La Pascua estuvo llena de vida en la iglesia de Mombo, parroquia de Benga, Malawi. Los cristianos cantaban con alegría que “Ha resucitado”. “Ya no está en la tumba”! Luego tuvimos 37 bautismos que incluyeron confirmaciones. Fue emotivo ver a una pareja de ancianos recibir los sacramentos. Sus débiles rodillas me recordaron nuestra fe floja. Pero con la alegría que vibraba en la iglesia abarrotada, nuestra fe se elevó y los sacramentos dieron a esta pareja de ancianos una esperanza renovada. Que la luz pascual nos fortalezca en nuestra fe débil.

P. Steven Ochieng

MCSPA

Yesterday we started a procession with Mother Mary in preparations for our centenary celebrations of Ave Maria Parish, in South Sudan, on the 1st of May. The image of Our Lady will visit all our outstations in the two parishes, Ave Maria in Ngboko and St. Thomas in Source Yubu.

Enjoy some photos of our 3 hour rosary procession at Ave Maria.

Let’s Join our hands in prayer and ask God to grant us peace in South Sudan.

Lillian Omari MCSPA

A day like today just 8 years ago, we blessed the Kakuta mission. It was the first Catholic mission in Ethiopia’s Nyangatom land.

From the year 2011 to 2013, Father David and I were often traveling to Nyangatom from Lokitaung, Turkana.

We usually came and went. Our stays were short and lasted as long as our drinking water and food lasted.

The year 2014 was when we would finally “burn our ships” and we would no longer turn back. After being camped for a few months in the compound of the government’s dispensary in Kakuta, and from where all our belongings were stolen in August, on November 24th we moved our large tents while they were set up, between 6 people, almost like a Holy Week processional image, from the dispensary to the mission.

After the blessing of the compound according to the Catholic rite, the elders blessed us in the Nyangatom style. We ate goat and drank the traditional epun (coffee husk infusion).

Today the Kakuta mission houses the St John XXIII – Ekisil mother and child center, where 50 preschool children learn hygiene habits, eat breakfast and lunch, in addition to receiving a quality education!

These last eight years have flown by. At the same time, it gives us the feeling of having already lived several lives here: both good and bad times! Always being grateful, with the firm hope that it was a mission from God, trusting in Jesus Christ, who from the first moment “guided our steps along the path of La Paz”.

Alakara lowoi!

Angel Valdivia MCSPA

This week, we blessed the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus that was placed at the entrance of Source Yubu to protect the area, especially during these difficult times. The Sacred Heart of Jesus movement, the children of the private and the government schools in the area attended the celebration.

Unlike Tombura, in Source Yubu there has been no conflict so far. However, there are more than 3000 internally displaced persons and tight security by the local militias. All roads to Tombura are blocked to prevent any possible attack.

We ask the Sacred Heart of Jesus to bring peace to this land and its people.

Lillian Omari MCSPA

When we rebuilt the mission of Our Lady Queen of Peace Todonyang 14 years ago, after many many years of being a “no-go-zone”, our main aim was to bring peace in the area. However, peace has been built and also destroyed on several occasions.

As MCSPA members living and working in Todonyang we will not stop striving to bring peace. Apart from the school, which is one of the main projects we run in the mission, we have been for many years building and distributing boats.

This year we are planning to build 18 more boats and distribute them to several families that will have from then on an income. With these boats, families will be able to take their children to Todonyang integrated school, and these same children will be one day the peace promotors in the area. These are not mere boats but boats that build peace and bring life.

Lillian Omari MCSPA

Last week we held a workshop on peace and non-violent communication in Kibish. The talks were conducted by Fr Fredrick Rubbino from the Philippines and two other facilitators from Nairobi. Those who attended the workshop were only the Turkana community.

During the workshop, the elderly, both men and women, expressed their deep longing for peace. Some seem tired of these wars, and they are now pleading for peace. The ongoing violent conflict is emotionally affecting the people of all communities living in the area. At the sound of the gun, a life or livelyhood could be lost from either one of the three confronted communities, Turkana, Nyangatom, or Toposa. Young herders usually carry out the raids, and unfortunately, youth from both sides were absent during the peace talks. So those who attended agreed to share what they learned before bringing them together.

After the conference, we had a peaceful pilgrimage to the Ethiopian side. We were highly welcomed by the elders from the Nyangatom community and the security forces from the Ethiopian side. During the encounter, elders from both sides shared the pain the constant killings and raids among the three communities. Elders were also informed that clearing the bush from the Kenyan side of the border towards the Ethiopian border has started. The opening of the way is meant to benefit the two communities, especially to enhance peaceful interaction and trading.

We started a dialogue, which has to continue, and we pray that that they will reach some agreement and attain peace in this wonderful and fertile region. Let’s keep on praying and working for peace since this is the only way of bringing together the three communities for their common good for the generations to come.

Fr. Joseph Githinji MCSPA

Today on the feast of Corpus Christi, Fr. Avelino Bassols celebrated the Mass and did a solemn procession at Ave Maria Parish, South Sudan.

He was accompanied by many the parishioners and the children from the parish schools. The Holy Sacrament was adorned with beautiful traditional ornaments made from palms and branches from the surrounding forest. The community of South Sudan always keeps their faith as the most important thing in their lifes, in spite of being affected by so many hardships.

In this important feast of the Body and the Blood of Christ, let us celebrate Christ who gives himself really and truly to us every time we receive him in the Eucharist. What a great gift and opportunity to become better human beings and better Christians!

Today the MCSPA missions in Kenya and South Sudan, we were lucky to have houses blessed by the Three Kings. They visited us on the day of Epiphany, when the three wise men visited the child Jesus. It is an honour indeed to have such blessings!

We pray for so many children around the world, who through the hard work of singing carols from house to house on the 6th of January, collect money to help many children to have a proper health care, food and education.

Let’s encourage our children to continue supporting other children all over the world who are less priviledge, especially during this time of the pandemic.

CHILDREN HELPING CHILDREN should be our motto in all our educational institutions.

Lillian Omari – MCSPA

On Saturday, the Missionary Community of St Paul the Apostle, the family members and friends together with the faithful from the lake deanery of the Diocese of Lodwar, celebrated a very wonderful priestly Ordination of Fr. Victor Otieno. It was presided by Bishop Dominic Kimengich, currently the Bishop of Eldoret Diocese and the Apostolic Administrator of Lodwar Diocese. The celebration was graced and honoured by all those who attended the celebration in spite of the covid-19 restrictions. The Pontifical Missionary Children (PMC) recited beautiful poems of encouragement to celebrate the newly ordained priest.

Lourdes Larruy, representing all the member of the MCSPA, gave her testimony during the ordination about Victor, highlighting of his patience, calmness and humility during his life in the community. She explained how some years back they got a road accident in Ethiopia and despite the trouble, Victor remained calm. In January, right before his departure to the Philippines after the MCSPA General Assembly, he was involved in another accident that left him badly injured. However, we thank God that after 10 months of recovery process, “the broken Victor” can walk once again. In a nutshell, we can be sure that God wanted Fr. Victor to serve Him as a priest. We are grateful for his life and vocation.

Fr. Victor has come from very far, prior to his Ordination. He discovered his vocation through the invitation of Fr. Alex, and he spend some years in Lobur Mission learning missionary life in practice. He then pursued his philosophical studies at the University of South Africa (UNISA), and later joined Loyola School of Theology in Manila Philippines. During that time, he did several pastoral visitations and experiences in different countries which have made him appreciate the universality of the Church. He is prepared for pastoral duty at Sts. Joachim and Ann Catholic Parish Kibish where he has been appointed while residing at Lobur Catholic Mission together with Fr Alex Campón and Fr Joseph Githinji.

Let us rejoice and be glad!

Fr. Joseph Githinji MCSPA

The MCSPA launched in 2018 a Pump Maintenance Unit (PMU) with the aim to secure the access to water in Turkana North.

The project is run by St. John the Evangelist, Lobur Catholic Mission. Three years down the line, the project has established itself in the area, where about 60 boreholes (30% of the total) are regularly checked, serviced and repaired.

The local communities contribute with a symbolic annual fee while at the same time are trained at the village level on how to maintain these essential facilities.

During 2020 Lobur Mission signed an ambitious three-year contract with a consortium of benefactors, to Improve the security of access to water and the environment management for Turkana North and Kibish sub-counties, with a total land of 17.500 sq. km inhabited by about 100.000 pastoralists.

The contract will now allow to equip the PMU to maintain not only the pumping facilities but the boreholes themselves, providing an integral service. Additionally to this main activity, awareness on rain water harvesting, environmental care, food security and sanitation and hygiene have now been included in the PMU Programme via Capacity Building Activities.

During the first week of December 2020 the first awareness activity took place at St. Eirin’s Nursery School where the following topics were addressed: desert agriculture practices, organic compost making and vegetable and fruits nutritional values, targeting a shift to a more varied and rich diet for the local inhabitants.

31 neo-farmers (23 women), coming from 11 different villages actively participated in a very intense workshop, with the collaboration of the Furrows in the Desert Programme and the Health Department of Lobur Catholic Mission.

Pablo Moñino, Lobur Catholic Mission

Partners consortium: Prince Albert the II of Monaco Foundation, Slovak Aid, UNESCO, Irish News and Emalaikat Foundation.

All the event was broadcasted live by Radio Akicha Lodwar.
https://www.facebook.com/101004203273481/videos/373448393754088/
https://www.facebook.com/101004203273481/videos/3570004013067449/
https://www.facebook.com/101004203273481/videos/373448393754088/

Videos:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vtbg6xl0ng5ilgk/VID_20201202_154157.mp4?dl=0

Audios with a description of the Project:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/npas0i11iwqw3ct/Audio%201.opus?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/n35tc2g7u2tx4iy/Audio%202.opus?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8vxsdnjz08vso4i/Audio%203.opus?dl=0