04.07.2025
Rathmichael Team Commissioned for Second Kenya Visit
A team from Rathmichael Parish in Dublin will travel to Kenya in August to build on their partnership with a diocese there. Archbishop Michael Jackson commissioned the team for their work during a visit to the parish last month. Volunteers will be travelling to the Diocese of Maseno North to refurbish Kwiliba School.
This 2025 visit to Kenya follows on from Rathmichael’s visit in August 2023, when the team refurbished Wandeche School. This was the first part of a five–year partnership between Rathmichael and the Diocese of Maseno North, which came about from a meeting between Bishop Charles Kascan Asilutwa of Maseno North, and Archbishop Michael Jackson, at the 2022 Lambeth Conference. The Archbishop put Bishop Charles in touch with Geoffrey Perrin of Rathmichael, who volunteered to coordinate a mission link. Plans quickly developed for this five–year programme of support for Maseno North Diocese and its schools.
Wandeche School was refurbished and enhanced in 2023 and, following the Rathmichael team’s report to their church, a breakfast programme followed. Since early 2024, Rathmichael Church has been providing the funds for a daily breakfast programme, initially for the early learner classes – but due to the generous support that came in, the programme was extended to the whole school.
The result of this has been a major and consistent increase in school attendance as the children have the added incentive of being fed in school – for many, this may be the only substantial meal they get regularly. Rathmichael’s vision has been to enhance the educational experience of the children in Wandeche, as education is the key to a brighter future for these children and their families. Ongoing support since 2023 has also included the development of new toilet blocks for the school.
Rathmichael Church is delighted to now be in the position to grow their mission in the area. The visit in August this year will focus on Kwiliba School which is about three times the size of Wandeche. Although this is an increased challenge, a larger group will be travelling this summer. It includes people with various experiences in trade and building, along with some of the young people of the parish community. As well as completely refurbishing the school, the team will also build a new toilet block for Kwiliba School.
Speaking at the recent commissioning service, Archbishop Jackson told the congregation that “mission and commissioning can happen at any time of the year. The period between Ascension and Pentecost is a particularly significant time. The first disciples found themselves with individual responsibility for their faith after Jesus finally left them; Pentecost gave them scope to create a new community of faith resulting in international mission”.
He added: “This mission from Rathmichael is unique. It flows directly from Lambeth Conference 2022; it is a return visit; it is not solely giving to those who need help but it is an opportunity for the team and new people from the parish to receive mission in Kenya and to return transformed and to invest that in Rathmichael Parish.
“Those who go will learn what it is to be a guest and to accept the best from people who give to visitors more and better than they give themselves. In this way the sharing of mission is the personal and the communal transformation.”
The Rector of Rathmichael, the Revd Sean Hanily, who will be travelling with the group in August, said “our ongoing link with the Diocese of Maseno North in Kenya has not only benefitted the people who we are supporting in Kenya, but has made a difference to the life of our church here in Rathmichael. People who have invested in the future of this area of Kenya have a real and vested interested beyond our own parish boundary, in the Global Anglican Communion, following Jesus’s command to love our neighbour”.
He continued: “Thanks to the tireless efforts and vision of Geoffrey Perrin, this mission from our humble church in South Dublin is making a huge difference to the lives of a large community in rural Kenya. The regular updates and photos we receive from Kenya are a great encouragement to all of us in Rathmichael, as we see the difference that our contribution is making there. We are excited to extend this help to a new school this summer and have a terrific team travelling to Kenya in August who will represent Rathmichael, and indeed the Church of Ireland, very well.”
Fundraising has been ongoing by Geoffrey Perrin – both inside and outside the parish. If you would be interested in supporting the ongoing work of Rathmichael in Kenya, then all donations are appreciated. Donations may be made to:
Rathmichael Parish Church a/c no. 40168005
IBAN IE31 AIBK 9333 9240 1680 05 (If using this method please specify ‘Kenya Project’) N.B. CHY No. 20003623;
By cheque/cash to Geoffrey Perrin, Ballyman Rd, Enniskerry, Co.Wicklow, A98TV79;
OR through GoFundMe https://gofund.me/6cdd104a