by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 14, 2024
Swahili Literature, Theological and Secular
Although number of Swahili speakers varies widely (between 60 million and 150 million), its importance as the national language of Tanzania, and one of the two official languages of Kenya, would be difficult to overestimate. Nevertheless, the present state of Swahili literature is stagnant, if not in actual decline. The majority of theological works are translations from English, despite the efforts of rather well known writers such as Fr. Titus Amigu. Fr. John Waldrep wants to assist writers in Tanzania who want to publish in Swahili. With your gift, there will be a wider selection of books available to the Swahili-speaking reading community on theological and spiritual subjects.
“He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read”
– Luke 4:16
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 14, 2024
Fr John’s well project is for the drilling and equipping of a well at St. Michael Musingini Outstation, St. John the Baptist Parish, Diocese of Wote. The area is semi-arid savannah. Most of the population are small farmers. Access to clean water is a constant problem. People rely on the small streams, ponds, and shallow wells for water. In addition, for the last decade the government of Kenya has carried out Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations in the area to protect and rebuild livelihood in this arid and semi-arid area. As part of these projects, the government has constructed water pans for human and livestock consumption. The local need for water far surpasses the government’s efforts. In Kenya, the Musingini outstation area has over 1,000 households with family size averaging at six members. About 40% of the population is age 18 and under. The well will be built on outstation land, which is owned by the local parish. The outstation area has one primary school and one dispensary. The project will supply clean water to the local population, including the school and dispensary.
“For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
– Revelation 7:17
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 8, 2022
The reforestation project will take place in 20-30 outstations of St. John the Baptist Parish. Two types of drought-resistant trees will be planted. The trees will bring various nutritional and socio-economic benefits to the local population. The second part of this proposal is for a solar pump for a well in St. John the Baptist Parish. In 2015, the Society funded the drilling of a well in the Parish. That well is now the main water source for the surrounding community. Fossil fuels are used to power the pump. Shifting to a solar pump will protect the environment and relieve the community of the costs entailed by purchasing diesel. If the trees survive, the tree project will become self-sustaining. The well has already been a self-sustaining project. The solar pump will enhance the well’s durability.
This care of creation project is for sustainable trees in the semi-arid area of Kibwezi in southeastern Kenya and a solar pump for a well. The Moringa Oleifera tree can provide a source of nutrition to community members, especially during the dry seasons, and the use of a solar pump will eliminate the need for fossil fuels to power the power.
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 8, 2022
Mission Outreach Programs
For several years, the Region has been sending teams of university students to serve in impoverished, pastoralist, marginalized areas of northern Kenya: Turkana, Isiolo, Marsabit, and Pokot. The teams assist in parishes for 4-6 weeks and carry out educational, catechetical, women’s empowerment programs, and health programs in the parishes. Two mission teams of medical, nursing, public health, and pharmacy students volunteer for medical ministry in Turkana, northwestern Kenya. University students will offer tutoring in parish schools for primary and secondary school students. They will assist catechists in providing religious instruction. They will offer health education in matters of diet, hygiene, maternal health, children’s health, human sexuality, and HIV prevention. Medical, nursing, and pharmacy students will assist in parish dispensaries. Students in agriculture and animal husbandry will offer training on small-scale agriculture and livestock development.
Your support will give student participants the experience of mission for a new understanding of themselves as agents of evangelization by living our Catholic faith. Fr. John Waldrep wants to assist parishes in northern Kenya with their educational, catechetical, women’s, and health outreach programs.
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 8, 2022
Aid to Women and Children
Fr. John Waldrep has developed a system to assist women meet their expenses and start some small on-the-street businesses (fruit and vegetable stands, fast food stands, and stands for small domestic items and beauty products) that enable them to meet their expenses and move away from commercial sex work. The second part of this project is maternal assistance to pregnant secondary school young women and university women. Pregnant university students are denied on-campus accommodations soon after the first trimester. In addition to meeting the costs of pre-natal care, they must pay rent and utilities, prepare to cover delivery costs, purchase baby clothes, and buy food. Often, families refuse to assist pregnant students and insist on ending the pregnancy.
With your help, women will be able to establish small on-the-street businesses and meet their daily needs for food, housing, education and medical care for their children. Pregnant young women will be able to attend secondary school and university students will continue their studies.
“Everywhere we are touched by the triumph of the human spirit and enriched by encountering people’s faith experience. We join with them announcing the healing, reconciling and liberating Jesus.”
by Dionel Rodriguez | Jun 1, 2020
Eastern Deanery AIDS Relief Program
Fr. Edward Phillips, M.M.
Eastern Deanery AIDS Relief Program is presently one of the largest multifaceted treatment and prevention programs in Kenya. In 1993 when Eastern Deanery AIDS Relief Program (EDARP) was founded by Father Edward Phillips MM at the request of Roman Catholic priests from the Eastern Deanery Nairobi.
Various services offered are adult and children basic AIDS care as well as anti-retroviral treatment. There is a special emphasis on preventing maternal to child transmission. Well-baby clinics provide a way to identify infants at risk for HIV infection and provide immunization for poor children who do not receive basic immunization services. There are over 30,000 adults and children receiving care and treatment.
People accessing counseling and testing is more than 50,000 clients in a year. With over 300 volunteers involved in the program, it has 13 clinics spread through the eastern side of the city of Nairobi. Please help Fr. Ed Phillips M.M., continue this project.
