Ishiara is located about 200kms north east of Nairobi and it takes about 3 hours to get there by car.
The Parish is staffed by Augustinian priests who are natives of Kenya. There is a church and presbytery at the centre of the parish with 19 out-stations or small hut-like buildings which serve as community centres and places of worship on Sundays.
As it is a semi-arid land, the people are very poor and subsist on small holdings which because of climate change are unable to yield sufficient produce to support them. There are goats which are able to survive in semi-arid conditions and cows which are also suited to the these conditions. They have no running water, no sewage system nor is there is electricity in most of the huts. The diet is very basic.
However, the parish is well organised and has a very active lay participation. The pastoral council is very dynamic and comprises representatives from each of the outstations numbering about 60 in all. The council meets once a month to discuss issues effecting the lives of the people. As the out-stations are organised and managed by the lay members, the pastoral council is an important forum for church governance and development. There are catechists working full time to support evangelisation and catechesis in the out-station communities. There is also a very active liturgy committee in the parish.
The celebration of the Sunday liturgy is a most uplifting experience even though it lasts 3 hours. It is a wonderful celebration of the faith of a community which, even though extremely poor relative to European standards, is filled with hope and joy. In establishing this partnership, we believe that we have much to learn about our faith, parish structures, sustainable development and community living.
