by Sr. Sheila Devane MMM                        Ireland                                        09.04. 2025

Some weeks ago, I woke up to hear an announcement on the radio news saying : “Ireland will now buy 100 generators to be delivered as soon as possible.”  One hundred generators!  I immediately stopped in my tracks, listened for more information but the announcer moved quickly to the next news item.

We had just experienced Storm Eowyn followed quickly by Storm Hermina; many parts of the country had no electricity for three weeks, or more, at the most bitterly cold time of the year.  Homes, businesses, farms, and all kinds of facilities were relying on small generators, lanterns, even candlelight and the support of any, and all, local hotels, or neighbours with electricity.

The government response was immediate, but to those impacted never enough and too slow; teams came to our assistance from across Europe and we thank them.  Our Irish repair services for their extraordinary work at a time of crisis and untold suffering for vulnerable people.  But one hundred generators!  I could now understand why all small towns and villages would want their own generator.  They had every reason.  More storms are forecast.

My mind went back to the generators which served the many missions I worked in during my time in East Africa.  We had one in Dareda, Nangwa, Makiungu, and in all the mission stations in Turkana.  So, generators were familiar to me and indeed I travelled back to Africa more than once with a spare part, or two, in my personal luggage!  Many of us MMMs did.

Let me tell you about the generator in Makiungu and the special Generator Man!  Makiungu Hospital was a very busy general and maternity hospital with a wide community outreach; we relied on electricity for elective and emergency surgery and for light for a few hours each evening to care for the many in-patients.  As Sisters living in a staff house, like all the staff, we too got about 3 hours’ electricity each evening. This was a time when we were off duty (more or less!) so everything needing light was done in this window of time.  It was greatly appreciated and we busied ourselves by writing letters, organising much around the house, charging batteries for our torches and so much more.

The man in charge of the generator was Bosco, he held an important position in the hospital on a par, one could say, with the administrator, doctor in charge or matron such was his onerous responsibility.  The likelihood of a catastrophe were he, or the generator, to fail to deliver was unthinkable.  We all knew him, where he lived and he was on call 24/7.  He held the key to the cement building in which the generator was housed; his knowledge was laudable; his commitment wholehearted, and any fault or flaw with the generator was immediately reported and shut down all forms of surgery and many aspects of our daily lives.

If we left the light switch on at 9pm and an emergency surgery happened during the night then we were awoken to bright lights – often another opportunity to “get things done” even if it was in the middle of the night!  We also knew that one, or more, of our Sisters, staff and, of course, Bosco were already up, working and saving a life.

Getting adequate diesel to fuel the generator was a major challenge and huge expense and became really serious during the war in Kuwait. Bosco kept going, our generous donors believed in our work and helped us greatly.  Unaccountable numbers of people were saved by the generator and its dedicated manager.

“ God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light.” Genesis 1:3