TIME OFF! A TRIP TO KENYA TO VISIT THE BROTHERS AND FELLOW CMMB VOLUNTEER MARIA PROVOST!

I had been trying to get to Kenya to visit the Missionaries of the Poor Brothers at the newly forming mission there. I also wanted to visit Maria, fellow CMMB volunteer working in Mutomo. It all seemed to fall in place when I found out Maria would be in Nairobi the same weekend I was planning on going...Divine Providence?  I think God even knows when we need a break!

I had to say goodbye to my beloved Novice Brothers before I left. Half of them were chosen to go to Jamaica to the Mother House there with Fr Hulong to continue their formation. It is an incredible opportunity for them but I was sad to have to say goodbye. I will miss their smiling faces at work and their constant joyful joking.

Half of my first English class heads to Jamaica

I was lucky enough to coordinate a ride with Father Henry and the Sisters returning to Kenya for their home visit. They will be there for 3 months to discern whether this is their vocation. We boarded a bus leaving at 8 PM to arrive about 11 AM the next AM. I met the 8 Brothers there (along with Brother John, whom I knew from Uganda). I can;t say enough about this group of men. They are unbelievably dedicated to serving while working in less than ideal surroundings. They have to rent a small 2 bedroom house while building their own monastery and while still serving the poor of the community.

Brother Simon showing me the new dorm
(to be ready in about a month) 

One of the young men living there during the building
for security

Brother Simon showing the property

The gardener

They take little rest, work long hard hours and often go without food in order to be able to give it to the locals who have so little. It is amazing to see what this small group of men have accomplished. They have set up a HUGE garden on their property (nearly 3 acres), are nearing completion of a small portion of the building to allow them to move in soon (in a month's time). They have a new apostolate where a handful of children and adults have been taken in. They have school and catechism for the children and minster spiritually to the local community.

A young mother taken in by the brothers (left) 2 of our Sisters (one holding  the
new baby of the young mother) Brother Simon and the Matron
4 of the new young orphans taken in 

Brother John Reddy (Left) and Brother Simon

the chapel

The Brothers discussing the construction 

The clinic
(open to the community)

The kitchen at the apostolate 

The children at the apostolate waiting for lunch 

It is rainy season in Kenya. This means the ground which is normally very dry cannot hold the water. It tends to pool and flood giving the opportunity for diseases to spread throughout the area. The Kenyan growing season is shorter than Uganda due to lack of rain. This leads to widespread scarcity of food and results in a poorer community base. Things in Kenya are much more expensive than Uganda compounding the problem. The Brothers work tirelessly despite the huge mountain they seem to have to fight against.

The walk in the community 

Brother Simon with some of the local children 

This was the view out the door of every house we
entered...the children followed us around 

sincere smiles 

Brother Simon took me around to visit the local community and the apostolate while I was there. The children followed us everywhere with curious smiles and giggles. The homes were small, one room huts with no running water and rarely electricity. The community were gracious hosting the 2 of us with sodas in each home we entered as their custom. It nearly broke my heart.

a typical home 

The "river" you see is actually the road which is flooded 

There is so much need here I wanted to stay and help...soo much to be done, not only PT wise but with nursing. I could see my Home Health skills being very useful here as we met a woman with severe neuropathy (suffering from HIV) that had to travel an hour to get to Physical Therapy at a local hospital. The brothers found a broken wheelchair for her and took the time to take her in 2 x week despite this being a 3/4 day event. The poor woman was soo tired after her short session there.

Visiting a family of 8 children...the Mother is working the Father has left 

Happy for visitors 

This is LUNCH...for 8 children...greens picked from the yard 

Suffering from not only HIV and neuropathy but from abandonment
(except for the Brothers who provide food and medical care for her
and her family) 

I was overwhelmed by the 3rd day. The Brothers have a capacity for beyond mine to be able to live with the emotional toll of the poor that surround them. They have a gift...this gift is truly evident in the work they are able to do with smiles, joy and consistency....THANK GOD there are people like them in the world!