Church Building - Kenya

Charity is an indispensable expression of the Church, an expression of a love that seeks the integral good of a man. Recognising the need of this expression in places where poverty rules, CPS had worked with the Missionary Community of St. Paul the Apostle (MCSPA) in support of their pastoral work.

Earlier in 2005, the CPS congregation contributed to the construction of Natoo Dam, a rock dam at Natoo River in the southern half of Lowarengak Parish. The fulfillment of the project benefited the fundamental needs of more than 2,000 people and their livestock. Now, CPS is embarking on a project for the spiritual well-being of a community in Wadach, Turkana.

Wadach

Wadach village is located about 85 km from Lodwar town, and by the shore of Lake Turkana. This is an outstation of the St. Augustine's Cathedral, Diocese of Lodwar.

Most of the people here have been baptised within the last 5 years. There are about 80 families in the area, with an average of 6 in a family. There is a teacher stationed by the parish at Wadach to run the nutritional unit. A borehole with a hand pump was sunk at Wadach by the parish in 2002. There is also a catechist who visits the families there every week. A priest from the Cathedral comes for mass every fortnight, and this is celebrated in the shade of a tree.

There is great need for water, health and nutrition for the people of Wadach. Nevertheless, the people themselves place a "house of God" at the top of their list of priorities, and the first-generation Christians of the area have asked for the construction of a house of prayer for the people of Wadach. This reflects an intrinsic need in these pastoralist and nomadic families of communion with the divine.

Chapel

The chapel proposed for construction will be at a settlement near the shore of Lake Turkana, called Wadach. This is an outstation where mass is celebrated every 2 weeks as it is far and there are many other smaller settlements spread out in the area of the lake shore that falls within the area of St. Augustine's Cathedral. The project also includes building a pit latrine and a small house for the local catechist.

Before Development (Photos)

The site for the proposed church is on a higher ground with a good view of Lake Turkana and Central Island. The site was given by the local elders as a most suitable site away from where the huts of the families are located but near enough to the hand pump. The ground is safe from erosion.	The hand pump is the only source of relatively fresh water for the whole settlement of Wadach and for a radius of about 6 km. The proximity to a water source is essential for construction.
Currently, mass is celebrated within a fencing made from local palm leaves by the community, and under a large local 'ewoi' tree. Winds and dust storms occasionally blow across the area and mass had to be stopped momentarily for the wind to pass.	Most of the baptised Christians in these rural and remote settlements are women and children, some of whom walk distances of 5 km to attend the Eucharistic celebration.
Fr. Angel Valdivia MCSPA, Assistant Priest at St.Augustine's Cathedral, Lodwar, celebrates mass with a section of the community at Wadach. The normal population has reduced temporarily as a result of the severe drought hitting all over northern Kenya.

Completion (Photos)

Construction of the church at Wadach	Collaboration from the women of the community by fetching gravel and sand
Finally, the church is completed. The dancing crowd at the beginning of the procession for the consecration of the church.	Blessing of the church by then Bishop of Lodwar, Rt. Rev. Patrick Harrington
Inside the new church

-----------------------------------------

For further information and / or enquiries, please contact our coordinators Rosalind Pillay and Anselm Tan.

Login:
Password:
	Remember me on this computer

Forgot your password?

Catholic Prayer Society

Church Building - Kenya