Comboni Lay Missionaries

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Kenya

A Heartfelt Farewell to Marzena Gibek

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Despedida Marzena

On 3 August, Marzena Gibek completed her three-year missionary service in Kitelakapel, West Pokot, and returned to Poland.

Over the past three years, Marzena dedicated herself wholeheartedly to serving the people of West Pokot. As a physiotherapist at Kitelakapel Dispensary, she cared for countless patients with compassion, professionalism, and love, bringing healing, hope, and comfort to many families.

Her mission reached far beyond healthcare. Marzena also faithfully cared for the chapel in Kitelakapel, helping to make it a welcoming place of prayer and worship. She empowered local women by organizing sewing workshops and teaching them how to make beautiful bracelets, giving them practical skills, confidence, and new opportunities.

Saying goodbye was not easy. The people of Kitelakapel gathered to express their deep gratitude for her selfless service, kindness, and friendship. Our missionary community in Kenya also gave her a warm and emotional farewell. It was a beautiful moment filled with thanksgiving, love, and many cherished memories.

Dear Marzena, thank you for your three years of faithful missionary service. Thank you for sharing your gifts and talents, your time, and your heart with the people of Kitelakapel. May God bless you abundantly as you begin this new chapter of your life, and may the love and hope you planted here continue to bear fruit for many years to come.

We will miss you, and you will always have a special place in our hearts.

God bless you, and thank you for everything!

CLM Kenya

Missionary Update from Arequipa, Peru

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Greetings everyone,

I would like to share a brief update on our missionary journey here in Arequipa, Peru. Since our arrival, we have been actively involved in various parish activities and ministries that continue to enrich our faith and strengthen our commitment to service.

A central aspect of our missionary life is our participation in Holy Mass throughout the week. Through the Eucharist, we are spiritually nourished and receive the grace and strength needed to carry out our mission with joy and dedication.

On Mondays and Wednesdays, we accompany one of the brothers who leads catechism classes for adults preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. It has been a blessing to witness their desire to deepen their relationship with Christ and fully embrace their faith.

On Tuesdays and Fridays, we serve at a daycare center, assisting in the care of two-year-old children and supporting the staff in their daily responsibilities. This ministry has taught us the importance of patience, tenderness, and attentive care for the youngest members of our community.

Every Thursday begins with a retreat and meeting with the priests of the parish. During this time, we pray together, reflect on our missionary experiences, and plan upcoming parish activities. Later in the day, we visit elderly members of the community, ranging in age from 60 to 100 years old. We spend time talking with them, listening to their stories, dancing, and checking on their well-being. These encounters remind us of the value of companionship, respect, and the wisdom that comes with age.

On Friday afternoons, we gather with the youth for moments of fellowship and social interaction. We answer their questions, share our experiences and culture from Kenya, and enjoy recreational activities such as playing volleyball together. These gatherings provide opportunities to build meaningful relationships and encourage young people in their faith journey.

Through all these activities, we continue to grow in our missionary vocation while accompanying and serving the people of Arequipa. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of this community and to witness God’s work in the lives of those we encounter each day.

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we strive to be faithful instruments of God’s love and mercy in our mission.

May God bless you abundantly.

Belinda and Claudina, Kenian CLM in Peru

AMANI empowering the poorest and the most abandoned through Kitelakapel integrated community empowerment based organization -BEE keeping project….

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Kitelakapel community has 90% of very poor and 10% of middle class consisting mainly teachers and local government officials who earn very poor pay and a few commercial farmers who suffer hot dry weather.

Kitelakapel is under kacheliba Parish-Kenya has 17 villages and 17 elders with a chief who works closely to see on the wellbeing of the people of the community through the Kitelakapel integrated Community Empowerment- Organization and projects, 175 members officially applied and joined the CBO to work together for their community and family households and we still receiving more applicants willing to join the group. The group was formed to empower the local people, the people love unity and self-support groups through which they are able get opportunities, save money, participate in economic activities like farming of animals, plants, Poultry, bee keeping, Mama Mbonga, market trading and other socio-economic activities and with support from AMANI international we are seeing good fruits and testimonies from local communities.

Special gratitude to AMANI….

AMANI is a Kiswahili word that means peace in the Kenyan language…. the more you empower the poor the more you achieve a peaceful and prosperous society.

We are delighted to announce the launch of a new beekeeping project implemented by kitelakapel in konyao, It was amazing and exciting to see the bees on our first day of installation of the bee hives . In the beginning of the project we started with identification and survay of land to start the bee keeping project after several meeetings with the KICE CBO board members ,Comboni Lay missionaries and parish MCCJ ,we agreed to take on 3 acres of land in konyoa town which land belongs to MCCJ kacheliba parish as per the memorum of understanding on the usage of the land and the value of the CBO Bee farming project.

With the donation from AMANI, We finally set up 50 bee hives and fenced them on 3acres of land in konyao –west pokot one hour drive from kitelakape village.

We managed to find support from the officer in charge of Bee farming from the county government ministry of agriculture West Pokot (Mrs Francisca) who guided us on how to fix them and attract bees.

A few local men where hired to carpentery, welding ,construction of the fence and clearing of the land,women breaking small stones for the fence while others making of the bee hives and others installing the bee hives in way they got temporary work and earned some little money to look after their families.We are lucky to also have the host family John Bosco the catetist of a charpel in the area of konyao who helped us with storage of the materials and bee hives and provied us some food during our visits to the beekeeping farm.

The project is being carried out with support of the local agricultural authorities and the community members. Our goal is not only to produce honey but also to create employment opportunities, support local development and promote environmentally friendly practices of Laudato Si.

ASANTE SANA (Thank you very much)…. AMANI from Kitelakapel integrated community Empowerment Community Based Organization and the people.

CLM community of Kitelakapel, Kenya

CLM Kenya Members’ Meeting

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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

A New Family in Lima

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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