It was a severe week, here in Bozoum.

It was a severe week, here in Bozoum.

The situation about security is still unstable. The authorities don’t have the courage to oppose violence and crimes. When they are able to capture a criminal, they let him go in few hours, fearing consequences.  Last week, a young man entered in the pre-electoral census rooms and, armed with a knife, threatened the employees and stole a camera! He has been arrested but in few hours he was a free man.

On Tuesday, the same story of violence. A couple of young men stabbed the Prefecture Secretary General (the 2nd main authority of Bozoum State). Also in this case, the official version of the fact is that the perpetrators are unknown. While The truth is that everybody knows them and also where they live and what they do. In all Country the situation remains very unstable. In Bangui, the capital, the U.N. soldiers entered a neighborhood in order to arrest some “warfare leaders”, but they have been attacked in turn, lost a soldier and a tank to the enemy and 3 other tanks went on fire!

On Thursday I left for Bangui, due to some meetings, but most of all to welcome sister Paola of the Mercy Sisters. She is coming from Cameron and will stay few weeks with sister Adolphine, who is from Chad. They come here because the Franciscan Sisters, who are in Bozoum since 2004, are definitively going back to Italy after 11 years of life and work in Bozoum and after 28 years in Central Africa. On Saturday morning, the children of the Orphans Centre “Arc en Ciel” came in large number to greet the sisters. On Sunday morning we continued with a Thanksgiving Mass: the church was full, overflowing! Our people did celebrate with songs, dances and happy gratitude. After the Communion, the awa-dodo (the liturgical dancers) came in procession bringing some small presents for Sister Graziana, Chiara, Solange and Sira. In spite of the emotion and sadness for their departure, we give thanks with joy for their friendly maternal presence during these long years. Despite the many troubles, the war and sicknesses, they faithfully did stay at our side and they have showed us the maternal face of God, especially with the poorest ones, the orphans and the sick ones. 

Thanks Sister Sira, for your work at the dispensary, your attention to the sick people, your grumpy disposition but winning personality! 

Thanks Sister Graziana for your attention to the poor among us, for your joy in teaching the catechism, and.........the lettuce stolen from our garden! 

Thanks Sister Chiara for your work with the children and the orphans and because behind your fragile appearance you hides a motherly courage! 

Thanks Sister Solange for your work and attention to the poor and the orphan ones. We’ll miss your device for the mate!

I conclude with some updates from Savona about Hyppolite, updates just arrived from Alessandra!

“Good morning! Hyppolite has been hospitalized on Monday morning for an assumed osteomyelitis, the leg was swollen (probably infected, due to fact that it is on the side of the sore), and they did right away the blood analysis, a tampon and a hydrating infusion. In the afternoon they gave the antibiotic! On Tuesday an echo-cardiogram and echo-Doppler, everything seems all right! On Wednesday afternoon X-ray to the spine and pelvis and this afternoon an echo-graph! Thanks to the antibiotic the leg isn’t swollen anymore and he feels definitely better! There is no fever and he eats like a wolf! Yesterday the dietician stops by to give him a hyper caloric diet! He devours big slices of “focaccia con prosciutto......beside the antibiotic they are giving him vitamins by veins infusion. On Monday morning the anesthetist should insert the Pic, so he could have the therapies done at home, and finally, we hope for the discharge and...................right away to the beach enjoying the Mediterranean sea”.

inondazioni a Bangui
les pluies à Bangui