Africa – Page 2 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

CLM Kenya Members’ Meeting

11 June, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

From June 4–8, a meeting of CLM Kenya members took place in Kitelakapel. It was a special time of reflection, prayer, and planning for the future of our community.

During the meeting, we reviewed the development of CLM over the past six months and reflected on the direction we should take moving forward. Together, we discussed our strengths, challenges, and opportunities for further growth and service. Each day began with Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Joseph, during which we entrusted our plans, activities, and intentions to God. The gathering was also an excellent opportunity to strengthen our relationships, share experiences, and build community.

A particularly important event during our stay was the celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi on June 7. CLM members participated in the solemn Eucharistic procession in Kitelakapel. The Holy Mass was celebrated by Fr. Joseph, who reminded us in his homily of the importance of the Eucharist as a source of unity, love, and strength for every Christian. It was a special time of prayer and a public witness to our faith.

After Holy Mass, the faithful took part in the procession with the Blessed Sacrament, honoring Christ truly present in the Eucharist. CLM members actively assisted in the preparation and organization of the celebration and helped throughout the entire event.

This beautiful feast brought together many parishioners, children, and young people, demonstrating the living faith of our community. It was also a special moment of unity, joy, and gratitude for the gift of Jesus’ presence among us.

On Monday, after Holy Mass and breakfast, we departed for our homes, taking with us new inspiration, spiritual encouragement, and renewed motivation to continue serving others.

We thank everyone for their presence, commitment, and the time we shared together. May Christ present in the Eucharist continue to guide and strengthen us in our daily lives and in our mission as

CLM Kenya

Prayer Intentions of the Comboni Family June 2026

2 June, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

Faced with growing social and political polarisa-tion, conflicts, and wars in our world, may the Lord help us to build bridges, not walls, so that love may prevail over the barriers that seek to di-vide us. Let us pray.

African Day 2026

27 May, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

We’d like to share with you this conversation organized by AMANI, a Spanish NGO that collaborates with the CLM, featuring the coordinator of the Central Committee of the Comboni Lay Missionaries.

In this video, he shares a glimpse of Africa—particularly from the perspective of the LMC present on the continent—covering some history, dreams, and the commitment to remain faithful to the missionary vocation inspired by St. Daniel Comboni. (Video in Spanish)

A New Family in Lima

25 May, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

When we were in Lima, we met a new family who helped us with so many things.

We never felt alone because they were there for us every step of the way. They also introduced us to Peruvian culture and cuisine.

Despite the language barrier, we had a wonderful experience, which became a source of strength and confidence for us.

In Lima, we met many people, families, and friends of the CLM.

We often went to pray the rosary, and on other days we went for walks. We also celebrated birthdays together. Plus, we went to the beach to have fun.

In all those encounters, we found hope and confidence, especially in the Spanish language.

Belinda Awino, CLM in Peru

Walking with the People of Carapira: Together for a Future of Hope

18 May, 2026 by Alberto de la Portilla

We are writing to you from northern Mozambique to share the joys and challenges of our missionary work, made possible by your prayers and your ongoing, invaluable support. We are focusing our efforts on development projects in various fields: literacy, training for mothers and young people, self-sufficiency, and economic development. Maria Augusta leads the work with elementary school students who have serious difficulties with reading and writing. Twice a day, she works primarily with young girls who, for a couple of hours, learn and reinforce what they cannot manage to do in three hours of school in a class of one hundred students. Ilaria focuses on economic education, an important aspect in a cultural context that does not know the concept of saving and where the tradition is to spend immediately what one earns; a work of patience, knowing that the hoped-for results cannot be achieved in the short term. Federica focuses on the education of young people because they are the future of this country. While until recently they were the ones setting fires in the savanna and blocking roads due to political dissatisfaction, today we work with them to instill values such as peace, environmental stewardship, and the ability to think creatively and plan for a better future.

The challenges we face are quite daunting: poverty and the destruction caused by a cyclone, as happened recently, cannot be wiped away with a quick sweep of a sponge, but we believe that building on people and with people can yield positive results. That is why we strive every day to work toward transforming people’s lives through practical training and education. At the Carapira secondary school, we also offer intensive formation in human and Gospel values; the curriculum includes both theoretical and hands-on components. Furthermore, we strive to ensure that these 250 students, who live far from their respective communities, do not miss out on catechetical formation.

We do this every Friday, walking with them on an annual journey enriched by retreats and outings that bring them into contact with real-life experiences. We are also happy to participate in the dynamic life of Carapira’s 99 communities; the parish includes, in addition to the center, five regions and 21 pastoral zones. Our goal is to help people become as self-reliant as possible in managing their own lives. We are firmly convinced that simply giving things or money does not solve problems. Of course, practical help is also needed, but if it is not supported by training and a journey of awareness, it makes people dependent. With all our hearts, we try not to create injustices in a country that has already seen so many, and to share our daily lives with them. The context is difficult: corruption and discrimination of every kind, and few job opportunities.

All this stands in contrast to the country’s abundant natural resources, which, instead of being a source of wealth for Mozambique, become the focus of interest for foreign countries, including Italy. In Nampula, an hour away from us, there are still refugee camps housing those who have fled the Islamist terrorism still ongoing in Cabo Delgado. This violence is driven not so much by religious motives as by the desire to control the territory. We engage in our local context based on communal discernment. And the resilience of our people encourages us to continue doing so. We are currently supporting a project to combat malnutrition by helping 40 mothers care for their young children, who would otherwise risk dying from lack of food. We have also planned to renovate the kitchen at the secondary school, which is in a state of great disrepair, largely due to years of smoke damage. This deterioration has an impact on the health of the students and school staff. We are grateful to all those who contribute to our work, both morally and materially. In this way, you share in the work of witness and love that helps us transform our lives and those of the people who have welcomed us. Muito obrigada (thank you in Portuguese)!

Koxukhuru vanjene (thank you very much, in the Macua language)!

Federica and Ilaria – LMC in Mozambique

[Nigrizia Magazine, April 2026]