Rise and Shine

Perfect your talent

It is not difficult to agree that everyone was born with at least one talent. What separates us from those that excel in their talents is failure to either discover or perfect our talents. Today, we will discuss the importance of optimising and perfecting your talent. We will use an example of a young man that I recently came across, shinning with his newly discovered talent.

Last month, we had the feast of St. Patrick, a missionary priest that had big impact on Ireland and became a bishop there and is considered the Patron Saint of the Republic of Ireland. For me and all other current and former students of St. Patrick’s Seminary in Rumphi, St. Patrick’s Day is the biggest highlight of our personal linkage with that humble but impactful institution. On March 17 of every year, several alumni of the seminary go to the seminary and join the students in a High Mass celebrated by one of the two Bishops that the seminary has produced–either Bishop Joseph Zuza of Mzuzu Diocese or Bishop Martin Mtumbuka of Karonga Diocese, primarily because the seminary serves both dioceses.

After the mass, there are meetings between the Bishop and all stakeholders separately, including current students, former students and staff. At mid-day, there is a luncheon whose main dish is pork–a trademark dish for all seminaries in Malawi and possibly beyond. Following the luncheon, there are cultural activities in the recreation h

all where current students entertain all delegates with traditional dances, poems and drama. The day ends with sporting games between former students and current students, starting with basketball, volleyball and then finally football. Typically, the students win in basketball while alumni dominate in volleyball. In football, it is typically balanced, largely because of the fitness and skill of two priests who are also proud alumni of the seminary and help boost the rather weakened legs of the rest of the alumni. Frs. Mark Mkandawire and Tony Mfune command the middle field and attacking forces with the vitality that even exceeds that of multiples of teenagers combined.

I have been joining the group of alumni that annually visit the seminary in March for some four years now. There was one thing very spectacular this year–something I have not seen in the four years and something I did not experience during my four-year stay there in the early 1990s. It was the skill, talent and performance of the young choirmaster. Everyone in the Chapel enjoyed the mass thoroughly because the choir sang so well and they made us all sing along and in the process, they created an environment where everyone could connect with their Spiritual Highness.

At the centre of this special atmosphere was the form two student Stephano Ziba from Mzuzu. Stephano was in full command of the two-hour service, leading us all from start to the end, synchronising very well with the main celebrant Bishop Zuza. That the Chapel had many people and with some 50 or more old alumni had no impact on and created no tense for the 13-year-old student. Instead, the importance of the day made the young man shine. One of the attributes that made Stephano stand apart was his multi-tasking skill. He was conducting the choir with his white gloves in the palms while at the same time leading in the songs. And he did this without looking at the hymn book–he memorised all the verses for all the songs for the two-hour long mass! And made no mistake at all!

At the end of the mass, all the alumni were in awe–impressed with the special talent that the young Stephano Ziba displayed on the day. I went to him to thank him with a small present and to understand his journey. He told me that he had practiced with his colleagues for six weeks for this big day. I talked to one of the priests at the seminary and he said of Stephano: “He has discovered and perfected his talent.” Whatever the talent you have, work hard to perfect it like Stephano, then you too will rise and shine. Good luck!

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