When we started the Mission of Nariokotome way back in 1989, our founder, Fr. Francisco Andreo (Paco), had the idea of turning this place into a self-sufficient mission. This was to prove that through hard work, abundant water, fertile land, plenty of sunshine and above all trusting in God, we would be able to produce food despite the contrary opinion.

Hence, agriculture evolved into a crucial activity at Nariokotome Mission. Currently there are more than 4,000 fruit trees here, of which 1,500 are vines.

When I first came to Nariokotome in November 1998, I was very surprised to see and taste for the first time fruits such as grapes, olives, figs, custard apples, dates … just to mention but a few. I had only read about them in books at schools down at “civilised” Nairobi!

A land – hot and dry, apparently barren – could be made to produce food! This was mind-blowing for me, a young girl just out from school. This fact continues to surprise many visitors and locals who come to our missions and find available vegetables, fruit, poultry and other sources of food.

Just this week, we are blessed with a harvest of 510 kgs of grapes (Alicante, Sirach and Barbera) and 100 kgs of table grapes (Murcia, Lambrusco, Regina Italia) … this does not take into account the grapes which the birds have been feeding on for the past 2 months! The member in-charge of agriculture at Nariokotome, Patrizia Aniballi, pruned the vines 3 months ago and now we have harvested the grapes and are starting the process of making wine, as we have done for many years already. With each harvest, we are trying to improve on the quality.

The grapes are harvested bunch by bunch, and gently placed into the buckets. Then they are washed, separated from the stems, crushed and placed in a huge container for fermentation to take place. They will then be separated by squeezing and the liquid that will be collected with be placed in barrels to settle and after some months it will be bottled as “Nariokotome Vintage”.

Our aim is to produce twice the amount of grapes and be able to make altar wine and supply to the whole Diocese of Lodwar.

Lillian Omari MCSPA
Nariokotome Mission

The members of MCSPA are happy today, on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to celebrate 21 years since Frs. Antonio, Francis and Manolo were ordained to the priesthood by the late Bishop John Mahon of Lodwar. They were ordained for the Diocese of Lodwar, were they have worked and served the people of Lowarengak Parish, Naiokotome Parish, St Augustine’s Cathedral and Kaikor Parish in Turkana.

Fr. Antonio is now the priest-in-charge of Nariokotome Mission and has done much work in developing water resources in the area and whenever there is emergency he, as a pilot, is always ready to fly patients from the most remote reaches to Lodwar Hospital and beyond.

Fr. Francis on the other hand crossed the Indian Ocean to work in the Philippines. He is in charge of the MCSPA formation house in Manila and at the same time doing pastoral work and animating social outreach with in the depressed neighbourhoods of Payatas II and Parola in Manila. He and the community there also try to build bridges between Asia and Africa regarding vocations, missionaries congregations and volunteers who would like to go to Africa.

Fr. Manolo on the other hand went down to Malawi to bring the Good News to our brothers and sisters at Benga Parish of Lilongwe Archdiocese where he is the Parish Priest. Benga Mission is a beautiful parish not far from the capital and he works with the children and women giving them an education that would improve their lives in the future.

“Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News” – this is what these three priests have been trying to do wherever they have been sent.

We join all our friends and families in wishing them God’s blessings in their ministries!

Lillian Omari MCSPA

At Nariokotome Mission and at all the other MCSPA missions, cultivation of vegetables and fruit, livestock and poultry farming is one of the five main elements that we focus on.

We try and produce food for the mission personnel and also to feed the children at our nutritional units. This year we have been blessed with a good harvest and yield of milk and eggs. Many years ago when I first came to Turkana, I could not believe that agriculture would be possible.

Thanks to our founder, the late Fr. Paco Andreo, who insisted always on planting and transforming this dry and apparently barren place to be a “garden”, where people are able to eat and be lifted from a permanent situation of hunger.

We have been able to harvest plenty of tomatoes and Lucia, the mother of one of our missionaries from Italy, Patrizia Aniballi, taught us to make tomato preserve.

Just as we made tomato preserve, this time round we have also been able to produce and conserve mangoes, and vegetables of different sorts. The women around are eagerly learning this skill.

Thus, the words of Genesis 1:11 may come to pass: “And God said,
‘Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.’ And it was so.”

Thanks to all for supporting our agricultural programmes!!!

Lillian Omari
MCSPA

It was a big celebration yesterday at Nariokotome Mission, when friends of Fr. Avelino along the lake deanery and beyond, came to send him off on mission to South Sudan after working for more than 30 years in Turkana.

Representants from the 17 outstations of Nariokotome were present at the celebration. The church was packed and there was festive moods in the air. Many people came as far a 20 km walking and singing to reach the mission on time for the fairwell mass of Father Avelino, who after 30 years of living and working in Turkana will be going to South Sudan to work there.

Avelino is a real missionary, he has been working with the nomadic families as well as among the fishermen along lake turkana and especially in the Choro Island. He is someone who is always ready to help whoever knocks at his door and will find a solution to everyone who has come to him for help.

We would like to thank him for the great work he has done in Turkana, with the nomads, the fishermen, sponsoring students, building churches, doing pastoral work, visiting the sick, being with the people and the list goes on. “You are a priest forever, a priest like Melchizedek of old”.

We will pray for you wherever you go especially in the mission of South Sudan. Remember that this is not a farewell but rather we are sending you on mission to our bothers and sisters in South Sudan as the mission of Christ has to go on just as you did in Nariokotome Mission.

Lillian Omari
MCSPA

Today, Bishop Dominic Kimengich celebrated Mass and blessed the new parish of Sts. Joachim and Anne at Kibish.

Prior to the visit to Kibish, the Bishop visited Lomanakeju, Kokuro and Napeikar settlements. These are very remote villages deep in the Ilemi Triangle, close to the borders with South Sudan and Ethiopia.

The Mass was attended by a multitude of Christians from all the outstations of the parish: Lomanakeju, Kokuro, Napeikar, Lokomarinyang, Koyasa, Napak and Kibish. The Church was packed and shook to traditional Turkana music and dance. The Parish Priest, Fr. Wycliffe Ochieng, was accompanied by other MCSPA priests – Fr. Avelino Bassols, Fr. Alex Campon and Fr. Angel Valdivia who came with a team from Ethiopia to represent the new Prince of Peace Catholic Mission in Nyangatom.

The area Member of Parliament Hon. Christopher Nakuleu and other political leaders also graced the occasion. In his homily, the bishop said that the new parish is a very important step towards primary evangelization and cross-border peace efforts in the area. He also said that without peace there cannot be development. Finally leaders, members of the community and also Fr. Angel Valdivia stressed the need of bringing peace to this corridor as soon as possible.

After mass and the presentation of gifts, the bishop blessed the first stone of the new parish and the new plot where the church which will be built in time.

We pray that Sts. Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary, will protect and help the people of Kibish to be wise and caring so as to bring peace to the people around especially the youth.

God bless our new parish!!!!

Lillian Omari

Today, Bishop Dominic Kimengich visited St James Parish, Kaikor, to celebrate their parish feast day. The celebration started with the blessing of the Paediatric Nutrition Centre run by the Marianitas Sisters. After the blessing, all the faithful proceeded in procession to the church for the Eucharistic celebration. The celebration ended with lunch during which members of the Small Christian Communities danced and sang, joined by all who attended the celebration.

The mass was a very colourful celebration during which about 63 young men and women received the sacrament of Confirmation.

We would like to thank Fr. Frederick and Fr. Melchor, Srs. Matilde, Joy, Ruby, Genie and Janet, the catechist, St. James Parish Council and all parishioners of St James who made this day so wonderful.

Lillian Omari

A new look for Our Lady Queen of Peace School at Todonyang …

Pictures send powerful messages. At the school in Todonyang, we use wall murals to teach and catechize.

Lillian Omari

On 22nd and 23rd of February, twenty six teachers of our St. Joseph, Mother and Child Care & Education Program gathered in Nariokotome Catholic Mission to learn about the new curriculum that the Kenyan goverment has started implementing this year 2018.

The MCSPA wants to thank the facilitators from the Turkana County Government and all the teachers who are working in the Mother and Child Centres in Turkana North.

The new curriculum approach is a very positive improvement for the education of our children. And we believe that the commitment of our teachers plus the new guidelines will continue dignifying the life of all the turkana families covered by our four missions.

Diana Trompetero