Not only can the students at St. Mark’s School in Peoria point to Kenya on an African map, they can tell you about the Catholic bishop from there they shot baskets with last Friday.

More importantly, the students ? as well as members of the parish, which hosted Bishop Anthony Muheria of the Diocese of Kitui, Kenya, over the weekend — can inspire you with the day-to-day adventures they are sharing with the people in that far-away land.

“God has blessed us with many things we can share,” said Bishop Muheria, who visited Peoria to express gratitude for an 11-year partnership between his diocese and St. Mark’s Parish.

In the last decade, the parish has been served by four priests from Kenya. Father Joseph Mwinzi has been in residence for more than two years.

The parish and school, meanwhile, sponsor more than three dozen students in Kitui Catholic schools. In addition, the parish annually collects and ships to Kenya a large container of medical and school supplies. Last summer, a delegation of four members of St. Mark’s “Kitui Stewardship Committee” visited Kenya.

Last weekend, Bishop Muheria returned the favor, celebrating Masses for school children on Friday and parishioners on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday, he toured OSF Saint Francis Medical Center ? which has donated medical supplies to his diocese ? and met with Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC.

He also accepted a check for $7,000 from the people of St. Mark’s to assist with a water project in Kenya, where water is precious.

“We feel very much a part of Peoria though so far away,” said Bishop Muheria, who will also visit Dallas, Minniapolis-St. Paul, Washington, and New York during his month-long visit to the U.S.

“Your priests have been a great gift,” replied Bishop Jenky. “We’ve been very, very blessed with all of our priests from Africa.”

Father Charles Klamut, pastor of St. Mark’s, told the school children on Friday that the answer to why a bishop from Africa came to Peoria can be summed up in one word: “Christ.”

In a world too often divided by languages, cultures, and races, “there’s something deeper that unites us,” said Father Klamut. “Jesus.”

Bishop Muheria agreed, saying the exchange of friendship, prayer, and resources between Kitui and Peoria is an example of “living the communion of saints.”

The bishop fielded questions from students for more than a half-hour after Mass on Friday morning. The students asked about animals in his homeland (elephants, lions, buffaloes, antelope were among those named), about his house (“The chapel with the Blessed Sacrament is the most important room, it’s where Jesus lives.”), and how he was dealing with the cold of Peoria in January (“They’ve given me very heavy coats.”).

But when his reply to “What do you enjoy doing?” included that he used to play basketball ? but hadn’t for six years because of his schedule ? an eighth-grade boy’s hand shot up. “Would you shoot baskets with us later?”

The bishop obliged, in yet another gesture of a growing friendship.