Agitated week, in moderation.

Agitated week, in moderation.

Sunday, May 5th, our parish of Bozoum celebrated: around fifty boys, girls and adults received the Sacrament of Confirmation. It is the Sacrament of maturity, of the gift of the Holy Spirit, of the fire of the witness of Christ (this is why the candidates wear red). 

Monday morning I left for Bangui. This time I traveled by plane, for safety reasons, after the problems I encountered the past few weeks due to the Chinese companies that are extracting gold I didn’t want  to risk any more trouble.  I had a somewhat worrisome journey because the accusations that have been brought upon me by the Prime Minister are very serious (even though ridiculous). I traveled in a serene way, because in my conscious I know I did the right thing. Also, because I know there are many people, from every corner of the world (from Bozoum to Bangui, from Central Africa to Europe, and elsewhere) who support me and pray for me. Wednesday, early afternoon, there was a meeting arranged with the Prime Minister. I was accompanied by the bishop of Bangui, Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga, and the bishop of Bouar. The Cardinal has an impressive authority, and is respected by all. The Prime Minister met with us and the 3 ministers involved in the problem of the gold mines of Bozoum: the Minister of Mines, Minister of the Environment, and Minister of the Forests. With heart and thought to the thousands of people of Bozoum, who suffer because of this injustice by the mining industry, we voiced their problems and concerns: the environmental disaster of the excavated riverbed, the pollution of the water, and the absence of economic repercussions on local communities. Despite some threats and reproach, the Government acknowledged that there have been errors, and decided that a new Commission of inquiry will be sent to Bozoum, and that they will ask the Chinese company to start work on what they promised (a school, a dispensary and some wells) and tidying up the river bed. They are only promises, but I hope that something will follow concretely. We started the work for the construction of a Community Radio here in Bozoum, financed by Minusca. An initiative that will make it possible to inform and educate, in a country where radio is much listened to and followed.