Kenyan sister restores families and heals wounded hearts through faith and counselling

In western Kenya, where social pressures, economic strain and emotional wounds increasingly affect family life, one religious sister is quietly offering hope to those who feel forgotten. Sr. Jacqueline Githiri, a member of the Visitation Daughters of Mary, has dedicated her ministry to healing broken hearts and restoring families through counselling, compassion and spiritual accompaniment.

Founded in 2020 in the Archdiocese of Kisumu, the Visitation Daughters of Mary is a young diocesan congregation shaped by a clear mission. Its members focus on the spiritual and emotional restoration of families, particularly those affected by divorce, domestic violence, depression and deep personal loss. According to Sr. Jacqueline, many of today’s family struggles are rooted not only in social or economic hardship but also in spiritual emptiness that leaves people feeling isolated and without direction.

Through counselling and pastoral outreach, Sr. Jacqueline accompanies individuals from all walks of life. Her ministry reaches abused women, struggling young people, families in crisis and even priests and religious who are overwhelmed or discouraged. She believes that careful listening and patient presence can help people rediscover their dignity and inner peace, even after severe trauma.

Her calling to counselling became clear during her formation years, when many people approached her seeking help that she felt unprepared to give. Turning to prayer, she discerned the need for professional training and went on to complete postgraduate studies in individual and group counselling. This combination of faith and professional skill now shapes her daily work.

Among the many lives she has touched, two encounters stand out. One involved a young mother who arrived deeply depressed after enduring abuse, divorce and abandonment while pregnant. Through months of accompaniment, encouragement and counselling, the woman slowly rebuilt her life. Today she is employed, caring for her children and living with renewed confidence. Another case involved a religious sister suffering from severe depression. With the support of Sr. Jacqueline and her community, she was gradually restored and reintegrated into her congregation.

These experiences have shaped Sr. Jacqueline’s outlook on human suffering. She has learned not to judge but to see people as shaped by their experiences and environments. This perspective, she says, has deepened her compassion and strengthened her commitment to prayer for those she serves.

Despite the fruits of her ministry, challenges remain significant. Limited resources mean that people in acute crisis often cannot be housed or closely monitored. Some cases, including survivors of violent attacks and students battling severe depression, have had to be referred elsewhere due to a lack of facilities. This reality weighs heavily on her heart.

Her long term dream is to establish a Family Restoration Center, a safe place offering temporary shelter, counselling and holistic care. She envisions it also as a training and awareness hub, promoting early intervention and prevention of mental and emotional crises.

Currently working from a modest shipping container converted into a counselling space, Sr. Jacqueline remains hopeful. She calls on fellow religious and clergy to embrace counselling as a ministry of presence. In a world marked by pain and fragmentation, she believes healing begins when someone is willing to listen and walk alongside those who are hurting.