Area volunteers visit Kenya to help deal with AIDS

Travelers to Kenya can enjoy legendary white sand beaches, visit lush tropical forests, encounter animal herds on safari or explore mountain climbing in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Tom Richardt did none of that on his first trip to the African country.

The social justice and peace coordinator at St. Joan of Arc parish in Lisle instead traveled there to fence in a corn crop that a bothersome herd of zebras was eating.

"Zebras were like our rabbits -- everywhere -- and a herd of 15 to 20 could do quite a bit of damage," he said.

Richardt helped anchor 220 cedar posts into the dusty terrain with only a metal rod to pound out holes the depth of an arm to help secure the fence.

Along with a group of Catholic Diocese of Joliet volunteers, he formed a medical and construction missionary group to assist the Upendo Village in Navaisha, Kenya.

Art Sheridan led the five volunteers on the construction crew. Dr. Vic Trinkus, a gynecologist in DuPage County, and his wife, Mary Jane, coordinated the 18 medical personnel.

The volunteers, who each paid for their own two-week trip expenses, lent a hand to the village's founder, Sister Florence Muia, and her dedicated staff of eight who serve the needs of families affected by HIV/AIDS.

The nun was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. She is a member of the Assumption Sisters of Nairobi, Kenya, and has degrees in social work, social sciences and pastoral counseling.

Every day started with Richardt having a 7 a.m. communion service. Then half of the medical team went to the hospital to work and half to the Upendo Village and its clinic.

The construction crew headed to a preplanned project in the bush.

Besides the fence, Richardt's team rebuilt two houses and lined a third to keep out wind and flying dirt.

Each home was 20 to 25 feet wide and 12 feet deep and helped an individual with AIDS. Each was made with a corrugated sheet-metal roof, a couple windows, a door and a rain gutter to collect rain for drinking and bathing needs.

The homes in the bush have dirt floors, no indoor plumbing and no electricity. Most villagers cook outside with a pot perched on a tripod of stones.

Naomi was the exception.

As a 72-year-old grandmother raising her grandson following the death of her three daughters to AIDS, Naomi prefers to cook indoors using the three-stone campfire.

In her new home, Sheridan devised a stove from a 55-gallon barrel in which a cutout section allowed the three stones and pot to be enclosed by the drum. A venting pipe out the top of the barrel and out the home's roof allows the smoke to be redirected outside.

Naomi was excited about her drum-stove prototype.

"We respected (the Navaisha) ways and style of living," Sheridan said. "We worked alongside the (homeowner). Eventually, we'd like to put in a floor, but we respect their culture."

"We had to make sure we finished all the projects we began because the AIDS pandemic has wiped out a generation of people in Kenya," Richardt said.

"Look at a picture of your extended family and block out all the people between 19 and 45 years of age," Trinkus said.

"Now imagine how affected the family is with AIDS. The primary care-givers are now the grandparents. It is also very destructive to the economics of a country where 7 percent of all your working ages are out of the picture."

The primary industry in this part of Kenya is flower farming for the European market. Flower workers make about $1.25 for 10 hours of labor, which is not enough to live on, Richardt said.

Those workers have doctors so they can keep working, but the people who are not employed or farm their own land don't have any medical coverage.

The medical team saw about 500 people and performed a wide range of surgeries. They also restocked the clinic with donated medical supplies.

"When someone comes to (Sister Muia) because they have AIDS, she ends up taking care of their whole family because AIDS is so destructive to the entire family," Richardt said.

The clinic now administers antiretroviral drugs to patients with AIDS that have allowed some living with the disease to return to work and lead active lives. Fewer children are being born with the disease thanks to the clinic's mother-to-child prevention program.

The village serves roughly 2,000 clients and also offers temporary housing, educational and support groups, and placement for orphan children.

"People in Africa are very strong, resilient and have a strong faith," Trinkus said. "They are a people who survive despite what they are up against. They are going to use whatever we give them with great vigor and great energy."

For more information on the Upendo Village, or to sponsor a child, contact Tom Richardt at (630) 963-4500, ex. 4522, or check out www.upendovillage.org.

The St. Joan of Arc parish members in Lisle will host an Oktoberfest Saturday to raise money for the Upendo Village. The event is open to the public. Tickets are available at Leo's Cleaners on Main Street or may be purchased at the door.

The adult-only event will run from 5 to 10:30 p.m., and will include German music, beer and food for a $5 admittance fee and reasonable food prices. The fun will leave you feeling wonderbar for helping an excellent cause.