It rains!

 

It rains!

The month of August, here in Central Africa, is the wettest, along with September.

Large thunderstorms, often lasting all night, or for half a day.

The roads, which are already quite bad, somehow still manage to get worse, and sometimes it becomes impossible to get around.

Last Saturday I had planned to go to Bayanga Didi, for 2 days of pastoral work. It is almost 90 km of road, and after some very long torrential rains, I had to give up my journey and change my plans.

So on Sunday I went to Bawi, a village 38 km away, with a paved road.

During the rest of the week, we finished the work in the chapel of Pate Bonambolo. After changing the wood of the roof, we are now whitewashing, and some artists are decorating the bottom of the presbytery with a fresco that will depict the Annunciation of the angel to Mary.

It's raining, but we still work!

Bawi

Pate Bonambolo

 

 

At a snail's pace

 

 

At a snail's pace

Often our roads, here in Central Africa, require us to move at a different pace, slower, but lively, because they are filled with puddles, holes, jumps and unexpected encounters (from goats to monkeys or snakes to chickens).

On Friday afternoon I left for the most distant villages (Yoro and Sinaforo) about 80 km away.  It takes at least 2 hours, if it doesn't rain too much and if I do not get blocked by mud or sand.

I arrived in Yoro late in the afternoon and met the catechist and the counselors. Saturday morning I left on foot for Sinaforo, a small village 7 km away: the road in the middle of the rainy season is not accessible by car. As soon as we arrived, a nice storm broke out. Around 11 am I celebrated Mass with the small Christian community. After Mass, many people left quickly for the fields, for agricultural work and back to Yoro I went.

I usually carry around with me a couple of car batteries, which give us some light in the evening, and also for some little surprises: that evening I projected a movie with a small video projector. It was very much appreciated!

Sunday morning I celebrated Mass in Yoro, and then left again in the early afternoon.

On Monday and Tuesday 15 of our boys from the Mechanical School took the driving school exam and everyone passed!

Tuesday morning (early) I left for Bangui, where I arrived at 10:30. The construction of the new convent has been moving along, despite the rains. At 2:30 pm there was the weekly construction site meeting, where we discussed the work done, and thought about ideas and solutions for the next steps.

On Wednesday morning it rained (for a change), and after a few meetings, I managed to leave at around 11. The Indian Carmelite Sisters (CMC Sisters) who work in Bouar traveledl with me. After a period of rest they will return to India, and I accompanied them to Bouar, with the car loaded with luggage, bags, and purses beyond belief.

And at 5 pm we finally arrived in Baoro.

 

Sinaforo

Cantiere di Bangui
Le chantier à Bangui

Sosta all'"autogrill" a 110 km da Bangui
Pause sur la route, à 110 km de Bangui

On the way

 

 

On the way

The months from July to September, in Central Africa, are months of heavy rains, work in the fields, difficult roads to travel and school holidays. Although at a different pace, the activities continue, and sometimes the summer break is an opportunity to do what you can't do during the school year.

Friday, August 5th Fr. Simèon, a Franciscan, arrived with 5 young people: they are making a pilgrimage on foot from Boali to Bouar (360 km!) Where they will celebrate the feast of St. Clare on August 11th.

Saturday the 7th was the last day of primary and nursery school teacher training. They left loaded with new experiences and new ideas and we hope they put them into practice!

These days we did some maintenance work in our schools and chapels, but also in our convents. I was in Bouar on Tuesday trying to get a couple of solar plants back up and running. They are very valuable, because they allow us to do without generating sets, but they are also very delicate.

Thanks be to God, and with the help (telephone) of Mario Mazzali, we were able to put them back together.

 

I pellegrini di Bolai
Les pélérins de Boali

Formazione per le maestre di asilo
Formation des monitrices des Ecoles Maternelles

Scuola Meccanica di Baoro
Ecole Mécanique de Baoro

Pate Bonambolo

Full speed ahead

 

 

 

Full speed ahead

Despite the rains and the school holidays, here in Baoro there is always work to do.

These days we are rearranging a chapel in the village of Pate Bonambolo, 15 km from here, on the road to the south. It is a chapel built in 1967, and in need of some restoration. We started with the roof (replacing the wooden beams), and will continue with the rest over the next few weeks.

On Sunday, August 1st I concluded the celebrations of the sacraments in Balembe, a large village 48 km away, in a small thatched chapel. Two boys and an adult received Baptism, and we celebrated a wedding.

On Monday, August 2nd we began a training week for elementary school teachers and kindergarten teachers. There are about sixty teachers; they come from the 9 village schools, the school of the sisters of Baoro and that of Bossemptele, the teachers of our 5 kindergartens in the villages and of the "Germoglio" of Baoro.

It is a week of intense work, of collaboration and understanding on how to better provide quality education to our children.

Tuesday I went down to Bangui, or rather, I made a "run away". Even if it is 400 km of road (outward, and as many in return), I went and returned the next day, Wednesday. The work for the construction of the new convent are taking shape. The excavations are almost finished, and the foundations are beginning. At 2.30 pm we have the first "site meeting", with the director of the company, the architect who supervises the works, the construction manager and the site manager: all enthusiastic to participate in this great "work".

I took advantage of the trip for some meetings and more meetings. On Wednesday, before leaving, I passed by the Nunciature to greet the outgoing Secretary (Fr Natale Albino, from the Diocese of Trani) and the new one, who had just arrived (Fr František Staněk). Fr František is on his first mission, and he comes from the Czech Republic.  He brought me greetings from friends from Prague, and also a book that just came out: "Komenský by zajásal" ("Comenius would rejoice!"), written by Ludmila Böhmova and Kateřina Lachmanova: a presentation of the work carried out by the NGO SIRIRI.OPS in Central Africa, which was at times in Bozoum.

I don't read Czech… but I am able to look at the photos!

Returning to Baoro, I met the boys from the mechanical school who are doing driving school practice lessons.

Full speed ahead, but slowly!

Pate Bonambolo

Battesimi a Balembe
Les baptèmes à Balembe

Formazione maestri
Formation des enseignants

Cantiere del nuovo convento di Bangui
Le chantier du nouveau couvent de Bangui

Nunziatura, Bangui
Nonciature, Bangui

Scuola guida a Baoro
Auto école à Baoro