The inhabitants of Nyangatom region in south-west Ethiopia are agro-pastoralists. The biannual rainfall pattern in the area allows them to practice rain-fed agriculture during the two rainy seasons, ranging roughly from April to June and then from September to November. The main crops grown are sorghum, maize and beans. What is not a common agricultural practice is the cultivation of fruit trees and vegetables. Moreover, scarcity of water due to prolonged droughts pose a serious risk to subsistence farming and hence to food security.

In response to this problem of food shortage, members of the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle (MCSPA) at the Prince of Peace Catholic Mission at Nyangatom have come up with pilot farms both at Kakuta and Naturomoe schools so as to help women acquire new skills in farming.

We use the drip system of irrigation at the farms, and despite the scarcity of water in the region, we are now able to produce vegetables and fruits on the farms. The fruit from the farms is enjoyed by many in the area, especially the children at both the schools.

By Kevin Rakara
MCSPA Apprentice
Nyangatom Mission, Ethiopia

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

MCSPA members and apprentices are thrilled to announce the blessing of a new mission of our community in Dakuna, Eparchy of Emdibir, Ethiopia (200km approximately west from Addis).

1 year ago, Bishop Musie Gebregiorgis, from Emdibir, invited two of our missionaries, Josephine Amuma and Lydiah Obok to begin a mission in this area.

The occasion was blessed with several diocesan priests, a deacon and a good representation of the religious communities of the Diocese and the local community. Also were present a sound number from the MCSPA communities from Ethiopia, Kenya, Philippines and Spain.

They travelled all the time way from their places to celebrate and accompany Josephine and Lydiah in their new mission.

The feast nicely coincided with the Solemnity of the Transfiguration of Our Lord. Since it is placed on a high hill, the bishop compared Dakuna mission to Mount Tabor; a place where people come to pray and to receive the love from God through his Son. Bishop Musie started the celebration by blessing the house and followed with the Eucharist which took place in the hall of the community complex.

St Scholastica, being the patron saint of the mission, blessed us with a rainy day. A portrait of the saint was also blessed by the bishop.

Josephine Amuma

MCSPA

This past week, a delegation of the Catholic Church in Ethiopia made up of the Cardinal Archbishop of Addis Ababa, H.E. Berhaneyesus Souraphiel, Msgr. Markos Gebremedhin, Bishop of Jimma-Bonga, Msgr. Seyoum Fransua Bishop of Hossana, and Msgr. Lesane-Christos Matheos, Bishop of Bahar-Dar, visited Madrid for three days.

They passed through Spain on their way back from a forum for the Bishops, which took place in in Lisbon, and the congregation Work of the Church hosted them those days while passing through Spain.

Members of the MCSPA have been able to organize several meetings in Madrid so that the Bishops could present the reality and needs of their country.

They visited Cáritas Spain, Ayuda a la Iglesia Necesidad, Cáritas Madrid, Manos Unidas, and Fondo para la Nueva Evangelización, as well as the Pontifical Mission Societies, and the Mission Delegation of Madrid. We thank them for their interest and support for the Church of Ethiopia, through their support of multiple projects, and its commitment to the future.

On Tuesday, the delegation of Bishops, MCSPA missionaries, secular members and volunteers from the MCSPA, were able to visit the Cardinal of Madrid, Don Carlos Osoro.

During the visit Jesús and Sara, volunteers from the mission of Muketurri, Ethiopia, and Mónica Falgás, secular member of the MCSPA, explained their commitment to the community and the missions of Ethiopia, as well as their commitment to the local church in Madrid through of the parish of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Pio XII, Madrid.

Don Carlos, was interested in the situation of the church and Ethiopia. Cardinal Berhaneyesus made an introduction to the situation of peace after the war in Tigray, and then each bishop explained about his diocese. The bishops explained that they are finishing a strategic plan for the next 10 years and that the main objective of this plan will be to invest heavily in education, as the main instrument of change in Ethiopian society.

That same afternoon, the bishops were able to celebrate mass in the parish of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Pio XII. Many people attended the mass, including the director of the pontifical mission works, Father José María Calderón, and the mission delegate of the archdiocese of Madrid. Father Calderón also invited some Orthodox Ethiopians who live in Madrid, and who gather to pray in his parish.

A lot of young people came to mass, and there was a very missionary atmosphere. The cardinal spoke about the similarities between Ethiopia and Spain as two countries with a very ancient Christian tradition. After the mass there was a time to chat and greet everyone in the church and outside the church.

The bishops have sincerely and earnestly thanked the logistical support of the MCSPA while in Madrid since their regions are in great need of support and solidarity from the universal Church.

Fr. Angel Valdivia MCSPA

Members of the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle and Mary Mother of the Church, have recently started a presence in the Eparchy of Endibir. Located 4 hours southwest of Addis Ababa, a place inhabited by people from the Gurage community, and where there is a big number of Ethiopian Catholics, who follow the Ethiopian eastern rite.

On 16th April 2023, hundreds of catholics, young and old, gathered at Holy Trinity Church, in the village of Dakuna, to celebrate Easter Sunday. During the feast, people celebrated the resurrection of the Lord as well as breaking from the 55 days fasting from animal and dairy products.

Apart from its unique mix of fascinating history, deep-rooted identity, incredible natural wonders and rare wildlife, Ethiopia is well known of maintaining the use of its own calendar which is very similar to the Julian calendar. Most of the Christians in the world celebrated Easter Sunday a week earlier, following the Gregorian calendar.  However, things were different in Ethiopia. Their Easter followed one week later.

Prior to Easter, many Christians commit themselves to extended periods of both personal and communal prayers. This is done with the sole purpose of growing closer to God and to remember Jesus’ life and death.

On Easter Vigil, all Christians of Dakuna had their candles lit to express their faith. Then drums came. And then, the joy of the Risen Lord illuminated the face of all the faithful who were gathered at Holy Trinity Church.

Following the Ethiopian tradition, most people invite their family and friends for a common meal on Easter Sunday. And of course they cannot miss the presence of traditional dishes like injera, dorowot, kitfo and kocho, which altogether give a sweet fragrance to the celebration.

By Lydiah Obok.

For Mechela Kindergarten, Under Muketuri mission in Ethiopia, 15th of January 2023 will remain a remarkable day as they inaugurated new kitchen and toilets within its fence. The whole village of Mechela, young and old, gathered at the compound of Mechela Kindergaten to celebrate the opening of its new facility. From the entrance of the kindergarten, one could clearly see the grass which was spread on the ground to mark a traditional fragrance of the celebration.

The Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle (MCSPA) has always believed that integral education is a key to transform lives. With that intention, MCSPA has emphasized on quality education from the early stage of a child. It is equally important to note that poor health of children does not only compromise growth of the child but also result into educational setbacks and lowerperformance of the student. As a result, MCSPA rendered it an imperative to run centers which cater for the two principle needs of the students. Thus, education and nutrition. Mechela is an example of such centers which operate as an education unit and at the same time as a nutrition hub. The two-fold needs of the children are given a priority.

For some time, Mechela lacked proper facility like a kitchen and toilets to meet the required delivery of quality education to the children. This compromised the dream of MCSPA to always compliment education with pleasant nutrition and health of the student. Consequently, Josephine Amuma took an initiative to close this gap through a construction of a kitchen and toilets. Now the Kindergarten is also equipped with its own vegetable shamba (garden) and a wire fence to ensure its security.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, Fr. Fernando stresses that, ¨A child’s early years are the foundation for his or her future development, providing a strong base for lifelong learning and learning abilities, including cognitive and social development. ¨ He also explained in simple terms the importance of early childhood education as an essential building block of a child’s future success.

Josephine was delighted with the collaboration of the local community. In her speech, she urged them to continue with the same spirit of commitment. She also assured them that children are the stronghold of the future, therefore worthy investing in them.

The ceremony reached its climax when the representatives of MCSPA shared a common meal with the local community of Mechela. As per tradition, the community had prepared njera, typical Ethiopian food, for lunch. During the meal, different performances were done by the children and the scouts from Muketuri. The cerebration ended with a coffee ceremony to mark its significance.

By Innocent Letasi

Very recently we had the visit of the Asturian veterinarians David Iglesias, Esteban Iglesias and Carlos Iglesias to Nyangatom, Ethiopia. Their last visit was in 2019, since then they could not come due to the pandemic and local sociopolitical problems. Once again, they have resumed the annual deworming campaign for the Nyangatom animals.

The team has had the significant help of local veterinary assistants and the support of the mission team.

It has been about 10 days of intense work and more than 15,000 goats and sheep have been dewormed. Many more could have been done, but due to the severe drought that is currently hitting the Horn of Africa, many of the herds and their herdsmen have migrated to mountainous grazing areas located north of the Nyangatom region, within the Omo national park, where there is no accessibility.

Despite this, we are very happy with the result and with the good reception by many local herders. We have been able to successfully complete the areas of Kakuta, Lorau, Lomuria, Naturomoe and Kaderinyang, benefiting about 5,000 people.

In addition, the veterinarians were able to carry out castrations of dogs, which will help reduce diseases with a high incidence in the area transmitted by these animals to humans, such as tapeworms, hydatid cysts, rabies and others.

We have experienced a multitude of anecdotes in a short time, and we have had very direct contact in the daily life, both full of difficulties and joys, of this very authentic Nyangatom people.

We thank the veterinary team from Spain, and all those people and institutions that have supported this much-needed project, remembering that the health of human beings is closely linked to the health of animals.

Thank you very much!

Fr. Angel Valdivia. 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

I have been lucky enough to spend ten days in Ethiopia working with Luz, Lourdes, and Blanca. Although the socio-political situation is not entirely hopeful. Ten days in which I have not worked on the usual, ten days of preparing the new government agreement, and the entire 2021 audit, because even though there is COVID-19, the years continue to pass. Ten days in which we continue to see that insatiable desire to try to give the best of each one. Ten days after nine years of “his hand” I continue to see people move forward. Bearing in mind that education is the most powerful thing we could offer to the generations that follow us; that human rights, in many places, are scarce; and that communities who fight for it remain unbreakable.

Zena and her mother continued without giving up. Life awaits them while they eagerly await life, but they do not sit down and wait. They wait while moving, going to and from hospitals. From the program for the malnourished to hugging Lourdes, to thanking Tigist, who are proud of what they have been achieving.

Abebe is calm, happy, doing puzzles (doing and undoing boxes too), walking, eating alone and well, enjoying his classmates, teachers, and mother. Soon, he will be taller than all of us and will no longer be able to sit on our laps as he enjoys doing while crossing his legs as Alemu does.

The other Alemu, the builder, has made a handrail for Zenabu to walk on. At the end of the exercise, he got a bench to rest and laugh, while the teachers applauded him for his great effort.

With a great effort just like all of them, Enat never left them behind. She is the head and the feet of the program for the malnourished; she knows the babies and their families. She weighs, measures, and advises them. She feels so much joy when she releases those who achieve ‘the green’ from the program. She encourages them to continue fighting to go from black to red, from red to yellow, and to reach that much-desired green. 

Many families are so grateful and happy to see us. We have spent all these days eating in the homes of workers, and friends from the center. Shiro, Kai wot, Alicha, Dinich, Kefto… nonstop. The families were so grateful to see us, be with us, and share with us. We are filled with so much gratitude (not so much our stomachs).

The wells continue to generate and improve life. It is necessary to check that they do not break, that they are maintained, and that the structures remain strong. There is Debelo´s area, and now Jesus who will be working with him hand-in-hand to give each other strength and energy.

The special need room, the classes, the kitchen, the dairy (with two pregnant cows), the great team of watchmen, the adolescents who are now scouts, and all the gear at Muketurri continues to turn well as a team, with respect and desire to continue to grow in this great community that all of us have formed.

Warm hugs!

Popy García-Ramos

The Valencian Communication Agency Alberto Pla premiered on April 15th the documentary “I want to be like Genet” for the Valencian NGO Moss Solidaria and the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle in Ethiopia.

The project of this documentary arose after many conversations in Ethiopia about the strength of Ethiopian women in the face of adversity. What today would be called their resilience.

In this documentary, Genet, a 22-year-old girl, tells her story of overcoming adversity and her vision of how some of us can bring out the best in others.
Mari Olcina, from the NGO Moss Solidaria, and Lourdes Larruy, from the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle, present the activities carried out by MCSPA in the region of Muketuri, on the Ethiopian high plateau, together with the women who are at the forefront of each activity:

Enat, in charge of the educational classroom for children with disabilities and responsible for the program of care for children with malnutrition; Friwot, preschool teacher at the San José Mother and Child Centre; Yitayish, a former student at the “Maite Iglesias” students’ residence and Deribe, responsible for one of the children’s canteens in the area.

All of them women full of strength and with a great sense of solidarity, who, over the years, have grown and have become references of hope and strength for everyone.

Many volunteers, visitors and supporters have been moved by watching this documentary, recognizing familiar faces, and seeing the evolution of the projects in the 13 years since the MCSPA began its presence in Muketuri. 3,000 views in just one week of the documentary being available.

We hope that this documentary will contribute to the culture of solidarity proposed by Pope Francis in “Frattelli Tutti”, to put us in the place of those who have been born in a part of the planet where survival is a daily struggle.

We would like to thank all the people who have collaborated with their intellectual and economic means, volunteers from Spain, Chile, Mexico, and so many people from numerous places who have us in their prayers.

Lourdes Larruy, MCSPA.

The documentary is available at the following link: https://youtu.be/MPHNO9z8m9c