KENYA - Four years after the arrival in Wote of the Augustinian Recollect Contemplative nuns coming from Spain, three Kenyan youth made their first profession of the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience after their novitiate year.

With the flourishing of vocation, the contemplative nuns of Mexican cloister, established another Augustinian Recollect Monastery in Lodwar, their second foundation in Africa.

The first three Augustinian Recollect cloistered nuns from Africa are Elizabeth Mwikali Munyao, Judith Mueni Kilonzo and Victoria Mwongeli Motuku. They come from the Kenyan district of Machakos. After their novitiate formation, they made their first profession of vows of chastity, poverty and obedience last May 31 with a typical african ceremony which lasted more than three hours.

The ceremony was presided by the bishop of Wote, attended by many priests, religious and lay faithful whose large number cannot accommodate them inside the temple. The ceremony was lively participated with songs and dances by their relatives and the parishioners. It was well prepared by more than thirty(30) Kenyan youth who are postulants of the first cloistered foundation of Spanish Federation of Augustinian Recollect Nuns in July 2006. 

New monastery

Last June 3, four of the five religious left Mexico to establish a second Augustinian Recollect Monastery of contemplative life in Africa. It was a long trip for the nuns, they departed from Mexico DF to Madrid, then Madrid to El Cairo, and from El Cairo to Nairobi. It was a two day travel to that monastery in Wote, founded by their Augustinian Recollect cloistered sisters from Spain. They will stay there up to August 28 while waiting to finish the construction of their monastery in Lodwar diocese. Meanwhile they would spend their time adjusting to the culture and weather of the place as well as learning the English language

Source: www.agustinosrecoletos.com - 13.06.2010