Milk and Ashes

Milk and Ashes

After seven years, the milk has finally returned to Bozoum!

Here in Central Africa there is an ethnic group, the Peuls, composed primarily of nomadic shepherds. Originally from Nigeria, they travel from north to south with their cows in search of pastures.

Many of these families had stabilized themselves, there were actually many around Bozoum as well and two or three times a week, they brought us fresh milk. While cattle belongs to the men, the fruits of the milk (and the transformation of butter or yogurt) are the exclusive use of the women.

Unfortunately, with the war, almost all the Peuls in the area had left. Last Friday I had the nice surprise of seeing some women here at the Mission who came to sell milk! It is a small but beautiful sign that the situation is slowly improving.

Sunday we celebrate the Scouts, a beautiful movement very active in Central Africa: at the end of the Mass 9 young people publicly make their promises.

Monday I left for Bouar, to go up on Tuesday to Bocaranga. They are together with Father Matteo and with him we visited our 3 catechists who are attending the first year of formation in the School of Catechists, managed by the Capuchin fathers, together with 15 other families.

The catechist is an essential figure in the African church: he is the one who guides prayer in the neighborhoods and villages, explains the catechism, accompanies the Christian community. In the villages where the priest manages to come 2 or 3 times a year, it is he, the catechist, who is present, together with his family.

Here in Bocaranga, while in the morning the catechists follow the courses on the sacraments, the Word of God, the history of the Church, the wives are trained in literacy, childcare, sewing, cooking ...

On Wednesday we started the journey of Lent with the giving of Ashes: a sign that reminds us of how fragile and weak we are and sinners. It is a sign that prepares us to let ourselves be enveloped, as Pope Francis writes, "by the open arms of Christ on the cross", which calls us to entrust ourselves and believe in His Mercy, which frees us from all sin.

Happy Lent!

 

Peul - Mbororo

Scuola dei Catechisti - Bocaranga
Ecole des Catéchistes de Bocaranga

Bozoum-Bocaranga

Silence!

Silence!

As often happens, this week has also been full of many events, here at the Bozoum Mission. But there is one thing that I cannot keep and that is silent and I am saving it for the end!

The weekend was filled with cheer and animation by Fr. Federico, who came from Bangui with 11 young Carmelites, who are studying Philosophy. After a ride to Bossangoa, they arrived in Bozoum for a few days of rest and vacation.

The various jobs continue, thanks to the help of many, and the presence of some precious people who lend themselves to give us a hand. Tomorrow two of these people will leave, Giulio Zannini, doctor, and Enrico Massone.

Enrico was a great help to Fr.Norberto for the church of Kpare, a village 10 km from Bozoum, while Giulio dedicated himself to the patients of the dispensary.

The renovations of the warehouse are now finished, which has become a gym for the sports activities of the young people of Bozoum. This is thanks to the CSI (Italian Sports Center) of Savona.

Everything would be great, but there is still the big problem of the exploitation of gold by some Chinese companies. Many people are convinced that the activities have been suspended but it's not true!

Despite the promises, the report of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry and the analysis of the water of the Ouham river (which revealed the strong presence of mercury) the Chinese companies are still in full swing, and extending the extraction sites along the river.

The water of the Ouham river is brown, almost dense and this in the middle of the dry season, when the water of the rivers is rather transparent. This phenomenon is present in the river even hundreds of kilometers away from Bozoum.

Of the various promises made (which included 1 school, 2 dispensaries), nothing has been started. Local authorities prefer to have the building of the grandstands for the national holiday parade on 1 December instead of the school.

Of the 2 dispensaries, one is half built for now and the other is not.

Every day, despite the water polluted by mercury, thousands of people can do nothing but drink, wash and cook with this contaminated water.

Every day, in the absolute indifference of the local authorities, hundreds of people (mostly women and children) go to the various construction sites to try to recover some of the gold left. Many women are pregnant, carrying small children with them. When you start to see the damage caused by mercury, it will be too late!

But, please, silence!

Il fiume Ouham, o quello che ne resta
Le fleuve Ouham, après...

 

Non è l'Ouham
ce n'est pas l'Ouham

l'Ouham

dr Giulio

Kpare

La vecchia cappellina e la nuova...
La vieille chapelle et la nouvelle

Piccole cercatrici d'oro
Petites chercheuses d'or...

Palestra (CSI)
Salle de sport (CSI)

Day of the sick

Day of the sick

February 11th was the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, the day of the sick: we had a moment of reflection, but also of presence and closeness with those that are sick. A light in the dark of pain, a seed of hope, where a resurrection buds.

In Central Africa the health system is very fragile. There are few facilities, few doctors (those who are here are mostly located in the capital), and in return very few services. On top of the lack of medical aid it also come with a fee! Whether it is for a visit for a prescription, or for some type of treatment, nothing is free.

For a family, or a person, especially if alone or elderly, it is almost impossible to find the money for treatment. Sometimes it is already hard to find 500 or 1000 f (around 1 euro) to be seen by a nurse or doctor (if there is even one available!). It then becomes almost impossible to buy medicine, or face the costs of surgery (for a hernia, it takes about 100 euros, in a country where the average salary -for those who have a job- is around 30-50 euros).

The Church is also very involved in health care, with dispensaries, maternity centres and hospitals. There is even a system of quality drugs, that are purchased wholesale in Europe and then made available to various healthcare facilities (private and public) at very low prices. Not to mention the hundreds of people who come help who also ask for a hand to heal themselves.

On February 11, we met, as every year, at the hospital, where we celebrated the Eucharist, and blessed all the sick. It was good to see the various movements of the parish engaged in cleaning the hospital, but also in the gift of food and soap for the sick.

These days I also went down quickly to Bangui, to accompany Giacomo, one of our volunteers, who left for Italy after 3 months of being here in Bozoum.

Giacomo