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St. Martin de Porres Catholic Community Center

Caretaker Office and Residence

February 2020 A grand beginning!

The first building of the St Martin de Porres Catholic Community Center is completed!

We have photo documentation of the progress. Enjoy!

Here is the finished product – now watch how it took shape……….
Father Joseph Mensah MSP, served as the contractor for the building project.

Many shovels make the job easier! In the area where the two sand piles sit in back, that is where the next building will be situated; the two-story main ministry building. But lets get this project up first!
So grateful that it is a cloudy day!
Nice and straight!
Laying out the rooms
The walls begin to rise; now it looks like a building!
A view through the center hall of the building.
Beautiful!
Creating the front porch
Adding a cement layer to the large storage area
Iron rods inserted for security on the windows
Cement layer on the outer walls
Installing the front porch stairs
Strong metal doors installed for the storage area
Iron rod on the inside for security and glass windows on the outside for beauty.
A coat of paint completes the look – Fabulous!
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Naomi – St Christopher Catholic Church

Naomi visits St Christopher briefly in 2011.
Jane Heinks and Naomi visit with Fr. Paul Sobande MSP to deliver donations, 2013.
Jane and Naomi with St. Christopher Parish School administrators, 2013.
After Mass, 2013.
After Mass, 2013.
With members of the St Christopher’s Parish Council, 2017.
With Fr. Emmanuel Mbuk MSP and parishioners of sister parish; St. Mary Magdalene in Weala, 2018.
After Mass with Fr. Paul Sobande MSP, and other friends, 2018.
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St. Martin de Porres Community Center Security Fence

Digging the footers for the perimeter fence with muscle power! 2019

The perimeter fence foundation is mostly complete, surrounding the 4-acre parcel of land. The land is at its highest elevation in the center, therefore requiring the “stair-step” appearance to the block foundation of the fence.

Digging the trench for the cement footers, 2019.
Cement blocks are laid upon the cement footers, 2019.
The back side of the property drops off steeply, requiring “stair-step” laying of bricks, 2019.
The short cement pillars are the survey markers placed there by the landowners after the purchase of the land is complete. The owners initials are carved into the cement while it is wet, 2019.
Cement bricks, sand, …
…. and truck loads of gravel, 2019.
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Archdiocese of Monrovia, Liberia

Offices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monrovia, 2018.
To visit these offices, it was about a two-hour trip each way from Kakata, due to both the distance and the dense Monrovia traffic, 2018.
Fr. Emmanuel Mbuk MSP sharing with Archbishop Lewis Zeigler the proposed plans for the St Martin de Porres Community Center in Kakata. The Archbishop expressed his whole-hearted support with the stipulation that the completed center be run in a self-sufficient manner. Our session concluded with an Apostolic Blessing for the project.
Catholic Radio station in Liberia, 2018.
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Monrovia, Liberia, is across the street from the Archdiocese offices (facing the altar), 2018.
Sacred Heart Cathedral, view of Sanctuary, 2018.
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Monrovia, Liberia (facing the rear of the church), 2018.
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Catholic Parish Communities: Weala

The parish of St. Mary Magdalene is a small Catholic community 30 minutes from St. Christopher’s, at the northern tip of Margibi County, 2017
The inside of the church was simple and unadorned, 2017.
Though attendance was good, very few were qualified to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist due to a lack of Catechist Training and sacramental preparation, 2017.
Fr. Emmanuel Mbuk MSP (new to the parish) took down the names of those seeking Sacraments so they could be organized and prepared, 2017.
Naomi asked the man in the green shirt if she could donate a new crucifix for the parish. He was in agreement, so one was shipped a couple months later, 2017
The parish received several upgraded during the next year, including the painting of the exterior, 2018.
More revisions included an interior coat of paint, new lectern and new crucifix, 2018.
The Weala community where the parish of St. Mary Magdalene is located, 2018.
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Catholic Parish Communities: Bong Mines

St. Paul Catholic Church, Bong Mines, about 30 minutes from Kakata, 2017.
This parish church was funded by the Germans in the last century when they established a mining community called Bong Mines, 2017.
Fr. George Okoro MSP and Fr. Walker (Parish Pastor) inside St. Paul’s, 2017.
Parish school construction underway behind the church building, 2017.
Fr. Walker is a Liberian diocesan priest (not from Nigeria, like at St Christopher’s), 2017.
The Head Catechist at St. Paul’s parish is also the chief brick-layer, 2017.