Kenya Nov 2015 Blog

Entry 3: November 17, 2015

Our time in Kenya has ended and we returned safely via Dublin Airport on Friday evening (Nov 13). Luggage, keepsakes and the information we collected along the way all accounted for. Yet our hearts have been touched in so many respects that I feel certain we will not return to our regular ways entirely.

image-6f5149654fc735a086c248be9f0f6a7863cdeb11419982f33eba51bb166ba4c3-VPictures from Parish of Saint Joseph the Worker/Tharaka Nithi, courtesy of Maura Garrihy & Siobhan Bradley

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Where to from here?

The experience has been a roller-coaster; resulting in many scenes and phrases tumbling around in my mind and leaving me uncertain as to what I should include for this final entry. ‘No statement says all that could be said… No pastoral visit brings wholeness’ (Oscar Romero). We witnessed humanity in all its beauty; sometimes brittle and broken, but nonetheless showing great signs of potential and hope.

20151109_143417The women of Ishiara, preparing their animals before they proudly demonstrated the great benefits they experience, now that they have access to their own ‘shoat’ dip.image-76e37835d26c358b008400c155fd35957eb6a7e6b9a9b71a4a587cce950f6c74-V

Gathered as one; inside the Church for Sunday Mass in the Parish of Saint Joseph the Worker, Kangemi

image-655cddeaa3a5a78d2ac051045caaae6e7636b8e8288a2fe349576118dd543998-V  Left: On the road again!

Below: Overlooking Nakuru National Park

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The journey brought us along many roads, where the landscapes filled our souls with joy and splendour at the work of God’s hand.

Our conversations with the courageous people living in this challenging environment; such as those availing of the supports offered by the Love & Hope Centre in Nakuru (Nov 12), confirmed for me the long established belief that education is the key to lifting these people out of their current poverty. We have often heard the quote: ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’ (Nelson Mandela). Equally, our role as educators here in Ireland, holds immeasurable potential, to provide opportunities of a ‘better life’ for all.

image-8820de323414ccd37c038bcba5e835deb89b607be6ac50cc79d70fa698faf4c0-V Left: A brief moment shared with some of the Sunday School participants in Kangemi

Personally, the journey has been a source of great blessing; my faith in God has deepened ever still. Prayer and reflection has provided solace when struggling with a real, and at times overwhelming, sense of inner turmoil in the wake of encounters with people’s despair and unjust living conditions. We are one body (Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12:27). If our brothers and sisters of Kenya are struggling, it is not only our duty, but ought also to be a great source of joy, to be advocates for them in whatever way we can… The great news is that the ways we can make a difference are endless and with God’s grace, the missionary zeal of our Irish ancestors can be rekindled in ways far beyond our individual efforts.

On May 4, 2015 Pope Francis spoke about the great missionary, Junipero Serra. You can read the full article here, but in light of the sense of Mission this journey has stirred up for those of us who took part, these words, taken from the article seem appropriate:

“… I wonder if today we are able to respond with the same generosity and courage to the call of God, who invites us to leave everything in order to worship him, to follow him, to rediscover him in the face of the poor, to proclaim him to those who have not known Christ, [those] who have not experienced the embrace of his mercy” …

“We pray, too, that [his] glory be manifested in the culture of life, brotherhood, solidarity, peace and justice, with a preferential and concrete love for the poor.”

I wonder what words His Holiness will offer when he journeys to Kenya later this month (Nov 27)? This msafiri article highlights the excitement and anticipation around his visit and is well worth reading. Among the interesting items it relates are the following:

At 33% of the Kenyan population, the Roman Catholic Church is the single biggest religious group in the country.

There is a beautiful Kenyan saying: Mgeni aje mweyegi apone (the presence of a visitor in a home is a blessing to all the householders).

This second item highlights the heart of the Kenyan people that we were so fortunate to witness for ourselves during our stay; their culture is one of welcome (Karibu), schedules/time pressures take a back seat and great efforts are made to make visitors feel respected, cared for and loved. May their hospitality inspire us to do all we can in campaigning for justice: Visit Trocaire’s website to learn more and in particular, Your Support at Work 2014-2015 which outlines Trocaire’s finances, accountability etc

Thank you for being part of our journey, I conclude with the following adaptation of the Prayer for Our Common Home from Laudato Si’ with images (most of which are from our trip):

PRAYER FOR OUR COMMON HOME 

from Laudato Si’

All powerful God, you are present in the whole universe

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and in the smallest of your creatures.

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.

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Pour out upon us the power of your love,

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that we may protect life and beauty.

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Fill us with peace, that we may live,

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as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

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Oh God of the poor,

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help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,

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so precious in your eyes.

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Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it,

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that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.

Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain

Women no trains planes or trucks...

at the expense of the poor and the earth.

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Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,

Jacaranda in City

To be filled with awe and contemplation,

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to recognise that we are profoundly united with every creature

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as we journey towards your infinite light.

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We thank you for being with us each day.

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Encourage us, we pray in our struggle

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for justice, love and peace. Amen.

Kind regards,

Anna.

Entry 2: November 10, 2015

Our journey so far has been every bit as enriching and enlightening as I had anticipated and more. In discussion with some other members of the group today, I am glad that the time seems to be going slowly as there is so much to take in. Every second contributes to a better understanding of this vibrant country; alongside the crushing challenges faced by her people on a daily basis.

Saturday (Nov 7): The Trocaire Diocesan Representatives Group departed from Dublin at 6am; our group consists of 8 inspiring individuals and myself; each working with Trocaire in a variety of ways.

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From left to right: Fr. Tom Brady (Galway), Janet Twomey (Trocaire, Cork), Yvonne Cronin (Trocaire, Cork), Siobhan Bradley (Tuam), Maura Garrihy (Galway), Kevin Donnelly (Trocaire, Belfast), Fr. Shane Crombie (Meath) Anna Maloney (that’s me! Dublin) Fr. Ger Davey (Achonry)

Sunday (Nov 8): Having arrived to Nairobi safe and well late on Saturday night, we began our programme of events on Sunday morning, by making our way to the Kangemi slum; home to over 400,000 people to join with a Parish for Sunday Mass. The journey to the Church proved a real eye-opener, demonstrating the reality of the challenges these people face every day.

Encouraged to take in the environment with all our senses, I couldn’t help but noticing the stale smell of raw sewage and rotting garbage, curiously mingled with street food cooking, fires burning and so on. Kangemi is bustling with activity of all forms. Some local people were walking towards the church in their Sunday best and I couldn’t help but be astounded at how immaculately turned out they were despite coming from such cramped lodgings, without access to basic necessities such as running water, let alone all the items we have at our disposal when getting ready for a special occasion.

I took very few photos as this was our first encounter with life here in Kenya, but these are some items I hope will paint a picture in your mind’s eye:

Endless rows of small dwellings side by side, constructed from rusting corrugated metal with no electricity, running water or sanitation. Each one of these looked not much bigger than the size of a double bed and yet can be home to 6 – 8 people on average. I should mention that rent has to be paid to live in these dwellings, even though many of the inhabitants are unemployed with no state support/benefit.

The pathways/streets here are uneven and patchy, a mix of roughly crushed stone and that iconic deep red Kenyan earth. Electric street lighting is a recent and welcome addition as the community awaits the arrival of Pope Francis in the weeks ahead. This lighting offers residents some added security at night, when violence can escalate for an endless variety of reasons, from substance abuse to neighbourly disagreements.

The final image from this part of our day that I want to leave with you is also perhaps the most poignant, we witnessed the evident desire among the very young inhabitants to enjoy fun and games, just like their Irish counterparts. One girl of perhaps 5 or 6 yrs of age, skipped with pink handles, of a what was once a skipping rope, but now two unraveled and short laces dangled from the handles. She skipped on anyway. A boy of a similar age running along the side of the street, with a few energetic pals in hot pursuit, pulling along a homemade make-shift train/toy car which consisted of the twine in his hands, connected to an empty two-litre bottle on its side, attached somehow to two sets of wheels on axles. The laughter and shouts of excitement that this encouraged, brought the reality of these people’s daily existence I have mentioned previously, very much to life.

Mass in the Church was teeming with cultural influences; audacious dancers (dancing with their whole bodies in the way only African people can live a rhythm) saw no need to move quickly, as they danced up the aisle towards the celebrants, bringing forth beautiful handmade bags carrying the monetary collections offered by those present. The soulful choir added to this authentic experience and as part of the congregation we were often on our feet, clapping and swaying to the music; frequent and spontaneous ululations from among those gathered adding to the passionate songs of faith-fuelled thanks and praise.

After the Mass, members of the congregation greeted us, perhaps spurred most of all by their curiosity as they wondered if the Pope might be arriving early, on seeing our unfamiliar faces!

These boys were very happy for me to take their photo:

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Boys in Kangemi

I will write in more detail about the rest of our encounters in the days and weeks ahead when we return home but the following items speak for themselves. A brief caption with each photo offers some insight into the very privileged opportunities we are experiencing:

It really doesn’t get much more ‘Kenya’ than this

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Uzima: Members of a courageous team of women, working in the Kangemi slum since 2004. They provide much needed supports, such as Community Awareness outreach programmes and peer education on the linkages between Gender-Based Violence and HIV/AIDS… They are looking forward to Pope Francis’ arrival too!

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Signals of Hope: this cooperative group of women have come together in their community in Ishiara. Their efforts have already resulted in the building of a kiln (as seen in the background) that enables them to make charcoal that is not only more sustainable than that made using traditional methods. This charcoal is also made using less labour-intensive and efficient methods. Equally, they were proud to show us their ‘shoat’ (sheep and goats) dip where they can dip their animals and therefore have a healthier flock. (A video of this will follow when I get back to the office!)

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Lent 2016: This last photo for this entry was taken during our visit to Tharaka Nithi earlier today (Nov 10), where we had the opportunity to meet with Teresina and her son Moses and Daisy (Teresina’s niece). This family’s story will feature in the Trocaire 2016 Lenten Campaign. Being allowed to hear their story first-hand is inspiring beyond any words that can suffice.

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Bill Gates once said: “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” This journey has already highlighted how Trocaire’s work assists highly motivated, capable and determined people such as those living in Tharaka Nithi, who hope to ‘have a better life’ as they described in their own words today. Rather than imposing solutions that seem obvious or necessary to fleeting visitors like myself, Trocaire (alongside its partners here in Kenya) seeks to listen to the people living in such communities; guiding them to recognise their own strengths and gifts, encouraging them to identify long-term solutions and offering supports that they request, such as irrigation systems, charcoal kilns, shoat dips, etc.

A ‘better life’ is achievable for Teresina and her family and all whom we have met during the last few days… But my time here in Kenya is highlighting just how much we need to support this very worthy cause, if we are to live out the Gospel.

I pray that I will return to my own comfortable regular day-to-day life with a greater desire to do more, to be more; that I will have a renewed urgency to swim against the tide of injustice faced, for example, by our neighbours in Tharaka Nithi, Ishiara and Kangemi… Forgive us, Lord, our capacity to watch the evening news and do nothing about it. Amen.

I will try to write again before we depart on Friday.

Kind regards,

Anna.

 

Kenya Blog Strapline Picture

Entry 1: November 6, 2015

Welcome to the Kenya Blog! This is just a brief introduction before we depart, but I will be adding to this page throughout the week as we journey to a variety of locations.

As part of a group of 9 people, I will embark on a journey tomorrow to Kenya. I am sure the trip will prove to be challenging, but nonetheless very enlightening.

I have never been to Kenya, in fact I have never made a journey of this kind before; usually when I board a flight, it may be to visit a city with my trusty Lonely Planet to point me in the direction of the local sites of interest, the daily decisions may include where looks nice to dine, etc. On occasion, I have packed flip-flops, sun screen and a novel to enjoy by the pool, courtesy of Budget Travel or the likes.

Familiar items we often pack when headed to sunny climates:

Things we are all familiar with...

Preparation for this journey took a very different form:

11 vaccinations to offer protection against Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Meningitis, Rabies, Tetanus and the list goes on…

what to pack for Kenya

Malarone tablets and a mosquito net were listed as essential items to pack… alongside the recommendation to pack one’s own toilet roll!

Trocaire representatives familiar with this kind of trip have offered excellent advice as to how we can best ensure to keep safe and well during our trip; avoid salads/street vender foods (however tempting they may appear), drink bottled water only and so on.

We will have the opportunity to visit the family that will feature in the Trocaire 2016 Lenten Campaign to hear their story. I will upload pictures and items along the way, if and when I have wi-fi. Unlike here in Ireland however, this not something that can be taken for granted.

We have each been asked to prepare some prayer service material, as we will gather each evening to reflect on all that we encounter. I have prepared the following, with this in mind:

Taize Prayer Service – Kenya November 2015

Prayer Service inspired by the Witness of Blessed Oscar Romero

Finally, before I sign off I am struck by the level of protection (both medical and security) we are blessed to have when we prepare to make this journey. How fortunate are we. I wonder are such assurances available to those who call the slums of Nairobi home?

CAFOD’s weekly reflection also resonates with particular meaning in light of our journey: Let us be open, honest and generous in our giving, in prayer, and in working life.

In prayer, I make this request:

Lord, show us how this journey can make a difference. I hope that You will show us the way and keep us safe.

To use the words of Oscar Romero: Lord, show us the Heart of the Poor. Amen.

Kind regards,

Anna