Every Monday and Wednesday 4 of our collaborators take the jeepney, the local filipino public transport, after their classes at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, to Parola, a sprawling slum area at the Pier District of Manila where thousands of families live in deplorable conditions.

After braving the traffic for hours in the heat and humidity, they arrive to a windowless chapel with a falling roof to wait for the children whom they teach Basic Education and English. With no fans still available and sweating profusely, the children run towards the Centre with a great excitement to learn. It clearly shows in their little faces that it is a day they have been waiting for – they are so eager to learn. It is a challenging task but the collaborators show diligence and patience with the children as they go through the lessons.

Learning and conversing in English, they build up confidence among these children, educating them in a positive way as they gradually become aware of their possibilities and passion for education.

Fr. Steven Ochieng

Healthy mind leaves in a healthy body, so they say! This is what happens at St. Joseph Mother and Child Centre in Nariokotome Mission. The children attending classes everyday in the morning are given a healthy bowl of porridge before kick-starting their day in class. The program is meant to give them a balanced capacity to concentrate in class. The help from people of good will and our benefactors have seen the success of this noble work. We sincerely thank them for their efforts and continuous support.

Lillian Omari

Hemos comenzado un comedor para 50 niños y para 3 mujeres embarazas registradas hasta el momento en el poblado de Gimbichu, a 13km de Muketurri. En 2008 algunos campesinos de Gimbichu vinieron a pedir semillas porque habían visto el huerto del Centro Materno Infantil de Muketuri. En 2009 se organizaron los primeros cursos de agricultura para hombres y mujeres fuera del centro y se construyó una presa con la cual se puede regar el huerto experimental y dar de beber al ganado. En estos años se han excavado 11 pozos lo que ha permitido a 50 familias de campesinos cultivar cebollas, zanahorias, remolachas, espinacas, col, para el consumo familiar y también para la venta.
Para completar este trabajo y asegurar la buena alimentación infantil, dado las graves consecuencias que tiene la desnutrición en edades tempranas, propusimos a la población hacer un comedor llevado por las madres. Ellas construyeron una cocina local y se comprometen a traer la leña, cocinar, servir y lavar. Por su parte, el Ministerio de Agricultura, nos facilita sus instalaciones y nosotros aportamos la comida. Hemos confeccionado un menu de legumbres y verduras que aseguren un aporte calórico y proteico suficiente para un buen desarrollo.

La comunidad local está muy contenta, al igual que nosotros, de poder alimentar mejor a sus hijos. Esperamos que esta iniciativa se pueda replicar en otros poblados, y así, entre todos, conseguir que la población infantil que crece, se desarrolle plenamente para afrontar con Fortaleza y dignidad su futuro.

Lourdes Larruy
MCSPA

On 30th Sept 2015 Fr. Avelino and Deacon Wycliffe, through the invitation of the village elders, went to Kokuselei for prayers on rain. It was such a wonderful celebration; real inculturation (a mixture of Catholic faith and Turkana culture). The prayers included marching to the top of the mount and invoking the intercessions of St. Scholastica (the patron Saint of Rain). After the prayers, three goats were killed and we had the Akiriket. That same night we had some rains in Nariokotome and light showers in the mountainous region of Kokuselei. It was a real blessing and we pray that God sends us more rains in this land of Turkana.

Deacon Wycliffe

From the 25^th to the 28^th of August, 120 youth from the Lake Deanery area gathered at Nariokotome Mission for their annual youth festival.

This year’s theme was the Eucharist. The speakers for the event were Fr. Albert Salvans who spoke about “Eucharist and Communion”, Joseph Ekutan about “Reverence for the Eucharist”, and Diana Trompetero on “Eucharist and Friendship” and finally Bishop Dominic Kimengich about “The Eucharistic Congress”.

Most of the youth participated on the talks and lots of interesting points were shared.

There were also sports, music  and drama competitions, where all the parishes showed their talents and most of them went back with lots of certificates.

On the 27^th afternoon we all went to Lodwar to attend the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress. This started with the vigil at St. Augustine’s Cathedral and on the 28^th, the feast of St. Augustine, about 500 people made a procession from the Cathedral to the Jubilee Shrine carrying the Blessed Sacrament. It was a very emotional and joyful procession with all the Pontifical Missionary Children and the Christian faithful singing at the top of their voices.

We would like to thank all the youth from St Joseph the Worker Lowarengak Parish, St. Denis Kataboi Parish, St. James Kaikor Parish, St. Paul Nariokotome Mission and St. Mark Lokitaung Parish who attended the festival. Also our sincere appreciation to the ones who organized the festival: Fr. Avelino Bassols, Lillian Omari, Deacon Wycliffe Ochieng and Peter Chege.

Lillian Omari

MCSPA

The members of the MCSPA would like to give thanks to God, on this day of the Assumption of Our Lady, as 18 years ago Fr. Antonio Aguirre, Fr. Francis Teo and Fr. Manuel Hernández were ordained priests for the Diocese of Lodwar. They have been working for many years in Kenya especially in Turkana going to the remotest areas to bring the Good News. To date, Fr. Antonio is in Nariokotome mission, Turkana – Kenya, Fr. Francis is in Manila – Philippines and Fr. Manolo is in Benga Parish – Malawi. We give thanks for their perseverance and example in following the call to which they said YES to, some 18 years ago: “Go out and proclaim the good new to the poor”.

Lillian Omari

Yesterday on the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, the Diocese of Lodwar celebrated the priestly ordination of Gabriel Nakamu Emuria, a member of the Apostles of Jesus at Mary Mother of God Church, Kalokol Parish, Lodwar Diocese. It was a colourful celebration presided by Rt. Rev. Dominic Kimengich, Bishop of Lodwar. Members of the MCSPA joined other Christians from all parts of Turkana in this graceful occasion. We sincerely extend our best wishes and prayer to newly ordained Fr. Gabriel Nakamu Emuria!

Lillian Omari

Durante este mes de julio cinco estudiantes de la Universidad de Addis Abeba han venido como voluntarios a la misión de Muketurri. Junto con las maestras de la guardería han diseñado un programa de reforzamiento de inglés para las profesoras y de ciencias, matemáticas e inglés para nuestros niños. Por las tardes, junto a voluntarias españolas, han apoyado el curso de inglés de verano dirigido a niños de primaria.

Los voluntarios, tres mujeres y cuatro hombres, cursan distintos estudios; planificación y diseño urbano, ingeniería civil, ingeniería química e ingeniería eléctrica. Ellos son parte del grupo fundador de una organización llamada Abet que en amharico quiere decir “responder a una llamada”. ABET es una organización civil de voluntariado que intenta responder diferentes necesidades sociales en Addis Abeba y han participado en actividades recreativas para niños con autismo, campañas para recoger fondos para entregar alimentación a una escuela primaria, acompañamiento de enfermos en el Ethiopian Cancer Institute, entre otros. Durante agosto nos acompañarán a la misión de Andode para continuar su voluntariado.

Ha sido una sopresa mutua el conocernos y compartir el sueño común de dar más oportunidades a niños de Muketuri y alrededores; Para los jóvenes etíopes ha sido un reto ver cómo viven tantas personas en su país, una realidad, para ellos, bastante desconocida desde la capital;

Para los lugareños ha sido una sorpresa también, conocer a jóvenes etíopes, igual que ellos, que de forma voluntaria pasan sus vacaciones apoyando a niños de zonas más necesitadas. Se han creado entre ellos puentes de amistad, en los que, todas las partes se enriquecen. Hemos empezado a hacer planes de que los jóvenes de Abet vengan a Muketuri un fin de semana al mes durante el año. Esto puede ser el inicio de un movimiento de la sociedad etíope, que, desde un cierta clase media que crece timidamente, se acerca a la realidad masiva del país de tanta gente que no tiene ni sus necesidades más básicas solucionadas.

Estamos contentas y agradecidas de encontrarnos con jóvenes etíopes interesados en cambiar la realidad de este país. Creemos que juntos podemos hacer mucho más.

Lourdes Larruy

On the 16th of July, in the town of Kaikor, we celebrated the graduation of the 5th batch of trainees of the Furrows in the Desert. A total of 35 new farmers have completed the course and are now working in their own plots back home.

The second workshop for the members of the new Saint Isidore’s Turkana Farmers Association began, with a total number of 82 attendants for three full days with the aim of improving their ability to organise themselves, to encourage self discipline, to foster a team spirit, and to develop their sales and marketing skills. 

We are pleased to present to you the new web page of the Missionary Community of Saint Paul the Apostle (MCSPA). The new website is a renewed effort of our mission work on the internet to bring stories of faith, hope and love by we connecting communities and lives across continents.  We hope you enjoy exploring our new site!