Archive for August, 2011

This article was written by Beatrice who is an older girl in Form II and a big sister to the younger children, as you see her her with Judy, the youngest 4 year old. After many years at St. Clare, Beatrice offers her insights on how love binds them together as a family.

AT ST. CLARE, WE LIVE IN LOVE (BEATRICE)

At St Clare Girls’ Centre, we all observe the greatest commandment given to us by God, which is love. For we know in love you canachieve more from others as long as you live in this world. This is why at St Clare there are about twenty different tribes but as long as we are together we speak one language. So we are able to understand one another. We are as one family united by Jesus Christ through a great messenger who is the father and mother of the St Clare children, Father Francis.
In St Clare because of love, no one is considered higher than the other one; we are all equal as one family united by Jesus Christ. As a family we do everything together. We all jog in the morning as one family. The nutrition is the same amaranth and bread for we believe in natural food. After classes we usually have sport, both teachers and pupils, and everybody normally participates fully without being forced for we know through exercises we are able to keep ourselves fit and our muscles relaxed.

For many reasons being from the poor backgrounds of the children at St Clare, we need to show love to one another. There are different kinds of children who really need to be taught how to carry themselves for since they were little  they have never had their parents to teach them and bring them up in a good way. When they come to St Clare, they find love among the people in the environment and they take the people in authority as their parents.

Because of love shown at St Clare children grow and are never sad. They are always shining and happy for they lack nothing and they never think of any evil things or flashback to the problems they had undergone before. This makes St. Clare a small heaven for it is where many children from different parts of Kenya find happiness when their parents die and their relatives reject them, the same way Jesus was rejected by his people.

Sr. Kathryn wrote the following report of the drought in Kenyaas it impacts the children at St. Clare.  Sarah Wachiru  and Madam Edna are the administrators of St. Clare and working hard to juggle the available funds to feed the girls.

“As you can read from Sarah’s reports and request forms, she is back to a diet of only corn and beans.  Vegetables and meat are again being deleted.  She simply does not have enough $$$ to operate. Edna just mentioned how much healthier the girls have been since we added vegetables and meat t the diet.  The skinniest ones have put on a little weight and the energy level is higher.  I hope and pray, and feel confident that we will find a way.

At the request of the family of Mrs. Beatrice Antoniette, Fr. Riwa flew to Switzerland to be the celebrant at her funeral today, August 3. They were very close friends for they shared the same deep affection for the abandoned and orphaned children.

Beatrice was known to the staff at St. Clare as Madam Beatrice, but to the children she was Queen Beatrice for she was like a magical fairy godmother.  Each year she returned with a suitcase full of hats, shirts and gifts for the children.

Next to St. Clare is a special mango tree. Under its branches the first classes were held at St. Clare even before there was a buillding. Today the simple wood benches are still there and people gather under this special tree. Beatrice was no exception. She would spend hours and hours with the children in the shade of the mango, listening to their stories, being the grandmother they never knew. The children, especially the little ones, always knew where to find her. Queen Beatrice would be holding court under in the cool shade of the mango tree, sitting on the rough wood benches, waiting for the children.

Goodbye Queen Beatrice. Rest in Peace.