Augustinian spirituality in action

The world we are living in today presents many challenges which at times threaten human life and inflict unimaginable suffering especially on children and the poor. The African continent is a good example of these challenges. Many people lack basic needs, good health care, education and employment among many other challenges. It is against this background that the spirituality of Saint Augustine, which springs from the gospel of Jesus Christ is more relevant than ever before, especially in Africa where Augustine himself was born and brought up.

The Augustinian spirituality enhances community life, mutual sharing of goods and above all making the love of God visible in our world by practicing charity. The following statement from Saint Augustine clearly captures what love is: “What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.”

Under the influence of the Augustinian spirituality and armed with vast experience of more than 20 years organising charitable works, Fr Mario Abela osa from Malta, arrived in Kenya for the first time with nine other volunteers(AMIGOS) on 19 July. Within a period of three weeks, the group had already helped build a large-size chapel in one of the outstations of Saint Monica parish Kisumu run by the Augustinians. The group had also helped build another large-size chapel in one of the outstations of the Good Shepherd Ishiara parish. In fact before the chapel was built, people were worshiping under a tree. The group also managed to repaint class rooms of the Sacred Heart primary school in Baba dogo Nairobi, distribute food to the poor besides many other charitable activities.

It was amazing how the group managed to achieve a lot in such a short time. When Fr Mario as the team leader was asked the secret he said: “team work helped us to achieve a lot”.

This team of Maltese volunteers is a good example of how people can help improve human life and transform our divided world through unity in diversity. The members belonged to different professions (police, nurse, secretary, religious, state officer, architect and teacher) yet they were all united to achieve a common goal. This was really Augustinian spirituality in action.

Fr Bob K. Ireriosa

KENYA