Kenya: Meeting Between Hope and Mercy
Sister Joan, Jeannine and Sister Marie Louise talk about the Works of Mercy at a reucperation center for drug addicts
After the Forum “Making Room for the ReEvolution of Works of Mercy” promoted and supported by spazio + spadoni, this is the first fruit we reap: meeting with Augustine, representative of the Missionaries of Hope, who follows our path in works of mercy.
He invited me, Sister Joan and Sister Marie Louise to visit their rehabilitation center known as FAZIENDA DA ESPERANCA in the Embu diocese. We visited the center on October 12 and 13, 2024. It was truly a time of joy, sharing and learning from each other.
Accompanying us are three Missionaries of Hope who are following 23 men recovering from drug and alcohol abuse addiction. At first it was not easy for them to adjust to our presence there, but after sharing their stories and establishing a relationship with them, an atmosphere of aparteura was created that allowed us to share more about what the Works of Mercy have done in our lives.
During our meeting, a man spoke who brought his profound testimony: he had been using drugs for more than 16 years. By the time the doctor had given him only one month to live, both he and his parents, siblings and neighbors had surrendered to the idea of death, knowing that frequent drug use inevitably leads to devastating consequences for the body.
When he arrived at the “Fazienda da Esperanca Rehabilitation Center,” he was carried like a baby, the poor health condition in fact did not allow him to walk. He arrived at the center, ready for a change by agreeing to be guided by the missionaries.
“They meditated daily on the Word of Life, prayed the rosary and followed counseling and sharing therapy,” he said. After three months there was great improvement.
He has been on a one-year recovery path and graduated last week. He is full of joy and it is with this joy that he wants to witness God’s mercy and give hope to others.
The people at the center have been gratified by our presence and deepening the works of mercy.
Of all the works, the spiritual one of “forgiving offenses” was the one on which we had the longest discussion. Indeed, most people there are afflicted and unable to forgive their past experiences.
Together, we also embraced almsgiving, that is, works of charity.
God’s mercy is in action. Always!
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