A quarterly newsletter on missionary efforts from around the world.
January 2025
Giving Thanks For 2024
Happy New Year! While we look forward with excitement to all the way the Lord will bless our missions in 2025, we wish to reflect on all that He bestowed on us last year.
2024 was another year of incredible service. The Lord's blessings flowed through our missions and many encountered the healing hand of mercy because of it. we are deeply grateful for your participation in making it possible. Below are a few highlights of how living water poured out upon His people in 2024.
Clean Water for Communities in Need
Eloumden, a small community in Cameroon, endures prolonged seasons of severe drought that have worsened due to climate change. As a result, residents often face water scarcity, unsure when they will next have access to clean water for bathing or drinking.
In 2024, Missionhurst missionary Father Pamphile CICM and his pastoral council initiated the construction of two boreholes and water towers to provide year-round access to clean water. Thanks to their efforts, empowered by your generosity, this community now has reliable access to this essential resource.
Just a few countries over, Father Ritan, another Missionhirst missionary stationed in Chisankhwa, Malawi advocated for the needs of his people in a similar way.
The only water source for his villagers was a small stream, which was unreliable, unclean, and far from healthy. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Fr. Ritan set out to address this essential need and bring clean water to the community.
With support from the local chief, who provided land adjacent to the Catholic Church, Fr. Ritan obtained the necessary permissions and drafted a proposal for a borehole. Thanks to his efforts and the generosity of a benefactor from Singapore, the village’s dream of a reliable water source became a reality. A deep well was secured, and a hand pump was installed, finally quenching the thirst of this weary community.
The placement of this well next to the Catholic parish is deeply symbolic, serving as a reminder of the importance of both physical water for sustenance and eternal water for the soul.
A New Hospital Inaugurated
Hospital Betania, an extension of Centro Betania's support network, officially opened on September 22, 2024, in Cobán, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Addressing urgent medical needs in a region where 90% of the population lives in poverty, the hospital offers affordable, high-quality healthcare to low-income families.
Once a children’s dining room, the facility has transformed into a symbol of hope, inaugurated with blessings from Bishop Rodolfo Valenzuela. It aims to provide critical healthcare services and alleviate the hardships of vulnerable communities.
Expanded Education For Young Students
Since opening in September 2022, St. Charles Primary School in Chisankhwa, Malawi has made education accessible to children who once faced overwhelming barriers.
In 2023, with Phase II of construction complete, the school welcomed 171 students from grades 1 through 4. This past fall marked its third year and the school continues to welcome more students eager to learn and grow.
In 2024, a special project began at the school, led entirely by the students. Together, they launched a garden project to support their education and contribute to the school’s growth.
By selling crops they cultivated in their schoolyard, the students raised money for essential materials, including cement and supplies for building additional classrooms. This initiative not only addressed immediate needs but also created a sense of responsibility and empowerment among these young minds.
St. Charles hopes to extend the gift of education to approximately 45 more students in the 2025 school year!
Since my childhood, I've learned from my family and catechists that changing water into wine at the wedding of Cana was Jesus' first miracle. But as a seminarian in theology, I was shocked when one of my professors proclaimed, "Jesus' first miracle was that at the start of His public ministry, He made men and women a part of His mission. This is something He could have handled entirely by himself."
It is truly remarkable that Christ grants us the privilege not only to witness miracles but also to partake in them. Read below about how the generosity of others helped a miraculous transformation take place in the life of a young orphan.
An Orphan's Second Chance
After the death of her parents, Vanessa became a runaway child. Abandoned and alone, she roamed the dangerous streets of Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When we first met her, it was apparent that little Vanessa was completely lost spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically.
The Power of Family
Through the generosity of our donors, we rescued Vanessa and welcomed her to the orphanage “LIBOTA”, which means family.
Here, the seemingly impossible and long road to recovery started for the young girl. She was introduced to a life of prayer and community. She enrolled in elementary school, exceled through her education, and eventually started at university.
Vanessa’s second chance at life through Libota gave her a strong foundation for a promising future. Last year, she married in her parish and was blessed with a beautiful child later that year. She also graduated from college as an architect and secured a well-paying job. With a portion of her salary, Vanessa began helping other children and supporting Libota’s various programs. Today, she is a role model in her parish and an inspiration to orphans at Libota’s orphanage and beyond.
Stories like Vanessa’s remind us of the transformative power of saying “yes” to Christ. Jesus, in His kindness and mercy, allows us, ordinary people, to join His extraordinary mission. When we give with generous hearts, we bring hope to the hopeless and become instruments of modern-day miracles.
Just a few months ago, on Giving Tuesday, we turned to our MercyWorks community for support. Our goal was to raise funds for the Bethany Center, a vital food pantry and monthly nutrition program located in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.
For many, this food support serves as a lifeline. Since the pandemic began, demand for these services has surged and continues to grow.
We came to you with a humble request, and we were met with a generous response.
I am thrilled to share that during this giving season, we raised $4,964.34 for the Bethany Center. Thanks to your support, 49 families will receive meal kits that will sustain them for an entire month.
This means 49 families will experience a month free from:
Worry about where their next meal will come from
Waking up hungry
Wondering how they will afford lunch for their children
Thank you from the depths of our hearts to everyone who contributed. Your generosity has not gone unnoticed!
Prayer Request: Intercede for our missions in 2025
Please continue to pray for our missions, the communities we serve and all our missionaries as we begin this new year.
Join us for our upcoming novena to St. John Bosco! This powerful, nine-dray prayer is a great way to intercede for all young people around the world. Sign up to begin with us on January 23rd to end on the Feast of St. John Bosco!
As we welcome this new year, may the miracles shared with you in this letter bring joy to your life. I pray they inspire you to unleash the power of Jesus within your heart as we embark on another year of service.
In Vanessa’s story, we see how a single seed of generosity has grown to bear abundant fruit. This miracle was made possible because Jesus chose you, and you said "yes" to being part of His mission of salvation.
Just as Jesus transformed water into wine, your generosity has helped transform Vanessa’s life in every aspect—spiritually, socially, economically, emotionally, and physically. By supporting programs like church building, water access, healthcare, education, and nutrition, you have not only changed lives but also embodied Jesus, becoming a true doer of miracles.
May God bless and protect you and your family throughout 2025 and beyond.
With gratitude,
- Fr. Pascal Kumanda, CICM
Novenas, Prayer Resources, and Stories from MercyWorks
Around the world, the MercyWorks community is praying and sharing stories to support our missionaries. Click below to read & pray with us 🙏🏽
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