January 31st was a special day in Kivumu. We remembered a person for whom the vocational trade school and the technical high school are named, as Padri Vjeko Centre. Vjeko was killed in Kigali on the 31st of January 1998. For the occasion of the seventeenth anniversary of his death, we had a solemn Eucharistic celebration.

Those to whom Vjeko was most important were gathered there, namely, the students and teachers of the Centre that has his name, and many, many people from Kivumu. Guests from Burundi came for the occasion. Fra Florent brought along several priests who belong to the new congregation, Apostles of the Good Shepherd.

Fra Florent presided at the Eucharist. In his homily he spoke about Vjeko’s life. He talked about how Vjeko came to a foreign country at the age of 24. He had no family or friends here to support him. Addressing young people, he noted how Vjeko was especially concerned for the young people. Vjeko helped them by providing vocational training in order to have a better future. Fra Florent urged the youth to have Vjeko as their role model and to follow his example.

The Provincial of Apostles of Good Sheppard spoke at the end about something very important to the people of Rwanda. Vjeko was buried in the parish church in Kivumu. His body was not taken to his home country. Rwandans consider this a great sacrifice because they consider one’s remains as sacred.

Translated by Valerie Kae Ken