The Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, who have been present in Kenya, East Africa for 32 years, ministered for 5 years in Nkubu and have been ministering on the slopes of an ever-growing village on the mountainous slopes of Timau since 1982.

Based at Timau Catholic Mission, they have built and run a pre-school and lower primary school for orphans, disadvantaged, squatters, migrants, and destitutes called St. Elizabeth School which currently has about 200 students.  Here the children, even if they went without supper the previous night and had no breakfast in the morning, are assured of a nutritious four-grained porridge at morning break, and a cooked lunch at midday.  The latter consists of maize and beans, or rice and green grams, or ugali with cabbage.  Ugali is a favored food made of ground maize meal and cooked to the consistency of mashed potatoes.

Food is procured for the school through the help of the St. Barnabas Parish Hunger Bowl Committee from Depew, New York, which has been assisting the mission for the past 17 years.  All the teachers at St. Elizabeth School are trained and certified, including the Montesori teachers for the baby class and pre-unit.  Also trainees are allowed to do their practice teaching here, and are assisted by the experienced teachers.

Secondly, the sisters have built and run St. Clare Technical School which trains youth in skills for future livelihood. These skills include metalwork, carpentry, dressmaking, tailoring, machine knitting, masonry, English language, and computer studies.  Students from other schools may do their attachments (apprenticeships) at St. Clare's. The sewing departments make uniforms of all different colors, sizes, and designs, along with other items. They also knit sweaters to go with the school uniforms.  Here John is shown with some clothes trees he is making as Christmas presents for a customer.

The metalwork and carpentry students constructed all the roofing on the classrooms, workshops and auxiliary buildings, and made the window frames, doors, gates, railings and furniture of the compund buildings.  The students are allowed to accept outside contracts as part of their learning experience.  The students are taught entrepreneurship and learn how to start their own small businesses, with the hope that instead of just getting employment, they create jobs for others.  With the overabundance of young men and scant opportunities in the area, it is very hard for anyone to find a job.  They are allowed to use the workshops and tools for these small businesses for two years after they get their trade certification in order to get a start and earn some capital for their businesses.

Through friends of the sisters, children are given educational scholarships to allow them to attend primary schools, high schools, and colleges.  Many children do not otherwise go to school as their parents/guardian are not able to raise the fees.  In large families, often only the boys attend high school, so this program also gives a chance to the girl child.  Orphans, especially AIDS orphans being cared for by elderly/sickly/poor grandparents or relatives are likewise helped. Among those at the forefront of this effort is the Newman group from Amherst, New York.  One of the senior boys being helped by the Newman group is Cosmas, seen here with his mother and siblings.

Friends of the sisters also are helping refugees from the post-election violence and other conflicts with blankets, shelter, medicine, food and education.  Some have seen their family members brutally killed and have escaped with great fear.  They are going to carry those scars with them throughout their lifetimes.  We stand beside them as they try to bring hope back into their lives and futures.

Friends of the sisters also assist with medical needs and operations when people have no one to turn to.  We assisted Mary Muthoni who was paralysed - her neck operation made her able to get up and walk again and able to care for her husband and three sons.

On February 9, 2009 we assisted someone needing a kidney transplant.  We were most edified by his 22 year-old son and 20 year- old daughter, both compatible to be donors, vying over which of them would be the one to give a kidney to the father.  Sonny boy won out and sis accompanied them and took care of them.  The double operation was successful and both father and son are doing fine thus far.

This little boy, Nimrod, is 3 and a half months old, and was born with a protruding brain stem.  We are procurinng an MRI for him as we write, and hopefully we will get him the necessary surgery in October 2009.

We work with a number of doctors and medical institutions to assist with the needed services for our villagers.  From time to time, overseas volunteers also come in and assist in a very big way.  Here Paula Appleton from Albuquerque, NM visits with and helps a mother shell corn.

Through Sr. Mary Balthasar and the friends of the Sisters, a wonderful library, in memory of Margaret Duggan, was constructed, and is the meeting point of students, parents, and staff.  The children love the books and love reading, plus enjoy other library related activities.  Carol Riniolo, a twice-over volunteer, spent summers scouring all garage sales within a 5-mile radius of her home in Buffalo, New York, the city of Good neighbors, to procure masses of interesting and colorful children's books which even the kids too young to read love to pour over.  She also found such treasures as technical books for St. Clare's. The library is also used for conferences, meetings, and workshops.  Some old computers are the biggest hit for the youngsters.  Teens are especially avid to read daily newspapers, as that is a luxury they don't get in their homes. All enjoy the fruits of Sr. Mary's venture, an initiative which is over and beyond survival needs, something which enriches their minds and spirits.