The Glue That Holds Our Center Together

“The spirit of Saint Martin is at the heart of our service. It is the most central part and important part. It is what makes all our body parts function. However, we find of its nature, the fact that it is alive and that we carry it in our hearts, we feel it can only be lived as a reality when we share life with each other and with our volunteers and beneficiaries. Through this “spirit” hearts have been touched and communities transformed and we have found the motivation and drive to continue our service”

Ans Van Keulen (2014) Sharing Life: An African experience of promoting solidarity in the community.

There are many documented participatory approaches to development that can describe the work we do. It is difficult for the students of social work and development practitioners to understand our approach to social issues outside the ever-growing pool of development approaches. In many ways we prescribe to community-based approach, asset-based approach, capability approach, rights-based approach among other approaches. However, few if any of these approaches can define our inspiration.  In the words of Ans Van Keulen we are inspired by the spirit of Saint Martin of Tours. As historical records have it, Martin then a soldier in the Roman army, impulsively cut his military cloak in half and shared with a scantily clad beggar. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCSU-vW21CE&t=238s). Martin shared what he had and this life transforming encounter with the poor man changed his career and life for good. This mutual transformation that happens every day in our communities between the giver and the receiver, a social worker and a beneficiary, a volunteer and a child in need of care and protection, an assistant at L’Arche Kenya and an adult with intellectual disability, a board member and needs of vulnerable people in our midst, is what defines us and our philosophy of work.

The world has come a long way in rolling back extreme poverty, in improving access to education, health and sanitation, and in expanding possibilities for women and girls. But those gains are a prelude to the next, possibly tougher challenge, of ensuring the benefits of global progress reach everyone. While the United Nations member states adopted Leave No One Behind as a clarion call towards inclusiveness in

“Only when we are able to share do we truly become rich, everything that is shared is multiplied. The measure of the greatness of a society is found in the way it treats those most in need, those who have nothing apart from their poverty”,

 Pope Francis

realization of the Sustainable Development Goals, millions of people globally are still struggling to meet basic needs. Closing the gap between the rich and the poor, able and less able cannot be achieved by pro poor policies – (those that directly target poor people, or that are more generally aimed at reducing poverty) alone but in policies that are rooted in the shared values of justice, equity and solidarity. This must be the spirit behind Leave No one Behind. Our media is awash with news on how few scrupulous people have embezzled or mismanaged resources meant to safeguard the rights of vulnerable and marginalized people in critical sectors such as relief food, health, education and shelter.  These acts point to a lack of relationship with the people who ought to benefit from the policies they formulate. The sight of a child in the streets, a girl out of school, a survivour of gender-based violence, facilities that cannot be accessed by those abled differently, young people struggling with addiction or a starved granny has become too familiar and no longer induces compassion to the average passerby

In the midst of the chaos of the world, it is easy to overlook the small acts of kindness that have the power to create profound ripples of change. The global community has committed 13^th November as World Kindness Day, a day observed globally to promote and celebrate acts of kindness. The day also serves as a reminder of the positive impact that kindness has on individuals, communities, and the world at large. It encourages people to perform intentional acts of kindness and foster a culture of compassion and generosity. The theme for the year 2023 was, “Be kind wherever possible”. We witnessed acts of kindness in the daily lives of our communities. Despite the harsh economic times marked by limited income earning opportunities, high food prices and severe drought, people shared the little they had with empathy and understanding. In a world where fame often overshadows acts of kindness, many people defied the norm and used their influence and resources to make a positive impact on society.

• Simona Atzorian Italian artist and dancer performed in Padova Italy to raise funds to support people with mental health and intellectual disability in our midst
• Michael Macdonald a communication strategist flew from America to Nyahururu to capture stories of mutual transformation and share with the rest of the world  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph9P68CfeBQ
• Male troops from the Kenya Defence Forces warmed the hearts of Kenyans when they helped a mother in labour and in dire need to safely deliver her bundle of joy during their peace keeping mission in Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Diana Ayoo established Ayira’s Neuro Soul Café in Nairobi, a welcoming space for everyone, including guests who have cognitive disabilities. The cafe offers job opportunities to youth with autism, dyslexia and ADHD as well as cerebral palsy
• Maurice a former director of L’Arche braced the morning cold and cycled for 42 kilometres for 42 days to raise funds in support of medical care of adults with intellectual disabilities.

We might not heal the world today but we can begin with a voice of compassion, a heart of love, an act of kindness” Mary Davis

These people demonstrated the transformative potential that lies within each of us and reminded us on the importance of remaining on a journey of connection, compassion and solidarity.

By Samuel Murage,
Capacity development Officer,
St. Martin CSA