Fr Nelson is a recently ordained Mill Hill Missionary from Kenya. During his time as a Seminarian, he experienced missionary life in Malaysia. He returned to Kenya to finish his priestly training and has now arrived back in Sarawak. But this time, it’s as a fully fledged Mill Hill Missionary Priest.
‘Selamat kembali Father’ (‘welcome back, Father’) is a phrase I’ve heard frequently since I landed in Sarawak, Malaysia, on 8 December 2023. Indeed, it feels good to be welcomed back to Sarawak, particularly to Miri diocese.
I first came to Miri diocese in 2019 as a Missionary Experience Program (MEP) student. I was sent to St Francis Xavier Parish in Belaga. After experiencing a very enriching time, I returned to Kenya in 2021 to complete my formation to priesthood. I was ordained on 23rd June 2023 in Cameroon, and then sent back to Miri Diocese for my first appointment as a Mill Hill Missionary Priest.
Prayers and support
The parishioners of St Francis Xavier in Belaga are overjoyed that their prayers for me to become a Priest have been answered. They supported me during my two years of experience with them and were hopeful I would someday return and serve them as a Priest. Though I have not returned to work with them in Belaga, they remain grateful to God for answering their prayers and for sending me back to Miri Diocese.
Currently, I am settling down in Holy Cross Parish in Sungai Asap as an Assistant Priest to Fr Joseph Ding (a Diocesan Priest). Sungai Asap is a remote parish comprising over 100 longhouses from different ethnic groups. The three main languages used are Bahasa Malaysian, Bahasa Iban and Kayan.
New horizons
At the moment, I can only speak Bahasa Malaysian, which is the national language. I remain hopeful that as time goes on, I will learn the other languages and immerse myself more into their culture.
I am happy to be in the midst of a very loving and supportive community. It is my hope to lovingly serve the people here in Sungai Asap as I begin my meaningful missionary journey as a Priest.
Jesus, I trust in you!
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