By Irene Lamunu
Joe Citro grew up in Florida in the United States of America; he currently works with a consulting firm known as Greater Mission which raises funds for the Catholic Church in the United States of America. Joe lives in Baltimore Maryland and works with the Diocese of Linsaing in Michigan. His Mission is to make the world better than he found it. “I am just a man trying to make the world a better place,” commented Joe. Being a lay Missionary has never crossed his mind, though he says he needs to pray about it. His greatest fear in becoming a lay missionary is the fact that he has to leave his family for a long time. Although; if Joe had chosen to become a priest, it would have been a different story. During his infantry, Joe contends that he thought of becoming a priest, but he was sure that he needed to pray about it.
Once, he prayed about it and it did not work out, he definitely knew that it was not his calling. His calling would be when he was older enough although in a different field! This time it was in communication and advertising. After College, Joe had two job choices to make between advertising and a nonprofit making organisation and opted for the later. He was ready to let go of the company, which would make him rich by paying him good salary and he opted to make the world a better place by working in a nonprofit making organisation.
It has been Joe’s dream to visit Africa one day and do missionary work and also experience the culture on the continent. He added that he had always searched for a missionary group with which he would visit Africa until God answered his prayer early this year.
His father, Mr. Joe Citro met with Fr. Ruffino Ezama in Cincinnati in May 2017, and had a lengthy conversation in which Fr. Ruffino talked to him about the work; the Comboni Missionaries were doing in Uganda. When Mr. Citro went back home, he conversed with his son about the Comboni missionaries and their work in Uganda. Thus, Joe had gotten his chance to travel to Africa and fulfill his dream of doing Missionary work in Africa and also experience the culture.
He immediately got in touch with Fr. Ruffino who helped him make preparations for the visit. In July, Joe was in Uganda ready to get his hands dirty and to give help where he could and also fulfill his dream of making the world a better place. During his visit, Joe got a chance to learn about the culture and the people of Uganda. Joe also identified the areas in which he could help and is willing to come back to begin from where he left off. He would love to go back and work in Gulu and Matany where he got a chance to teach the students American history. He also promised that he will assist the Ugandan Province with financial support; the money is going to be his personal contribution to assist the province in their missionary work.
Impressed by the work of the Comboni Missionaries, Joe says he will be happy to share his story. He adds that he has been humbled by the work the Comboni Missionaries are doing with the people in Uganda, especially when one has to forego and make big sacrifices of leaving their family and friends and everything they know to make someone’s life better by giving them the opportunity to become a better person.
Joe said that he was inspired by the work of the Missionaries, the work they do and the fact that many of them will leave a lasting impact in the lives of the people they have worked with. Another thing that impressed him is the fact that they always find a solution to the big challenges they encounter.
Joe’s family background has a lot to do with the compassion he feels and has to make the world a better place; he says that he comes from an Italian and Peruvian family background, which is focused on giving and being positive. Joe added that in his life, he has learnt that it’s not what a person effects but rather whom one affects. He also learnt at a very young age that faith and family are very important; he said that he is a man who believes everybody has a purpose in the world. He also began at a young age to learn about the values of the church and to also re-enforce the purpose of being a person trying to do the right thing everyday. Joe affirms that he has tried to impact many people in many ways but the work the Missionaries do in Uganda has left him speechless.
Joe was introduced to the Missionaries at a young age, he attended Catholic Schools in his early childhood, and then he went to The Salesian Catholic High School in Florida before joining Florida Southern College where he studied Communication and advertising.
