Josh Maiyo

Amsterdam Oct 6, 2008: Retired Archbishop Ndingi Mwana 'aNzeki is in the Netherlands for a two week private visit. The low key event is befitting of the humble and down-to-earth but larger than life figure that is the former head of the Catholic church in Kenya. He was here to visit with former Dutch Catholic missionaries who worked with him in the 80’s and 90’s when he was a little known priest in various parts of Kenya, but especially in the Nakuru diocese.

He is esteemed in the Netherlands as a fiery, principled and uncompromising champion of the poor. He is as well remembered for his role in the struggle for political pluralism, democracy and justice in the dark days of single party dictatorship in Kenya. As a champion of the poor, he received overwhelming support in form of financial assistance, volunteers, community workers and development workers from Mill Hill priests and brothers from a little village in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands.

On Sunday October 5, the sleepy one street catholic village of Noorden (North), of 1600 inhabitants, came to life with the sound of African drums, rhythmic music and songs in Kiswahili as the villagers sang and danced to celebrate a special mass, African style in St. Martinus church. In his homily, Archbishop Ndingi thanked the village for the support it gave him by paying his tuition fees while he was a young boy at the seminary in Tanzania.

Noorden is set in the midst of the Dutch ‘polder’ landscape. The only main street running through the village leads to the impressive 17th century neo-Gothic church building which is surrounded by horticultural green houses and meadows pointing to its agricultural character. The ties between the Village and East Africa go back almost a hundred years when the first Mill hill priests and brothers were sent out on mission with special focus on Kenya, working in Ukambani, Kericho and later Nakuru, Gilgil and Nairobi. In 1989, the NGO kaskazini was established to formalise the bond of friendship between the village and Kenya, borrowing the village’s name in Kiswahili for the project.

The Netherlands has seen declining church attendance in modern times with congregations becoming older and greyer and the whole concept of God and religion is increasingly derided as old fashioned. However, the Catholic congregation in Noorden strives to remain relevant both at home and abroad with a mission that religion and faith can be a force for good in society. A special church exhibition dedicated to the history of the congregation and its affiliation to Africa illustrates the strong ties between the devoted community of Noorden and their partners on the African continent.

As the blistering cold and driving rain that ushers in the wet autumn season pelted the lone road through the village and the canals threatened to burst their banks, the church bells tolled and the strong voice of a diminutive man from Africa rang through the all-white-congregation. Intertwined with the rhythmic beat of African drums, Ndingi offered special prayers for the displaced and uprooted IDP’s back home, victims of the 2007 post-election violence, asking for continued support for the marginalised in society. Another stark reminder that though highly regarded, Kenya still has some skeletons of injustice and neglect that still need to be cleaned up and buried so that according to Ndingi, we can let go of the past and forge a new brighter and better future for all mankind