Missionary Experiences – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Bright Smiles in Mikinduri

4 November, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

At the parish of Mikinduri, together with Belinda, we organized an educational and fun workshop on proper tooth brushing.

The event was attended by as many as 160 children!

Thanks to the support of donors from Poland, the children were able not only to learn how to take care of their teeth but also to have a wonderful time.

During the session, we talked about healthy and harmful foods, sang songs, and the children each drew one product that is good for their teeth and one that is bad.

At the end, every child received a toothbrush and toothpaste, and I demonstrated the correct brushing technique.

It was a beautiful meeting full of learning, smiles, and kindness.

Iza Tobiasiewicz, CLM in Kenya

ECOPAX in Ecuador

26 October, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

The Comboni Peace Teams ECOPAX is a civil association founded in Mexico, inspired by Brother Joel Cruz MCCJ, which is now taking root in Ecuador. It already has three Cultural Centers for Peace in Guayaquil, one of which is virtual, and one in the city of El Empalme. The Comboni Lay Missionaries of Ecuador are also part of these teams.

ECOPAX is a community made up of lay people who form teams and communities to reduce violence. How? By creating structures for training, planning, and accompanying groups and communities.

One of these Peace Teams has its center of activities in the Parish of Our Lady of Czestochowa, accompanied by John Villarroel CLM in Ecuador. On October 23, they had a gathering led by Fr. Serafin Kakwata MCCJ on the theme: “Peace in Families.”

This Saturday, October 25, the Afro Cultural Center of Guayaquil ECOPAX in Ecuador held its assembly, as established in its operating charter, in which the “Pillars of Peace in ECOPAX” were discussed.

John Villaroel, CLM Ecuador

Put the seed in the ground, it will not be in vain, don’t worry about harvesting it for your brother.

24 October, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

Hello brothers, I am Tito, a Comboni Lay Missionary from Brazil, currently on mission in Mozambique, Africa, more precisely in the mission of Anchilo, province of Nampula.

My job here is to coordinate and guide a group of workers in agricultural, horticultural, and animal production so that they can work the land and earn a living for their families.

Here in Anchilo, at the Paulo VI Catechetical Center, production is intended to help feed the leaders who participate in training meetings, as we have two to three, and sometimes even four, training meetings every month (Catechists, Elders, Justice and Peace, Family, Youth, IAM, Mothers, among other ministries).

I am happy to be able to help in this way in the formation of leaders.

This is also a mission.

Tito, Comboni Lay Missionary in Mozambique.

Missionary testimony of Comboni Sister Lily Navarrete

23 October, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

We continue with our series of missionary testimonies. In this one, Sister Lily, a Comboni missionary, tells us about some important moments in her life.

We invite you to watch it.

How wonderful it is to reap the fruits of one’s labor!

14 October, 2025 by Alberto de la Portilla

It is very rewarding to produce with dedication, striving for quality in nutritious, healthy, and unique food. But selling it and getting a fair price, hearing the praise of those who take it to their table, is even better.

This is what our third-year students at the Rural Family House in Açailândia experienced on Friday, thanks to a partnership between social movements, the Municipal Department of Agriculture of Açailândia, and the PAGES project of SAF/State of Maranhão. An Agroecological Fair for Family Farming.

This is the second year that the Rural Family House of Açailândia, in a project involving the subjects of Rural Economics, Introduction to Agroindustry, and others, has provided microcredit so that our students can have their first experience of entrepreneurship in the solidarity economy. We lend amounts of R$ 500 so that groups of 4 to 5 young people can produce a product based on ingredients from family farming and have a marketing experience. Thus, they produced geladim, truffles, cake in a jar, pé de moça… very tasty and sold them at school events and fairs.

Everyone repaid the microcredit and still made significant profits, in addition to learning how to organize production, marketing, working cooperatively, managing production costs, setting prices, and sharing profits. A win-win situation!

In addition, they also sold the routine production of all CFR students: fish, vegetables, fava beans, puba…

And they even helped other market vendors with their sales.

Cooperation is the way forward for family farming and overcoming capitalism!