Visiting a Family in Dandora



by Paul Aglione
 
Peter, a Dandora Phase 1 resident, invited fellow traveler Mary and me into his home. Phase 1 is the oldest part of Dandora and Peter has lived there since 1971. Beautiful 18-month-old Victoria greeted us–Peter’s youngest daughter. Victoria captivated me with her sweet innocence and pretty blue dress. She took my heart instantly! We walked inside the house and met the rest of Peter’s loving family. We had a nice visit learning about each other's lives, yet we had barely scratched the surface. We held hands and prayed together as a family in God’s presence.

When we returned to Holy Cross Church in Dandora Peter and I continued our conversation. He told me how his father was an alcoholic and used to abuse his mother. So he decided to become a SAPTA addiction counselor. SAPTA stands for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment in Africa. He became a certified addiction counselor and worked at BOMA Rescue Mission until he was laid off because BOMA was unable to secure funding for its mission. Sadly his wife was six months pregnant with Victoria at this time. 

We shouldn’t be afraid to discuss poverty and it’s many causes but to use this discussion as a means to find solutions to defeat it. The strong and resilient community of Dandora will thank us for it.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting to Know Each Other

Image
Jambo and Karibu! It’s Monday night here in Nairobi, and almost all of our travelers have arrived. Like the animals of Noah’s ark, we have been coming in pairs and small groups rather than all at once. KLM, Turkish, Ethiopian and Austrian Airlines have transported 11 of us 9600 miles to the Eastern Coast of Africa. This morning, we enjoyed our first outing together as one big group: provisions at the Nakumatt —Kenya’s grocery store. What better way to acclimate and adjust to the environment, the culture and the currency than to be among locals shopping for each of our daily needs. Then, on to the Nairobi National Museum for lunch and an interactive tour of Kenya’s rich heritage. Kenya lays a claim to the oldest human remains going back 7 million years. Led by student guides, we learned a survey of Kenya’s history, from its early Arabian and European presence just after the time of Christ, through British colonization and its independence in 1962. Oh, and we happened to coerce ...
Read more

Our Parish Community Offers A Blessing

Image
Msgr. Torgerson leads the assembly in blessing the 2017 travelers to Holy Cross Parish in Dandora, Nairobi, Kenya. We bless you, O God, and praise your name. In your merciful love you sent your son into the world to enrich us with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Before he returned triumphant over death, You, Father, commissioned your son and his apostles, to be bearers of His love and His power, to proclaim the Gospel of life to all people by the waters of baptism that cleanse us. Lord, look kindly on the community of St. Monica and the community of Holy Cross and our Sister Parish in Dandora. Over the last 15 years, you have blessed our friendship, built our relationships and have changed the face of both communities. Guide the steps of our new pilgrims to Dandora this year. With your powerful hand and with your grace, strengthen us in spirit, so that we will not falter but continue to grow strong in your grace and favor. Help our words echo Christ...
Read more

A Personal Epiphany: Missionaries of Charity Sisters

Image
by Tom Dempsey The first time I entered the Mission of Charities home for women who are neurologically impaired in 2015, my only thought was, “I have entered into hell.” The smell, the screaming and the surroundings gave me a feeling of dread. Once inside the room, seeing the contorted bodies and misshapen heads, the erratic movements and the random utterances rather than speech only intensified my emotion. Despite this initial response I forced myself to participate in feeding, touching, praying with and singing to these “unfortunate souls.” That night, I made a sarcastic yet heartfelt question, “what kind of God would allow this fate for these women?” The immediate response from Fr. David Guffey was, “the same God who inspires the Missionaries of Charity sisters to care for these women on a daily basis.” That was my personal epiphany. That experience which tested my faith and somehow allowed it to go to a place it had never really been. My visit to the home in 2017 has b...
Read more