Story Behind the Poster

Sr. Phyllis Heaney MMM - Sao Paulo, Brazil

Irish missionary, Sr. Phyllis Heaney MMM, has been working in Sao Paulo, Brazil, since 1975. Sr. Phyllis is a trained nurse-midwife who originates from Proudstown, County Meath.

Sr. Phyllis has a very special gift for working with people who have special needs and has spent her time in Brazil working to secure a better of quality of life for people with disabilities. She has worked with groups such as the Fraternity for the Physically Handicapped, a national organisation in Brazil, and also L'Arche.

At present Sr. Phyllis is co-ordinator of the 'Child of Hope' centre located in the parish of the Holy Martyrs where she lives in the outskirts of Sao Paulo. The 'Child of Hope' centre has four full time staff working with forty children and adults. The centre staff are supported by the mothers of the children involved as well as a number of volunteers.

Fr Martin Barry SPS - Londiani, Kenya

Fr Martin Barry, a Kiltegan Father originally from Glanmire, Co Cork, has been ministering in Kenya for over forty years. Fr Martin was ordained in 1968 and has spent the last decade of his mission in Londiani, a small African village north of Kenya's capital city, Nairobi.

Fr Martin is accompanied on his mission in the Diocese of Kericho by fellow Kiltegan Fathers, Brian Treacy and Con Ryan. This photo was taken by Fr Brian in the grounds of the Mission during the violence which erupted throughout Kenya following the 2007 elections.

It was estimated that over 3,000 homes were burnt, displacing something in the region of 20,000 people in the parish. Women, children and the elderly sought refuge in the grounds of the Mission, with many attending for medical attention at the emergency clinic opened within the compound following the forced closure of the local hospital.

Fr Desmond Millar SPS - Turkana Desert, Kenya

Kiltegan Father, Des Millar, originates from Dublin and was ordained in 1969. Fr Des has devoted the last forty years to mission, spending his time in Turkana Desert, Lodwar Diocese in Kenya.

Fr Des ministers from St. Lawrence's Catholic Church, Nakwamoru, and is involved in pastoral work, education, aid work and health. The Catholic Church is just fifty years old in the area of Turkana and with prayer and further hard work it is hoped it will take deeper roots in the future.

Fr Des is featured in this photo alongside Paulina Naseku at St. Teresa's Health Centre in Nakwamou. The centre was opened in 1973 by the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar and the Medical Missionaries of Mary. In spite of Paulina's beautiful smile in this photo, she was actually in a lot of pain, and sadly, has since passed away. Paulina's mother, Maria, is now looking after the children she left behind.

Fr Andy Campbell SVD - Accra, Ghana

Fr Andy Campbell, a Divine Word Missionary, was born in Crumlin, Dublin in 1946. Currently based in Accra, Fr Andy has been in Ghana since 1971 and has devoted his time to caring for and assisting lepers in the region.

Approximately 18 years ago Fr Andy started an NGO called Lepers Aid, which comprises of around 24 young people dedicated to assisting those with leprosy. This picture features Fr Andy with a resident from the Weija Cured Lepers Rehabilitation Centre, a settlement on the outskirts of Accra, where 35 cured lepers currently live.

The Lepers Aid Committee supports the lepers of Weija through the provision of medical care and food. The committee also looks after the maintenance of buildings and paying of utility bills. The lepers receive no government assistance and the majority have been abandoned by their families. Lepers Aid assists a number of settlements throughout Ghana, providing spiritual and material support to as many of these wonderful people as possible.

Sr. Fidelma Mahon FMSA - Mutare Diocese, Zimbabwe

Sr. Fidelma Mahon from County Dublin, completed her final profession to the Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa in 1957.

In 1961, Sr. Fidelma began her mission in Kenya where she spent many years teaching. Since then she has served in many locations the most recent of which is Zimbabwe where she has been since 2004. Sr. Fidelma has committed a lot of her time to assisting the disadvantaged families of Mutare, in particular her efforts are concentrated on getting women in to income generating activities allowing them to become independent and take care of their families.

Sr. Fidelma is featured in this photo holding young triplet sisters who have been helped by the F.M.S.A congregation in the Diocese of Mutare. The triplets were born to disabled parents who already had twins, a boy and a girl, and were in great need of food, shelter, clothing and baby milk.