The Sisters of Charity are a marvelous group of women. Early in the morning we had mass together with the Sisters and then headed to breakfast. We returned around lunchtime to meet with the mentally and physically disabled women the Sisters care for. These women are often abandoned by their parents at birth or shortly after because of their conditions. As children they are cared for at orphanages or group homes, but as adults are given to the Sisters of Charity who lovingly provide care until their deaths. I did not count how many women were present, but there were at least 30 who were unable to care for themselves. Many could not walk and were either in wheelchairs or beds. Most could not feed themselves and relied on the Sisters for everything. It was a truly humbling, and difficult, experience for me. The Sisters of Charity are awe-inspiring for their selfless and loving work.
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| Gate to the Missionaries of Charity Home. |
In the afternoon we walked through Kibera, the worst slum in all of Africa. An estimated 800,000 people live there, but this is a rough estimate. I was rather apprehensive to walk through, as we have taken our bus everywhere. However, there were no problems the entire way. Some children greeted us with "How are you?," but there was not the eager touching St. James students gave us. What struck me most was the single gate that separated Kibera from a very middle-class, ordinary suburban looking area one might find in Southern California (minus 8 foot fences). Today was a struggle, but an ultimate learning experience.
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| Small portion of Kibera slum. |
-- Gabriela Gualano
