Mission Oblate - Oblate Mission Associates

Kenya
Febr uary 2008
Table of Contents
A Word ... – 3
Mission Trip to Kenya – 6
10th Anniversary of Kionyo Parish –12
An Unusual Adventure – 18
The Least of These ... – 22
Making Connections:
Kenya & Canada -- 25
2
Front Cover: School Children in Kionyo
Inside Front Cover: Primary School Dancers, Kionyo
A Word ...
What is happening in Kenya?
Believe it or not, but I can actually answer
that question now because I have been to
see with my own eyes! Last October I traveled to Kenya with a group of twelve Canadians under the competent guidance of
Neysa Finnie and Vaughan Quinn, OMI. It
was truly an unforgettable experience.
Ten years of Oblate presence in this beauMarie-Louise T-G, Suzanna Wittrin,
tiful tropical country is making the Oblate
and Martha Belanger
charism shine like a newly polished diamond. This issue of Mission Oblate offers a kaleidoscope of Oblate activity in Kenya; from the villages of Kionyo and Igandene on the slopes
of Mount Kenya, to the hustle and bustle of city life in Meru, to the Nairobi
suburb of Karen enabling both studies and outreach to neighbours in the
nearby slum of Karinde.
Why are the Oblates there? To bring the Good News to the poor, to encounter Jesus in the faces of those who suffer and to help the Kenyan
people to believe in their own dignity and belovedness before God. Rich
Oblates Joe Jacek & Vaughan Quinn celebrating
Mass at Alamano Boys’ Orphanage, Meru
3
memories once again flood my mind and heart. I see again the radiant
smiles on the faces of the women who prepared the big dinner in Kionyo
with little more than an arsenal of large metal pots and damp wood for the
fire (it had rained in the night!). I hear again the exuberant laughter of children who gave curious
looks to this group of pale
(white)
people
from
Canada. I note the proud
posture of the men who
are building a new convent with mere hand
tools. Yes, a convent
where several Sisters of
Nazareth (a religious
Foundations of the new convent with
order in the Meru Dioa view onto the tea plantations
cese) are planning to live and
will assist the Oblates in pastoral ministry.
Why are the Oblates there? Not only
to bring something, but also to receive, and to live in solidarity with the
Kenyan people. Jesus himself never
lorded it over others in order to teach
or preach the Good News of God’s
grace and mercy. One man told me:
“(The Oblates) do not walk ahead of
us, but walk with us and help us to figure out our own solutions to our problems.”
Oblates Vaughan Quinn and Sholto Douglas,
the latter explaining the running of the
medical dispensary in Igandene, Kenya
4
Memorial plaques on the outside
wall of the Kionyo Bakery
Yes, there are concrete projects in
which Oblates are involved through
the financial support from AMMI Lacombe Canada MAMI. In Kionyo
there is the financial support to the
local bakery and to the AIDS Support
Group. Oblates have taken responsibility for running the local medical
clinic in Igandene, and there is of
course the big water project which
supplies fresh water to
some 4,000 homes.
Besides these tangible
projects, there is the
Oblate spiritual presence, expressed in
parish leadership in
Kionyo and Igandene
along with the surrounding eleven prayer stations, in the Meru prison
Sanctuary of the Church at Igandene
chaplaincy, in the weekly
visits to the slums, in the various liturgical celebrations at Nyumbani orphanage for HIV children.
The Oblate witness in Kenya is bearing fruit not only in material ways for
the local people. A life thus lived in service of the Gospel has been attracting young Kenyan men who are discerning a call to join the Missionary Oblates. A total of fifteen men are currently in various stages of their
Oblate formation – five live in
Meru for an initial two year discernment period, four are currently enrolled in studies of
philosophy in Karen (suburb of
Nairobi), three are pursuing
philosophy studies in Cameroun, and another three are in
the Oblate novitiate in Cedara,
South Africa.
Sponsoring these new candidates is a big commitment on
the part of AMMI Lacombe
Canada MAMI. We will devote the next issue of Mission Oblate exclusively to the question of formation and introduction of the new prospective members to our Oblate family. I can assure you that meeting these
young enthusiastic men in the flesh was a delight and an honour. For
now, enjoy the Kenyan vista painted in the
following articles and photos.
Our Pre-Novices in Meru: Silas, Henry,
Sammy, Cosmas & Josephat
5
Mission Trip to Kenya
Sharon Federal
Canadian Gang’s all here!
Last October fourteen Canadian travelers went on a mission journey to
Kenya with Neysa Finnie as our tour guide and Father Vaughan Quinn,
OMI, as our spiritual leader. We came from many parts of Canada: British
Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. Each
of us brought our own special talents and we learned from each other
about patience, understanding, compassion and love.
We traveled first from Nairobi to
Kionyo where Oblate Fathers
Mario Azrak, Sholto Douglas and
Daquin Iyo welcomed us warmly.
We were very pleased to hear
that we would be attending the
10th anniversary celebration of
the Oblates in Kenya. Fr. Mario
was expecting the whole parish
6
Group’s arrival in Kionyo
Cooking dinner for 250!
of 3,000 people to come from all
the eleven prayer stations in a
radius of about 15-20 kilometers.
On Saturday the women arrived
to prepare Sunday’s dinner for
250 people on an open fire.
Vegetables were prepared,
chickens were slaughtered and
wood was cut. The ladies
worked joyfully together – it was
truly an act of love.
On Sunday the celebration started
at 11:00 a.m. and lasted four hours! The grounds were covered by a sea
of people with hundreds of
beautiful children. This was
the most joyful celebration I
have ever attended; each
section of the Mass was celebrated with singing and
dancing which is the African
way to express their deep
love of God. At this Mass
10th Anniversary Celebration of the Kionyo
Parish and of the Oblate Mission in Kenya
the new pastoral parish
council was introduced
and installed, and Fr.
Daquin was installed as
the parish priest of
Kionyo replacing Fr.
Mario – a changing of
the guard.
Following this joyful celebration of Eucharist, we then attended the dinner at the parish hall and I had the opportunity to talk to some people
from the parish (in English). I found it very interesting. They said that
they certainly have their problems but they would like us to know that
they are trying to solve them, themselves. I can see by the projects that
the Oblates have been involved in, that the mission intends to give them
a hand up but not to take over.
7
In Kionyo we visited the co-op bakery in which 20 women contributed
$250 each which was matched by the Oblates. This bakery produces
700-900 loaves of bread a day and is delivered by bicycle.
The Mt. Kenya East Interdenominational AIDS Group is supported by the
Oblates. It currently
Mr. Joseph Mbae showing us the
helps 70 adults and
computer in the AIDS office which
30 children. They
was bought with Oblate funds
provide transportation to the hospital for
treatment, education
on AIDS and help
with the children’s
school fees and uniforms. Plans are underway
for
the
construction of a Voluntary Testing Clinic
in the village. The director, Mr. Joseph Mbae, told us that the numbers have come down from
13% to 7%. This clinic is also supported by the profits from a woodworking shop and a small farm. He proudly showed us the computer
which was bought with funds from MAMI.
We traveled up into the hills into an isolated area. We found a Corn Mill
which was started by a group of Catholic women and supported by the
Oblates. This group charges to grind the corn and with the electricity they
also charge cell phones and batteries in the back room, very creative on
the part of the women. The Oblates also support the Mt. Kenya East
Water Project, which was started
under the leadership of Ken
Forster, OMI, some seven years
ago. This project delivers water
to 4,000 homes. The fee to the
household is a one time charge
of $200. The Oblates work with
the Kionyo Town Council to ensure that the community and the
outside groups are working toOne of the many cisterns in
gether to make this an efficient efthe Mt. Kenya Water Project
8
fort. They all agreed that if the households have not paid up their outstanding fees by May 31, 2008, they
will not receive the water. It is very
important with all of these projects
that the community participates.
This provides a measure of ownership for the community.
We traveled to Meru and stayed at
the Oblate residence for four days.
We visited the Meru Prison which
still operates out of buildings dating
from the colonial era and was meant
Meru Prison Chapel
for some 150 inmates. Now it houses
about 130 women and 1500 men, and is seriously overcrowded. Women
are allowed to have children
under four years of age stay
Visiting the Meru Prison Chapel
with them in prison, so there
were also some 30 children.
Fr. Joe Jacek, OMI, the
prison chaplain, invited us
for Sunday Mass at the
Prison. People came from
the whole area to attend this
Mass. Fr. Vaughan Quinn,
OMI, introduced us to the
congregation and thanked
them for the love they showed us. He told them
how we had a lot to learn from their expressions of love and joy for the Lord and their
families.
We visited the school run by the Sisters of the
Good Shepherd and saw the wonderful work
they are doing in the slums of Meru. They provide education for about 400 students. Our
own Oblate pre-novices work with teenage
boys and the Sisters with the girls. They cook
lunch on an open fire for 170 children Monday
to Friday. On the main wall along with art
work from the 3-8 year old children are the
Cosmas, pre-novice, with
one of the boys at the
Alamano Orphanage
9
words “The value
of the world is
the value of each
person.” That is
really the place
the whole world
needs to get to.
We also visited
two orphanages
Roadside Market
for boys. We celebrated Mass at the Alamano Boys’ Orphanage. It was very inspirational
to join these boys in their joyful celebration. Their simple Mass was truly
beautiful. These boys range in age from 8-18, they are all in school, they
have basic accommodation but appear to be well cared for.
We visited the coffee plant and
farm of Mr. Nyambene Jr. We
saw the beans being sorted one
by one by ladies who make $2
per 100 lb. sack. On a good day
they can sort 2 sacks. The
beans are shipped green and
roasted elsewhere. The company gets about 10% of the
Sorting coffee beans all day long
market value of the beans, and
the operation employs 200 people.
Mr. & Mrs Nyambene Sr. invited us to their home and coffee plantation.
They produce 20,000 kilos of coffee per year. They also grow seedlings
for sale to other farmers and grow vegetables which are donated to the
Alamano Orphanage, an orphanage started by the
Nyambenes.
10
Picking tea
Then it was back to Kionyo
where we visited the Tea
Factory. This is a very progressive plant owned cooperatively by the farmers and
helped by the Oblates. It is
very clean and they have
strict safety standards. They produce 3 – 4 million tons of tea a year and
employ 200 people; the average salary is $5 per day.
We concluded the mission trip with the Oblates in Karen, a suburb of
Nairobi named after Karen Blixen (movie Out of Africa). We celebrated
Mass at Nyumbani in
Karen, a hospice for HIV
positive orphans. This was
truly a children’s Mass held
in a classroom with their
total participation.
The
children did all the readings, singing and dancing.
After Father’s homily the
Always the boys, curious as ever ...
children acted out the
gospel and the readings and then they were all invited to give their
thoughts on the message. I do not believe any of the children left that day
without truly understanding God’s message.
There were many wonderful moments on this trip but the most touching
for me was the simple Masses with the beautiful singing. After visiting all
the Oblate missions, eleven of us went on Safari. It was absolutely
amazing to see all of the animals in their own habitat and all the different
terrains they live in. But even on Safari we had a wonderful Mass experience. Staying in one of the hotels, we asked for a room to
celebrate in. When the staff
heard that we were about to celebrate Mass, they asked if we
could wait until 3:00 p.m. when
they would have a break. Father
agreed and we held Mass in the
staff quarters. The room was full
Come again, dear Canadians ...
and the Mass was so joyful! I was
particularly touched by the man who was doing the readings. He was a
very proud man standing very straight, I looked at his hands and they
were shaking uncontrollably. I thought I need to remember this moment
whenever I feel nervous in front of a group.
I would like to thank Neysa Finnie, our tour guide, and all the Oblates
who led us on this wonderful journey. God traveled with us and made His
presence felt in everyone we met.
11
Happy 10th Birthday
St. Stephen’s Parish
Bernard Kiruja, Chair Pastoral Parish Council
Kionyo, Kenya
Editor’s Note: The article below
was the speech prepared and delivered by Bernard Kiruja at the 10th
anniversary celebrations of St.
Stephen’s Catholic Parish on October 14, 2007, in Kionyo, Kenya.
On behalf of Kionyo Parish Council, the Oblates, the Christians of
our eleven Prayer Houses, I take
this opportunity to welcome you all and request you to feel part of our
congregation as we celebrate this historical occasion of our parish. A special welcome to our many guests from Canada. We appreciate that you
have honoured us with your personal presence. May almighty God bless
you all.
As we celebrate, we cannot forget to reflect back to our long history. We
were under Igoji Parish until 1960 when we got Igandene Parish with Fr.
Luigi Eandi as the Parish Priest. In 1965, the parish moved to Kanyakine
after Fr. Eandi bought a bigger piece of land. Kionyo parish was born on
12
Festive Entrance Procession
May 24, 1997, when the then
Bishop of Meru Diocese, the
Rt. Rev. Silas Njiru assigned
the Missionary Oblates of
Mary Immaculate (OMI) to
start our parish with Fr. Ken
Forster as the first parish
priest.
We thank Bishop Silas Njiru
and the then Kanyakine
Parish Priest Fr. Aloys Kabuti
who recommended that Bernard Kiruja giving his speech
Kionyo become a parish. Fr. Kabuti handed over to Fr. Ken on July 16,
1997.
The current Parish Council members took over the management of the
Parish in January 2007. I cannot forget to recognize previous Parish
Councils who laid a strong foundation of this Parish. Every Council
worked closely with the committed hard working OMI priests who have
succeeded to see us grow in both pastoral and human development. We
recall that Fr. Salesio Kirianthia was here in 1997 to induct the new
Oblate Fathers in our new parish. We thank him for making it easy for
them to take over. I wish to recognize the Oblates who have served us
since May 24, 1997:
Fr.
Fr.
Fr.
Fr.
Fr.
Fr.
Fr.
Br.
Br.
Fr.
Fr.
Fr.
Ken Forster
Bill Stang
Harold Kaufmann
Joe Singarajah
Joe Jacek
Sholto Douglas
Mario Azrak
Roman Zapadka
Harley Mapes
Mariusz Wilk
Daquin Iyo
Fidele Munkiele
-------------
May 1997 to 2006
May 1997 to 2003
May 1997 to 2002
May 1997 to 1999
August 2001 to 2005
August 2001
August 2001 to 2007
August 2001 to 2004
June 2002 to 2003
January 2003 to 2007
August 2003
August 2003 to 2006
first parish priest
associate priest
associate priest
associate priest
associate priest
associate priest
second parish priest
associate priest
third parish priest
associate priest
13
Our catechists and prayer houses have been instrumental in the pastoral
growth of our parish. They have worked closely with our parish priests
with devotion. As we continue to pray for them and their families, we urge
them to keep up.
In 1997, our new parish had about 1,000 active Christians as compared
to 3,200 active Christians in all our 11 Prayer Houses today. The RCIA
program has been encouraging. This year alone, the parish has 81 candidates. This is a good sign of a church that is touching the people’s
hearts.
We thank our Christians for
being active in various Apostolic groups such as the
Catholic Women Association
(CWA), Catholic Men Association (CMA), Small Christian
Communities
(JUMUIAS),
Church Choirs, Youth Groups,
Sunday Schools, Altar Boys,
YCS, Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR), Focolare and St.
Vincent de Paul. They all assist
in liturgical celebrations. They
are an inspiration to our church
Proclaiming the Scriptures
growth.
Our Christian families have been encouraging their children to train as
Priests, Brothers and Sisters. Kionyo Parish is blessed with many children who have answered the call to serve God in this way. Bishop Salesius Mugambi is a son of this parish. Fr. Mariusz Wilk of Poland was
ordained as a
priest here after
serving as a
Brother. We consider him our son.
I urge you to continue praying for
these sons and
daughters
and
their families.
Gathering all nations around the Table ...
14
Visting the Kionyo Bakery
riod. Most of the 11 Prayer Houses have
income-generating projects such as tea
and coffee plantations, Bakery,
Workshop, Posho mills, Tailoring
School and Social Hall. More
projects continue to emerge to
make us self-sufficient.
The Oblates have
been good partners
in local community
development. Most
of
our
Prayer
Houses now have
permanent
structures. St. Albert’s
Wathine
Prayer
House was born during this 10 year pe-
At the parish level, we have other
projects which help the local community. On record we have the giant Mt.
AIDS workshop (above)
Mt. Kenya Water Project (below)
Kenya East Water
Project with a donation through the
Oblates of Kshs 29
million (half a million CDN dollars).
We have Igandene
and Gaturi medical
dispensaries. St.
Eugene Giankiro,
Blessed
Joseph
Gerald and the proposed Ngongo Day
Secondary Schools have gone a long way in providing affordable education to our local children.
The Youth Centre built in the parish compound provides several services such as computer courses at affordable fees; it also provides seminar and meeting facilities for many parish activities.
15
Mt. Kenya Interdenominational Fraternity has brought on board different
denominations to assist HIV/AIDS patients to live comfortable lives. They
are about to build the Health Centre at Kionyo Market.
The St. Stephen’s Kionyo Convent for the Nazareth Sisters is under construction. The foundation was blessed today to mark our 10 years as a
parish. When it is completed at a
cost of more than Kshs 5,000,000
($80,000.00), the face of the parish
<< Blessing of the convent will change greatly.
foundation for the
We thank the
Nazareth Sisters (below)
Nazareth sisters through their
superior Sr. Adelina who is also
our local daughter for accepting to have a convent in our
parish. I pray that more daughters join the Nazareth Sisters. I
request that all Prayer Houses to assist us to complete the convent by
early next year.
Bernard Kiruja with
Joseph and Josephat
Before I conclude, allow me to mention that
the Oblates have a bright future of
Christian faith in Kenya. In Meru town
there is a Pre-Novitiate which is
training our Kenyan sons to join the
Oblates in serving God. Let our
sons from Meru Diocese and in
particular Kionyo parish join this
noble call. We have some of our
sons there – Joseph Kijura is one of
them, as well as Josephat Gichana
Oenga. We thank them and pray for them.
In August this year our new parish council underwent a “Leadership”seminar at Nanyuki Benedictine Monastery. With the help of four facilitators,
the participants formulated a vision statement for our parish as follows:
16
“A Parish that is
a God fearing
c o m m u n i t y,
united in its
commitment to
pastoral needs
and human development.”
In our Kimeru
language it is:
Traditional Dancers
“Parish ya mugongo jugukira murungu jugwatanirite gutambia kirira na
witi na mbere bwa antu bonthe.”
I conclude by thanking you all for honouring us with your presence. I note
especially the presence of our visitors who accompanied the Oblate
provincials from Canada and Australia. We thank them for being partners in most of our development programs. I wish you a nice stay in
Kenya and may God bless you.
To my fellow Christians, I thank you on behalf of the Parish Council for
your support. Please keep up. To Fr. Daquin Iyo who becomes our third
Parish Priest; congratulations on your appointment and be assured of
our full support. To Fr. Mario Azrak, our outgoing Parish Priest; thank you
because you leave us better and united. We pray for you as you continue to serve the church in other capacities. May God bless us all.
Bernard Kiruja introduces the new Parish Pastoral Council with representatives from all eleven Prayer Houses in the surrounding area
17
An Unusual Adventure
Marie-Louise Ternier-Gommers
“Do not acquire gold, or
silver, or copper for your
money belts, or a bag for
your journey, or even two
coats, or sandals, or a staff.”
(Mt. 10:9-10)
Alfred Groleau, OMI, approached me at breakfast:
Slums near Nairobi
was I game for an adventure,
some cultural exposure? I was visiting the Oblate House in Karen, a suburb of Nairobi, Kenya. Yes, of course, I replied, that’s what I came for. In
that case, he advised, take off my jewellery, leave my camera behind and
take no money nor anything else that would set me apart. I was about to
learn how to discern in love the best way to help those in need and where
to draw the line. The Oblates in Kenya face this question every day in the
numerous requests that come knocking on their doors.
A small family had walked the 40+ minutes from the nearby slum area
and knocked on the gate of the Oblate property – an adult man with his
teenage (boy) and six-year old (girl) cousins. This was a daily occurrence;
news that the Oblates were open to providing assistance had spread like
wildfire through the slum area of Karinde. This family told us that they had
no money to buy much needed
medicine, school uniforms
(obligatory in Kenya schools)
and food. Alfred asked if we
could go to their home and discuss the matter there further.
They gladly agreed. We got into
the car and drove into the slum
area following the family’s directions. To me it seemed like
an endless maze of little dirt
18
roads lined with low trees and hedges where row upon row of little shacks
made of sheet metal and cardboard (each the size of my kitchen), without running water or sanitation and without power, were home to thousands of families.
Upon arrival we all crammed into
the small quarters of this family’s
home. Nicholas, a young friend
of the Oblates who had come
with us, served as translator. Alfred began by thanking the family for welcoming us into their
home, noting that one’s home is
meant to be a safe and sacred
Woman at the door of her dwelling
place. He offered to bless their
home, saying a prayer and sprinkling a bit of water from my water bottle.
The people’s faces lit up; in his prayerful gesture Alfred had first attended
to ensuring that dignity and respect was properly bestowed on this humble place and on these individuals, God’s beloved people.
After considerable discussion about how to use the
funds Alfred had available for them, we all got
back into the car and drove to the market to buy
food. How do I describe the market? A lively
blend of smells, colours, sounds, tastes and
sights that engage the senses intensely.
Everyone’s ware is spread out on a plastic or
burlap sheet on the dusty, rocky and very irregular ground with little room to
maneuver/walk between them. We all stayed
carefully
close
toAlfred Groleau, OMI
gether while
Nicholas did the buying – tomatoes and onions, potatoes and
cabbage, flour and mais (corn).
Once in a while some cattle, chickens or carts pulled by donkeys
held up the path or blocked the
road. With great smiles the purchases were received and we
Market day in the slums
drove the family home.
19
Upon our way home, Alfred
decided to stop at another
family home in the slums. I
had the great pleasure of
meeting Joseph and Priscilla,
the couple who run Child Love
Orphanage where they raise
some twenty orphan boys with
the help of a few older boys
who volunteer their help in exDormitory in slum orphanage Child
change for a bed and food.
Love run by Joseph and Priscilla
When we dropped in unannounced,
Joseph had just gathered his boys to share with them the Scripture readings for that coming Sunday, which happened to be World Mission Sunday. He invited us to join them and we were all introduced to one another
with great smiles. For a while we listened to their reading and Joseph’s
thoughtful reflections on what it means to be a missionary in the name of
Christ. Fr. Alfred was invited to speak and so was I, after which the boys
sang songs for us including some Christian rap music! The spirit of welcome and joy literally illuminated the little abode in the slum. We prayed
together, and they offered to add my mother’s name, who was very ill, to
the prayer list on the blackboard. After a good hour and a half, we parted
company with laughter and gratitude.
On our way home, I thanked Alfred for bringing me along and for insisting I leave behind the trappings of my own affluent economic status. I
took nothing but my own heart and smile, my own faith and my own humanity – that was sufficient to
truly enter a holy encounter
with God’s holy people.
I could end the story here but
there is an addendum. Later
that evening back at the
Oblate house, the bell rang
again at the property gate. To
my great surprise Alfred
called me – the person had
asked for me. Me? Who
Fidelia welcoming Marie-Louise to her home
around here would ask for
me? I had only been there a day. I walked out onto the veranda where
20
Isaac greeted me with a warm smile. Isaac Muriui was one of the older
boys who volunteered at Child Love orphanage in Karinde which we had
visited earlier that day. Handing me an envelope, Isaac explained that
he walked all the way over here to give me a gift. I opened the envelope
and drew out a beautiful painting. “I painted this last week,” said Isaac,
“and I want you to have it.” I was touched and fascinated by this young
man’s talent. In our conversation he shared that he
had never had art classes
in his life, that he had completed Form IV (high school
equivalent) and that his
dream was to attend the
College of Fine Arts. However, his application was
turned down every time because he could not afford
the
20,000
Kenyan
Painting by Isaac Muriui
Shillings
($300.00)
tuition.
given to Marie-Louise
Would I take his painting
and his request for a sponsor back to Canada with me? It seemed as if
God gave me one last little assignment as I was about to leave this beautiful country. Like the Oblates, I too now faced a decision about who and
how to help. Mother Teresa, who faced a similar decision a hundred times
a day, has something to say about this:
"I never look at the masses as my responsibility.
I look at the individual.
I can love only one person at a time.
I can feed only one person at a time.
Just one, one, one.
You get closer to Christ by coming closer to each other.
As Jesus said, "Whatever you do
to the least of my sisters and brothers,
you do to me."
So you begin...I begin.
I picked up one person -maybe if I didn't pick up that one person
I wouldn't have picked up 42,000.
The whole work is only a drop in the ocean.
But if I didn't put the drop in,
the ocean would be one drop less.
Same thing for you
same
thing
for your family
p. 79, Words to Love By
same thing in the church where you go
Mother Teresa
just begin...one, one, one."
21
The Least of These ...
Marie-Louise Ternier-Gommers
“The poor are always with you,” said Jesus,
“but you do not always have me.”
“Whatever you do this
to the least of these,
you do it unto me.”
Human poverty raises many complex questions, and I encountered quite a few of
them while visiting the Oblate Missions in
Kenya with a group of fourteen Canadians.
Generous Canadians as we are – and proud
of it – many of us in the group had brought
bags of school supplies and toys for children,
and some cash which had been collected in our
home parishes before departure. On our way to the
first Oblate Mission post of Kionyo (a six-hour bus ride), Neysa our competent tour guide, raised the first questions: how will we deal with the dishonourable poverty in the streets and byways? Is it advisable to give
money to beggars? How do we tip people in stores and restaurants?
What is the difference between being a rich superior giver of goods and
a sister/brother in Christ sharing in suffering love? How do we bargain for
merchandise? How do we decide which children get the gifts we had so
carefully and lovingly gathered, purchased and packed?
This trip was no holiday, nor was it intended to be. In some places we
shared most humble accommodations: five beds
together in a dorm, cold
showers, primitive washroom facilities. We came
to share some life with
the Oblates and with the
local people as much as
this was possible. We
tasted the local foods, we
sang and danced accordLadies’ Digs in Kionyo!
22
ing to local custom,
we
prayed
and
shared Christ’s body
and blood in the Eucharist as one family.
As for the local people, they welcomed
us with genuine
grace and dignity, no
matter how sparse
their dwellings or few
their resources. SevA warm welcome it was indeed!
eral thousand parishioners of Kionyo gladly included us when they pulled all the stops in
celebrating the 10th anniversary of their parish with liturgy characterized
by lively African music and dance, with food and laughter and friendship.
Priscilla, a Christian woman who opened her home to twenty orphan
boys, patiently and with a smile allowed us all to take photos of her gorgeously good-looking adopted sons. The guard at the overcrowded
prison, where Joe Jacek, OMI, serves as Chaplain, proudly showed us
various rehabilitations projects aimed at teaching the prisoners some
valuable skills while serving their time. Sammy, Silas, Josephat, Henri
and Cosmas – our Oblate pre-novices in Meru – enthusiastically taught
us about the land which fills them with pride, Kenya – its colonial history,
its economy, its climate, its educational system and its religious traditions. Great was their relief when they realized that their Kenyan accent did
not prevent us in the slightest to
understand and appreciate
their informative presentations! The Sisters of the
Good Shepherd happily
lead their school children in
singing songs for their
Canadian visitors. Many children curiously approached us
and needed to touch or squeeze
Silas teaching us about his country
our white skin; how strange to see
someone so pale.
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In the end, gifts were
clearly exchanged in both
directions. Yes, poverty
dehumanizes and degrades. The greatest gift I
have taken back to
Canada is the witness of
the Kenyan people to the
courage and dignity, pride
Contagious joy ...
and perseverance of the
human spirit. Their contagious joy and generosity, their work ethic and
desire to take good charge of their lives challenges our frequent cultural
complacency and our complicity in helping to maintain the unjust social
and economic structures which contribute to abject poverty for our sisters and brothers in countries like Kenya.
In our western world, we often do not realize how multinational corporations and the media empire create needs and wants in us that far exceed
what we require to simply live with adequate food, shelter and clothing.
Poverty in affluent circles consists not only in spiritual and social apathy
but also in letting ourselves be manipulated into wanting more and more.
Our poverty consists in allowing our ears and hearts to remain closed to
the cry of God’s little ones, and our eyes to be blinded by the glitter of
material possessions. This impoverishment of spirit is as dehumanizing
as the material poverty of our sisters and brothers near and far.
The best way to help both ourselves and those less fortunate is to share
our wealth. This does not only mean sharing money, but also to live a
comprehensive lifestyle that reflects
simplicity and responsible stewardship of resources, goods
and the earth. Living simply so others can simply
live restores dignity and
pride of spirit to all
God’s family, rich and
poor, human and animal,
nature and the beauty of all
creation.
24
Living simply so others can simply live
Making Connections:
Kenya & Canada
Ken Forster, OMI
I have been back in Canada for approximately a year and a half now. I have
taken up ministry in Downtown Eastside
Vancouver. This is indeed an “Advent
Place” --- “Come Lord Jesus”.
“Strengthen the weak hands, and make
firm the feeble knees. Say to those who
are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not
fear! Here is your God’.” (Isaiah 35)
Ken Forster, OMI
Christian Churches reach out to the poor in street
ministry through acts of charity that should not be necessary in a rich nation if we could learn to care for the weak and marginalized. The Sisters
of Atonement serve soup and sandwiches to 500 who line up on the
streets daily. The Agape Ministry walks the streets every
night with a special outreach
to the hundreds of women
street workers, giving them a
candy bag, calling them by
name and praying with and
for them, encouraging them
to take the fearful step to recovery. The Listening Post is
an oasis of prayer and counseling off the corner of drugs
and despair, East Hastings
Philip Hans, a man of the streets, comes to
and Main. Mary’s Place on
serve Mass with Ken Forster, OMI, every
week at St. Paul’s Church, Vancouver.
Cordova welcomes women to
eat, to befriend, to encourage each other. Kateri Center on Keefer welcomes the urban First Nation person to be at home in worship and care.
A few nights a week 12 step programs are offered to the addicts. Bountyfull House is an Oblate ministry assisting people to move through pain
and addiction to wholesome living. We are involved in advocacy for more
detox centers and drug and alcohol treatment.
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It is estimated that there are
2,000 homeless in greater Vancouver. For the past week a
street person has taken shelter
under the veranda of our vacant derelict school building.
He “protects” himself with a
cardboard box that is his shelter. Of course only you who
watch the weather channel are
aware that lotus land can receive several inches of snow
and fall several degrees below
Cardboard shelter on back steps of a
zero. Tomorrow night, I will be
school near Sacred Heart Parish, Vancougoing to City Council with many ver. Someone sleeps there most nights.
others to advocate that Vancouver, the Olympic Queen, be faithful to its Olympic pledge to build 3,200 social housing units as the legacy of 2010.
But I have found that here, as in Kenya, there is a strong sense of community. The poor are interdependent, unlike the rich. They need one another and this is their home. There has been substantial progress in the
Kenyan government the last few years in spite of continuing corruption.
Free Primary Education was introduced after last election and free secondary education is on the platform this time around.
Our Oblate team continues to progress well in Kenya, with fifteen young
men in our Oblate formation process. Pray for them and if you are able,
assist with the cost of their seminary training. I encourage you to do so as
it is too great an expense for a young mission. Other development projects continue for the people, such as the building of a convent for sisters
in the parish, completion of a second Secondary
Day School and the wrapping up of the
Mt. Kenya East Water Project.
Elementary School Children in Kionyo
26
My friends in Kenya have little of
the material things we have, but
they have grateful hearts for the
blessings they receive. Constantly the words, “Tharima ya
Murungu” (“Blessings of God”)
are on their lips especially for the
gift of rain upon their shambas.