On 23rd February 2026, we inaugurated the dormitory, toilets and water infrastructure of Nariokotome Girls’ Secondary School. It was a joyful and historic occasion for the entire Nariokotome community … and we were even blessed with light showers!

The event brought together the members of MCSPA at Nariokotome, members of the Board of Management (BOM) of the school, the contractors and the whole school fraternity to celebrate this important event. The ceremony began with Holy Mass presided over by Frs. Zacchaeus Okoth and Antonio Aguirre. During the mass Fr. Zacchaeus reminded everyone of the unity, faith and shared commitment that made the whole project possible.

During the celebration, the principal of the school expressed her deep gratitude to the MCSPA members of Nariokotome Mission, the contractors and the donors whose dedication, generosity and hard work turned the vision of the dormitory into reality.

The atmosphere was filled with joy and pride as students, teachers, and MCSPA community members reflected on the journey that led to this achievement. The inauguration symbolized not only the opening of a new building but also the strengthening of partnership and solidarity within the community. It stood as a testimony to what can be accomplished when people come together for a common purpose.

The new dormitory is of great importance to this secondary school for girl-child. It will provide the girls with a safe, secure and comfortable place to stay in, creating a conducive environment for learning and personal growth. With improved living conditions, academic performance, discipline, and overall student well-being is also promoted.

Ultimately, the dormitory represents hope, progress and a brighter future for the students and the entire Nariokotome community.

Lenny Jilo, MCSPA

Nariokotome Mission [KENYA]

The beginning of the year at Muketuri Mission is marked by the driest month of the year, which is actually the ideal time for excavating and drilling wells in the Wuchale Woreda region of Ethiopia which has been declared a “food-insecure zone”.

For us missionaries, while being able to bring water to these communities is a source of joy and a sign of hope, for the beneficiary families, it is a drastic turning point in their lives – a stark “before” and “after”!

Alemu, an elderly man of 70 years, would stand watching us everyday that we visited his village of Lego: from the moment we marked the water source with a water diviner, to the arrival of the drilling machine, and the start of the drilling works.

I ambled over to greet him, and he said that throughout his life, he has seen people passing through, promising to bring water to his village, but they never returned. Now, it seems that this will finally be fulfilled.

When we reached the aquifer and saw the first burst of water, I looked for Alemu. He was deeply moved; he gave me a strong hug and said: “Now I can die. God allowed me to live long enough for my eyes to see water in the village. Now I know that my wife, my children, my grandchildren, and everyone in this village – who are family to me – will live a new life with clean water available. It is the start of a new stage.”

In Lego, women and children used to walk two hours to collect water from a contaminated water source or three hours for clean water.

This is just one testimony from among many of people who benefited from the water wells drilled this year. Our profound gratitude goes to all who had a hand in making this life-changing shift possible.

Blanca Beltrán, MCSPA

Muketuri Mission [Ethiopia]

Yesterday, we joyfully celebrated the anniversary of our beloved founder, Fr. Francisco (Paco) Andreo, with prayer, remembrance, deep gratitude and a shared community spirit.

The celebration began with the blessing of Paco’s grave, a solemn and touching moment that invited us to reflect on his life and vision, and the legacy he left behind. Following the blessing, an avocado tree was planted at the graveyard site to symbolize life, growth, nourishment, continuity and turning Turkana into a garden. This is a living reminder that the seeds Paco planted through his mission continue to grow and bear fruit in the lives of many.

The day continued with a beautiful mass presided by Fr. Victor Otieno. It was both uplifting and reflective, centred on thanksgiving for the gift of our founder’s life and the enduring impact of his work. The church was filled with children, youth, men and women who came together to celebrate the life of our founder.

In his homily, Deacon Stephen Iyerio, echoing the words from the Letter of James, exhorted us to “find joy in our trials” because endurance in the midst of our trials produces perseverance, and perseverance leads to steadfast faith. Trials are not obstacles to our growth, rather the engine for our growth. God uses the heat of life to burn away the superficial and make us rooted in truth and wisdom.

The MCSPA members present in many countries are living examples of endurance in the face of many trials and challenges who, through perseverance in their faith, are held together and are able to continue their work around the world. This is a habit that Paco instilled in us.

A particularly touching moment during the Mass came when Dr. Ana Mañas, Paco’s oncologist, shared a moving account of her first meeting with Paco as a new patient. He told her that he was a missionary and that being in Africa makes him feel better, and so wished to return back to Kenya to die and be buried behind a beautiful Church.

Through all these memories, we were reminded not only of Paco’s role as a true shepherd but also of his missionary work and compassion.

After the mass, we distributed bread and juice to the children, continuing our founder’s tradition of caring for the children and the most vulnerable. The smiles and joy shared during this time reflected the true spirit of the celebration.

The day concluded with a wonderful lunch shared among the members, apprentices and visitors. It was a time of fellowship, unity, laughter and strengthening the bonds within our community and to welcome those who joined us in commemorating this special day.

May we continue Paco’s legacy and inspire more young men and women to follow Christ.

By Agostinho Barros de Deus

Senior Apprentice,

Nariokotome Mission [Kenya]

And Maggy Gitau

Senior Apprentice,

Kokuselei Mission [Kenya]

Today at Muketuri, we celebrated the 13th anniversary of the passing of our dear Paco.

We gathered at the Holy Family Ecumenical Chapel with the youth, women and children from different faiths to remember and celebrate the life of the Founder of MCSPA, Fr. Francisco “Paco” Andreo.

We began with the Liturgy of the Word, led by Blanca and followed by Esther, who shared a reflection on Paco’s life. She reminded us how Paco guided the members of MCSPA, how he chose a simple life, and how deeply he loved Africa.

After the celebration, we planted a fig tree to mark the day.

Paco always insisted on planting fruit trees and vegetables, so that our surroundings could become like a garden than is able to feed people.

And finally, we shared a meal together with everyone who attended.

May Paco’s life continue to inspire us all!

By Tigist Mekonnen

MCSPA Apprentice

Muketuri Mission [Ethiopia]

On paper:

A person under the age of 18 who, due to their stage of development, needs care, protection, guidance and a safe environment in which to grow up.

And in real life?

In some parts of the world:

the one who has no name until the age of seven years;

the last one to partake of the meals;

the one who is placed to look after the animals, or younger siblings, to do the cooking …

In other parts of the world:

the untouchable, the one who can even report his or her parents to the police … the other end of the pendulum.

The dignity with which a child grows up often depends on the society and culture into which he or she is born.

Training in child protection allows us, at and in our respective missions, to transform this pendulum into a culture with concrete expressions of love, justice and respect for human dignity.

Our starting point is in deeply human, local values and practices, such as community upbringing, the sense of the extended family, or the constant skin-to-skin contact, which give African children a strength and a unique sense of belonging, to address other unconscious issues, taboos and normalized practices that, due to ignorance or tradition, can put their integrity at risk.

Training in child protection does not mean imposing external models or mistrusting families and communities, rather it means looking at them with greater awareness. It means also learning to distinguish between tradition and harm, authority and abuse, correction and violence. It means equipping ourselves with the necessary tools to prevent, detect and act when a child is not being protected as he or she should be.

At MCSPA, protecting children is a shared responsibility. Training ourselves in this area is the first step as the way we care for and educate today will build the humanity of tomorrow.

By Maria Vidal – Aragón

MCSPA Apprentice

Mizan Teferi Mission

[Ethiopia]

Members of MCSPA together with the local community of Dakuna Village joyfully celebrated the blessing of their newly completed chapel in a colourful and prayerful ceremony on Feb 11; the chapel’s patroness is Our Lady of Mercy or Kidanemeheret in Amharic.

The blessing was presided by Bishop Lukas Teshome Fikre with concelebrants Frs. Angel Valdivia( MCSPA), Augustine (OIC) and Fikre Yesus, the local Diocesan Pastoral Coordinator, as well as other priests from the Eparchy of Emdibir. MCSPA members working in other parts of Ethiopia, religious sisters, parishioners and local dignitaries gathered to witness the sacred event.

The chapel has been under construction for the past two years and now serves as a symbol of faith and unity for local residents.

In his sermon the Bishop emphasised the importance of the chapel as a place of peace and reflection for MCSPA members, saying that “this chapel is not just a building, but a home for all who seek comfort and guidance”.

The ceremony concluded with expressions of gratitude from Lourdes Larruy, Josephine Amuma and from Bishop Lukas.

By Lydiah Obok, MCSPA

Dakuna Mission [Ethiopia]