Sister Geraldine Bolzan

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Gerald_ine Bolzan describes the circumstances that led her to Kenya as "a bit of a surprise."

It all started with an email that arrived on New Year’s Day 2005, which read "Invitation to Kenya."

COURTESY PHOTO

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Geraldine Bolzan, left, visits with the family of a young professed Sister at their homestead in Kitui, Kenya.

The invitation was to one to "come and see" if Sister Gerry would interested in serving as a novice formator for a group of young women entering the novitiate with her congregation, which has ministered in Kenya since 1965.

Her initial reaction, said Sister Gerry, was "No, thank you. Not me." But she kept returning to the email, re-reading it, praying, reflecting and discussing the possibility with others. The result was a visit to Langata in Nairobi, Kenya, the location of the order’s novitiate house — and the decision to stay.

Thus far, Sister Gerry has accompanied seven women on their journey to their first vows as Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. One of the greatest challenges for her has been assisting women from a different culture in the discernment process.

"Although all speak English, Kiswahili and their own mother tongue are much more comfortable languages for them," Sister Gerry explained. "At times we can misunderstand each other."

She has been deeply moved by the faith and commitment of the young women of Kenya. "I find them very open to the spiritual dimension of religious life; there is a deep, contemplative spirit and openness to growth. The women are mostly from the villages, having grown up with a strong sense of community and hospitality. These values transfer well to religious life."

The wounds are still healing, said Sister Gerry, from the violence that plagued Kenya after the country’s general elections were held last December. "It was a very sad time with many people killed, tribal clashes and the displacement of many. Quite a few people are still living as refugees in camps, while others are still trying to rebuild their homes and/or farms. While there are some positive strides, much still needs to be done."

"All of us, especially our Kenyan Sisters, were distressed during this time," Sister Gerry added. "It was a shock to see people who had been neighbors turning against each other. Fortunately, none of our Sisters was injured, but we do feel challenged to try to assist in the reconciliation process, though it may be in small ways. As educators, we hope to build a deeper understanding of positive ways to resolve differences."

Sister Gerry’s has frequent contact with the Kenyan people as she visits the novices in their ministries. One young woman, Jane, teaches at a school where the classes can be as large as 100 students. Many parents struggle to provide an education for their children, Sister Gerry said, noting that "it is supposed to be free, but there are often many fees, which can be a real hardship for families."

Kenyan families are close-knit, with the grandmother, mother, daughters, daughters-in-law and grandchildren often living at the same homestead.

What has kept her in Kenya in spite of her initial hesitation to accept the invitation to journey there, said Sister Gerry, is "the faith of the people and their desire to grow. There are times when I feel a bit overwhelmed with the many needs that exist here, but then I try to just put my trust in God and bring my ‘five barley loaves and two fish’ as the disciples did and leave the miracles to God." — Eileen Connelly, OSU