Fr. Martin ALI KEKE NDEMSOU
Fr Martin ALI KEKE NDEMSOU is my name. I was born in Chad in a Christian family. Being born in a Christian family opened for me the way to become a catholic priest. I have four brothers and six sisters. Regarding my Xaverian missionary vocation, I felt it initially when I was in a minor seminary. Then, I expressed this desire to Father Fernando Garcia, a Xaverian missionary. After my baccalaureate, he began to accompany me along the Xaverian life. Meanwhile, I was engaged in a secondary school as a French teacher. I taught this subject for one year.
After this year of teaching with spiritual accompaniment, I was ready to start the first year of formation called (PAF) in Douala (Cameroon). It was, for me, a very good experience. In fact, some people from Douala did not know that there are Christians in Chad, too. For them, Chad is just a Muslim country. My contact with them helped them to learn something new about the Chadian people. They learned from me that Chad is a secular country where Christians and Muslims live together in peace.
Then, I went to Bafoussam (Cameroon) to study philosophy. There, I spent three years, then I was sent to the year of novitiate in Kinshasa (Congo). At the end of Novitiate, I made my first religious profession; afterwatds I was sent to Yaoundé (Cameroon) to study theology. The theology course lasted four years.
At the end of this course, as I was given the choice of a mission, I opted either for Thailand or Indonesia. But the General Direction assigned me to Sierra Leone. I did not argue. In preparation for that, after my ordination in my country on October 19th, 2013, I went to the USA to study English. It was a great experience. Indeed, I studied English at Framingham University States. There, I enjoyed diversity because students came from different countries: China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Thailand, to name but a few. Therefore, I found at FSU a kind of fulfillment of our Founder, St Guido M. Conforti’s dream: to “Make of the World One Family.”
Finally, I arrived in Sierra Leone on June 04, 2015. I was warmly welcomed at the airport by Frs. Carlo (the Regional Superior) and Patrick. That gave me a taste of the Xaverian family spirit. I am happy to be in Sierra Leone which is, for me, a small beautiful country. My first impression is great. I noticed that Sierra Leonean people are joyful and welcoming, in spite of poverty and difficulties. I am going to share with them the Good News of Jesus Christ which is all about love, hope and joy.
Fr Martin ALI KEKE NDEMSOU is my name. I was born in Chad in a Christian family. Being born in a Christian family opened for me the way to become a catholic priest. I have four brothers and six sisters. Regarding my Xaverian missionary vocation, I felt it initially when I was in a minor seminary. Then, I expressed this desire to Father Fernando Garcia, a Xaverian missionary. After my baccalaureate, he began to accompany me along the Xaverian life. Meanwhile, I was engaged in a secondary school as a French teacher. I taught this subject for one year.
After this year of teaching with spiritual accompaniment, I was ready to start the first year of formation called (PAF) in Douala (Cameroon). It was, for me, a very good experience. In fact, some people from Douala did not know that there are Christians in Chad, too. For them, Chad is just a Muslim country. My contact with them helped them to learn something new about the Chadian people. They learned from me that Chad is a secular country where Christians and Muslims live together in peace.
Then, I went to Bafoussam (Cameroon) to study philosophy. There, I spent three years, then I was sent to the year of novitiate in Kinshasa (Congo). At the end of Novitiate, I made my first religious profession; afterwatds I was sent to Yaoundé (Cameroon) to study theology. The theology course lasted four years.
At the end of this course, as I was given the choice of a mission, I opted either for Thailand or Indonesia. But the General Direction assigned me to Sierra Leone. I did not argue. In preparation for that, after my ordination in my country on October 19th, 2013, I went to the USA to study English. It was a great experience. Indeed, I studied English at Framingham University States. There, I enjoyed diversity because students came from different countries: China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Thailand, to name but a few. Therefore, I found at FSU a kind of fulfillment of our Founder, St Guido M. Conforti’s dream: to “Make of the World One Family.”
Finally, I arrived in Sierra Leone on June 04, 2015. I was warmly welcomed at the airport by Frs. Carlo (the Regional Superior) and Patrick. That gave me a taste of the Xaverian family spirit. I am happy to be in Sierra Leone which is, for me, a small beautiful country. My first impression is great. I noticed that Sierra Leonean people are joyful and welcoming, in spite of poverty and difficulties. I am going to share with them the Good News of Jesus Christ which is all about love, hope and joy.