Ciudad Bolívar, one of Bogotá’s largest and most densely populated localities, faces considerable challenges in terms of social and educational development. Many of its residents live in vulnerable conditions, highlighting the urgent need for programs that offer children and young people opportunities for holistic growth.

In response to this need, the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle (MCSPA) collaborates with the Centro Fuente, run by the Teresian Sisters, to support extracurricular learning and values-based education. Thanks to this partnership, we have been able to work together for the benefit of the children in the area.

This initiative specifically supports children and adolescents in vulnerable situations in the Santa Viviana neighborhood of Ciudad Bolívar. A vital space is being created where, through a combination of academic support and values education, the skills and talents of each child and young person are cultivated. At the same time, a strong foundation of ethical and moral principles is built from an early age.

A wide range of activities is offered, including painting, music, math, and reading and writing support. Educational outings are also organized, providing new experiences and, most importantly, exposing the children to environments they might never have imagined possible.

Recently, we held a rap competition in which participants used music and lyrics to express complex emotions such as sadness, anger, and frustration. Their songs also explored themes of self-improvement, identity, respect, and empathy. By creating and listening to these lyrics, the young people developed a more critical and conscious understanding of the world around them.

Another favorite activity is painting. Many of the children come from challenging backgrounds and lack safe spaces to express their feelings. Painting offers them a non-verbal way to release emotions like fear, anxiety, sadness, and anger. It becomes a form of emotional cleansing. Creating something of their own—and seeing others value their work—greatly boosts their self-esteem and communication skills. It also helps them explore their identity, their origins, and how they see the world around them.

Afternoons at the Fuente Centre are filled with joy and laughter. It is a safe, welcoming space where children feel free to express themselves, where every voice is heard, and where everyone matters.

Alexia Moreno, MCSPA

Bogotá, Colombia

Today was a joyful day at St. Joseph of the Mountain Mother and Child Center as we came together to celebrate the blessing of our new multipurpose hall, St. Filipo Neri Hall! This new space will serve as a hub for parent formation, youth programs, and activities for street children, reinforcing our commitment to nurturing and empowering the community.

The celebration began with a special blessing by our parish priest, marking the hall as a place of growth, learning and community. In a symbolic moment of new beginnings, we cut the ribbon, officially inaugurating St. Filipo Neri Hall.

The event brought together over 100 people, including parents, youth, staff and supporters, all eager to witness and share in this special occasion. One of the highlights of the day was an engaging play performed by the Lions, illustrating the contrast between good and bad parenting —sparking thoughtful discussions among attendees.

Following the blessing and performances, we gathered to share a delicious meal, strengthening bonds and celebrating this new chapter for our center. And, as is traditional in Ethiopia, we ended the day with a coffee ceremony, a moment of gratitude for the blessings of community and progress.

We are deeply thankful to everyone who supported this initiative, and we look forward to seeing St. Filipo Neri Hall become a place of learning, growth, and transformation for the many children and families we serve.

By Amanda Falgas
Apprentice, MCSPA
Mizan Teferi, Ethiopia

#Community #Blessing #StFilipoNeriHall #YouthEmpowerment #ParentFormation #NewBeginnings #Ethiopia

MCSPA Members at Nariokome Mission, the Mother House of the Missionary Community of St Paul the Apostles (MCSPA), carry out different pastoral and human developmental programs in service to the local community in Turkana, northern Kenya. The county of Turkana is co-terminous with the Diocese of Lodwar.

In the semi-arid area of Turkana, water resource development has always been the first priority for further development. Hence, the missionaries constructed earth pans and rock dams, drilled boreholes and set up solar pumps to avail water for schools and the local community at large.

Since human beings need both physical and spiritual health, an integral development involving body, soul and mind, it has always been an important part of the MCSPA charism to take care of the sick, the vulnerable and the elderly. This is being actively done by the Nariokome Primary Health Care program with its 19 outstations covered by the mobile clinic. In addition, pastoral activities provide the sacraments and pastoral care to the inhabitants of 20 outstations, seeing to their spiritual nourishment and growth.

Thanks to the agricultural activities being carried out, vegetables and fruit are produced, cows and poultry are reared. As a result, more than 900 children in the primary schools, nurseries and feeding centres sround the mission are able to have milk, eggs and vegetables for their breakfast and lunch.

For more than 35 years the missionaries at Nariokotome Mission have been trying to enable children to obtain an education. This has been done through child sponsorship programs, improved education facilities, including staff houses for teacher, hiring teachers, providing food for both mission, mission-sponsored and government schools around the area. Furthermore, there has been active participation of sports activities between the children of St. Joseph’s Nariokotome Primary school and other schools around enhancing social interaction and strengthening friendship among the younger generation.

There is an African saying that goes, “Strong women don’t wait for doors to open – they build their own.” Different initiatives have been put in place to empower women. Among them are the small businesses involving bread and scone baking, pizza making as well as other local handcraft. This has created alternative job opportunities for women, so that they have alternative ways of earning an income instead of alcohol-brewing.

All these activities are being carried out in the area thanks to our benefactors, friends and families who support the missionaries in all ways.

By Lydia Imbala, MCSPA
Nariokome Mission [Kenya]

Benga Mission in Malawi had a late commemorative celebration of Fr Francisco Andreo’s 12th Death Anniversary. It was held only last Sunday when all members and apprentices could be present.

We were also blessed with the presence of Fr. Albert Salvans at Benga Mission. The day began with Holy Mass, presided by Fr. Albert, and the celebration concluded with the blessing of trees and planting of a mango tree in the parish compound.

Benga Mission’s tree-planting campaign is ongoing, and we are fundraising to plant 2,000 trees in Benga Parish.

Emmanuel Masiku

Junior Apprentice

Benga Mission

Today, we are happy to celebrate the appointment of a dear friend of the MCSPA, Abuna Tesfaye Tadesse Gebresilasie, the Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries, as the Auxiliary Bishop of Addis Ababa.

Representatives of the Catholic Church from across all regions of Ethiopia, Africa, Asia, Europe, and America were present, including many missionaries, making this a most moving and universal celebration: the Church united in joy and strengthened by the bonds of collaboration and faith.

We pray for Abuna Tesfaye’s new appointment of shepherding the Ethiopian Catholic Church hand-in-hand with Berhaneyesus Cardinal Souraphiel in these challenging times.

May God bless you, Bishop Tesfaye and do count on our prayers!

By Amanda Falgas and Maria Vidal
MCSPA Junior Apprentice
ETHIOPIA

Both Nariokotome and Kokuselei Missions were delighted to have visitors from Strathmore University of Nairobi and their Kenyan and international partners come by our missions in the Diocese of Lodwar. The visiting team carried out educational activities in English, leadership workshops, youth mentoring and mentoring of women in micro-businesses during a week leading up to Christmas.

The girls appreciated the opportunity to learn leadership skills to become more responsible and better learners. The women’s group from Nariokotome were happy to gain knowledge for future business initiatives that would improve their livelihoods, while the youth also appreciated the opportunity to interact with the team, learn about mental health, personal relationships and guidance to improve their academic level and possible future career.

The MCSPA thanks the “Another Kind of Christmas” team and Strathmore University for their support in the education of children and youth from their missions in Nariokotome and Kokuselei.

Diana Trompetero and Fr. Zacchaeus Oduor, Members
Kokuselei and Nariokotome Missions (KENYA)

While global warming is at its peak, there’s no doubt that it is rapidly becoming our new normal. In these present times, some places across the world have experienced the change in their climate where temperatures have risen. This has mostly affected large water-bodies which have kept on growing while others are drastically drying up. Before it gets too late, it is time that each and every human being, takes the primary responsibility to be promoters of the good of the environment. This means caring for earth’s green layer by caring for the already existing trees and planting more so as to enjoy all the benefits that come from trees: for food, for medicinal uses, for shade and wind-break, a habitat for animals and humans. The recycling of plastics that contaminate the environment could also positively contribute towards saving nature. If all could unite and work towards promoting the care for nature, life on earth could be much better than what it is now.

At Kokuselei Mission, in Turkana (Kenya), the children of St Joseph’s Konokono Centre are starting to take a lead towards promoting the care of nature through caring for trees and planting more trees that will later be beneficial for the local people living around Kokuselei. This group of children delight in cleaning the environment by collecting plastics around Kokuselei and reusing them for planting and decorative purposes. Together with the help of the missionaries at Kokuselei Mission, they have gone ahead and created St Francis of Assisi Environmental Club through which they will be coordinating activities related to the care of the environment.

All these are moves towards a better world, more beautiful and environment-friendly. The more young people grow up with this kind of sensitivity for the care of the environment, the better, as this will be a seed planted in their hearts that is assured to grow through the generations and bear good fruit.

Fridah Ejore,
MCSPA Apprentice.
Kokuselei Mission, Turkana (Kenya)

Every year, members and apprentice together with members of the Secular Branch of the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle (MCSPA), gather at Nariokotome Mission in Turkana, Kenya, for a series of meetings and “encounters”. At these gatherings, we reflect on our life as missionaries and imbibe on the charism and original inspiration of Fr. Paco, our founder. This would involve a series of talks on various topics and issues. We also take advantage of the presence of the different groups to do training and on-going formation.

This year, our Formation Meetings commenced on 24th June with members and apprentices eagerly participating in sessions on Mary, Mother of the Church; St. Joseph, patron of the Universal Church; and also the role of women in the formation of priests. One session focussed on the latter theme, from the point of view of anthropology, theology and ecclesiology, and how mature women members have a balancing role in the discernment journey of members and apprentices, including those being formed to the priesthood. Ester Ciancas, a Secular Branch member, expressed her joy at realising that in the Church, women do have a significant role to play in the formation of priests.

Following the Formation Meetings, members and senior apprentices embarked on a retreat led by Fr. Marcel Uwineza, SJ, who is the Principle of Hekima University College. Throughout the series of enlightening talks, Fr. Marcel underscored the twin virtues of forgiveness and reconciliation as essential elements for maintaining harmony within our community. The retreat provided a fertile ground for introspection and dialogue among the MCSPA members and senior apprentices.

While retreat was being conducted, the junior apprentices underwent sessions on Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults, acknowledging the crucial importance of this in all of our ministries and community life.

On the last day of the retreat, we were honoured to have Bishop John Mbinda, the local ordinary of the Diocese of Lodwar, visiting the community gathered at Nariokotome Mission. He led us in the Eucharistic celebration on the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle. In his homily, the Bishop reminded the members of the MCSPA that just like the apostles were sent, they were also being sent by the Lord. He added that all of us are unique in one way or another and that our uniqueness is not be a burden to others rather a blessing.

By Stephano Ziba,
Senior Apprentice, MCSPA

Today, at Nariokotome Mission, we commemorated the 3rd death anniversary of Peter Ndung’u Chege, a member of the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostles (MCSPA).

The eucharistic celebration in his memory was presided over by Fr. Zacchaeus Okoth. During the mass, memories of the good works he did were shared. We thank God for his life and we ask you all to continue praying for the eternal repose of Peter’s soul, his family and the MCSPA fraternity.

Peter, forever in our hearts!

By Lydia Imbala MCSPA,
Nariokotome Mision.

In mid-April, we received visitors coming from Strathmore University in Nairobi at Nariokotome Mission. The Strathmore team, comprised of 2 staff members, alumni of the school and students – a total of 12 persons. The group spent 7 days engaging with the local youth of Nariokotome. Their mission was to mentor and educate the youth on various aspects of life such as academic, economic, social and spiritual matters.

Throughout their visit, the mentors covered topics such as careers and career choices, the dangers of drugs and substance abuse, youth and the church, and healthy relationships with the opposite sex. The interactions also included drama, English Language competition, song and dance. They also had a friendly football match where the local team showcased superior skills against the visitors! Additionally, this visit served as a valuable cultural exchange, allowing the Strathmore team to immerse themselves in the rich heritage of the Turkana people.

These topics were selected with the aim of helping the youth lead a purposeful life, inspiring them to dream big, and instilling confidence in their academic pursuits and future career choices, be it in colleges or technical institutions.

The Strathmore mentors are optimistic that their efforts will have a lasting impact on the lives of the youth, thereby encouraging them to lead fulfilling and responsible lives.

We had a chance to take our visitors to see interesting sites nearby. They visited the “Turkana or Nariokotome Boy” monument commemorating the site of the discovery of a nearly-complete fossil skeleton of a Homo Ergaster youth who lived some 1.5 to 1.6 million years ago. A short trip was made to Lake Turkana, the world’s largest permanent desert and alkaline lake.

Following the effective mentorship workshop, both the Nariokotome and Strathmore teams have come up with many ideas and plans for the future. We are considering the following concrete plans for the future:

1. Making this mentorship programme an annual encounter during the school holidays;
2. Working out an arrangement that would allow Strathmore students to undertake their service-based learning program in Nariokotome community projects; and
3. Making a support plan towards the various Nariokotome projects by students, staff and friends of the University.

By Brian Siara
Apprentice, MCSPA
Nariokotome Mission