Sister Irene Carrera Refugio, originally from Puebla (Mexico), has dedicated almost a decade of her life to the religious community in Lodwar (Kenya), a mission she describes as a song of joy despite the many challenges faced.
Irene entered the Monastery of St. Joseph in Tlaxcala on April 27, 1995. After years of service in Mexico, on September 16, 2014, he embarked on his journey to Kenya, where he fulfilled his longing to accompany missionaries in their loneliness and difficulties: I was always thinking about how missionaries lived in mission lands. I wanted to accompany them in their solitude.
Since her arrival in the African country, Sister Irene has experienced great differences from her previous life in Mexico. As he explains, adapting to the climate and overcoming the language barrier were some of the initial challenges he faced: sometimes there are difficulties, especially at the beginning. For me it was the language, understanding people, but it is no longer an obstacle.
Despite the difficulties, Sister Irene finds comfort in God’s grace and mercy: the Lord gives caresses and his love and mercy. That sustains and makes the difficulties that are seen humanly disappear. he says hopefully.
Irene’s purpose has always been to offer her life for priests, missionaries and the conversion of sinners, a purpose that took an unexpected turn when she found herself in mission land.
His dream now is that the monastery in Kenya will be consolidated and that the contemplative life and the Augustinian Recollect charism will be kept alive in what is considered the heart of East Africa.
