Cultivating Friendships

DENVILLE  The Holy Spirit was definitely at work on the campus of Morris Catholic High School and Assumption College for Sisters here. There, two people from two different continents and very different backgrounds forged a friendship from a chance meeting at Mass that has led to helping orphans and the blind in Catholic schools in Uganda.

A rising senior at Morris Catholic, Ben Duphiney always dreamed about going to Africa. When he was 10, he studied safari landscapes and the majestic culture of a continent more than 7,000 miles away.

A native of Uganda, Little Sister of St. Francis Mary Cecilia Akol is a third-year student at Assumption College for Sisters (ACS) here — one of the 20 resident international students at the college.

During the fall of 2015, the two met while attending a morning Mass at Morris Catholic. Soon Duphiney got to know all the international sisters — who hail from three different continents — who attend ACS. He invited them to the very American tradition of Thanksgiving at his home and again for Thanksgiving in 2016.

Always captivated with the idea of traveling to Africa, it was last fall when Duphiney, asked his parents if he could travel on a mission trip there. After weeks of research, he reached out to his religious sister friends at ACS and asked if they knew of a mission he could serve. Sister Mary Cecilia spoke with the superiors of her order and soon discovered he could spend a few weeks teaching at St. Ann Primary School in the Diocese of Soroti in Uganda. Duphiney’s parents were on board with the idea with Duphiney’s father, Gerard, traveling with him and Sister Mary Cecilia as “tour guide.”

“This is really is all God’s plan. It’s amazing how I met someone from Africa, which eventually led me to this journey heading to Uganda,” said Duphiney.

Sister Mary Cecilia said, “He is a young boy with some amazing ideas. I really feel it’s the Holy Spirit working in him. He’s not alone, the Holy Spirit is using him and I’m really grateful we met.”

After 30 hours of traveling from New Jersey to Uganda, Duphiney and his father along with Sister Mary Cecilia landed in Uganda. They arrived in Uganda carrying loads of school supplies for children at the order’s schools. The school supplies were collected by students of Morris Catholic High School and family and friends.

“We got there and immediately I felt this place is extremely different from America,” Duphiney said. “I didn’t blend in but soon after, I learned the people in Uganda are so welcoming, selfless and incredible.”

For the next two weeks, Duphiney constantly experienced that from all the people he met sharing his experiences on a daily blog. He was especially touched by the students at the all-girls school he served at that was run by the Little Sisters of St. Francis. While there, he taught English and spelling to the students. Close to 900 girls attend the school with 450 living at the school because they are either orphans or their parents are unable to take care of them. Even with such difficult realties, Duphiney said, “There was an overwhelming sense of love and joy that radiated out of these children. Witnessing this was one of the most amazing things that has ever happened to me. These children had no family but they were grateful to have a bed and three meals a day at the school. I was really touched. They were the happiest people that I have ever met.”

He observed how they wasted nothing. The girls were grateful for the small cup of porridge they received for breakfast. Before dinner, all 450 girls, who boarded there, prayed the rosary. There spirituality was continuous. On Sunday, Duphiney and his father attended Mass, which was two hours long. Duphiney shared on his blog, “The whole community and schools went to Mass this morning. It was from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Mass in Uganda is very different than Mass in the United States. For example, everyone sings all the verses to the songs…and then some. Everyone is relaxed and cheerful because Sunday is the Lord’s Day. No one is in a hurry. They also have announcements where they tell the community what is going on. Today there was an announcement for a wedding and the whole community (more that 500 people) was invited to the wedding and reception. Community is a way of life.”

Sadly, one of the most difficult experiences in Uganda for Duphiney was witnessing the conditions at St. Francis School for the Blind. He was saddened by the spartan living conditions, yet the children were the happiest he has ever met. They guided each other by holding hands. Duphiney and his father decided to use some of the monetary donations they received from the Morris Catholic community and family and friends to make extensive repairs and purchase furniture for the school. Donations were made were for benches for the primary school dining hall and uniforms for students.

During the trip, Gerard Duphiney led the establishment of ”Kevina Mission Possible” as a corporation in Soroti that will serve as a conduit for future donations coming from the United States. It’s named after Mama Kevina, a missionary sister from Ireland, who established the three schools of the Little Sisters of St. Francis in Soroti.

Even though the trip was only two weeks long, Duphiney and his father felt they accomplished a lot in the Ugandan town. The sisters of Sister Mary Cecilia’s order credited her for making this all happen.

Now that the Duphineys and Sister Mary Cecilia are back home, the Morris Catholic student and Assumption College student feel closer than ever.

Sister Mary Cecilia said, “He calls me his other sister. I pray for him that the Lord continues to bless him and grant that all his dreams come true.”

A friendship that was forged with the coming together of two schools, Sister of Christian Charity Joseph Spring, president of Assumption College for Sisters, said, “We thank God for the sisters here. These international sisters are a blessing and have really brought the world together.”

“The relationships that were created will last a lifetime,” Duphiney said. “Each child made an impact on our lives and we will cherish the time spent here. Uganda has become a second home for us, and we know that we are always welcome.”

[To read more of Ben Duphiney’s blog and see more photos, visit https://nationsofcompassion.wordpress.com.]