Lay Associates Bring Hope to Minors in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya - On 27 September 2025, the Montfortian Lay Associates in Kenya spent a day with minors at Kabete Remand Home, delivering messages of hope, spiritual encouragement, and practical support to some of Nairobi’s most vulnerable young people. This visit was part of the Associates’ ongoing mission to live out their consecration to Jesus through Mary in the spirit of St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort, who dedicated his life to helping the poor and abandoned, always seeing Christ in them.

At Kabete, the associates organized a program of spiritual talks, motivational sharing, and group discussions on topics directly affecting young people today: peer pressure, drug and substance abuse, and social media use. The sessions, led by George Mbogo, Pamela Owiti, and Mary Wanyoike, provided the children with a rare chance to speak openly and receive encouragement from caring adults.

Alongside these conversations, the associates donated food, soap, and other essential supplies. “We wanted the children to know that God has not forgotten them,” said Susan Kilobia, the treasurer of the Lay Associates. “Christ himself said, ‘Let the little children come to me.’ We believe these words remain alive for them today.”

Kabete Remand Home, established in 1958, houses minors accused of offenses ranging from theft to serious crimes such as assault and homicide. However, according to Rev. Gudah Geoffrey, the home’s manager and chaplain, the focus remains on upholding the dignity of each child: “Our mission is protection and holistic development, and wherever possible, reunion with families. These children are more than the allegations they face.”

For the Associates, this outreach was not merely an act of charity but an expression of Montfortian spirituality. In his missions, St. Louis-Marie de Montfort also ministered to children, teaching them catechism and Christian values. His founding of the Daughters of Wisdom in Poitiers was driven partly by the need to educate minors in faith and morals.

The visit concluded with the presentation of gifts to the children and a vote of thanks from the management. These Montfortian Lay Associates work closely with the Montfort Missionaries in Kenya.