Seminarian James Hernandez visits Kenya on goodwill trip

For the past year, Diocese of Corpus Christi seminarian James Hernandez has been working with Catholic Relief Service (CRS) while attending Assumption Seminary and Oblate School of Theology. CRS is the official overseas relief and development agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Hernandez's involvement with CRS led to an opportunity to travel with a delegation of other seminarians, priests and professors to Kenya this summer.

"CRS is best known for the relief and development work they do for our bothers and sisters oversees," Hernandez said. "Many do not realize CRS has a second goal of serving US Catholics by helping them connect their faith to service of our brothers and sisters around the world."

Many of the seminarians that were part of the delegation had a hard time figuring out what to call this trip, Hernandez said. "We were clearly told we were not going to build anything, handing anything out or anything like that. We began to ask: 'So, what are we going to do?’”

As it turned out, they were not going to “do” a whole lot. Activities of short-term mission trips, while lending help to brothers and sisters oversees, may not be helpful in the long-term. The trip, however, helped Hernandez understand "a broader sense of mission."

"While it can be very helpful to build a school or an orphanage, this can lead to an evasion from our call to solidarity," Hernandez. "It is the mindset of needing to 'do' something which leads us to build something, pat ourselves on the back, leave and forget about our brothers and sisters around the world."

The first day in Kenya, the group undertook projects in unconventional neighborhoods or "slums" in Nairobi. Many of the youth in Nairobi are paid by politicians to incite riots. A local parish is working to get youth off the streets into boxing clubs, giving them jobs, teaching them North African dance and other projects. This "peace building project" helps to empower the youth to not be taken advantage of, but to receive dignity.

The second project was called WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene). It is at a school with 1,500 students and 24 teachers. Much work has been done to teach the children about the importance of hygiene. Work is also being done to make the bathroom facilities accessible and functional.

On Day 2 of the trip the seminarians heard a presentation by the staff of Caritas Nyeri, which provides a wide range of services from mental health advocacy to sustainable farming education. "It was amazing to see the extent of development work being done by Kenyans for Kenyans," Hernandez said.

They group then made a tour of Nyeri Hill Farm, which is the main income for Caritas Nyeri. During the tour of the plantation, the importance of fair-trade became clear, Hernandez said. Due to national and international obstacles, it is difficult for Nyeri Hill Farm to make a profit on the coffee they are growing. The two main obstacles they face are millers keeping part of the product during the milling process, and Kenyan governmental trade policies that require a middleman between the seller and the buyer.
 
"Fair-trade is important to gain profit for the programs of Cartias Nyeri, as well as to provide a fair wage for workers. It may not always be economical to buy fair-trade products, but consider purchasing fair-trade products when possible to be in solidarity with worker around the world," Hernandez said.

On days three and four of their Kenya Trip, the seminarians participated in a safari at Samburu National Reserve. On day five they visited Shepherd's of Life Partner in Archers Post. These are OVC (orphans and vulnerable children) programs that mainly help children and households, as well as their caregivers, infected by HIV/AIDS.

The women they saw on the trip are semi-nomadic pastoralist people, who are responsible for most aspects of their lives. The responsibilities of the men mainly include security and tending the goats, the rest is left to the women. The program in this area assists the women by teaching them how to farm in a very arid climate. Poultry has been provided for protein enhancement as well as for income. The largest project is the selling of the beadwork that is handmade by the women.

"I spoke with a student from a secondary school that has been open for about three-years. The school has difficulty keeping students because the people are nomadic. The boy I spoke with told me his two younger brothers do not go to school but tend goats," Hernandez said.

The seminarians also visited a small sowing business run by woman. The business does not only provide a small income for the families but is a way to get school uniforms for their children at a better cost.

Brick making is another small business that allows people of the community to transition from huts to houses that are cost effective. These bricks are made from very little cement and mostly local sand. No mortar is necessary.

Each of the three communities the seminarians visited had a SILC (Savings and Internal Lending Community). This is a form of microeconomics that allows a community to pull their money together and support each other as they seek to better their lives through savings, Hernandez said.

Photos contributed by Catholic Relief Serives/Mikaele Sansone.