Guided By the Holy Spirit

Jambo and muga to everyone!

This past week has been really busy and exciting.  We have started our cerebral palsy clinic here in Mikinduri. We are having the clinic on Wednesdays and last week saw 25 children and this week around 12 children.  Enrique and Carolina Wulff (with Mission Doctors Association) come from Nkubu and Enrique (a pediatric neurologist specialist) sees the patients. 

He is teaching Carolina and I how to do physical therapy for the children we see.  It is so rewarding working with these children.  There are so many children here in this area with neurological problems and most of that is due to the lack of pre-natal care.  We are planning on going into the high schools here and teaching about the importance of prenatal care and preventative care.  I really feel the Holy Spirit is guiding us on this mission.

I am starting catechism classes this week for the 7th and 8th graders at St. Dorothy school.  My first class will be today and I will be teaching about All Saints Day and All Souls Day.  I am starting a book of remembrance to have all the students write the names of their loved ones and this will continue throughout the month of November.  We will ask the priests to offer the Masses in November up for all of these souls.

 

I went to Nkubu for the weekend and spent it with Carolina and Enrique.  It is so wonderful having them close by. They are like family to me!  We talked about and met several people that we want to start projects with.  The Chaplain from the local prison would like us to come out to visit with those incarcerated here.  I would love to visit with the women prisoners and start a prayer group with them.  I would like to have a weekly rosary and chaplet of divine mercy prayer session every week.  We also talked to the director of a clinic run by the Diocese of Meru which works with the blind and disabled.  He really would like all of us to come and help out at their clinic.

There really is so much to do and Father B is so supportive of me doing anything I feel called to do.  This is truly an amazing experience for me and although at times I just want to give up and come home, the Holy Spirit puts things in my path to remind me of why I am here and I am reminded to be grateful for this opportunity to serve these wonderful folks here in Kenya. 

I want to thank Lay Mission-Helpers for allowing me this opportunity to do just that!

Please continue to keep me and the work I am doing in your prayers.

Love Kathleen/Makena

New Name

I had a very exciting and wonderful past 2 weeks.  Carolina and Enrique (with Mission Doctors Association) have been transferred up here to work at Nkobu hospital very close to me!  It is wonderful having good friends living in Meru with me.  They are not only wonderful, fun and supportive friends, but are really needed at the hospital and everyone here is overjoyed they will be here for the next three years (God is good!)

I've been busy finishing up the confirmation entries into our computer and our registry books.  I’ve also been busy with my ladies prayer group as we plan events and pray the rosary together regularly.  I will be working with some women from St. Massimo on teaching alternative rites of passage for young women.  It's a program that our Bishop of Meru is starting to help educate and hopefully end (or seriously decrease) the practice of female circumcision which is still occurring here at alarming rates.  I am very excited about working on this project and I am asking for all your prayers for its success...

I've also been going with Father B. to different homes where he has said Masses.  One home the daughters asked him to come to say a Mass to thank their family and friends for the love and support shown to them throughout their lives, for now they have both graduated from university and have really good jobs.  They presented their parents, their aunt and uncle, Father B and their catechist with gifts and then friends gave speeches about how important it is for young children to have such mentors in their lives growing up!  It was so beautiful!

Also the women in my St. Massimo prayer group have given me a new name-  Makena---that means someone who always brings love and joy to others---honestly sometimes I am just speechless. What a wonderful name to have. I have been called many things (some of which I cannot repeat!) This however is just so humbling--- anyhow. Thank you again for all your prayers! 

Love,

Kathleen (Makena)

I have helped clean the corn and have just finished two days of helping to plant the maize (corn).  It really is hard farming...I don't think I will ever take food for granted again. I would be soooooo skinny if I had to grow whatever I ate--- I know my mom will be thinking "maybe you should give that a try!". Haha.  Anyhow I know for certain I would be a vegetarian if I had to kill the animals.  I watched a cow get slaughtered---not a pretty sight...I will not be attending anymore butchering of the animals. Although I certainly do enjoy eating them. 

Trash or Treasure

The women from my parish went Saturday to the Mass at the cathedral and it was beautiful, and of course, very long. On the way home I was in the matatu (taxi) with 9 other women from my parish, and yes, we were all dressed alike! 

Anyhow, the lady in the front seat with me had finished her soda and mine was finished too,  I placed both of the plastic soda bottles on the floor.  The women in the back began chucking their empty plastic bottles out the window.  I began to tell them "stop that, what are you doing?". The woman next to me said "oh you Americans are always worried about keeping the environment beautiful!" 

All the women and our driver had a huge laugh....me being a bit offended said yes and so should you!  She then explained that chucking plastic bottles out the window actually helps the very poor as the folks that can't afford to buy plastic bottles come by the side of the roads to pick them up and use them to buy kerosene and to use them for water.... 

Then they were all egging me on to toss the 2 bottles out the window.  I could not find it in myself to do so.  I just couldn't do it,  it seemed soooooo wrong.   They had a big laugh about that and the woman next to me and the driver then chucked out the two bottles.  They were all whooping and screaming with laughter.   Honestly, I may be living here but I am such an American at heart - some things in me are too ingrained to change.

Perhaps after 3 years I'll be heaving bags of trash out the car windows, but I am not quite ready yet.

African Time

Someone today explained 'African time' to me.  She said here in Africa we do not think about yesterday because it's already gone and tomorrow is uncertain if we will even be alive so we make the most of each moment and when we see someone that is the only important moment and we talk with them until we are finished and then we go to do the next thing.

Time is not important it's the moment.  Therefore there is no such thing as being late.  Whenever someone shows up then that is when they are supposed to (I have rephrased this but this was the gist of her story to me). She said when you see someone neither one leaves until both are finished saying whatever they need to say.  I know this to be true as just trying to walk through town takes forever as everyone you know or even slightly have met before stops and gets into a conversation with you.  It's exhausting for me and I ENJOY TALKING… but sometimes I would just like to dash to the store pick up whatever and dash home....not even close to possible.....

I'm going with the women's committee from my parish tomorrow to meet with all the other women committee members from all the churches in the Diocese of Meru to go to a mass at the cathedral by the bishop and then all the churches will present gifts to the bishop.  We have chickens, corn, beans, peas as well as monies for him.  Apparently they do this 1x per year....I just got my hair braided again for the big event and all the women who will be there (100's) will be wearing the same outfits. It's the one I was wearing to greet the prime minister. How funny!  I will be the only musunga (white chick) present so maybe I will stand out a little.

I really hope all of you continue to keep me in your prayers and continue to support LMH!

Love,

Kathleen

Kathleen stands between the Prime Minister and Fr. Bernard (Fr. B.)

Prayers and Poker

I have not written for awhile as I have been in a foul mood and feeling sorry for myself.  I had an awakening yesterday which was a total reminder of why I am here and that is to serve God and these wonderful folks in Kenya.  I tend to forget things quickly and make things ALL ABOUT ME! 

Anyhow yesterday I was getting my hair 'done ' again (which I do whenever I feel stressed) and on the way home I was praying for God to help me understand why I was here.  A young man (severely retarded) walked by me and my heart sank. I thought what am I complaining about, this young man looked so happy but he was filthy and I knew he really had absolutely no means of help or any kind of future.  I began to pray for him and said to myself he really needs my prayers.  

Right after that a very poor and slightly crippled man walked up to me and IN PERFECT ENGLISH said. "I need them too".  Totally freaked me out.  How did he know what I was thinking and how could this uneducated person speak PERFECT ENGLISH??   I wondered if it was an Angel sent with a strong message and kick in the butt to me....hmmmmmmm.  Anyhow I have a total attitude change and I remember that I made this commitment to God and for once in my life it's not all about KATHY....

My daughter sent me a care package which also got here yesterday with a HUGE bag of sweet tarts and sprees!!!!!!! Also playing cards, so tonight I am teaching 3 women who work and live here how to play poker (5 card draw). I am trying to teach them how to shuffle the cards.  I also have tried to explain 2/3 of a kind, full house, straight and flush.  We tried a few times and they would say I have a 2 card straight. Or 3 card flush. I'm trying to explain that is a stinky hand.  So funny.  They have NEVER PLAYED CARDS BEFORE!!!  Can you imagine ....

Father B. is away at a conference and just called me to make sure I’m 'not suffering'.  I told him I'll be teaching the girls poker tonight and he thought was great.  I also told the girls we would use sweet tarts for chips and one of them said she wants to use money.....ahhhhhhh. Now if only I could get my hands on cigars we could really have a great game going....

Anyhow,  please continue to keep me in your prayers as I really do need them!

Kathleen