Sister Florence Muia (center) visits the Presbyterian Church of La Porte, IN during her recent visit to the USA.

Recently, through the generosity of the Wheaton Franciscan Sisters in Wheaton, IL Sister Florence Muia, the Founder and President of Upendo Village, was able to travel to the USA.  During her visit she met with many church groups, civic leaders, Rotarians, service and educational groups and individuals to share with them some of the personal stories of Upendo Village and those whose lives have been touched through the support of so many loving donors.  She spoke of the AIDS support group that now hosts over 35 adults who meet regularly to share their stories, to assist one another and to work together to bring new life to their communities.  She shared the stories of children brought back from the brink of death through nutritional supplementation and basic medical care.  Sister Florence also spoke of adults whose health has been restored enough for them to support themselves and their families through creating beautiful bead work—new hope for a new future!

While we are grateful to the parish of St. Francis Xavier in Naivasha for providing a small space as a temporary beginning for Upendo Village, the community’s need for ever increasing services has made it urgent for us to develop a permanent site for our ministry.  As reported in our April 2005 issue of Upendo Village Update, we have received the title deed to a 3-acre parcel of land donated by the Kenyan diocese of Nukuru.  After obtaining the necessary surveys, Upendo Village is preparing to drill a well on the property as a first step to establishing our new location.  We want to extend our deep appreciation to the Naperville Rotary Club, which has generously raised the funds needed for digging the well.  Our next step will be to add a defluoridation system that can remove the excess fluoride before the water can be used for drinking and cooking.  The hope is that we can slowly begin to build the multipurpose building which will house the support group, crafts project, clinic, etc.

Sister Florence Muia, President and Founder of Upendo Village visits with Sister Beatrice Hernandez, Executive Director of Upendo Village in the US.

 

Although we are excited about the new beginning that the building project represents, our first priority continues to be medical care, support services, counseling and nutritional supplementation for our clients and their families.  Much has been accomplished over the last fiscal year.  Upendo Village has provided AIDS Awareness Education to 5845 persons.  This has gradually served to break the silence about HIV/AIDS.  People are slowly beginning to reach out to one another as the barriers created by fear and myths are broken down.  Over 287 people have come for voluntary HIV counseling and testing.  Thanks to the availability of HIV test kits donated by the Naperville Rotarians, this service is continuing into the present fiscal year.  Despite the very limited space available, Upendo Village has provided emergency shelter for 30 clients, with an average stay of about 2 months.  During that time, clients have been counseled in order to cope with the loss and trauma associated with AIDS.  They have received nutritional supplementation and basic medical care in order to restore their ability to care for themselves and their families.  Most importantly, they have been surrounded by the love so critical to wholeness and health.

There have been 332 orphans placed with next of kin, and only 15 have had to be placed in orphanages.  The Upendo Village clinic has had 309 patient visits, although staffed with only one nurse.  We are so grateful to All Saints Healthcare in Racine Wisconsin, whose physicians and employees donated a year of salary for a second nurse to be hired.  This will greatly enhance the health and well being of our clients. 

Sister Florence (third from the left) meets with women of the Kemetic Institute of Chicago, a group dedicated to educating about the African roots of African American culture, and supporters of Upendo Village from its beginning.

During a recent mission experience sponsored by the Joliet diocese, 13 nurses, 2 physicians and a laboratory technologist   worked side by side with the staff of Upendo Village and the nearby Naivasha Sub-district Hospital.  Literally hundreds benefited from their service, while the participants were changed forever by what they, in turn, learned.  We are so grateful for their journey.

 

Thank you for your support for Upendo Village and the people of Kenya.  Your concern and solidarity bring hope and life to many.  Together we continue to work toward the day when the people of all the countries of the world will be able to live healthy and happy lives.—

                   Beatrice Hernandez, OSF, MD

Upendo Village, NFP.

HIV/AIDS Women Project-Kenya

Sr. Florence Muia, ASN – President

Sr. Beatrice M. Hernandez, OSF,MD-Executive Director

Mailing Address:  P.O. Box 449

Wheaton, IL 60189

E-mail:  contact@upendovillage.org