against the current
Once arrived, on Friday afternoon, at
Bozoum, we stay at home on Saturday and Sunday enjoying the presence of Father
Saverio our newly elected Provincial Superior.
On Sunday morning we celebrate the
solemn Eucharist with Fr. Enrico and Fr. Saverio. After the Mass, the Women's
Promotion Center "Cana"
presents the work done by girls and women during this school year. The Center,
supported by the friends of Siriri.org
of Prague, gives the opportunity to about 40 women being able to attend
educational courses, lasting 3 years, of childcare, sewing, embroidery, family
economy, cooking...
In the afternoon, I leave with Father
Saverio towards Bouar and Baoro, where we arrive around 6.00 pm, after covering
about 180 km. On Monday, the Provincial meets the fathers of our community,
while in the meantime I dedicate myself to put in place faucets and other
fitting taps, to make the community's new kitchen operational, which we
inaugurate with a well-deserved dish of homemade noodles.
In the afternoon we leave towards
Bouar, to visit St. Elia’s Community. While leaving I receive a call from
Bozoum, where are circulating voices of an imminent attack from Seleka, an
armed group that rages in much of the country. As I follow the situation, I try
to inform the UN Peace Makers to understand what they can do about. As we wait
to see how the situation develops, we take the decision to send out of danger
the Congolese Sisters. The next morning I and Father Norberto, leaving at 4.30
am, are driving back to Bozoum. We do not feel comfortable in leaving Father
Enrico alone, as we do not want to abandon the people of Bozoum. We arrive at
7.30 am, and fortunately the armed men of the Seleka seem to have dispersed far
from Bozoum about fifty miles, and for now the attack is avoided. Around 10 am
I walk downtown. It’s an way to give kind of calm to the people. Seeing us the
people regain confidence. At 1.00 pm we hear some shots. They are not the
criminals of Seleka, but the antibalaka (young people in the city and
surroundings): they attacked the police depriving the policemen of their
weapons.
Wednesday, as the situation seems to
be stable, I go back to Bouar with Father Enrico, because in the afternoon and
the following day we have meetings with the other fathers of Mission
Delegation. We enjoy emotional and wonderful moments of discussion, reflection
sharing our experiences about the journey that the Carmel Order is doing in
Central Africa.
Tomorrow morning, Friday July 7th,
we leave with the Provincial towards Yaounde, Cameroon, where Father Saverio
will end his pastoral visit.
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| Baoro |
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