A Jesuit priest from Medellin, Colombia went to the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DCR) in Central Africa to be a missionary. On
the plane to Africa he daydreamed about the millions of African people who were
just waiting for him to come and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. He
dreamed that he was really needed to convert and save the people of DCR. He
anticipated a big welcome at the Kinshasa Airport.

    Unfortunately the plane was
six hours late and only arrived at 1 a.m. The missionary priest found no one to
meet him and soon he was waiting alone in the International Arrivals area. Then
he spotted a white man in a cassock on the far side of the large room. He
recognized him as a Jesuit Brother from his own community.

    Rushing over, the priest exclaimed: "Oh, Brother, I’m so
happy to see you. I was worried that my letter wouldn’t arrive, and no one would
be here at the airport to meet me." The brother replied: "Oh, I haven’t come to
meet you. We never got your letter. I’ve come to collect a shipment of baby
chicks." Then the newly arrived priest said: "But you’ll give me a ride, won’t
you?"

    "That depends," said the Brother matter of factly. "After
I load all the chicks on my pickup truck, if there’s still room I’ll be glad to
give you a lift." The missionary priest thought to himself: "Here I’ve come
thousands of miles and my first challenge of evangelization in Africa is
chickens. I have come to help and save the African people. But now I am the one
who needs to be helped."