"Deep sea" (Consolata Shrine, Nairobi)

"Why is it called 'Deep Sea'?" I asked. "It is because there is a river below which separates our area from the affluent one on the other side."

"Deep Sea" is a slum not far from the Consolata Shrine. As it was not enough with the work they have, our missionaries made sure the parishioners of the Shrine would be present in the slum and Fr Daniel took me to visit the sick on Wednesday morning as we were "free" for a couple of hours.

The area is packed with people living in tiny rooms of corrugated iron with no toilets or running water. The water is bought from those who take it daily to the area. 

On the "main road" people come and go, some sell vegetables, other fruit, someone else repairs shoes... there is a joyful and intense atmosphere.

We were able to visit three people in the short time we had available. The language was Swahili so I could not communicate with them but Fr Daniel introduced me as the bishop coming from South Africa and asked me to give them a blessing in Zulu at the end. The language of love and faith was common to us all. 

As always, one remains touched by these encounters. A young girl who looked very sick said at the end in English (surprising us all): "God bless you". Her wish and "blessing"!

Just before leaving we quickly visited COYREP (the Consolata Youth Rehab Program) where we found someone teaching to make shoes and a hair saloon. There was also a clinic partly financed by the government. 

Photos