A quiet week
... or not?
I thought (I did hope and dream) I
could stay a bit quiet in Bozoum, after a number of trips in recent weeks.
Instead on Wednesday morning I had to drive to Bouar. Luckily there is the
direct route, which allows me to avoid that longer one (2 hours instead of 5,
and 105 km instead of 250).
On my way back I found a nice
surprise! These last days it was raining and the rain caused the collapse of
some walls in Bouar, fortunately without casualties. With the rain the nature
flourishes: the grass grows, and the insects multiply. Along the way I found so
many birds “celebrating”. I did see mostly falcons and hawks, but then I found
dozens of birds of a species that I have never seen. I found out later that they
were “Abdin storcks”, black and white, really elegant.
Yesterday, Friday, we began the Youth
Pilgrimage. The participants are about 500! Last week we have had a few days of
reflection and preparation and now we are ready for this journey: two days of walking, up to Taley, a village 49
km from Bozoum. Friday after a moment of prayer in the church, the pilgrimage
begins. It is a very hot day! But we simply are walking with courage. After 5
km we stop a while to compact the group and restarting praying the Rosary,
meditating the Stations of the Cross, and singing. After 3 hours of walking we
reach Betara, at about 18 km, a village where there is a school, a small
chapel, a water pump. Here the pilgrims will spend the night. I return to
Bozoum.
On Saturday I get up at 4 am, I go to
buy bread and at around 5 am I’m in Betara. Here they are all awake, and the
cooks are distributing breakfast: coffee or tea and two loaf of bread. At 6:05
am we move again. We spend the first hour in prayer, celebrating the Rosary and
singing, while going on. The sun ... today hits a lot, I think we are on the 38th
Celsius, and forces us to few stops. About 10 Km before arrival, the parish
that welcomes us, organized a small reception committee and as we move forward,
the villagers or walk with us, or just observe, offering water, and having an
eye on mango trees, fearing that the fruits can be stolen. At 12:30 pm we
finally reach Taley. We all feel very tired, but the afternoon promises to be
busy: shower, lunch, the celebration of the Mass and confessions, and ... the
inevitable soccer game and dancing.
Life is a long pilgrimage!
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| il muro crollato alla Yolé le mur écroulé à la Yolé |
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| la Cicogna di Abdim la cigogne d'Abdim |
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| Via Crucis: la morte di Gesù Le chemin de Croix: la mort de Jésus |
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| Arrivo a Betara L'arrivée à Betara |
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| Gauthier |
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| preparativi per la notte a Betara |
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| Sabato, una pausa sulla strada Samedi, une pause sur la route |
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| l'accoglienza dei cristiani sulla strada l'accueil des chrétiens sur la route |
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| enfin à Taley |
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| arrivato... arrivé... |
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