After almost a week of adventure, new experiences, relaxation, disconnection and happiness I have reflected on many things. First of all I have realized how fortunate I am, not only to be able to travel, to have privileges and caprices but simply to have things as basic as a glass of milk for breakfast or a bed where to sleep. The most surprising thing is that the people here, the people of Turkana, the children of the school, are happy with what they have. This is something which surprises me a lot. On the other hand, I have to add in all honesty, that these small “vacations” have strengthened my desire to share with others and my inner strength too. Being surrounded by people with so much talent and strength, you realize that what you can contribute is much more than what you are normally accustomed to give. Thanks to this community, the Missionary Community of Saint Paul the Apostle (MCSPA) and above all thanks to my mother, Belén Madrazo, I have been able to experience these days much more than I expected. In short, I hope to have contributed my bit as the rest of my group. I hope as much as possible that everyone could devote some of their time, effort, and money to these wonderful people because it is very necessary.

Viva Africa, Viva Turkana and Viva MCSPA!

Belén Bolea Madrazo

Today the church celebrates the 4th Sunday of Easter, also called Good Shepherd Sunday. In the Gospel of John we hear how Jesus, is the gate through which the shepherds go in to take care of the sheep. In the MCSPA we follow the spirituality of Christ the Good Shepherd in a double dimension calling others to leave everything behind and follow Christ, and feel compassion for those who suffer. Today also is vocation Sunday, let us pray for vocations for the Church and let us be active in promoting vocations to the priesthood and to consecrated life.

We would like to invite and encourage young people to follow the call of Christ in a generous and courageous way.

Don’t be afraid God is always faithful!

Fr. Angel Valdivia, MCSPA

Small Erus is one of the places where the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle is working. There, we have a Mother and Child Center and a Community garden.

Esther is a creative and very hard working woman who started her garden out of her own initiative. She was one of the women helping us everyday in St. Luke’s Mother and Child Center, cooking for the children, bathing them, etc. At the same time she started planting some small crops. As we saw her interest in gardening, we helped her to fence the plot that she was using and we installed a shade house and a drip irrigation system for her.

Nowadays, she produces different types of vegetables such as: spinach, onions, tomatoes, beetroot, Kale, local vegetables, water melon and sweet melon, etc. She already has a stable group of clients who are the teachers from St. Paul Primary School Riokomor, workers from Small Erus dam construction, the villagers from Small Erus,  Riokomor and the people from different organizations who normally pass by.

This garden made her to become a role model in her community and in her family. In addition, thanks to the harvest, she improves her family nutrition and she is also able to take some money home. This has influenced other mothers to start their own small garden in their houses.

The most important element is that she provides vegetables to the diet of the children in the Mother and Child Center and that has a great impact in their health, improves their eating habits and helps them to introduce new items in their daily meals.

All these changes in the life of Esther, her family and the community at large are possible thanks to the help of the benefactors that year after year support the Missionary Community of Saint Paul the Apostle in their work. THANK YOU!

Eleni Tsegaw, MCSPA

Entre sonrisas y lágrimas los habitantes de Muketuri y Mizan Teferi despiden a una misioneras y dan la bienvenida a otras…

En Julio 2016 se celebró la despedida de Sarai Zavala, misionera mexicana de la MCSPA en Muketuri, Etiopía, desde 2007. Saraí fue en estos años la encargada del Centro Educativo Materno Infantil San José de Muketuri, donde 320 niños reciben educación y nutrición. Muchos niños se acostumbraron a gritar el nombre de “Saraí” cuando veían el coche de las misioneras entrar en el Centro. También muchas mujeres han asistido a los cursos de agricultura y nutrición del Centro en estos años…

Las maestras y ayudantes del Centro organizaron la famosa ceremonia del café etíope para la ocasión; tristes de la despedida, pero alegres de que Saraí se queda en Etiopía, en la misión de Mizan Teferi. Han sido 9 años de trabajar y establecer una amistad con trabajadores, padres, niños …

Los demás trabajadores del centro, agricultores, los que cuidan las vacas y gallinas, vigilantes, quisieron celebrar también la despedida y mataron una oveja para la comida; se sucedieron discursos emocionados de agradecimiento y cercanía a Saraí y le desearon buen viaje y suerte para su nueva misión. Entre bromas le dijeron que sólo la dejaban marchar porque sabían que iba a ayudar a otros etíopes en Mizan Teferi…

También en Julio en Mizan Teferi despedían a Rosa Murillo y Adriana Chametla, después de 7 años en esa misión. Rosa y Adriana se trasladan a la misión de Andode. Hubieron muchos lloros de despedida, pero al final los bailes consiguieron levantar el ánimo. Todos echarán de menos a Adriana con sus cursos de agricultura y sus patos y gallinas… Y a Rosa por sus juegos con los niños..

A pesar de que los que han colaborado más estrechamente en cada misión, maestras, agricultores, padres, echarán de menos a las personas con las que entablaron una amistad y un proyecto común, saben que otros miembros de la MCSPA continuarán la presencia y el trabajo conjunto a favor de estas poblaciones. Cada persona, con su personalidad da su impronta en la presencia de cada lugar, y, contribuye al trabajo de equipo con trabajadores, padres, voluntarios, etc, que hacen que se vaya extendiendo la esperanza en que las cosas pueden ser mejor.

En estos centros son muchos los niños que han recibido educación preescolar y nutrición y muchas las madres que han aprendido a plantar huertos en época seca… La idea de que los niños pueden alimentarse mejor y crecer más sanos y que se puede producir comida en la época seca y reducir la situación de inseguridad alimentaria va calando entre la gente del lugar.

Lourdes Larruy, MCSPA