Sister Rebecca (Becky) Nyaki
Location: Honolulu, HI
Rebecca Nyaki was born on May 19, 1975, in Nganjoni, Mandaka Parish, in Moshi, Tanzania, to Maria Lymo and Joseph Frederick Nyaki. She grew up in a lively family with one brother, Blais, and seven sisters: Redempta, Euphrasia (Efu), Chrisanta, Magreth, Gudila, Lucy, and Eliakunda.
Rebecca graduated from Mkwawa High School in Iringa, Tanzania, in 1998. She later pursued studies in physiotherapy and received her diploma from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC) in 2001. Becky worked for two years in Arusha before joining the Maryknoll community.
Rebecca (Becky) Nyaki entered the Maryknoll Sisters on May 1, 2004, at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in New York. She professed her First Vows on August 27, 2006, and her Final Vows on September 8, 2012, both at the Center.
After her First Vows, Sister Becky was assigned to the Eastern U.S. Region in January 2007. She joined five Maryknoll Sister missioners serving in Hendersonville, North Carolina. There she immersed herself in learning American culture while sharing African culture with the community and even teaching some Swahili expressions to the other Sisters.
Responding to the priority needs of preschool education and immigration in the area, Sister Becky volunteered in a public-school preschool program serving four-year-old children, many from Latin American families who spoke little English. With her characteristic good humor, she often said, “We are learning from each other, as I can hardly speak Spanish!”
She was later hired by Helping Hand Development Center, where she worked with children with special needs. Drawing on her training as a physiotherapist, she supported these children with compassion and professional skill.
On weekends, Sister Becky volunteered with Women Build, an initiative of Habitat for Humanity. Together with other women volunteers, she helped complete a house built entirely by women for a family of eight in Henderson County.
When Hurricane Gustav struck the Gulf Coast, Sister Becky and another Maryknoll Sister volunteered with the American Red Cross through the Henderson County chapter. She assisted more than 2,700 people who had taken shelter at Louisiana State University in Alexandria. When the shelter closed, she helped evacuees assess the damage to their storm-ravaged homes.
During her ten years in North Carolina, Sister Becky came to appreciate deeply the spirit of American volunteerism. She often said that Hendersonville reminded her of home in Tanzania on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro: “The beauty of the place took me home the mountains, the people are more laid back and very welcoming.”
While working with children, Sister Becky continued her studies through online courses. In May 2017 she earned a Master’s degree in Pastoral Care to better support children and their families.
That same year she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in New York to serve the congregation, as immigration coordinator at the Maryknoll Center helping Sister keep their legal documents, and travel safely.
In 2022, after completing her congregational service, Sister Becky applied to the chaplaincy program at Pacific Health Ministry in Hawaii and was accepted. After completing a year of residency, she was hired as a chaplain. On June 14, 2025, Sister Becky became a Board-Certified Chaplain, serving at Kapiʻolani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Through her ministry, Sister Becky continues to accompany patients, families, and staff with compassion, faith, and a deep commitment to making God’s love visible in moments of suffering, healing, and hope.