MY STORY
My name is Father Emmanuel Fale…
I grew up in a little homestead house with my parents who had little or no income. The nature of the house can tell you the conditions we lived in. The house was thatched with grass, and we all put mats on the floor for our beds.
My two older sisters did not get the chance to get any former education. My older brother struggled through primary school up to primary 7, and that was it for him. All this was because my parents lacked the ability to pay tuition fees. I noticed that ignorance was the worst form of poverty. From the day I took the decision to go to school, with or without, with or without parental permission, and basically without any school requirements, I knew that things were not going to be the same for me again.
I went to school at the age of eight, and today, I imagine what children at eight years old have attained in the field of education. However, through God’s grace, I went through primary one to primary seven. In 1985, at the age of 15, I went to secondary school and continued in High school in Bishop Rogan College, Small Soppo, Buea, Cameroon. My class was the first batch to go through the propationary year or the spiritual year at the Vianney Center in Njinikom – a year of discernment to the priesthood in 1993. In September of that same year, I proceeded to the Saint Thomas Aquinas’ Major Seminary (College), Bambui, Bamenda, Northwest Region of Cameroon. There, I studied Philosophy (1993-1996) and Theology (1997-2001), obtaining two bachelor degrees in Philosophy and Theology respectively. These studies were punctuated with a year of pastoral experience (September 1996 – July 1997) at the Saint Theresia’s Cathedral, Garoua, North of Cameroon.
While in the Secondary and High School, I stayed back in school in school during Christmas, Easter, and part of the Summer Vacations to work manually in the school farm to earn money for school fees. My parents, on their part, did all they could to support me with meagre sum they could make from selling crops for their subsistent agricultural products. When I went home, I would help my parents to sell some of the crops, walking eight hours one way once each week to the market to sell the farm products. Within these years, I could experience the propelling hand of God, urging me forward, and granting me the grace of perseverence and resilience in all I could do.
It was a dream come true, and at the same time, a moment of wonder at the mysterious ways God works, when on April 19, 2001, I was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Church for the diocese of Kumbo. I saw and still see my ordination as a gift from God for the service of mankind. Coming from a very humble background, and having no resources, I praise God for the wonderful men and women like you, whom I have come across in the course of my ministry, who support me in all that I do. Thank you!
It was not my effort that brought me this far, but the efforts of so many people along my path. I am grateful to my parents: mama Julita Jeh (RIP – April 28, 2019) and Papa Damian Tulah Lon, who sacrificed all they could to get me through my years in school. I am grateful to my primary, secondary, and High school teachers, my teachers in college (STAMS, Bambui). I remain indebted to the Catholic Chrisitan community of Nkanchi and other denominations, who supported me in one way or the other through the most difficult years in my education.
On August 28, 2010, my Bishop, Mgr. George Nkuo, asked me to further my education. I came to the United States of America and began another phase in education at Saint Mary’s Seminary and University, Baltimore, Maryland where I obtained a Licentiate in Sacred Theology on May 10, 2012. For immigration purposes, I went to Montgomery Community College, Takoma Park, Silver Spring (July 2012 – 2013), and studied Business Administration, but could not finish with a degree because I got admission at the Catholic University of America (CUA) to continue with a doctoral program. When I could not continue at CUA due to circumstances beyond my control, I went back to Montgomery Community College to continue studying Business Administration while seeking admission elsewhere. I finally got admission at the International Marian Research Institute (IMRI) at the University of Dayton, OHIO on October 8, 2015. On August 9, 2021, the degree of Doctor of Sacred Theology was conferred on me and on December 18, 2021, I graduated. All praise to God who makes the impossible possible.
Since I became a priest, even though still pursuing higher education, my story was no longer my story, but one of the larger Kumbo community. My ministry has been that of teaching and administration in schools, and pastoral work which I cherish so much. I met children in the remotest villages in the diocese of Kumbo with ages 7, 8, 9, 10 etc and most of them have never been to school. I have helped and still want to help through your support. In the diocese of Kumbo, the fees in Kindergarten and primary school is $200.00 a year, and this includes tuition, some books, and uniforms. In the secondary and High school, the fees range from $600.00 to $850 per year, depending on the school, and this also includes tuition, boarding, examination fees, some books.
The school fees go to help specific individuals, but there are various community needs as well. The people in Kumbo diocese in general, and those of Nkanchi village (Fr. Emmanuel’s village), in particular, do farming for a living. In Nkanchi village, three quarters of the people farm on the other side of a river (River Kimeh). This river gets flooded often during the raining season, and to go across it, the people would build a hanging bridge with ropes and bamboos. They would carry their crops across the bridge and walk two to three hours each way to and from the farm. Thus, building a bridge across that river is one of my community needs. With a safe, permanent bridge built, about 600 to 1000 people would be served as they would be able to hire vehicles for easy transportation of their farm products.
My pastoral ministry also embodies teaching the Catholic faith, and growing it. The people of Nkanchi village are in need of a bigger Church. The old Church is small and on Sundays, people can be seen standing on the isles. The new Church will contain about 650 people. The plan for this church was drawn, and constructions have begun around the plot for the new Church. On November 27, 2021, Father Emmanuel Fale and Collins Ambe, the architect, went to Nkanchi and met a happy group of people waiting for the Church project to begin. The project began with the measurement of the plot, and the enthusiastic crowd of people were there to help with the work at the direction of the architect. All protocols, such as consulting with the diocese and the priest in charge of projects, are respected. Most especially, we are respecting the intentions of the donors to carry out this project to a successful end.
While pursuing my studies in the US and carrying out the pastoral ministry, you and the people of Cameroon and elsewhere in the world have supported me wholehearted in helping me to help others. You are all my encouragement in this venture, and I sincerely thank you for your generosity. You have donated through personal gifts to me or through the 501c3 fund for the Diocese of Kumbo for tax purposes. The Knights of Columbus, Council 500, and the parishioners of the Region 7 Churches in Dayton, the parishioners of Saint Mary of the Assumption Church have donated generously in support of my projects and help to the community. The Parishioners of Saint Benedict the Moor, Saint Mary in Downtown Dayton, Saint Augustine in Germantown, and the parishioners of Our Lady of Grace, Corpus Christi and Queen of Martyrs Churches have donated generously to help with the projects. Thank you.
As a continuation with this support, Dale Nieberding contacted the Dayton Foundation. On Monday, December 20, 2021. Dale Nieberding, Father Emmanuel Fale, and Dave Norckauer met at the Dayton Foundation premises with two officials from the Foundation: Joe and Victoria to open an account for Fr. Emmanuel. The account was opened for KumboKids and Community on December 21, 2021. This website was born today, December 30, 2021 through the effort of Jack Reybold, my contact person in the USA. May the good Lord continue to bless and reward all the players who are supporting the kids and community of Kumbo as they move toward the attainment of their goals and dreams. Once more, thank you all for your support.
– Fr. Emmanuel Fale