Never stop believing in one’s capacity which could rise like bread that rises from simple dough to become something delicious.
On 13th of March 2021, we inaugurated a Bakery at Nariokotome Mission, Turkana.
The celebration was presided over by Fr. Fernando and also present were Frs. Antonio and Denis among the other MCSPA members.
This is a project we had dreamt to initiate for long time. It is in line with the Late Fr. Paco’s dream (founder of the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle), of creating as many initiatives as possible in order to avoid that neither children or people would ever go hungry. He used to go around always carrying a basket fully of bread to give to the nomadic children and the elderly in Turkana.
With this project we hope to empower the women through baking bread and pastries at very low and affordable cost to distribute to the children in the Mother and Child Centres.
Baking bread is like a miracle to me. Through the alchemy of fermentation, the dense mass of wheat magically rises and transforms into a fragrant loaf. Bread was the ancient food for our ancestors as seen in the Bible. After all, when the Israelites escaped from slavery into the desert, the Lord rained down bread on them from heaven (Exodus 16). It was a reminder that even if they would go through trials, they were not forgotten.
The same applies to the process of bread baking which is long and slow thus requiring patience. We mix the flour and yeast to make dough after which we pound it and place it in the oven to bake. When ready, we feed as many people as we can. The miracle of bread is like a metaphor in our lives in which we wait patiently for a miracle to unfold.
The women are enthusiastic to participate in this project and we hope to create more initiatives to transform their lifes and that of their families for the better.
Thank you to the entire Cantabria Labs family and many others who have made this dream a reality!
Lenny Jilo and MCSPA Nariokotome team
