Trudon Mukoko

Celebrating the life of our “Dad” Trudon Mukoko Dibwe

Born in Bakime, a corner of present-day Sankuru Province, the Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo, on August 4, 1928, from Dibwe-a-Sambi and Kikudi Lusuna. Papa Trudon, affectionately called “Baba”, meaning “daddy” in Swahili, begins his journey back to eternity, this January 14, 2022, at 9:00 p.m. Washington DC time, surrounded by his loved ones.

At age 20, he met a young and beautiful 13-year-old girl, called Antoinette Ebondo who became his sole companion for the rest of his life. Together they had a blessing of ten children to include six daughters and four sons. From this seed, the harvest is plentiful. We count today sixty-five grandchildren and eighty-nine great-great-grandchildren.

In September of 1950, he left his village for the city of Lubumbashi, the second-largest city in the DRC, and in 1961, he received his baptism in Lubumbashi cathedral.  During the same year, he joined a catholic group or the Jaama Apostolate M’takatifu (Libota lisantu, or the Holy Family), initiated by the Reverend Placide Tempels (a Belgian Franciscan missionary), who envisioned the idea of a family as the basic unit for any society; inspired by the model of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus’ life.

Miraculously, Trudon who had just joined the group and had not finished the initiation phase of the Jaama Apostolate, and while he was still in the second stage of the four recommended levels, found himself in the fourth stage of the teaching.  This was due in part to the fact that Reverend Tempels was suddenly called back to Belgium and he needed to bestow all the movement’s teachings to his brightest and trusted leaders prior to his departure.  It was crucial that the few that he selected be ready to assume the task of watching over others before his expulsion from the DRC.  Trudon Mukoko found himself among the elders of the chosen four and Trudon would be the last of the chosen elders, and automatically, received the last blessing. Very early on, Trudon embarked on this adventure, where only God knows how many souls he had saved and how many souls he enlisted for his Kingdom.

In addition to his devotion to God, Trudon worked at the Ministry of Defence, as a Civilian Staff, he also worked at the Gécamines and at Saint Cyprien parish, where he became a Deacon and flourished in his field of the apostolate, spreading the word of God. Thereafter, it is through towns and cities that he extended his evangelization mission. The apostolate gospel didn’t always go smoothly. Here are some illustrations:

On the eve of the DRC’s independence, a civil war ensued and tribal unrest emanated from tribes fighting rival tribes in the Katanga region.  Trudon and his family were not spared from prosecution.  Those in the Region who did not want his religious teaching find a reason to arrest and condemn him to a death sentence. God almighty himself, miraculously saved him from certain death at the hands of the rival tribe.

After an impossible escape back to his native village, he continued to spread the gospel of God and the message was well received by the villagers; on the other hand, the Sorcerers and witch doctors of the villages were not so happy with the conversion of their subjects to Jaama. This was a threat to their empires, and to add insult to injury, certain Church authorities and detractors of the work of Reverend Tempels could not accept that his work had a far reach and survived, after his expulsion. Nevertheless, God’s power was guiding Trudon’s work.

Later on, he would leave the DRC for the USA seeking medical care for his dear Mama Antoinette. They will go on to live among us for thirty-three blissful years.  Mama Antoinette preceded Baba Trudon in death nine months ago. They were married for seventy-three years. We want to remember as a couple, they did not miss a single opportunity to talk about Jesus and the Holy Family in everyone they met. They were actively engaged in the Church volunteer work at Saint Jerome in Hyattsville, Maryland which remembers him today.  Baba Trudon Mukoko, we celebrate your life and we pay our respect.  Most of all, we say thank you to God for his life well devoted to the service and the proclamation of the gospel of God.  Amen.

Célébration de la vie de papa Trudon Mukoko Dibwe

Né à Bakime, un coin de l’actuelle province du Sankuru, en République démocratique du Congo, le 4 aout 1928, de Dibwe a Sambi et de Kikudi Lusuna, Papa Trudon, affectueusement appelé Baba, C’est à dire “papa” en Swahili, amorce son voyage de retour vers l’éternité, ce 13 janvier 2022 à 21h00 heure de Washington DC, sous le regard admiratif des siens, qui
l’entouraient. A 20 ans, il fait la rencontre d’une jeune et ravissante fille de 13 ans, nommée Antoinette Ebondo qui devint l’unique compagne de sa vie et avec qui, ils auront une bénédiction de 10 enfants dont 4 garçons et 6 filles. Et de cette semence, la moisson est abondante, nous pouvons compter, aujourd’hui 65 petit fils et 89 arrière-petit fils.

En septembre 1950, il quitte son village pour le Katanga. En 1961, Il reçoit son baptême dans la cathédrale de Lubumbashi. et la même année, il fait la rencontre d’avec le Mouvement ou l’Apostolat Jaama M’takatifu (Libota lisantu, La Sainte Famille), initiée par le Révérend Placide Tempels (missionnaire Franciscain Belge), qui voulait que la Famille comme cellule de base pour toute société, s’inspire du modèle de vie de Joseph, Marie et Jésus. Comme par miracle, lui qui venait d’adhérer au groupe et n’ayant pas fini son initiation, alors qu’il était encore à la seconde étape sur les 4 préconisées, la dernière nuit ou Tempels consacrait au 4e niveau d’initiation ceux a qui il devait laisser la charge de veiller sur les autres, peu avant son expulsion de la RDC, Trudon Mukoko se retrouve parmi les anciens de la 4 et il serait le dernier des élus, et automatiquement, reçoit la dernière bénédiction. Très tôt, il s’engage dans cette aventure ou seul Dieu sait combien d’âmes ont été enrôlées pour son Royaume.

Le ministère de la défense, où il travaillait comme Personnel Civil, la Gécamines et la paroisse saint Cyprien, deviennent son champ d’apostolat pour annoncer cette bonne Nouvelle de Dieu. Par la suite, c’est à travers villes et cités qu’il étend sa mission évangélisatrice. Cet apostolat ne se fait pas sans heurts. En voila quelques illustrations:
La veille de l’independence, un mouvement de la chasse aux non originaires dans le Katanga ne l’épargne pas sa famille et lui de la part des originaires qui ne voulaient pas de ses enseignements. Seul Dieu pouvait faire certaines choses pour l’en épargner de la manière dont il s’en était sortie. Et dans leurs cachettes et fuites, le message était répandu. Les
sorciers et les féticheurs des villages qui voyaient en la conversion de leurs membres la chutes de leurs empires ne pouvaient que se mordre les doigts. Certaines autorités de l’Eglise, détracteurs de l’œuvre de Tempels ne pouvaient pas non plus accepter que son œuvre survive, après son expulsion. Mais hélas, Dieu était toujours derrière son œuvre. Il quitte la RDC pour les USA afin d’accompagner sa chère Mama Antoinette aux soins médicaux, Elle, qui a précédé son cher Baba Trudon, voici déjà 9 mois. Et 30 ans durant, jusqu’à l’épuisement de leurs forces physiques, ils ne rataient pas une seule occasion de parler de Jésus et de la sainte Famille à chaque rencontre humaine. Ils étaient engages dans la vie de l’Eglise saint Jérôme de Hyattsville, qui recueille aujourd’hui, le reste de lui, et nous, nous venons aujourd’hui célébrer cette vie pleine et lui rendre nos derniers hommages, mais surtout dire merci a Dieu pour cette vie pleinement vécue au service de l’annonce de la Bonne nouvelle. Amen.