Yesterday during the celebration of Palm Sunday, several Christian Communities came together to celebrate it. The celebrations were done in style in the different missions run by the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle. There were processions with palm branches and the singing and proclamation of Hossana was echoed all over the communities. After the celebrations, many children and adults made crosses out of the twigs and palms they were carrying and went home in a festive mood. Happy Palm Sunday to all!

Lillian Omari

MCSPA

Many of those people live in Africa and they have to walk kilometres in search of this precious commodity. According to the World Health Organisation, 3 out of 10 people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water near their homes.

Today as we celebrate the World Water Day we would like to thank all our benefactors who have made it possible for the Missionary Community of St Paul to have drilled more than 300 boreholes and built more than 200 dams in Turkana, Ethiopia, Malawi and South Sudan for more than 30 years now.

Water is an essential necessity for life. It is not only used to quench thirst or protect health; water is vital for creating jobs and supporting economic, social, and human development.

Let us use this scarce resource wisely and sustainably and support all the communities who do not have access to it, acquire clean and drinkable water for their families and their livestock.

Lillian Omari

MCSPA

The Church celebrates today the World Day of Consecrated Life.

Religious and members of Societies of Apostolic Life both men and women celebrate today, the 2nd of February, the World Day of Consecrated Life.
At the Diocese of Lodwar we had a very special mass celebrated by Bishop Dominic Kimengich with all the religious working in the Diocese.
This celebration coincides with the liturgical feast of the Presentation of the Lord. In 1997, it was Pope Saint John Paul II who instituted this feast as a universal day of prayer for consecrated life.

Let us remember and pray today for all religious all over the world, who suffer hardships for the sake of caring for the flock.

Lillian Omari MCSPA

Last Sunday, January 21st, we celebrated an ecumenical prayer for peace in Muketuri.

Muketuri is located in the region of Oromia, where in recent times there has been social unrest which has threatened the security of the population. It is in this context and after 10 years of presence in the area that we have promoted this initiative to pray together for peace, which is so necessary for sustainable development.

The prayer was attended by around 125 people of different religions, religious leaders of the Orthodox Church (majority in the area), the Evangelical Community and the Catholic Church.

We read the biblical text of the beatitudes, with a especial focus on the passage: “Blessed are the peacemakers for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven”

We encouraged all the attendants to become peacemakers wherever they are, and as a symbolic gesture, we invited each to put a small stone in a basket, signifiying our commitment towards peace.

In addition to people from Muketuri, there was also a group of 25 people who came walking from Gimbichu, a village 13 km from Muketuri.

After prayers, the former mayor of Muketuri when we arrived 10 years ago, commented that he was very happy because after having worked and suffered together for 10 years, we had finally come together to pray.

After the prayer we shared bread and tea.

Lourdes Larruy, MCSPA

One of the reasons for our missionary community being in the Philippines is to act as a bridge between the growing, local churches in Asia, and the church in Africa. A fruit of our presence in the Philippines has been realised today in Turkana, northern Kenya, as we officially handed over to two Filipino priests from the Diocese of Antique, central Philippines, the Parish of St. James, Kaikor, in the northern part of the Diocese of Lodwar. This was done today at a very colourful liturgical celebration at Kaikor in the presence of Bishop Dominic of Lodwar and Bishop Romy, visiting from the Diocese of Antique, Philippines, and a huge crowd of faithful of the parish. 

We pray that the presence and work of these Filipino priests, Fr Frederick and Melchor, will bear much fruit – spiritually and materially – for the people of Turkana. 

Bishop Dominic also announced the new assignments of Fr Denis as Parish Priest of Nariokotome, Fr Wycliffe as Parish Priest of the new parish of Srs Joachim and Anne of Kibish. Bishop Dominic announced also that Fr Avelino is going to join in the primary evangelisation work at Ave Maria Mission at the Diocese of Tombura Yambio, South Sudan.

Fr. Francis Teo

St. James Kaikor Parish annual Youth Formation was held in Lobur from the 19th to the 23rd December 2017. The participants included youth from 9 out-stations (Kaaleng, Kaikor, Kokuro, Lobur, Napeikar, Kibish, Lokomarinyang, Koyasa and Napak) that form part of the vast Kaikor Parish. Under the the theme “I AM THE CHURCH”, the event involved educative and motivational talks during morning sessions and interactive sports in the evenings. Different facilitators graced the occassion with each addressing a given topic: Mr. Martin Emoru addressed issues on Life Skills and Character Formation, Sr. Joy talked about Youth: Hope of The Church, Mr. Joseph Ekutan addressed issues on Drug Abuse and Alcoholism, Fr. Denis talked on the Role of the Youth in the Church and Fr. Albert talked on The Youth in the World Today. 

The last day of the formation week was marked with a series of talent shows from different outstations. Items such as edonga (turkana dance), rapping (free style), dancing, modelling and fashion show, comedy among others were presented: this event showed a great amount of talent embedded in these youth.

Finally the youth did some community service such as tree planting, cleaning the environments and digging in the shamba.
It was evident that the youth enjoyed their stay in Lobur and participation in the event. The youth are the future of the Church and if such events are encouraged then many youth will rediscover their passion for the Church and the faith. 

May the Lord guide and protect the youth in the Church so that they may be true witnesses of the Gospel values. I thank all those who made this event a success; may the Lord reward you abundantly!

Fr. Wycliffe Ochieng MCSPA (Youth Chaplain)

The children from Daan Tubo, a poor neighbourhood near our house in Manila, and who usually come to us for tuitions in English and Math, came to celebrate a Christmas party with us last night. There were 35 children and 23 parents in total.

We had much food and gifts to distribute and joy to share!

Thanks to the financial help and donated bags and clothes which we received from Singapore, we were able to organise this first of three Christmas parties for child beneficiaries of the MCSPA outreach programmes in Metro Manila.  

Next weekend, we shall gather the children and parents for a party at Parola and another at Payatas slums.

Timothy

The Agustinian Recolet Nuns in Nakwamekwi have blessed and officially opened a new guest house in their compound. This has been thanks to Mr. Tansey a very close friend of the MCSPA.
It is a joy to see that the sisters will have a place to welcome guests who are seeking peace and calm and at the same time a permanent way of sustaining themselves. We wish to thank all who have made this possible.

Lillian

Aprovechando la visita de de nuestros amigos Juan y Begoña ,  junto con una delegación de IFC , inauguramos el centro materno infantil ( Saint Rita Mother and child center) en Nyjiburin cerca de la misión de nariokotome y donde la MCSPA construyó la primera presa hace 21 años , han sido unos días muy agradables  de convivencia, visitando los distintos proyectos que la IFC llevan apoyando  desde hace 20 años . Muchas gracias  por el apoyo recibido para poder llevar acabo tantas cosas entre el pueblo Turkana y sobre todo por esta larga amistad

Patrizia