Walking Through Kibera Slum

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 (continued)

“We went to Kibera today – the largest slum in East Africa.  We were struck by several things.  One was the sheer physical scale – it was an entire city of improvised homes made out of sheet metal, mud, and trash that spanned for miles up and down hills like a labyrinth – alleys led to alleys led to more alleys.  Streams and puddles of blue-gray toxic water often pooled at our shoes.  Makeshift electrical lines were set up to illegally hack electricity off of the official power lines set up by the city that ran over the slum.  These illegal lines were strung as a crude network into many of the shacks to feed the residents’ TVs and radios.  These were electrical lines that can and have on a number of occasions fallen on houses, electrocuted people and set entire shacks ablaze.  Some of these wires run along the ground and have electrocuted unsuspecting residents when pools of water formed around the live wires.  And yet, what stood out most were the people – people who greeted us with huge smiles and asked us how we were.  Women who worked tirelessly to clean the clothes of their family.  People who dressed immaculately and ran their shops and stalls with the utmost dignity and integrity.” –Michael Russo

“After our wonderful visit to the Missionaries of Charity, we walked to Kibera, one of the largest and worst slums in the world. We walked for about 2 hours up and down steep, rocky paths and dirt streets and alleys, stepping over garbage and raw sewage. Despite the terrible living conditions, it is a fascinating community. People survive by being entrepreneurs and running tiny businesses out of small tin shacks and mud and wattle huts. They have hair salons, vegetable shops, coal sellers, corn grinders, butchers, and everything else you could imagine. Schools and small churches are scattered throughout the slum.

We were guided by local elders. The guide for our small group was George, a 33-year-old black belt in karate who was obviously an important and respected person in his area. (People in Kibera live with their tribes.) George took a shine to Lynne Donahoe. He proposed marriage within about an hour and invited her to spend a month with him in Kibera. He showed us his house and karate studio, which are small mud and wattle rooms down a narrow alley. He impressed us all by lifting a Flintstone-style stone barbell with about 250 pounds of weight. As one traveler said, he was ripped. We felt safe walking around Kibera, because no one was going to mess with George. Besides romancing Lynne, George also tried to convince Mark to invest in his karate studio. George was a great character.

Of course we attract attention wherever we go, but especially so in Kibera, because most Kenyans never go there, let alone foreigners. Despite the horrific living conditions, there is also an impressive sense of community in Kibera. George wants to raise his three children in Kibera where he grew up. Everywhere we went, adorable children would stare and wave and shout the only English they know:  ‘How are YOU? How are YOU?’

There is talk of shutting down Kibera and moving people to better housing. With so much corruption, it is hard to say whether that will happen. With some estimates of about 400,000 people living there, it will certainly be controversial if the government tries to demolish people's homes and communities.

The trip to Kibera was tough but gave us amazing insight into the lives of its residents." -Ann Chervenak

A Difficult but Graced Morning with the Missionaries of Charity in Kibera

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

“The poor do not need our condescending attitude or our pity. They only need our love and our tenderness.” –Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

“This morning we headed to the Missionaries of Charity, the religious order founded by Mother Teresa.  The agenda was to interact with the patients, young women (ages 14-40) who suffered from neurological disorders.   I knew this going in and thought I could ‘handle it.’ But I was not prepared for the reality of what I saw. Initially, I began greeting the women around the courtyard – I wanted to make sure I spoke with everyone. I held their hands, looked into their eyes, and said Hi or Jambo.  Some could express their feelings with a smile and others couldn’t respond.  This was for the first ten minutes. Then I looked around and an emotion overwhelmed me. I couldn’t and still can’t conceptualize it yet. I needed air! A friend and I walked out and hugged in tears. No words were said, just a silent understanding.” –Viviane Russo

The visit to the Missionaries of Charity Center is always a cherished experience for St Monica’s pilgrims to Africa.  We began the morning early, leaving our hotel at 5:30am to make our way to the Missionaries of Charity in time for morning Mass.  The early wake-up call is worth it for such a gentle celebration of the Eucharist.  The Sisters knelt on the floor but welcomed us to join them there or on benches in the back of the room.  It is truly glorious to pray in a room filled with Sisters singing harmonies with such heart and spirit.

After Mass, we visited the local Holy Cross formation house, where we were hosted by Fr Pat Neary (whom you might know from Thanksgivings past at St Monica) and several seminarians.  After a hearty breakfast, we returned to the Missionaries of Charity Center where we visited with the young women Viviane mentioned.  These women were primarily born with neurological disorders such as encephalitis, due to the malnutrition of their mothers.  Their families have typically either died or abandoned them to the Sisters’ care.

Viviane’s reflection alludes to how overwhelming the poverty is in Nairobi.  In that room, we tried to be present to each of the young women.  But we were overwhelmed by the great number of women who were there, and the extent to which they appeared to be suffering.  And this was just a small snapshot compared to all the people suffering physically, emotionally, and spiritually in Dandora and Kibera (the area of Nairobi where the Missionaries of Charity is).  One reason many of us came to Dandora was to find out how we can help ease the suffering in the world.  Days like today test our hearts.  How can we imagine making even a dent in trying to improve the world?  The temptation is to leave overwhelmed by a sense of pity and powerlessness, but the words of Blessed Teresa remind us that Jesus calls us to be present to the poor and the suffering—to simply pour out love and compassion on them, and to offer up our questions and anxieties to God who can bring us peace instead.

Fortunately, I also found some hope in this visit with the Sisters.  I had been praying for one of the young women, Gokey, since I met her two years ago.  Then, she smiled and groaned in response to my trying to clap and dance with her in her wheelchair.  I didn’t know if she would even be alive today.  When I went to her side, I told her how much I had been looking forward to seeing her.  She erupted with more sounds and a huge smile, and she even spoke some words, responding to my questions and sharings with “fine” and “yeah,” something she could not do two years ago.

As our visit neared its conclusion, it was lunchtime for the young women.  We were handed aprons and plates with rice, avocado, meat, and potatoes, and we began to feed our new friends.  The Sisters did not say too much to us—they just empowered us to help by pushing us right to work.  As Delis shared with us:  Mother Teresa was not concerned with her volunteers’ spiritual experience of working with the poor—we were not there for us; we were there for them.  In a similar vein, we were not allowed to take photographs in the room, so as not to exploit the women nor bring pride to the Sisters.  Fortunately, we will walk away with our memories of sharing this beautiful morning with the Sisters of Charity and the women they serve. –AF

Mission Trip Continues with Visits to HIV/AIDS Ministries and Outreach to Youth

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Day Two, and we’re all pretty exhausted, but fortunately Msgr would be proud since we’re also all on fire!

“Each day is more extraordinary than the last. This morning, we met people who’d walked many kilometers to Veronika’s Place. They were so gracious and such a blessing and I was deeply grateful to be there. In the afternoon, the Boma Rescue Center was amazing. The children were very sober at first, then we had an extremely beautiful and moving Mass in Kiswahili and then they danced for us, then with us! It was one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had—dancing and laughing with those kids. I will be praying for their future, which is so tenuous.” –Diane Sherlock

Veronika’s Place is Holy Cross’ outreach to the women of Dandora who have HIV or AIDS.  Often their husbands have died from AIDS, and they have been left to raise their children without a source of income.  Our outreach provides them with minimal nutritional supplementation which lasts only a few days.  We provide cooking oil and rice and some other goods once each month, but unfortunately many of these families remain hungry for most of the month after the supplies run out.

When I first witnessed Veronika’s Place, I was touched by Agnes who told me that she was praying for my health.  She asked me to go back to America where I could be healthy and work hard so that I could send her food and help her with her poverty.  She was so grateful for Veronika’s Place.  At the same time, she had the faith to believe that God had a plan to bring us all together—that we are to pray for each other to be strong.  Through her prayer, God will provide for us…so that God can work through us to provide for her and her family.

After Veronika’s Place, the pilgrims travelled to Boma Rescue Center.  In some ways, this ministry can be compared to Camp Miller.  Every Sunday, parishioners celebrate Mass with the boys in the youth detention facility in Malibu before interacting with them on a personal level.  Here at Boma, we celebrated Mass together…and then we broke out the soccer balls, footballs, and jump ropes!  The youth at Boma range from about 7 years of age to about 14 or 15.  They have mostly been orphaned, likely due to AIDS or malaria, and have found themselves living in the dump that persists throughout Dandora.  To escape their pains, they dig through the piles of trash, and many have developed a habit of glue-sniffing.  Fortunately, many have found healing at Boma, and groups like St Monica bring a glimmer of light and joy to their daily lives.  And of course that joy was returned as our pilgrims rekindled their childhood enjoyment of these sports with the kids.

“Today was amazing.  The people I met at both Veronika’s place & the Boma Rescue Center were all so beautiful and welcoming.  Though they were either sick with HIV/AIDS or rescued orphans living off the Nairobi dump, they were so filled with joy & hope.   I took many pictures with people: moja, mbili, tatu (1,2,3 in Swahili) then the photo!  Everyone loved seeing their faces on the digital screen.  Queeny & Jane from Boma taught me more Swahili & wrote the words in my journal.  Jane wants to be a teacher & Queeny is so beautiful that I am literally going to write to Tyra Banks and send a photo.  I danced & jumped rope and hugged and cried…and will pray for my new friends every day.” –Rachel Paul

So we St Monica pilgrims have found ourselves experiencing so much in just two days.  And I still haven’t had a chance to tell you about the more than 80 patients we have serviced in our vision clinic.  You’ll notice an update from Dr Kurata though.  We are truly blessed to be here, and we even look forward to our wake-up call which will get us to the bus by 5:30am tomorrow so that we may share Mass with Blessed Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity.  You are in our prayers, and we hope you continue to pray for us as well.  Bwana Ana Bariki! –AF

St Monica Parishioners Jump Right into Dandora, Kenya

Monday, July 18, 2011

Jambo!!  Karibu to the official blog of the St Monica Holy Cross Africa Ministry’s (HCAM) 2011 mission trip.  (Karibu means Welcome!)  This year we accommodated several different travel itineraries, and we’ve just about settled into our home for the week in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Several of us took the opportunity to spend a week climbing Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania before the others arrived in East Africa.  Known as the “Roof of Africa,” Kili’s Uhuru peak towers 19,341 feet above sea level and is the highest point on the African continent.  All four St Monica travelers—Peter Heller, Kevyn Kurata, Kristina Marzec, and myself—were successful in completing the arduous trek to the summit!  Tumafika!!

Upon returning to Kenya, we headed to the Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) to join members of Holy Cross Parish (Dandora, Kenya) in greeting our fellow pilgrims, and we all headed to bed after midnight last night to begin our mission in Kenya.

Today was spent on the parish grounds where the main features include a church worship space, St James School, and the Brother Andre Dispensary.  The pastor, Fr Andrew Massawe who will be visiting St Monica in August, celebrated Mass for us, and we had the honor of being joined by the St James School Choir and liturgical dancers.  The students burst into song, accompanying themselves with a mix of percussion instruments and sidestepping; St Monica followed suit with emulated swaying and hand-clapping.  Notably, the students’ homemade songbooks consisted of handwritten lyrics in composition books.

In his homily, Fr Andrew welcomed us as “pilgrims,” distinguishing us from “travelers.”  As Jesus said in today’s Gospel that “there is something greater here,” Fr Andrew remarked that there is something greater than St James, or St Monica, or Monsignor, or Arthur, or Fr Andrew himself.  It is Jesus Christ who gathers us together—who calls us to journey to Dandora during this week.

Throughout the remainder of the day, St Monica’s first-time pilgrims to Dandora explored the parish grounds.  Highlights of the school visit included a young student engaged in teaching flashcards with her classmates, many students learning to sew on Singer sewing machines (antique pedal and all!), and parishioners using the computer library to prepare for their vocational certifications.  Furthermore, when we asked students what they wanted to be when they grew up, we were delighted to hear that they had immediate responses including engineer, newscaster, pilot, and more.

 In addition to the first-time pilgrims, six of us are returning for our second or third visit to our sister parish.  We are involved with more directed projects.  Dr. Lynn Kurata, OD, led a team consisting of Susan Leary, myself, a nurse from the Brother Andre Clinic, and two Holy Cross seminarians.  We’ll be working in the clinic all week, so you can look forward to a more thorough exposition of our work later this week.

In the meantime, I am inviting each of our pilgrims to share some personal words to include with each day’s blog reflections as they feel so moved.  Today we end with some words from two pilgrims:

“The children were so beautiful and loving. They were so happy to see us. They taught me to appreciate life and be happy with what God gives us. The airport greeting with flowers and the people of the parish was so uplifting after our long flight.” –Maureen Gault

“Holy Ground…this is holy ground. I guess that I was prepared for the dump and all the poverty; but what I didn’t expect was the serenity and peace that I would find on the other side of the gate to Holy Cross parish.  For the Lord is present and where He is - is holy.  The cross that rises above the church building – seen from afar – tells of the security and strength within. The nuns in their crisply pressed habits (and cardigan sweaters – since this is their winter) – Father Andrew with his amazing smile – and all the workers are so filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit. And – simply – the power of the Holy Spirit is something truly beyond words. This is going to be an amazing trip.” –Bobbie Paul 

Until tomorrow, Bwana Ana Bariki!  God bless you!

-          Arthur Fitzmaurice

Update from Brother Andre Dispensary!

Today (Monday July 18th) was a bit hectic! After early breakfast, got to dispensary at 8:45am to set up.
People were already lined up waiting for us, although they knew we would not start seeing patients until noon.

We went to Mass @ 11am, then back to the dispensary.
Susan and Arthur were a terrific team and quick learners on what needed to be done. We worked out a protocol and started, with the help of Sarah, a nurse, and Patrick, a seminarian.
The clinic staff had booked 70 patients for that day,scheduled every 10 minutes, for only a 4 hour period to see them! We rolled up our sleeves and began.

The sunglasses are going fast, just about everyone needs one, as well as eye drops to address the effects of the environmental pollution.

The time went by so quickly, and we were told our ride was coming at 5pm.  At 4:30pm, there was still a waiting room full of people. Arthur went out to try to triage who needed to be seen today. There were just too many.

So Joseph, a parish council member and I went into the crowd at 5:00pm to determine how to accommodate these people who had waited so long, some had appointments, and others did not. We ended up double booking for tomorrow, Thursday and Friday.

Susan, Arthur and I will try a different tactic tomorrow. Arthur will triage the ones scheduled with appointments for tomorrow, and fit in the double booked patients. He will also help with those whose main complaint is not being able to read their Bible. He will sit with them and determine the strength of the readers they need based on some guidelines I gave him. Susan will help with more instruction on taking eye meds, and triaging the red eyes.

Hopefully tomorrow will not be so chaotic! St. Andre Besette, pray for us.

Lynn Kurata