‘Faith on the waves’ in Kenya: Stella Maris’ pastoral care for fishers

Inspired by the international Stella Maris Apostolate, the migrants office of the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru in Kenya seeks to offer pastoral care and hope to people who earn their livelihoods from the water. “I am a happy religious woman working at the peripheries,” says Sr. Margaret Mumbua.

Sr. Margret Mumbua is a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Mombasa and works in the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru as the Family Life Coordinator and Migrants Coordinator. In her ministry to migrants, Sr. Mumbua provides pastoral care to various groups, including truck drivers in six stopover areas, victims of human trafficking, women in prostitution, and fishermen.

Sr. Mumbua shared the background of her pastoral care with the fishermen: “I started the ministry to the fishermen and associates in 2014 in Lake Naivasha and Lake Baringo within the Nakuru diocese; it was not an easy task.”

The Diocese of Nakuru covers Nakuru and Baringo counties and has 63 parishes, of which three are maritime parishes. In Naivasha, Sr. Mumbua goes to five beaches that are named after different saints.

“I have a team of volunteers, and together we give pastoral care to the fishermen, their families, sellers and buyers of fish, and those who do manual jobs around the beaches,” she said.

“Karagita beach is one of our unique beaches, because apart from the regular fishermen, we have the deaf fishermen group and the Lake Naivasha Disabled group,” added Sr. Mumbua. She and her team share the Gospel, pray, and provide psychological and pastoral counselling to the fishermen.

Ministry of presence

Jeremiah Mutiso, the chairman of Karagita Beach in Naivasha, shared his encounter with Sr. Mumbua and the Stella Maris group. “I congratulated and thanked the Catholic Church for giving attention to the fishers. They come here and offer Mass and even bless us,” he said.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Zachariah Ngechu, the chairman of the Deaf fishermen group. “We thank the Church through the presence of Sr. Mumbua for supporting us, the fishermen. They love us and bring prayers to our beach.”

Jane Wairigia, a member of the Lake Naivasha disabled group, shared that she is a Catholic and enjoys the encouragement in faith provided by Sr. Mumbua. “We appreciated the Mass offered at the beach and the food donation by the Diocese of Nakuru,” she said. “We no longer have problems in the lake because we believe in sisters and the Catholic Church prayers.”

Challenges as part of the ministry

Sr. Mumbua shared about the challenges in the ministry to the fishers. “I listen with the heart to the fishers, their families, and people who work in the lake; I don’t judge them,” she said.

The religious sister also provides administrative help to the fishermen, including assistance with obtaining their government documents and papers.

She added that some fishermen have lost the awareness of their inherent dignity, noting that some no longer appreciate their family ties, since they spend so much of their lives away from them. “I help them know that they are created by God and have a dignity to protect,” she said.

Sr. Mumbua is also educating the fishermen, as many have very little formal education and fail to support their own children in their studies. “I try to capacity build them and educate them on various life skills.” She added that transportation to thes beaches is normally a challenge for her, but she persists in traveling with volunteers to visit the people who work there.

The synodal church that leaves no one behind

The Catholic Diocese of Nakuru has always offered Mass at the beaches. “Sometimes the bishop and, other times, priests offer Masses at these beaches,” said Sr. Mumbua. “After Mass, we bless the fishermen's tools of work and the fish selling points.”

Asked about what keeps her going in the apostolate to the fishermen and their families, Sr. Mumbua drew on her faith in God and the joy her ministry gives her religious life.

“I am a happy religious woman working at the peripheries as Pope Francis asks us to do,” she concluded. “My love for God, supported by the volunteers, well-wishers, and the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru keeps me going. I thank God for the vocation within a vocation, for the ministry to the fishermen and their associates; mine is a ministry of presence.”

Sr. Michelle Njeri
Source: vaticannews.va/en