Missionaries

The day before yesterday was World Missionary Day. Thanks a lot. I spent it in bed with malaria. . .

That also is part of the scenery!

It happens every so often, and one tries to get used to it! But after 20 years – malaria is still not a pleasant experience. . .

However, yesterday afternoon, there was Mass with the catechumens: catechism lessons have just begun, which, every year here at Bozoum, involve around 40 catechists and more or less 400 catechumens: Young boys and girls, youth and adults. It is a long road for them: for the boys and girls it requires 4 years to arrive at baptism, while for the adults it take three years.

A couple of times a week, they meet in the neighbourhood, or here in the parish, for an hour of catechism. Often they repeat questions and answers, but what we are aiming at is to allow all of them to discover and relish God’s beauty, to be his children, to live here on earth the great grace to be loved by him. . .

Today there was a meeting for the teachers of the junior high school – St Augustine’s Lyceum. It was the first of the meetings, in mid-term, to examine the pupils’ work, their difficulties and problems. . . It began at three in the afternoon, under the rain, which continued unabated even after the meeting finished at 6p.m. But, it is truly beautiful to follow these boys and girls who are growing. Just like all the boys and girls of this world, they have a will to understand, to grow; they struggle with French, languages, mathematics, philosophy; there is the temptation to take short cuts; but, there is also the will to work, to build a future. . .

This too, along with malaria, catechism, rain, school, is Mission.