"Faith, Hope, Charity" was painted by Mary Ellen D'Agostino, sister-in-law of Nyumbani's founder, Father Angelo D'Agostino.

Mary Ellen is married to Joseph D'Agostino, Father D'Ag's younger brother. This piece consists of watercolor portraits of three women in a single frame. The women are grandmothers (Shushus in Swahili) who serve as house mothers in the Kitui Village located in the eastern province of Kenya. Kitui Village has 1,000 children in 100 homes and the Shushus provide a loving setting for those in their care.

Mary Ellen has volunteered at Nyumbani and worked with these exceptional ladies who exhibit a caring and positive spirit that brings love and stability to so many of the children who are orphans. With deep gratitude to these unselfish guardians, the portraits are meant to honor the Shushu's as well as all present and past caregivers serving Nyumbani.

(Mary Ellen painted these portraits from photographs taken by Jack Dausman, a Nyumbani Board member married to Michele Knoeber Dausman who is a niece of Father D'Agostino. The Dausmans have visited Nyumbani several times and Jack has particularly enjoyed photographing the Shushus.)

Dimensions of the framed print: 16 inches high x 38 inches wide.

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