Trip to Kenya & Qatar in 2011

Participated by Lawrence Bong &

Tang family (Joshua, Celia & Benedict)

19 March to 10 April 2010

Trip to Kenya & Qatar

Witnessing the Work and Action

of the Missionary Community of Saint Paul

the Apostle (“MSCPA”) during the

Season of Lent is Awesome & Wonderful

The following Lenten reflections

touched us during our time in

Lodwar and at Nariokotome

Mission in Turkana, Kenya.

‘The Lord Is My Shepherd,’

‘There Is Nothing I Shall Want,’

‘Fresh & Green Are His Pastures,’

‘Where He Leads Me Besides Still Waters,’

‘He Restores My Soul,’

‘And He Leads In His Path Of Righteousness.”

Psalm 23

Meeting and Interacting with the Adults

and Beautiful Children of Turkana make

us feel part of their family in Christ and the Universal Catholic Church.

The sermon on the “Beatitudes” by Jesus uplift our spiritual understanding

of the People of Kenya:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they shall be satisfied.”

Matthew 5:3-10

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:3-10

We now dedicate our sharing, photo captions and video of the trip to Kenya to the

‘Bishan Small Christian Community’

for their spiritual and financial support of the MCSPA mission over the past years.

20 Mar 2011

Day 1

Arrival at Nairobi airport, received by Milton (driver), Ambrose & Brian (both boys would be seminarians)

Chapel @ Flora Hostels

Flora Hostel (run by Consolata Sisters)

Room inside Flora Hostel

Lunch at food court

Dinner at Flora Hostels

20 March 2011

Day 2

7:30am Sunday Mass @ Basilica of the Holy Family

Exterior of Basilica of the Holy Family

Rift Valley View Point

Breakfast @ Delemare

Fruit shop @ Delemare

On the road to Kitale

On the road to Kitale

Lunch @ Legacy Hotel

On the road to Kitale

One nite @ Kitale

21 March 2011

Day 3

Breakfast @ Kitale

Kitale town

Kitale town market

Waiting for flight to Lodwar @ Kitale Airstrip

Arrival @ Lodwar Airstrip

Airstrip to STC

Furniture shop in Lodwar town

Arrival @ STC

STC to farm

Lunch @ Lodwar town

Red Cross @ Lodwar

Dinner @ STC

Visit to Mission farm

Children generally were happy to see us wherever we went

Feeding the hungry

Stop @ RC church

On the way to STC

22 March 2011

Day 4

Farm @ STC

Breakfast @ STC

Guest House@ Cathedral

Cemetery @ Cathedral

(PVC) Statue of the Risen Christ donated by Singaporeans

Grave of the first Bishop of Lodwar, Rev John Mahon

Inside of the Cathedral

Bell tower @ Cathedral

Book shop @ Cathedral

Youth Centre @ Cathedral

Outside Fr Teo’s house

1st Lunch with Fr Francis

Children dancing outside Emmanuel Centre

Contemplative cloistered nuns of St Augustine Recollector

Boys from Juniorette

Dinner @ Guest House

23 March 2011

Day 5

Iocese of Lodwar)

Bore Well @ Kangoli(sponsored by Diocese of Lodwar)

“Take your time!”

Church of St Boniface

Watering hole for animals and people

Workshop for women

Children @ Social Ministry

St Luke’s Nursery

St Luke’s Nursery

Slope up the hill near Church of Divine Mercy

Construction of the Church of Divine Mercy, partly funded by Bishan SCC

Climbing up hill near Church of Divine Mercy

Children gave us a warm welcome and helped us up the hill, They also sang songs of encouragement

Top of the hill

24 March 2011

Day 6

Mass @ St Michael School

St Mary’s Primary School

Joshua taught at every school we visited

Kitchen of School

Boy’s Boarding House of School

More than 100 boys sleep here every night during school days

Lunch @ Lake Turkana

St Joseph Church in Wadach

Bishan SCC helped maintain the nursery & church in Wadach

25 March 2011 (Friday)

Day 7

St Mary’s Shrine

Afternoon Mass with >1000 students @ Lodwar Mixed Pri School

26 March 2o11 (Sat)

Day 8

Blessing of boy’s dormitory & library of St Mary’s Pri Sch

In the meantime, Ben helped unload tiles @ Church of St Michael

Sent a new catechist to Nangomo Nursery, who will be staying there to teach the faith.

Locals gave brooms to the Diocese in appreciation.

Lake Turkana

Lake Turkana

Sunset in Savanna Plains

27 March 2011 (Sun)

Day 9

Presented Mass vessels to be used for the Church of Divine Mercy during Sunday Mass @ Cathedral

10 men squeezed at the back of the truck for a 3-hrs x-country bumpy ride to Nariokotome Mission

House we stayed in @ Nariokotome Mission

Open air movie under the stars @ Nariokotome Mission

Nariokotome Mission dog was suspected to be bitten by a scorpion, fortunately there were vets staying there, who attended to it.

28 March 2011 (Mon)

Day 10

Dam @ Nariokotome Mission

Church @ Nariokotome Mission,Nariokotome means ‘black elephant’ in Swahilli

Carpentry workshop @ Nariokotome Mission

Food store @ Nariokotome Mission

Farm @ Nariokotome Mission

Dam@ Nariokotome Mission

One of the 96 dams built by the MCSPA

Village huts on the way from Nariokotome Mission

Fig tree in farm @ Nariokotome Mission

Bishop Dominic Kimengnich of Lodwar

29 March 2011 (Tues)

Day 11

Visit to Napeililim Pri Sch

House of Headmaster

Exterior of house of Headmaster

House of a teacher

Lawrence becomes a member of the Lodwar tribe

Kitchen @ Napeililim Pri Sch

Girls’ dormitory

Ants’ nest

Gold panning @ Nameyana Village

Sami’s house @ Nameyana Village

Most of the refugees are from Sudan and Ethiopia

Lunch @ Ethiopian restaurant inside Kakuma Refugee Camp

JRS @ Kakuma Refugee Camp

Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd nearKakuma Refugee Camp

30 Apr 2011 (Wed)

Day 12

Installation of new Bishop of Lodwar

Mass lasted for more than 4 hours from 9am onwards on a weekday

Cardinal of Kenya

Bishop Dominic Kimengich

Last supper @ Lodwar

31 Mar 2011 (Thu)

Day 13

Construction of Church of St Michael

St Michael’s Nursery

Buffet dinner in Nairobi at Brazilian meat restaurant

1 Apr 2011 (Fri)

Day 14

Sasial plant used for making mats and baskets

Ol Tukia Lodge @ Amboselli National Park

2 Apr 2011 (Sat)

Day 15

Mt Kilimanjaro (highest peak in Kenya @ 19k feet) as seen fromOl Tukia Lodge

Amboseli National Park

Rubbish dump on the way to Mombasa

Beach @ Mombasa

Dinner @ White Sands Hotel

3 Apr 2011 (Sun)

Day 16

Chapel of St Francis Xavier in Malindi

Scrutiny (RCIA) of George

Transporting luggage @ Lamu Airstrip

Taking boat ride from Manda Jetty near Lamu Airstrip

Room @ Lamu Island resort

Tea @ Lamu Island

Sunset @ Lamu Island

4 Apr 2011 (Mon)

Day 17

Breakfast@ Lamu Island

Boat ride to Lamu town

Lamu town

Catholic parish in Lamu town

Dhow boat ride in the sunset

Bird in the mangrove swamp along the shore

5 Apr 2011 (Tue)

Day 18

Walk to Lamu village

Lamu village

Sch @ Lamu Village

Mass @ Lamu Island

Back @ Flora Hostel

6 Apr 2011 (Wed)

Day 19

Visit to Daughters of St Paulwith Sr Wendy Ooi

7 Apr 2011 (Thu)

Day 20

Swiss Belhotel

Doha city center

Islamic Centre

Museum of Islamic Arts

Receptionists @ Museum of Islamic Arts

Breakfast @ Souq Waqif

Shop @ Souq Waqif

Villagio, one of the newer shopping centres

Food Court @ Villagio

Dinner @ Altawash in Doha

8 Apr 2011 (Fri)

Day 21

Camel ride in Doha desert

Desert Safari in Doha

Vehicle stuck in sand

Dressing up like the locals

9 Apr 2011 (Sat)

Day 22

Breakfast in hotel room @ Swiss Belhotel

Omani market

Catholic Church of Our Lady Queen of the Rosary

Souq Waqif

10 Apr 2011 (Sun)

Home Sweet Home!

Doha Airport