Meetings, kilometers and laughter

Riunione con i novizi a St Elie - Bouar

Meetings, kilometers and laughter

This week, the visit of Fr. Giustino, Provincial Superior, with his Councilors Fr. Franco, Fr. Marco and Fr. Davide is reaching an end. On Monday we are at Yole, always at Bouar, to meet with fathers who work here for Formation: they follow seventy kids, from elementary to high school. In the afternoon we have a meeting with all the Carmelites Fathers working in Central Africa, training young people. It’s a precious time for discussions and sharing of views on the various stages of the formation beginning from the seminary to the high school, and further on from the novitiate to the philosophy and theology studies. On Tuesday morning we close the Central African visit of our Superiors with a Plenary Council. It was a meeting of all the Fathers present in Central Africa Delegation (15 Missionaries from Italy, Central Africa and Czech Republic. Father Giustino, the Provincial Superior, explains the reason for this visit: witness the gratitude of the Carmelite Province of Liguria (Genoa) to the religious who live and work in Central Africa, especially to thank everyone for their courage and dedication during these two years of war. At the meeting we discuss of various subjects and projects. The conclusion is the Eucharistic Celebration, followed by lunch enriched by ravioli made by Filomena, Fr. Federico’s mother under the watchful eye of her vigilant husband Giuseppe.  Around 1.30pm we drive towards the border with Cameroon. There we stop to greet our Central African students, brother Rodrigue, brother Christo, and two fathers of our Liguria Province, who work in the Capital City, Yaounde. And now we go to the border, where everything seems going quite quickly (an hour and a half ...), for the necessary paperwork. We go to visit Youssouf, a Muslim friend, who was our neighbor at Bangui. Last year, because of the war, he had to abandon everything and take refuge here with his family. Here, in Garoua Boulay, has built a breeding of 26 000 laying hens! We spend the night here. The next day, Wednesday morning, we leave ready to cover the last 600 km. The roads are good, companionship too, and above all some good laugh lighten the journey. At 2.15pm we finally reach our parish in Yaounde, in the district of Nkoabang. From here we move to the other Convent, in the district of Nkolbisson, where we meet our students, the Fathers and Dominic Marco. Among them others too: Fr. Marie Joseph (French) and Cameroonian students. Thursday goes fast, with a good number of meetings. We cheered and feel refreshed by a nice rain (the very first this year). On Friday morning alarm clock at 3 ... to accompany the Provincial Superior and his Councilors at the airport. Greetings, hugs, and departure: they to Europe, while I go back to the city for some shopping. Around 1.00pm I leave Yaounde, and after about 400 km I am in Bertoua, where I spend the night. Here I meet Junior, student at the St. Augustin’s High School of Bozoum. I support Junior in his studies here at University of Economics. Saturday morning I move towards the border. I go through with no problems. At noon I’m in Bouar, after driving for about 400 km. Sunday I leave, driving towards   Bangui (once more... 450 km). For a couple of days I will stay here attending to some meetings and waiting for friends coming from Italy...

Arrivo alla Yolé - Bouar

Les Suore indiane della Yolé

I ravioli a St Elie con mamma Filomena e papà Giuseppe, e il figlio p Federico

L'allevamento di Yussuf a Garoua Boulaye

Sosta in Camerun

il Coro dei Carmelitani a Yaounde

Momento di preghiera sulla tomba di fr Thierry

Riunione in Cameroun