Posts Tagged ‘Siena House’

Purity is a Form II (Sophomore) student and offers her reflections on the significance of the Siena House on the young girls at St. Clare.

DOMINICAN SISTERS CONVENT

 BY PURITY

 A convent is a house where a community of nuns (women members of a religious organization live and work).

 The Dominican convent was started in August the year 2010 in Nchiru parish, Kenya.  A missionary from Tanzania, called Father Riwa, who takes care of the street children and orphans, built it. When he started this project, he had no money but he had to make sure that the house was built because he really wanted the sisters from the U.S.A to come and direct the school as they teach girls good morals.  We had to pray every day to get the money because we believe that God is the provider of everything and with God everything is possible.

 Before Father went to America, he started the project and then left it to continue because he had faith that he would get the money to pay the workers after he was back. He stayed in America for one month and when he came back to Kenya he had enough money to pay the workers.  This tells us that people in the U.S. A. are kind and generous.

 The house was built and within five months everything was finished.  As we believe in the pillar of prayer, we had to thank the Almighty God for the good convent.

 In the month of December 2010 the house was ready and every requirement of the house was there.  Our four beloved sisters transferred from where they were lodging in Meru to their new house.  We were glad to see them in our presence. The house looks very smart and admirable. The St. Clare children like going near it to take their photos as the pictures normally come out smartly.

 Now our sisters have planted some flowers in front of the house and it looks more attractive.  They are smart sisters and are hardworking as they work day and night to see us succeed and become the future women of Kenya.

 The sisters are happy to be with us here at St. Clare and we love them very much. They are planning great things for us girls.  We are really blessed to have such sisters.  I would be very happy to see Kenya with many nuns doing the work of God and spreading the Word of God to those who don’t know who He is.

What does this story teach us? Not that I actually wanted to say that the Dominican convent is built in Nchiru parish, but rather the message is: In whatever you do, you should have faith knowing that God has a purpose for each and everyone and He never lets the hardworking people down. The sisters said “yes” when God called them to St. Clare Girls’ Center.

We should always think about other people and be ready to serve them. The hands that give are more blessed than those that receive.  ALWAYS BE READY TO GIVE.

The sisters home (Siena House) has finally been completed and the sisters moved in last week. The next day the women from the neighboring village came to welcome them “Kenyan Style” which means they come to clean the outside of our compound and prepare your garden.

You see, most Kenyans do not shop at a grocery store, they grow what they eat. So a kitchen garden is absolutely necessary to survive. So the women made brooms from tree branches and swept the dirt from around the Siena House and then prompt went to work turning over the soil to prepare the ground for planting.

There is chronological time and there is African Time. They are not the same. It seems the clock runs slower the closer you get to the equator.

Four Adrian Dominican Sisters arrived in Kenya in mid October expecting their home to be ready the first of November. Now they are hoping to be in it in time for Christmas. Their home is located next to the St. Clare Girls’ Centre for they will be working closing with the girls. In the background you can see the home of the Indian Sisters who operate the parish medical dispensary.

The residence is dedicated to St. Catherine of Siena, a famous Dominican Saint. Thus it is referred to as The Siena House.

The first construction workers for the sisters’ home were Father Riwa and Sue Ozar as they officially broke ground for the Siena House, the future home of the four Adrian Dominican Sisters who will assist Father care for the children at the Children’s Village.