Judy Kavete Wambua, a religious of St. Augustine’s Monastery in Lodwar (Turkana), shared about her life in the community and her experience as an Augustinian Recollect Sister.
Judy, who made her simple profession in 2022, explained that she is proud to be an Augustinian Recollect and that fraternity, community and the central role of God in her life are the fundamental pillars of her vocation.
As she explained, the charism of St. Augustine and community life are very important to Judy: The fraternity in the community is something that has marked me deeply, and the contemplative prayer life is the basis where I put God at the center of everything. God is the one who guides me.
Before joining the Augustinian Recollect community, Judy had the opportunity to experience life with different congregations of sisters. However, she found her definitive calling as an Augustinian contemplative in Lodwar.
The people here are very devout and we often cannot sleep because of the singing. As St. Augustine said, ‘to sing is to pray twice’, and here this teaching is taken very seriously.Judy commented, stressing the importance of prayer and singing in the life of the monastery.
Faith, according to Judy, is very strong in her community, which encourages her to invite those who feel called to draw closer to God to join this way of life: I encourage all who feel the desire to come closer to God to come and experience His word.
Judy Kavete’s experience at St. Augustine’s Monastery in Lodwar is a reminder of the importance of prayer and community life and an example of how a life centered on God is a source of strength and joy.