CUEA-GABA: Lenten Pilgrims Walk Through Salvation History Spiritual Gardens at CUEA Gaba Campus
Fr. Dr. Emmanuel Chimombo
Tucked within the grounds of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) Gaba Campus, a garden of statues and sacred installations is quietly becoming one of Eastern Africa’s most distinctive sites for spiritual encounter — drawing schoolchildren, catechists, and pilgrims who walk its pathways in search of something the classroom alone cannot offer.
During the fourth and fifth Weeks of Lent 2026, the Gaba Campus Spiritual Gardens drew two distinct groups of visitors whose experiences illustrate the garden’s growing role as a centre of formation and renewal in the Diocese of Eldoret.
Schoolchildren Encounter the Arc of Salvation
The first group to arrive was a contingent of pupils from Apostolic Carmel Primary School, accompanied by their Principal, Sr. Lourdes Mary AC. Guided by Rev. Fr. Simon Sabvala, a Malawian priest widely credited as the visionary architect of the Spiritual Gardens, the young pilgrims were led on a carefully narrated journey through the History of Salvation.
Each statue and installation along the path corresponds to a pivotal moment in the biblical story: from the creation of Adam and Eve in Genesis, through the unfolding drama of God’s covenant with humanity, to the Paschal Mystery — the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The garden does not stop at Easter: it extends the narrative into the Church’s birth at Pentecost and features representations of the Fathers of the Church and the founders of major religious congregations.
“The gardens bring Scripture to life,” said a teacher, adding, “For the children, it was not just a walk — it was a prayer.”
Throughout the tour, the pupils engaged in spontaneous prayer, quiet reflection, and moments of admiration at the serene grounds — an environment deliberately cultivated to invite contemplation.
Catechists Reflect on Death and New Life
Shortly after, a larger group of catechists from the Seminary Deanery of the Diocese of Eldoret traveled to Gaba for a one-day recollection.
Led by Rev. Fr. Dustan Epaalat, Chaplain of CUEA Gaba Campus, the catechists gathered around the Lenten theme: “Our Spiritual Journey from Death to Life,” drawn from the account of the raising of Lazarus in John 11:1–45. The passage — in which Jesus weeps at a tomb before calling forth the dead — lent itself naturally to both the physical setting of the gardens and to the broader paschal rhythm of the Lenten season.
In his reflections, Fr. Epaalat challenged the catechists to embrace not only formal Lenten observance, but a sustained commitment to prayer and spiritual renewal as the foundation of their ministry. For men and women whose work it is to accompany others in faith, the day offered a rare opportunity to be accompanied themselves.
AMECEA Pastoral Institute: A Regional Hub
The Gaba Campus is home to the AMECEA Pastoral Institute (API), which serves as the educational and pastoral arm of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA). The Institute draws participants from across the nine AMECEA member countries for programmes in Sabbatical Formation, Catechist Training, and Pastoral Ministry.
The gardens are integral to the Institute’s broader mission. Visitors do visit not come merely to see statues but to walk into the story of God’s love for humanity, and to find themselves within it.”
API ntake programmes are offered in January and August each year, and registration for the next cohort is currently open.
For more information about the AMECEA Pastoral Institute and the Gaba Campus Spiritual Gardens, contact: apigaba@cuea.edu | www.cuea.edu | WhatsApp/Call: +254 790 555 245
