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Sunday, February 25, 2018

Projects and achievements




Projects and achievements
Saturday 17th, just a week after the great celebration of the episcopal ordination of the new Bishop, I’m back to Bouar. In the morning I go to visit the Agricultural Fair, organized here too by Father Beniamino and Caritas.
In the afternoon I’m on my way back to Bozoum, but not alone: ​​Fabrice Martin and Ludmila Bohmova members of NGO SIRIR.ORG of Prague are with me. They will stay in Bozoum and in Bangui for the project "Learning by playing" (the new method for the first Elementary classes, which have proved to be excellent for children's learning).
It is also because of them and, above all, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, that last year we were able to treat more than 14,000 people affected by AIDS, and to help more than 58,000 refugees. To follow, an eloquent statistic:
Medical examinations (CD4, IST exams, biology reports
 3.183
Medicines and treatments for opportunistic infections
 3.077
Foodstuffs
 1.993
Microcredit
    188
School enrolment
 2.042
Protection of HIV-positive pregnant women and preventions for infants
 3.847
Refugees
58.790
Total
73.120

Monday I should go to Bangui for a Caritas meeting, and I should reach Bangui by plane. "I should", because after 3 hours waiting on the landing strip, finally I’m advised that the plane I’m waiting for cannot land due to dust (brought by the wind from Sahara desert). At 4pm I leave for Baoro, where I arrive at 7pm. Here I stay for the night with my Confreres, and on Tuesday morning I leave by car at 3.30am towards Bangui, where I arrive after 5 hours of driving covering a 400 Km of road.
Here I have a meeting with the community, where projects continue to advance. The future school of agriculture is growing: the use of bricks in stabilized earth (Hydraform) gives an excellent result. I also meet Father Anastasio, always brilliant, despite his age (He is in his 80s, but it should not be said!). I also gladly find Fr. Philippe, a French Carmelite, who will stay with us for a few months as a teacher. At 11.30am I’m at the headquarters of Caritas Centrafrique, but the meeting is postponed. It’ll take place tomorrow, because the leaders of some dioceses have not yet arrived.
On Wednesday morning we begin the Caritas meeting. I am here as the person in charge for Caritas of the diocese of Bouar, and it is nice to be together in this adventure serving the human community, in solidarity and charity. From the work in each parish to the larger projects, Caritas is present throughout all territory. After a while I have to leave in order to go at the FAO headquarters, where I sign, in the name of the Carmelites, an agreement that foresees the intervention of the FAO for our Carmel agricultural Center. Thanks to funding from the Italian Government, 1,500 young people will have the opportunity to study and train in the agricultural and livestock breeding sectors. In the evening it begins raining, and the rain will be with me all the way back home.
Finally on Thursday at noon I’m in Bozoum. 



Foire Agricole Bouar


I nuovi disegni didattici
les fresques didactiques

P.Marie Philippe e la Scuola di Agricoltura
p.Marie Philippe et l'école d'Agriculture








Monday, February 19, 2018

A brand new Bishop



A brand new Bishop
Saturday morning, February 10th, since before 5.00am the church square of Bozoum is already full of people. Trucks and cars are ready, and at 5.15 we leave for Bouar, with a delegation of 110 parishioners, to participate in the consecration of the new bishop of Bouar, Mirek Gucwa.
I went ahead a bit before the group to organize the welcome of all the participants.
The diocese of Bouar includes 12 parishes, and for each one a delegation of 50 people will be welcomed by the various communities of the city of Bouar. There’s an air of “church”.
The ordination of the Bishop is an exceptional event. Created in 1978, the diocese of Bouar had had for almost forty years only one bishop, Monsignor Armando Gianni. For the occasion, the Apostolic Nuncio and all the bishops of the Country are present, together with the bishop of Tarnow (Poland) from whom the Abbé Mirek comes. They have in common not only the nationality but they have been also companions in the seminary and priestly ordination. Were present also 2 Bishops from Cameroon.
At 9.00am on Saturday morning there is a meeting between some bishops and the Christians who have come for the occasion from the entire diocese: almost 3 hours of catechesis about the bishop's role and ministry, held by Cardinal Nzapalainga of Bangui, and by the bishops of Mbaiki, Bangassou, Alindao ... Between interventions, songs and friendly conversations, time passed quickly.
Sunday is the big day. Everything is organized to perfection. And at 8.30am Mass begins: 12 bishops, a hundred priests, and about 3,000 faithful fill the great Cathedral. After a brilliant homily by the Cardinal (in French and in Sango), we pass to the actual rite: the bishops present, after invoking the Holy Spirit, pray and lay their hands on Mirek, while two deacons hold high the Gospel book. And Mirek becomes Bishop Mirek. Immediately afterwards he receives the signs of his ministry: the Miter, the Crozier and the Ring.  After the intense moments of the offertory, the Consecration and Communion, we are ready to listen to the sermon of the new Bishop. It is good to hear (both from the Cardinal and the new Bishop) that the Diocese of Bouar is rich in charity and deeds (schools, hospitals, agriculture) but also in religious communities that are dedicate with joy and generosity to the poorest. In the end the new Bishop passes among the congregation blessing "his" people, which welcomes him with great joy and emotion!
In the afternoon I go back to Bozoum, together with the Sisters. And on Monday and Tuesday we organize with the girls and boys of the St. Augustin High School a two-day cultural event: sketches, dances, songs, debates. All this because the school does not limit itself to merely technical aspects, but presents a complete "formation".
Wednesday 14th is Ashes Day: we begin our Lent on Mount Binon. A long journey of conversion and deepening of our love for God.
















Saturday, February 10, 2018

Brick by brick.





Brick by brick.
The just ended Bozoum Fair represents a very important moment of development.
The NGOs and the UN Agencies who would have looked after the Agriculture and its development are practically absent. Despite that, the Fair is in constant growth. The sale results are more than doubled compared to the last 2 years. But what it's really important for the cooperatives and the farmers is that the Fair has become a fixed meeting. It's also an advantage the fact of its independence from NGO and UN, it means more freedom and projects closer to the needs and abilities of the people.
Last week I witnessed the realization of another dream. In January 2017 I went to South Africa to see and buy machineries to make bricks. The machines arrived and in January the production started. About 20 young men are learning to make bricks and to lay them. The production is about 3000 a day, the bricks are solid (very strong) and can be joined by locking, without cement. So, we started the construction of an Agricultural School in Bangui: this will allow the many young people to receive a basic formation for a valid job.
This week in Bozoum we finally started a radio station. Thanks to NGO Internews, we have started the process to create a Community Radio. There is much expectation and the radio could help a lot, both information and formation. On Wednesday morning we had a very important meeting with the many Bozoum city Groups, in order to elect a Comity, who will prepare the opening of the Radio Station. The Comity now has been formed. The name of the station has been chosen: Radio KOYALE (the name of the small river crossing the city).
This week will end up with the trip to Bouar for the consecration of the new Bishop, l'Abbe' Mirek, on Sunday Feb. 11th. We will go with a group of 100 people from Bozoum. For this occasion we started a diocese blog:
Brick by brick ...a large House is growing!

Fine della Fiera
fin de la Foire

Bangui: Visita della Presidente del Bambin Gesù di Roma, Mariella Enoc






Radio KOYALE