those were their names. I waited until they finished the game and made a sign towards Fetah, because he won, to play a game with me. I was disheartened because I saw them looking too crossly at me. When I told him, he said to his friend Hafis let me play with the priest. We played somewhat and he could not keep ground against me. He turned towards his friends and told them the priest is wiser than I am, while he pointed his finger at his temple.

After the many games we played we removed the draughts and he asked me at once what was my religion. I promptly answered him that I am catholic. He also asked me some other questions and I answered him. Meanwhile, his friends came near me one by one. They said various things and I always answered them. But one of them stood gravely at the back corner of the room, he did not utter a word. I started to understand them quite well when they talked amongst themselves. As time passed, I understood them more; so much so that finally I started to repeat their words to show them that I was understanding them a lot! They suddenly told me How is it? Where you ever in the land of the arabs? I answered them no except that I was at Gabes when I was very young. So I asked them where did they live and they told me that they come from Cairo and they know my brother. One of them ruminated for a time; after some time he placed his finger upon his face; he turned towards them, he turned his finger around his face and told them but he resembles an arab; see, does not he resemble Hafis Nadin? Yes ! they all answered at once. Here they changed subject and asked me something about the doctrine. I answered them as best as I could and I was very careful not to fail them. They were so happy that the one who was at the corner stood up, moved towards me and told me,"listen priest; these do not know anything. This evening may we talk together? Would you like it if we meet at four? Yes, I told him.

He came at four and started to talk with me with an open heart saying: priest, I admire alot your religion. Good! I told him and patted him on his shoulder! and he continued a tell me so many such wonderful words that I wondered not a little. After much talk, I told him about communion and I explained the sweetness the christian feels. Before our leaving each other I told him when you arrive in Egypt find a priest and compel him to teach you well and then you will see which is the true religionOn Wednesday the weather was slightly bad and I felt a bit sea-sick. You should have seen them, these friends of mine! They were totally confused because they saw me sick. At noon I was slightly better and I slept. At half past four Muhtav came with another to see me in my cabin where I was still lying. Muhtav came to me and shook my hand. He kissed it and put it on his forhead. With his eyes in tears he said to me" Father how do you feel ?" He was pleased when I told him that I would soon go up to meet him. He quickly understood what I wanted to tell him, to talk together for some time about God. They said their good-byes, I got dressed and went upstairs and found him waiting for me. He spoke to me about Our Lady; so I availed myself of the occasion and explained to him how Mary Our Blessed Lady could not be stained like us with sin. He was so happy that he told me, pray to God for me because he hears you for you belong to him. I promptly said to him Muhtav when will we reach Port Said? Tomorrow he told me so tomorrow we will be separated and I will be alone, I told him, but it does not matter because God will be with me. Certainly he promptly answered me that God will be with you will not look for earthly things, but you will go to suffer for him and many, much more beautiful such words. I cannot explain to you all the beautiful words he says to me; otherwise two copybooks such as this one would not do. After supper we met again and with great sadness he told me that he is an Arab and that he is determined to become a Christian. .

I did my part and helped him as much as I could. I cannot explain to you what a wonderful man this Muhtav is and, the more I know him, the more I find him burning with God's love, like an angel. Such a kind heart and it is still in darkness! Pray for him - I hope that during this voyage, some good was performed to him. We reached Port-Said, we entered port and here all the Arabs we had with us disembarked. But not before they shook hands sadly with me, especially Muhtav because we will be separated from each other.

As soon as I found myself to be alone, I started to feel sad at first since those whom I had befriended had disembarked. But I encouraged myself and tried to make new friends. This time I discovered that they were Scots. We talked together and played a game of draughts. I nearly made friends with everybody; so much so that if one were to play ( an instrument ) he would come for me to listen; and if the other were to buy something he would come to show it to me.

We Spent a long time at Port-Said; we left again and I cannot here describe to you the beauty of the canal through which we passed. We spent from eleven at night to noon to go through. At one time you see the Arabs working with mules and with camels. Wherever you look, you see sand and beautiful trees. Along the canal there are machines, houses in the water and many other things.

When we went out, we felt slightly warm. In the red sea we met many ships. After a bit, the heat started to increase so much that we felt as if we were in an oven; and the more south we go , the more heat increases until we reached Aden, Where on the first night the heat was so intense that no one could sleep. And how can one sleep if we sweated so much that one could not bear a wet pillow under one's head. Here the Good Lord loved me for he made me meet three Maltese. I leave it to your imagination- how they received me. So much so that they not only found a good inn for me but they also did not want me to pay. To explain to you slightly the make up of this country, I may tell you that I imagined it to be the crib, just as we construct it .

The Voyage from Aden to Gibuti had nothing in common with that which I had travelled so far. I was overcome with such a giddiness that I lost all sense of time. We arrived and I disembarked at Gibuti and without knowing how, I found myself in an hotel where I stayed for two days until I thought of looking for the Capuchins. I found Friar Adolph together with about six black children. He received me well and felt very sad that I did not go to him at once. So I explained to him that that was my idea but I could not look for him before since I was giddy. I left the inn at once and went to him where I stayed until morning. The children were very pleased with me and they received me well.

He woke me up in the morning and we went towards the train for Dirre Dawa. What a sight near the train! What a throng! So much pushing! Friar Adolph did what he could for me. Not only did I not pay for the luggage; he also managed a reduction on my ticket. He escorted me up to the train, said our Good-Byes and were separated. As soon as we boarded the train and it was ready for departure we resembled people going to war. Disorder and uproar outside and inside, shouting, here and there. By God's help we left but soon it started to stop at every station. That means a small place with a few rooms wrapped in reeds and in stone alternately. When the train stops one always sees a gang of children, one of them shouts and the and the others answer him. The continue doing this until we depart. Very , very slowly , we started to get nearer; we suffered a bit but when one sees hills, or a large quantity of sheep, at one time camels, cows and all types of fowl one tends to forget a bit all the swerving of that train. In the evening we started feeling quite cold, not like Gibuti. Once in while lightning. Clouds started together and after some time, it started raining.

Finally we reached Dirre-Dawa. You must have seen the throng we saw, waiting for the train; everybody craning his neck to see who has arrived. The Arabs started to come in from the windows so that everybody would be the first to carry our luggage. Here I felt the greatest confusion for there were two lines of soldiers and one had to pass through them and open one's luggage for the customs check. They just rummaged through and threw things on the floor. When I saw this, I felt mad for I though what am I going to do because everything has been stowed with so much care, and what will happen to those bottles full of medicine I said in my heart of hearts surely he would not let me pass through. For I saw that he kept every bottle he found. I tried to break through but it was all in vain. So I though of sending for the Friar for I thought that these people have all the power , and it was so. Suddenly he came, made a sign at the customs-Officer and he said nothing. But when it was time to go out, the others prevented us. Since the Mission is free from customs, he turned towards the other, told him something and made a sign to let us pass. Then he took me to their house where I found a seventy -one year old man who knew how to talk in English and in Italian. Here I got on very well. I found four friars, a lay-brother and about fifteen boys. They possess a very good printing press and they also have some other trades. The friar guardian sent a letter to Friar Mizzi where he told him to send me a beast to depart from here. I hope that this last journey will be very pleasant for me because I yearn to arrive.

In this Dirre Dawa Mission one is especially pleased in the Chapel for their devotion and seriousness, although Somalis. It is quite full, about six hundred became catholics, and they are really Christian.

Until I was there, they brought in a dead man. They put him on the floor near the main door where the Guardian with three altarboys waiting for him blessed him. Then they carried him inside near the presbytery and they put him on a piece of cloth on the floor, they put some flowers over him and four candles around him. The Friar said (the prayers) he had to say and they carried him to the cemetery. There was quite a crowd following him. There we found a hole prepared in the sand. He was handed to a man who had went down before and placed him in the right way. The Friar took the spade and started to throw dust. Al the others did like him until they made a heap relative to ground level. They put some stones on this heap and we went out.

Meanwhile I found that Friar Ang. Mizzi had come to greet me and told me that the Bishop Msgr.A. Jarosseau himself had sent him to accompany me to Harrar.

When Frair Mizzi said mass on the day we had to leave, I found that three mules were prepared for us. One was for Friar Ang., one for me and the other for the five youths who were to accompany us. I was the first one to ride and because of the soutane I was not quick enough to jump on the beast. The mule became unruly and I fell on my face. But it does not matter; I hurt slightly my face and also my eye just swelled. By God's help, we departed. What a joy in that wood! So many different types of bird and tree. There are no streets; paths wherever we go. At times we go down a valley, at other times we go up a hill; and these mules never fall although they pass through stones and obstacles God bless them. After about six hours we reached Voudelle and here we found the Bethlehem grotto: a refectory with some beds made of earth against the wall, a church with a metal roof and a round room separated in two with a roof made of reeds. These are the cells. In the evening, people started coming for confessions- here one could see the gentleness of the Missionary. After he confessed the rest with complete patience in the morning, he sung mass, because that is the way they are used on Sunday. The singing is executed by these people themselves. The Gospel was read in gallic and in the middle of the mass, everybody came forward to receive communion. Here I was very much please by their goodness and accuracy in the church.

The route we had to follow from Voudelle early next morning was very bad but the mules walk well on it. At that time it was very cold and although it is July, it is as if we were in the month of December. The dew was so thick that we could hardly see one another.

During this voyage we met an old Christian who performed much good; so much so that he possesses three decorations from the Pope, from the king and from the Governor. This is one of the last fruits of Cardinal Massaja. He was in bed; when he saw us he shook hands with us, he called his children and asked them to bring us something. They gave us coffee and some time later they brought us canary-grass bread. It resembles a round serviette; very thin, like wafers; eggs and beer. They themselves prepare them. We mounted again and started travelling; it was cold and dewy all the time. After some time, the sun appeared and so we could enjoy the countryside and many birds; amongst them wild ducks and woodcocks. At about half past one we arrived at Harrar. We entered a gate resembling the one at Imdina. But this one is made of soil and small stones; the interior building is also in this manner. There is also a market place the shouting there was indescribable and what diversity of clothes! Quite often, streets have steps but these are different from those in our country: one stone near another. Here large stones and small stones are mixed, it is only at the extremities of the step and not set with some lime or cement, it has no support and the rest of the step is just earth. We entered the seminary. Here we were very well received by the Bishop and the friars. This is such a good-natured bishop; while we where there, he was pleased with us all the time. We felt warmer after we ate something and we departed for the last voyage.

We did not take long to arrive at Sofi, the region of our Mission. Here we were received by a very kind hearted Mexican Friar, he also had children with him. After we greeted each other, I hurriedly entered the Chapel to thank God and I sang the Te Deum.

As soon as he arrived, Brother Joseph gave himself completely for what he longed for such a long time. This is in fact what the Vice Prefect Friar Mizzi writes to us about him, just after a month since his arrival: " Brother Joseph was studying the languages and meanwhile performes as a nurse, as a dentist and he is preparing himself and makes us hope that he will be a good catechist. Even at present he is taking care of three catechumens and he is teaching them prayers in Gallic " that is in their own language.

" The Maltese bears both the hot weather of Africa and the snow of America. He is not affected by failure or by success; he can live a very frugal life; he is faithful and persevering in what is good; he knows how to offer himself and persevere until his final breath for the good of souls. With the little wealth that luck gives him he knows how to advance slowly and overcome all obstacles".

Father Mizzi - Malta Missionary

St.John Chrysostom