UDAINAGAR, India – When Clarist Sister Rani Maria Vattalil was first posted to this destitute central Indian region 25 years ago, she urged men loitering in the village to quit wasting their time drinking. They pretended to agree, until she left. But one day, the sister circled back -- and caught them in the act.

NAIROBI, Kenya – When Kenyans go to the polls to elect a president Oct. 26, nuns from the Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya will be prominent as poll observers. The sisters already have spent hours in voter education for the repeat election, set up after the nation's Supreme Court nullified an August vote.