African Mission

How beautiful are the feet of those who are bringing Good News!!!

“You should strive to make the Eucharistic Lord known, loved and adored by all, always and everywhere”(FC 1). Deeply inspired by these words of our founder, we share our love of the Eucharistic Lord with the people of East Africa. We go forward to all nations to live the Eucharistic life in its fullness and thus become “bread broken for others”

A Dream Materialised
The dream of African mission was materialized in 2008, the centenary year of the congregation, in the declaration of the East African region. With a well established Adoration centre at the regional house of Otiende and 8 houses in Kenya and 10 houses in Tanzania which make a total of 18 satellite communities, East African mission is now a region under the Generalate.

The adoration center functions as the power house for the satellite communities where the sisters from different communities avail themselves for the spiritual, educational, and health facilities. It also provides facilities for the formation programs of the local candidates.

Origin and Growth
As the Adoration congregation of Kerala, India approached its second century, the global mission loomed in the horizon. In 1994, Mother Felicita, then Superior General, and her assistant Sr. Thecla, came to Africa to assess the possibilities of our missionary activities in East Africa. Based on what they saw and learned, they formed a vision for our mission in Africa. The plan was to have a central house and a number of houses whose functions could be monitored from the central house.

Accepting the invitation of Bishop Silas Njeru of Meru diocese in Kenya , the first group of Sisters – Sr. Mary Jerome, Sr. Catherine Kulathumkal, Sr. Tresa Palakkudy and Sr. Mary Kalathil from St. Thomas Province , Changanacherry – reached Meru, Kenya on 28 December 1994. The sisters were appointed as teachers in Consolata Girls High School in Meru. Due to ill health, Sisters Catherine Kulathumkal and Mary Kalathil went back to India in 1996. It marked a turning point in our ministry at Meru and we left the station. The other two sisters were sent to other centers.

Upon receiving the invitation of Bishop Justin Samba of the diocese of Musoma, Sr. Veronica, Sr. Rosebell Challissery and Sr. Maria Jose Kannampuzha, from S.H. Province , Ernakulam arrived in Musoma on 12 December 1995. They were assigned to teach in the Makoko seminary and to take care of the dispensary there. Sr. Maria was appointed as bursar for the seminary. They are the pioneers in Tanzania.

In 1996, we accepted the invitation of Rev. Fr. D’Agostino, S.J. to look after the orphan children infected and affected by HIV virus. The children of God Relief Institute, Nyumbani” – the hospice for the orphan children - was situated at Karen in the Archdiocese of Nairobi Sr. Tresa Palakudy, R.N. and Sr. Tresa Paikada, R.N. arrived on 15 May 1996 to start our ministry to the AIDS children. Responding to the need to have more sisters work there, two more sisters, Sr. Emilin Panthaladickal and Sr. Little Tresa arrived in January 1997. Sr. Mary Panchakuzhy R.N. arrived next and was appointed as Registered Staff Nurse in the ICU of Matter Hospital. Sr. Jerome who left the station in Meru was appointed as teach at St. Mary’s School run by Spiritan Fathers at Weslands. The growth of our congregation in the African continent was instrumental in the hands of the Almighty and the steady progress led to the declaration of the Sion East African region on 22nd December 2008 by Mother Stella Maris SABS, the superior General.

Our Activities
We have started our activities in East Africa in 1994. In the last 16 years we have set up 8 communities in Kenya and 10 communities in Tanzania.

• We teach in the primary, secondary schools and in the universities.

• We take care of the sick through dispensaries, health centers and hospitals and work as doctors, nurses, lab and X- ray technicians.

• We do social service among children, who are orphans infected and affected by HIV/ AIDS. There are 96 children in our hospice, and more than 1000 children in the slums. We take care of them in a community based project. Also we take care of physically handicapped children in small homes.

• We do family apostolate to reunite the broken families and promote the welfare of women in villages.

• We do pastoral work and involve in community development projects.

Our work is diverse and challenging and through our involvement with people in families, with children in class rooms and with the orphans and the handicapped in our small homes, with sick in dispensaries, hospitals and health centers, we offer the positive side of humanity to them and hope to bring peace and joy in their lives. Thus we try to make East Africa a better place than we found it.

Rays of Hope
African Mission was a dream of our congregation. It was explored, explained entrusted and worked out. In the beginning different provinces started communities in different dioceses. When the different communities were protected in that limitation of the province, seldom we knew each other, less profited mutually, and was streamlined by narrow thinking. But it opened to a high way with bright light. We started thinking ourselves as children of SABS. The communities are mixed up gradually and we started flourishing. We felt for each other without boundaries, planned out on wider thinking and reached out this stage. God blessed our venture and that is the success of African Mission. Together we grow towards the Eucharistic amazement, enjoying the success and failures, joys and sorrows, poverty and richness. Our wealth is the dedicated, hard working sisters.

This is what we have seen. There are many poor people, who want to share our richness, many illiterate to draw from our knowledge and many uncivilized to be polished to the people of God. We all are called ‘to make the Eucharistic lord known, loved and adored by all. SABS Sisters from Eastern Africa -from another continent -after few years is a ray of hope! And this dream too is going to be materialized when in January four novices of African origin commit themselves to the Eucharistic Lord and become a part of the congregation.

Communities in Kenya
SION REGIONAL HOUSE OTIENDE (Estd. 2006)
Situated in the beautiful landscape of Otiende in Langata of Kenya, this regional cum formation house is blessed with a perpetual Adoration chapel and is the power house of the East African Mission. The sisters from different communities come here for seminars, study, to relax, to get together, to share or to care the sick and it remains more than a house but a home for all the SABS sisters in the East African mission. We enjoy, we share our joy, our sorrows and we grow physically, mentally and spiritually and it remains as a sign of our unity and love. This house serves as the central house and administrative office too. The daily administration of the region is vested on a team, with a Regional superior, three councilors, a finance officer and a secretary.

The administrative team consists of:

Regional Superior		Sr. Joyce Maria SABS
1st Councilor		Sr. Tresa Palakudy SABS
2nd Councilor		Sr. Mary John Kaiparambil SABS
3rd Councillor		Sr. Eileen Anickamundackal SABS
Finance Officer		Sr. Vimala Puthiyidom SABS
Secretary		Sr. Mercy Kunnathupurayidom SABS

SION ADORATION CONVENT SOUTH B, NAIROBI ( Estd. 1996)

This house situated in South B in Nairobi was our central house previously and the only house owned by the congregation in Kenya till 2006. The sisters in the community are engaged in the field of education and health care.

NYUMBANI HOSPICE – (Estd. 1996)

Nyumbani is the realization of the vision of Dr. Fr. Angelo D’Augustino S.J MD to care for HIV orphans in Kenya. Rev. Dr. Angelo is the founder and director of Nyumbani, helped by Board of directors and treasurer Sr. Mary Owens IBVM.

It had a very humble beginning with a handful of children. We had a small hall for dinning, sleeping and playing and on Sundays it was our chapel thus our house was a multipurpose hall, often changing to suit the different needs and events.

Despite all the hard times we had God’s hand always with us. Now Nyumbani has grown to such an extent that even the structural pattern has been changed. There are 5 family type extensions accommodating 100 children with each house having a mum and staff members for other field of activities. There is an out reach programme called Lea Toto, to serve the children in the different slums of Nairobi providing financial and emotional support to the families meeting the medical and nutritional needs of the children, training and helping the families to start small enterprises. There is a well established laboratory and a nursery and primary school attached to Nyumbani. It is a challenge and thrill to our sisters to work in Nyumbani.

MAUA (Estd. 1996)

It is in Meru Diocese about 60 Kms away from the Bishop’s house. Maua is a hilly area and climate is cold and healthy and the place is beautiful with many different flowers from which the name of the place originated ( Maua = flowers). The parishners are very active and full of life. The compound consists of a dispensary and a social work project, secondary school, a primary school and a church. The sisters are very much involved in the parish activities through the school, dispensary, pastoral work, family apostolate and social work. To help the women of the area they have a project for uniform dress making for the different nearby schools, running a posho mill and also have a small scale sewing loan programme to help them in their difficulties. The dedicated service of our sisters contributed greatly to bring the school to the first position out of the 638 schools in the region.

NERKWO ( Estd. 2000)

The Bishop of Eldoret . Rt. Rev. Dr. Cornelius Korrir invited us to offer service in his diocese. Sisters from ChristuRaj province of Pala took over the station. Nerkwo is in Marakwet district. The place is very cold and the area is undeveloped without proper roads or communication system. Ethnic hatred and fight are severe among the different tribes staying in this area. Most of the people are agriculturists or pastorists. Sisters are working in secondary and primary schools and also helping in pastoral work. The parish is very big with 33 out stations and very active. The children are prepared for sacraments. In the year 2003 a thousand children received baptism, confirmation and first Holy Communion. The parishners are very happy and supportive and the sisters are enthusiastic to adjust to the simple surroundings and limited facilities. They are actively involved in the parish activities and also take care of a house for the physically handicapped “small home”.

NANGINA (Estd. 2001)

At the invitation of Bishop of Bungoma , we accepted the administration of Holy family hospital and social work project. Sisters from St. Josephs province of Thalassery took over this station. Nangina is a place between the Nangosia hills. People belong to Samia tribe. They are agriculturists. But the low rainfall and unfertile soil adversely affect the agriculture. Most of the people are economically under the poverty line. The children are helped through sponsorship programmes for their studies through the social work project.

MUJWA (Estd. 2010)

The administration of Mujwa Girls secondary school has been entrusted to us by the diocese of Meru. We have taken up the administration of Mujwa Secondary school from the Consolata missionaries. This is a residential secondary school for the Girls .We have started the mission on 9th January2010 and the house was blessed officially on 26th April 2010. Sr. Rosmy Thattarkunnel is the superior of the community and Sr. Soja Maria Muttathara is the head mistress of the school. Sr. Betsy Kochuparambil is doing the financial management.

NOVITIATE HOUSE - KIMUMU (Estd. 2010)

Our novitiate house was blessed on 17th April 2010 by Rt. Rev. Bishop Korrir the Bishop of the Diocese of Eldoret. The convent is named as St. Theresa’s Adoration convent. This is five kilometres from Eldoret town. Our first year novices and aspirants are doing their formation here.

Communities in Tanzania
MUSOMA (Estd. 1995)

The late Bishop Justin Samba invited us. Three sisters from Sacred Heart Province of Ernakulam came to Musoma and were assigned to teach in the Makoko Seminary and to take care of the sick through dispensary and also one sister was appointed as bursar for the seminary. The sisters were dedicated and also hard working and strived to improve the academic excellence of the students. The sick are treated in the family welfare project of clarsians.


KOWAK (Estd. 1999)

Accepting the invitation of the Bishop of Musoma three sisters from Sacred Heart Province of Ernakulam came to work in Kowak health center under the administration of Mary Knoll fathers. The sisters were appointed in different positions- administrator, accountant, staff nurse and anesthetist .The dedication and hard work of our sisters have helped to improve the health care.

MAFINGA DONBOSCO (Estd. 1999)

Three sisters from St. Mary’s province Kothamangalam came at the invitation of Salesians of Don Bosco. They are appointed as teachers. The standard of the school improved greatly and the school has started coming up with good result. The dedicated service of our sisters was well appreciated.

DODOMA-MIYUJI (Estd. 1999)

Dodoma is the capital of the country. Seven kms away from the town is the Don Bosco Seminary School. The climate is hot. Three sisters from St. Thomas Province, Changanacherry came at the invitation of Provincial of the Salesians of Don Bosco for East African Province.

MADUNGA (Estd. 2002)

The Bishop of Mbulu invited us to his diocese to take up the girls’ secondary school in Madunga. Sisters of Kanjirapally St. John’s province took over this station. It is a residential school. When we took up the school there were only 29 students but now the school is full with 250 students. The climate is very cold. It is a small village amidst Mbulu mountains. No transport, no proper roads and no communication system this mission was taken as a challenge. The people are very poor- illiterate and pastorist. There were only limited conveniences. Our sisters do whatever they could for the girls in the residential school.

DAREDA (Estd. 2003)

Accepting the second invitation from the Bishop of Mbulu we started working in Dareda hospital. Sisters from St. Mary’s province took over the station. It is a big hospital with 200 beds. Our sisters are dedicated and every body appreciates their dedicated service. It is situated at the valley of the Mbulu mountains. The climate is cold. People belong to the Kirach tribe.

MAFINGA BETHEL (Estd. 2004)

We have bought some land for the school. With the help of Manos unidas, a charitable agency, we constructed dormitory for the residential school, which could accommodate 280 girls. The school construction is now complete. Japan embassy and Manos-unidas helped to construct the school partially.

DODOMA- NKUHUNGU (Estd. 2005)

Aiming at the development of the city, through education, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) of Dodoma donated few acres of land to us. With the help of our congregation we constructed a convent, and a primary school here. Sisters are engaged in teaching, family apostolate and pastoral work. Our presence here made a lot of improvement in the standard of the people around. The people are good and the parish is very active. Our sisters are part and parcel of the parish.

MWANZA (Estd. 2009)

From 2009 July our sisters are working in St. Augustine’s university(SAUTI) Mwanza. One sister is teaching in the university and another sister is working as a nurse in the dispensary.

ST.PAUL’S ADORATION CONVENT MUSOMA, TANZANIA (Estd. 2010)

For the convenience of the sisters working in the primary school and for the effective administration of the boarding school, we have started a new community –St. Paul’s Adoration Convent. The house was blessed on 27th April 2010 by Rt. Rev. Michael Msonganzila, Bishop of the Diocese of Musoma. Here sisters are helping Claritian fathers in the running of a primary school and a nursery school.