{"id":8129,"date":"2020-06-21T12:16:56","date_gmt":"2020-06-21T12:16:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.franciscansusa.dev\/franciscansusa.org\/?page_id=8129"},"modified":"2021-04-06T00:01:33","modified_gmt":"2021-04-06T00:01:33","slug":"zambia-province","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.franciscansusa.org\/de\/zambia-province\/","title":{"rendered":"Provinz Sambia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Zambian Province<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

Brother Tony ‘s Story<\/h4>\n

In 1965, Brother Tony Droll, OFM Conv. was living in Chaska, Minnesota, caring for 35 dairy cows at the Assumption Seminary Farm. But if he was going to fulfill a dream, his challenge was to sell the cows, then get clearance to go to Africa as a missionary.<\/p>\n

The dream quickly became reality, and Br. Tony moved to what\u00a0 was then known as Northern Rhodesia, and is today called Zambia,
\nbeginning a career of ministry that would span over 54 years.<\/p>\n

He developed a habit of writing letters, including observations of interesting detail that made the area come to life. When he first arrived, the letters were filled with descriptions of travel: roads of sand, dirt, even a cowpath! There were some paved roads but only in more populated areas.<\/p>\n

Br. Tony headed north and west from the settled area, into an area often called \u2018the Bush.\u2019 Each day traveling in the Bush is a long difficult journey over rough roads, over relatively few miles. Needless to say, such travel can be very hard on a vehicle, and shocks and springs can break, or lug nuts fall off causing the loss
\nof a wheel. These were the roads of the 1960s.<\/p>\n

All the while Br. Tony, ever observant, saw the poverty of the people. In letters he noted that the people were joyful, ever friendly\u00a0 and polite in their poverty. A woman could carry a baby on her back while balancing a heavy load on her head. Even though thin and apparently malnourished, people had the strength and determination to walk for miles. Children were unspoiled and polite, and curious. Even as he learned new languages, Br. Tony found a way of communicating: a language of the heart.
\nHe wrote that he kept in mind the reason he is there: \u201cfor their education, betterment of conditions, and sharing of the knowledge of Jesus Christ.\u201d A simple meditation is his reflection on his first Christmas in Africa, a setting with no decorations, lights, or ornaments\u2026only the poor Jesus, born, among the poor!<\/p>\n

His descriptions go on and on, from building the church at Our Lady of Consolation Mission, to the use of radio for communication, to the changing and challenges of each season, and many others. I invite you to read more about this wonder-filled story of God\u2019s Providence, the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit that led the Friars in their work. Br. Tony was just one of these Friars, but his stories include many others who dedicated their lives to the Franciscan work of building the Church.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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