Last fall we found ourselves in the midst of a spinal meningitis epidemic in the
Musoma Diocese of Tanzania, where I am working as a Maryknoll priest associate.
Some of our people died within the first 16 hours of the first symptoms.  Few
infected persons recovered.  I visited Ngarawani village, which was particularly
hard hit.  I went from home to home trying to comfort the sick and their
families. I had no great words
of wisdom.  I
simply knew I needed to be with them. I visited one elderly woman, who,
remarkably, was slowly recovering.  We prayed together.  Afterwards, she told
me, "God must love us a lot.  Fifteen people from our own village have been
invited to live with God in heaven."