We would like to share with you a recent article written by our friend from Singapore Wilson Wong. He was in Turkana for a week with his family and these are some of the insights and experiences that he would like to share with us.

http://www.cps.org.sg/mission/articles/Turkana_Wilson_2016.php

El día 7 de enero llegaron a Etiopia 19 voluntarios de Chile a colaborar por dos meses en las cuatro misiones del país: Angar Guten, Muketurri, Nyangatom y Mizan Teferi. Los voluntarios apoyarán el trabajo en las guarderías, programa de pozos y agricultura, aula con niños con necesidades especiales, centros de salud y en todo lo que haga falta. Hasta la fecha 89 chilenos han venido apoyar los proyectos de nuestra Comunidad, estamos muy contentos con su visita y valoramos mucho su tiempo y energía en pos de las comunidades con las que trabajamos.

Valentina Correa

On December 12^th, Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Deacon Wycliffe Ochieng was ordained to the priesthood at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle at Nariokotome Mission, Diocese of Lodwar (Turkana), northern Kenya. Wycliffe, who is 33 years old, is a member of the public association of the faithful Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle and Mary, Mother of the Church (MCSPA).

The ordination mass was presided by Rt. Rev. Dominic Kimengich, Bishop of Lodwar, who emphasized the tremendous work of the Community in the north-eastern part of this vast diocese in bringing the Good News of Jesus Christ to the people of Turkana. He praised the number of local African vocations in the MCSPA and asked the faithful to support and pray for them.

In typical Turkana way of celebrating, the mass was very colourful with exuberant singing and dancing. The joy of the people could not have been more apparent! After the mass, there was food for all the people, who came from the different settlements by the lakeshore and the mountains, some a whole night’s trek away. There were visitors from Spain and the UK and also from Mombasa on the Kenyan coast where Wycliffe comes from.

The following day, Sunday 13^th December, Fr. Wycliffe celebrated his first mass. The MCSPA asks that you keep him in prayer as he begins his journey as a priest in this mission land.

Fr. Francis Teo

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

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

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

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