Youth Encounter with the Missionaries of Charity

Animating the crowd at the beginning of the day.

On Saturday, October 8th, our now complete mini-team, Maynor Ballesteros, Dr. William Stallings (who arrived on Thursday evening) and I, partnered with the Missionary of Charity Fathers and Sisters to lead a youth encounter with the theme "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Mt 5:8)" at the MC Sisters regional house in the midst of the Huruma slums. Approximately 340 youth turned out, almost 100 more than expected. Most were from the immediate area, though others came from neighborhoods near the MC Sisters' other houses in the Nairobi area.

Br. Juan Pablo and Sr. Colombiere
with some of the local "glue boys" who participated in the day.

The day began with a quiet Eucharistic Holy Hour in the early morning as participants arrived. That was followed by breakfast and a time of teaching songs and animating the crowd.

Dr. Will Stalliings leads a young men's discussion group.

I gave the first talk, which was based on our relationships with each of the Persons of the Holy Trinity, God the Father of Mercies, Jesus the Redeemer of Man and the Holy Spirit, Lord and Giver of Life. The purpose was to express the immense dignity we possess in being created in God's image, something that only Jesus fully reveals to us and restores, and which is fulfilled by making a gift of ourselves to others. This, of course, has profound significance for our understanding of the meaning and purpose of human sexuality, which was the focus of the day. After the talk, the young people broke down into smaller groups for discussion.

Br. Juan Pablo speaks with the male participants about
what it means to be a man in Christ.  

After a short break the young men and young women met apart. Sr. Eucharitica (from Canada) gave her personal testimony, and spoke to the female participants about what it means to be a woman in Christ, while Br. Juan Pablo did something similar with the young men. Everyone then came back together for a session of questions and answers, followed by a time of Eucharistic Adoration and prayer for healing.

Some of the youth participants.

We broke in the mid-afternoon for lunch and came back for Mass and a commitment ceremony, which was led by Fr. Ray, MC, in Kiswahili. The response of the youth and the sisters was overwhelmingly positive, and we are hoping to plan a full weekend Eucharistic retreat for the next mission trip to Africa shortly after Easter next spring.

A reminder of the charism of Blessed Mother Teresa.

Rosary Procession through Mathare Slums

Later in the same day as the soup kitchen (below) Fr. Ray and Br. Juan Pablo organized a Rosary procession through the Mathare slums with several of the small Christian communities they work with in the area. We began as a small group in one of the tiny neighborhood chapels (above).

Praying and trekking through the streets.

Carrying a crucifix, an icon of Our Lady and candles.

Pausing at another of the neighborhood chapels (with the local leader in gray on the left).

Past a huge 12 foot pile of garbage left in the street.

Pausing at another neighborhood chapel.

Stopping to pray at one of the large "Glue Boys" bases.

The Hail Mary in Kiswahili
(note the "Glue Boy" in the background with a doll)

A young mother and newborn child.

The boys who wouldn't let go of my arm.

By the time we finished we numbered almost 40 -
a much greater turnout than expected!

MC Fathers' Wednesday Morning Men's Soup Kitchen

For the past two Wednesdays I've had the privilege and joy of participating in the MC Fathers' soup kitchen for men. On Mondays women and small children are served, on Wednesdays older boys and men. I was particularly glad to be there on those days because I met some of these youth and men on our walks through the neighborhood. The "Glue Boys" (young men who live on the streets and sniff glue) are special friends of the MC Fathers and Sisters. They look out for them and have even brought abandoned infants to the Sisters.

Between 225 and 250 men come for food.

It's hard to get an exact count, but somewhere between 225 and 250 men attend. The number has gone up recently due to the increase in food prices related to the sharp fall of the Kenya Shilling against the US dollar - a drop of almost 20% since the beginning of the year.

Fr. Columbus, MC gives a short message in Kiswahili.

Fr. Columbus, MC, directs this particular apostolate, and greets the guests and shares with them a Gospel reading and short message in Kiswahili.

The congregation listens attentively and participates actively.

Some of the younger "Glue Boys."

If we are open to them, the poor have an amazingly powerful prophetic ability to unmask the illusions of our culture and the false values in our own lives. They put us in touch with reality, both in terms of the beauty and brokenness of human life, as well as the heavy burden many are forced to bear because of the inflated lifestyle of a few. I couldn't help but think that many of those present, especially the children, had somehow been robbed or cheated of basic necessities and opportunities they should have had in life. The MC Fathers' soup kitchen is a genuine Gospel gesture that recognizes the dignity of these men by giving them the "daily bread" that every human being needs to survive.

Serving seconds.

One who silently watches over them.

Half a Million Somali Refugees in Dadaab

Last Thursday morning lay missionary Maynor Ballesteros from Honduras arrived after two days of travel. I have known Maynor for 10 years, almost from the outset of our mission in Honduras, and he spent five months with me last year in Torit (click here to see his profile). Maynor will accompany me for the rest of the time here in Kenya, and through October in South Sudan and Uganda.

Early the following morning, September 30, we took a European Union sponsored flight through Garissa to Dadaab. Dadaab is a small ethnic Somali town about 90 kilometers from Kenya's eastern border. In the early 1990s a camp for refugees from Somalia was established that was projected to accommodate approximately 90,000 people. Today, twenty years later, there are three camps that together shelter about 470,000 people. With more than 1,000 new refugees arriving each day, that number is expected to surpass half a million by the end of October. That is more than the population of a number of significant US cities, including Atlanta, Newark and St. Louis. The massive influx of refugees is a result of protracted internal political instability combined with the current famine gripping parts of East Africa, the worst - some say - in 60 years. Many refugees arrive after walking for days without food and water, and having passed through danger and death. The stories are horrific. It is incomprehensible to grasp the magnitude of the anguish and trauma of each refugee multiplied by 500,000. It is the largest and most intense humanitarian crisis situation in the world. (Click here for an informative article on Dadaab in the UK Telegraph.)

The market in the center of Dadaab town (above and below).

One of the most overwhelming impressions are the endless acres of tents and makeshift huts on the outskirts of the camps - thousands and thousands of them. New arrivals temporarily settle there in makeshift dwellings until more permanent locations can be assigned them. The refugees are eventually given a lot in a block, and those who have been around for a while often build houses of mud bricks with corrugated sheet metal roofs.

We were only able to leave the NGO compound in Dadaab town in a vehicle, accompanied by staff and escorted by police when travelling between camps (car-jackings and kidnappings of drivers and passengers are real possibilities ), so our direct contact with the refugees was somewhat limited. Still I was amazed by the openness and friendliness of the refugees, especially the children - who are often the ambassadors of friendship.

Our visit was specifically to observe the works of AVSI (Association of Volunteers in International Service), an NGO (non-governmental organization) that originated from the Church movement Communion and Liberation (CL). Many of my CL friends in Nairobi work for AVSI, including Leo Capobianco, the country director. It was through Leo that our trip was arranged. AVSI has been working in the camps since 2009, and during that time has renovated and rehabilitated all the schools in the camps. As more refugees flood in, the need for schools increase. To accommodate the thousands of new refugee children, temporary classrooms (such as the one below) are set up until more permanent buildings can be constructed.

One of AVSI's current projects is the construction of three libraries (such as the one above) for existing schools. One of the co-sponsors of the project is the US Embassy in Kenya, which will provide solar panels, computers and books. Another project involves the construction of an entirely new school complex (the two photos below), including classrooms, offices, a kitchen and bathrooms.

In addition to physical improvements, AVSI has also undertaken the responsibility of recruiting and training teachers. Refugees who have completed secondary school receive further teacher training from lecturers from Mount Kenya university, as well as workshops on the method of education proposed by Monsignor Luigi Giussani, founder of CL. We had the opportunity to visit one of the sites (below) where AVSI teacher training takes place. Even with all the efforts to improve the education in the camps, the situation is still daunting: a 90 to 1 student:teacher ratio, only one textbook for every six students, and pupils having to sit on the floor due to a lack of desks and chairs. And yet in the midst of this challenging reality, AVSI has made a significant contribution that looks to the future of the children in the camps. I was very impressed with some of the older secondary students we met. They were bright, spoke English well, and were eager to learn. Some had even formed a "future writers club" to encourage one another in their efforts. (Click here to find out more about AVSI's work in Dadaab and how to contribute.)

On Sunday I was very grateful  to be able to hear confessions and celebrate Mass for Catholic NGO workers in a small chapel on the grounds of the police post in Dadaab town. Though the congregation meets twice a week, they usually don't have a priest to celebrate the Sacraments for them. They were very grateful for our presence and extremely attentive and responsive at Mass. The Gospel that Sunday was the parable of the workers in the vineyard, and I reflected with them about how God has in some way entrusted to them the refugee seedlings that were uprooted from their own devastated vineyard and transplanted in Dadaab, which becomes their own opportunity to make a return to the Lord from the vineyard of their own lives.

Another Sunday at Kamiti

This past weekend I was with the MC Fathers again. On Saturday afternoon, Br. Juan Pablo and I walked through the Mathare slums which begin near their home and run along the river until they merge with the Huruma slums near the MC Sisters regional house. The people, and especially the children, were very friendly, and also curious to see this large mizungu (white man) in a gray robe. Once again I marveled at the ingenuity of those who live in such limited circumstances, especially the way in which they make use of things other people throw away, turning them into useful objects for daily living.

The next day, Sunday, after the early morning Holy Hour, Fr. Ray, Br. Juan Pablo and I were preparing to leave to celebrate Mass in the maximum security block of the Kamiti prison. When the car wouldn't start (and the engine began to smoke as Fr. Ray tried to turn it over) it was the first sign the day would be a bit of an adventure. We walked two blocks to Thika Road and hailed a matatu, a minibus used for public transport. Many are colorfully decorated inside and out, and some have messages (like the one above) printed on them, perhaps the Kenyan version of "bumpersticker theology." Along the way we passed the local counterpart of Home Depot.

Since our change in transport caused a little delay, we weren't sure we would get to the prison in time for Mass in maximum security, and if so whether we would be able to celebrate in medium security (like last week), and if not whether we could celebrate in another block. Our concerns were dispelled when the medium security catechist met us near the entrance and led us to his section. As we walked across the prison yard the sound of the Catholic choir grew louder and more energetic. As we enter the men were singing with extra vigor:

It was evident that something exceptional was going on, and that special grace continued through the Mass, which Fr. Ray celebrated in Kiswahili.

The men were extremely attentive as he spoke with them in their own language.

Unaware of the danger of asking a Franciscan to "say a few words," after Communion the catechist asked if I had anything to share with the men. I told them how once again I felt spiritually invigorated and revitalized by their enthusiasm, and how important and powerful it is when men direct their strength and energy to the service of God. I mentioned that in New York our friars organize men's days of prayer twice a year to encourage men to draw near to Christ, be alive in their faith and active in the Church, and that I wished the men in the US could see their example. I shared with them Pope Benedict's concern that Christians in the west have become "tired of their faith," but that they (the prisoners) were certainly not tired, but alive and wide awake!

At the end of Mass we prayed a special blessing over one of the men who would be released later that week after serving a three-year sentence.

The extraordinary grace of the day flowed through the hour of Eucharistic adoration which followed Mass, during which Fr. Ray heard confessions in Kiswahili. The men were extremely prayerful, and we all felt ourselves drawn very deeply into the Presence of Jesus.

After benediction the men broke into a spontaneous session of African worship and praise, and the percussion section (above) was really smoking! The expressions on the faces of the men below give you some idea of the joy of the Holy Spirit that was overflowing that day.