The Role of Kayole Catholic Parish in Caring for Rwandese Refugees in Nairobi

Abstract

Large-scale movements of refugees have become a defining characteristic of the contemporary world. At few times in recent history have such large numbers of peoples in so many parts of the globe been obliged to leave their own countries to seek safety elsewhere. The refugee problem is reaching critical proportions in almost all parts of the world, placing the structures and institutions of international protection under stress. Humanitarian organizations are struggling to cope with the mounting demands made upon them. Governments in every continent are expressing alarm about the growing scale of the refugee problem, and are increasingly reluctant to bear the costs which they feel it imposes on them. The needs of refugees are too often seen as being at odds both with interests of states and with political pragmatism. Humanitarian organizations have responded to the plight of refugees by providing them with immediate needs: food, housing, water, sanitation and clothing. This study set out to investigate the holistic approach adopted by Kayole Catholic Parish in caring for Rwandese refugees in Nairobi. The holistic approach aims at making Rwandese refugees to be restored to spiritual wholeness and at the same time overcome material poverty. This study has three objectives: (a) to investigate flight dynamics and obstacles that Rwandese refugees encountered, (b) to study the dimensions of integration undergone by the refugees at Kayole Christian. Community Centre (KCCC), and (c) to find out the holistic care given to Rwandese refugees. The study is based on Howard Clinebell's theory of The Church as the Centre of Promoting Wholeness. This theory explains the holistic approach that a church can adopt while caring for the poor and oppressed. He argues that traditionally, the church's task has been divided into four functions - Kerygma (proclaiming the good news of God's love), didache (teaching), Koinonia (the establishing of a caring community, and diakonia (the expression of the good news in loving service). This study is based on both library and field research. The field research yielded the primary data of the study. To acquire information for the study, four research methods were used: questionnaire-interview, informal interviews, participant observation and non-participant observation. Data got from the field, mainly from Rwandese refugees and those who care for them has been used to test the following hypotheses of the study: (a) that the length of stay in a host country has little relationship to material improvement of Rwandese refugee households, (b) that a holistic assistance to refugees leads to their healthy human development and integration into the host community. The study observed that Kayole Catholic Parish was initially pre-occupied with Kerygma (proclaiming the good news of God's love) and didache (teaching). The study revealed that Kayole Catholic Parish adopted the holistic approach when caring for refugees after the influx ofRwandese refugees at the parish following the crisis in Rwanda in 1994. The study revealed that Kayole Catholic Parish aims at expressing the good news in loving service (diakonia). It shows that the diakonal work entails both the physical and spiritual dimensions of life. The study showed that spiritual wholeness is the core of all human wholeness. It revealed that human crises have a spiritual dimension and that they cannot be fully overcome until the spiritual yearnings of the human beings have been met. The study showed that pastoral care is a valuable instrument for fostering spiritual wholeness. In the parish the encounter of newcomers and established members offers the opportunity to live the new commandment of the Lord to love one another (see In. 13:34). If aware and sensitive to the presence of refugees, pastors and parish teams can lead the whole community to welcome them, for there are no aliens in the Body of Christ. Together, then, as we grow strong in the familiarity of God's love, we build a more perfect and more inclusive community.