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

The MCSPA members in Turkana organized a 2-day workshop for teachers working in MCSPA-run and sponsored schools focused on matters of safeguarding. The workshop dealt with corporal punishment and alternative disciplining mechanisms, and how to create a child-friendly environment in schools and also child-growth and development.

Teachers and child care agents came from the 4 missions of Nariokotome, Kokuselei, Lobur and Todonyang. The facilitator of the workshop was Prof. George Muthaa, Deputy Principal Academics and Finance at Turkana University College. It was a colourful day and the participants were generally happy with the input and content of the workshop.

At the end of the workshop, the participants were issued with certificates and safeguarding commitment forms.

We hope that this event will mark the beginning of a renewed commitment by teachers in our schools to embrace the safeguarding policies that MCSPA upholds.

Fr. Wycliffe Ochieng, MCSPA
Todonyang Mission

Today, March 05, we had a grand celebration at the Children’s Special Education Room at Muketuri. The 9 special-needs children, together with their parents, teachers, volunteers and missionaries, celebrated the birthday of all the children with a huge cake topped with candles, and a large typical Ethiopian bread with presents for all the children and teachers.

This “Special Room” started 12 years ago in order to overcome the tremendous challenge for persons with slower learning capacities who are stigmatised in their society. It all began when we first encountered Workine and Tigist, two children paralysed with leukodystrophy degeneration and hidden inside their homesteads, severely malnourished. It took much effort on our part to convince their parents that their children’s condition was neither a punishment nor a curse. At first, it was difficult to find a person to work with them but we eventually found Aberash, a loving mother who had gone through very much with the sickness of her own child Yohanes.

Soon, more children came and more women were accepted to work at the “Special Room”. Though they had little studies, these women learned a lot from volunteers coming from Chile and Spain: professionals, psychologists, therapists etc.

Today 9 children and 4 teachers are stationed at the Room: children with Down’s Syndrome, autism, hemiparesis … all of them receiving medical care, nutrition and therapy. Last year we built a physiotherapy room, where each child has his or her own PT material to improve his or her capacities.

Recently the parents of the children had the opportunity to meet a Spanish mother of a child with autism; the impact of sharing experiences and feelings proved very supportive and moving.

Now, after all these years, the people of Muketuri know that at the St. Joseph Mother and Child Centre, there are special-needs children who at one time were kept from public view and whom no one wished to talk about. Now all the children at the nursery know and play with these children, some of whom cannot walk or talk, while some make “strange” movements, but they all laugh and play together as children do. These “special-needs children” are considered human beings like everyone else, and while their condition remains a mystery, they are accepted and their families no longer reject them.

It has been a long and difficult journey, and while it continues to be challenging still, these children have grown; some are already teenagers. Their presence forms an integral part of the Mission, making the latter a concrete sign of an option for welcoming the most vulnerable in our midst.

By Lourdes Larruy, MCSPA
Muketuri Mission, Ethiopia

Lobur Mission marked a memorable day on February 27 when the faithful celebrated the blessing and official opening of St. Irene’s Primary School by Rt. Rev. John Mbinda, Bishop of Lodwar, who arrived a day earlier to performances by pupils from the school. The MCSPA members gave an animated and interesting account of the historical trajectory of this mission.

St. Irene’s Primary School was initiated in 2018 with only a small number of children. It has progressed from nursery to Class 1, and now reaching up to Class 5 and with a total intake of 207 pupils with the support of well-wishers from Spain who generously funded the entire project under the supervision of Maque Falgas, a member of the Secular Branch of the MCSPA. The construction of the new buildings commenced in 2021 involving the participation of the villagers. The school is expected to bring about a significant change in the education sector within the parish and also to act as a peace-building initiative in the Ilemi Triangle, a border region shared by Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

After the blessing of the school, Bishop Mbinda also conferred the sacrament of Confirmation on 150 candidates from the different out-stations within Sts. Joachim and Anne Parish. This number attests to the vibrant and growing Christian community in the area, serving as an optimistic indicator of a successful endeavour of evangelization. Special thanks go to Fr. Joseph Githinji, the Parish Priest, and Fr. Andrew Yakulula, the Assistant Priest, for dedicating their zeal and energy to the missionary work taking place at Lobur Mission.

The bishop expressed his appreciation for the large number confirmands and for all the initiatives that led to the construction and opening of St. Irene’s Primary School. It is our hope that the faith may continue to grow among the people of this region and that peaceful co-existence may become a reality.

By Louis Mkweza, MCSPA Apprentice
St. John the Evangelist Lobur Mission, Turkana, Kenya.

On 21st January, the MCSPA celebrated its annual Family Day at the Women’s House in Nairobi. The occasion was graced by the presence of Rt. Rev. John Mbinda, Bishop of Lodwar, who presided at the Eucharistic celebration. It was fitting to give thanks to God for his many blessings bestowed.

We also celebrated two infant baptisms at the mass.

We would like to thank everyone who attended, contributed to our projects over the year and journeyed with the MCSPA throughout all this time. We hope to see you all next year as we extend a welcome invitation to you to come visit our missions in Turkana. KARIBUNI SANA!!!

Greetings from the Prince of Peace Catholic mission at Nyangatom, Ethiopia. It is our hope that everybody is happy with the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are also very happy to share with everybody the great news of the opening of our newly built Assembly Hall, built on the top of Naturomoe Hill, and the dedication of the mission to the Prince of Peace and Our Lady of the Embrace. The new building has been blessed by His Lordship Markos Gebremedhin, Bishop of Jimma-Bonga Apostolic Vicariate. Also in attendance were the Apostolic Nuncio to Ethiopia, Archbishop Antoaine Camillieri, and Msgr. John Mbinda CSSP, Bishop of Lodwar Diocese, Kenya.

The name Naturomoe is a Nyangatom word that means “the enemies have escaped”, and indeed, up to recent times, this was a place of violent conflict and a corridor used by cattle rustlers from different communities such as the Turkana of Kenya, Nyangatom of Ethiopia and Toposa of South Sudan. They could meet in this place just to fight.

Thanks to God’s divine Mercy, this reality has been changing for the last two years.

Today we are so happy because the blessing of the new Hall and the dedication of the Mission to the Prince of Peace and Our Lady of the Embrace gives the peace of God a chance to be well rooted in this area where before nobody dreamt of building a permanent house.

The goal of our mission is evangelization and fostering peace and development.

It is our hope that with the new building of the local community will be able to gain cohesion and peace that comes from the heart.

Our sincere gratitudes goes to those who have helped us achieve such a milestone.

We wish everybody a very happy and blessed holidays and a prosperous new year 2024.

Ronas Garden is the squatter area with probably the worst conditions among the depressed areas of Barangay Loyola Heights in Quezon City. This area is between Xavierville Avenue and Apostol Street. The only entrance and exit gate is a narrow pathway between the two high cement walls. The number of families in this slum area is recorded as 350 adults. The majority of these families are young mothers who gave birth at an early age. Most of them are unemployed while some secure casual jobs as cooks, caregivers, gardeners and drivers (for the men), offered by some well-to-do families in the neighbourhoods. 

It is in this context that the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostles (MCSPA), under the guidance of Fr. Francis and Fr. Alex saw the need to engage the community in some ways that could help to boost their basic needs. We devised a programme of milk distribution to supplement the diet of the malnourished children in this slum. The programme involves supplying specific powdered milk recommended by the paediatricians on a monthly basis to the children, and as well as monitoring their growth and giving moral support to the mothers. The quantity supplied is enough to last them till the next supply. The genuine smiles of both mothers and children during the distribution signifies their appreciation and that acts as a source of encouragement for us to keep this programme going.

The resilience, hard work, and determination of the young mothers striving to raise their children gives us motivation to reach out to this community and share with them the little we have, as we have seen and believe that there is more joy in giving than in receiving. Currently we have a total of twenty children in the programme aged between 4 and 7 years old who have carefully selected from the most needy families. We intend to increase the number of the beneficiaries in the near future depending on the capacity and the available resources.

Zackayo and Teddy.

Greetings from Naturomoe Prince of Peace Catholic Mission. We wish to share with you the progress of the road construction to Naita. This is an essential connector project for the communities of southwest Ethiopia, northwest Kenya, and eastern Equatoria state in South Sudan. The main aim is to bring peace and development to isolated communities based around the Naita range that have suffered from conflict and marginalization for decades. This project has been one of our main priorities since the members of the Missionary Community of St. Paul started working almost 10 years ago in Nyangatom. We intend to give access to basic social-pastoral services to the people. The work is about to reach its goal, as we can see the Naita Mountain very close by.

Constant meetings with the local people and the leaders of the Nyangatom Woreda (local government) have been very important to ensure that the work is efficient, and security is provided for the sugar factory Omo 5 bulldozer and its operators. In a recent meeting with the local community of Lotuko, a Ngikoporea was very encouraging. The people are willing to cooperate with the mission and the local government in whatever it takes, to bring the road project to fulfillment.

One can tell from the excitement of the people that they have longed for something very fundamental in their lives. They are hopeful of getting socio-pastoral services with the completion of the project. The people believe that before the road was opened, they never existed. It is now that they know they exist because they are able to see people coming to them. Speaking in one of the encounters, an elder emphasized that the opening of the road will help to bring peace among three conflicting communities namely; Turkana (of Kenya), Toposa (South Sudan), and Nyangatom (Ethiopia). He said in a very emotional manner: “We have been hearing about the coming of the road for the past 10-15 years. Now I am very sure that we will have access to socio-pastoral services such as health, water, education, and pastoral attention. Before the road was started it was like we never existed. We were forgotten and is like we never existed. I am very happy today because I know that we exist as human beings. We can see people coming closer to us”.

We hope that once the project is finished, we will be able to reach out to them easily. We hope to open outstations and bring the Gospel to them, go periodically for mobile clinics, and provide them with water as it is one of the biggest challenges that the people face.

Daniel Jepter, apprentice of the MCSPA