The orchids are back on schedule!

The orchids are back on schedule!

When I returned to Bozoum on 12 August, I immediately looked for the orchids among the mangoes.

Every year, in August, they bloom on time. The branches of the mangoes (and who knows why only mangoes? And who knows why almost only here at the Bozoum Mission?) light up with beautiful streaks of white stars.

We are still in the middle of the rainy season, and the streets often remind me of this, filling up with puddles of mud.

On Wednesday morning, after finishing my quarantine, because I came back returning from Italy, I left for Yaloke, 170 km from Bozoum. Here, at the Gendarmerie, I had to retrieve the car documents and the accident report. I continued to Baoro, where I stopped in our community, and in the afternoon I arrived in Bouar, where I also spent the following day in meetings for Caritas, but above all to meet the confreres and organize the various deadlines for our young people in formation.

Thursday evening I left for Bozoum, in the rain. But the orchids are waiting for me.

 

 

"There are so many people who love you!"

 

Gauthier

"There are so many people who love you!"

The return to Bozoum, despite the adventure of the car accident, has been full of activities.

Saturday August 15th was a great feast: Maria Assunta in heaven.

Like every year, We have a  small pilgrimage on foot to Doussa, a village 4 km from Bozoum. Mass is celebrated here, and the villagers continue the tradition of bringing the first fruits of the field work (especially peanuts) as a gift to the offertory. At the end of the Mass there is an intense moment of prayer. We pray the Rosary, walking up to the great bridge over the River Ouham. Built by Italian prisoners in 1941-42, it still stands despite the strength of the river, whose water level, in the rainy season, increase by 8-10 meters.

We bless the river, asking God to protect those who work there as well as to bless the work in the fields. We also pray for the many dozen victims of this past year. Due to exploitation work by the Chinese companies, there are many people who have lost their lives (many have drowned in excavation sites left in the river bed, others killed by the military, others passed due to disease and malnutrition) as well as countless others who have suffered violence, or who have been threatened.

During the week we also resumed work in the Bokongo chapel. We are now completing the finishing touches. The roof is finished, where a cross stands on the front, and will also act as a bell tower. The benches and the altar are still missing, and we are putting up the colored windows and a large terracotta representing the Holy Family.

I have received many messages these days. On Sunday morning, a friend from Turin learned of the accident and wrote to me: "Amid the bad news there is the consolation that thanks to God only the car broke down. I'll get the news out as there are so many people who love you! ".

Shortly after this email Rai of Turin contacted me, and a small interview started, and at 1 pm there is a nice piece on the Regional TG3 (here the link: https://www.rainews.it/tgr/piemonte/notiziari/index.html ? /tgr/rainews.html ).

Immediately following, from various parts of Italy, but also from Germany, Spain, etc., a fury that spreads the word, thanks to God for the narrow escape, and continue to try to lend a hand.

Thank you so much!

Doussa

La benedizione del fiume Ouham
La bénédiction du fleuve Ouham

Orchidee a Bozoum

La cappelle in costruzione a Bokongo
La nouvelle chapelle de Bokongo

 

Landing, not very soft!

 

Partenza da Nizza
Au depart de Nice

 

Landing, not very soft!

Here I am in Bozoum.

The last days before I left Italy were full of friendship, affection, and many greetings. I was able to spend some time with my parents, but goodbye’s with friends, and especially A mother and family, are always difficult (despite the fact that I have been leaving since 1974: either for the seminary, or for Africa).

Monday morning I was greeted by the Parish of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Cuneo, which always reserves me great affection and much prayer. In the afternoon I went down to Arenzano and then to Nice with my dear sister Marisa and her husband, Flavio. Since the plane to Paris will leaves Tuesday morning at 6.20, we were able to spend some time together.

Tuesday we left. The flights were regular, and from Paris I reach Bangui at 3.10pm. There were a lot of people on the plane, and a lot of confusion in Bangui, at the airport, despite the Coronavirus problem ...

After the night with the Carmel brothers in Bangui, I left for Bozoum on Wednesday. Unfortunately, after 250 km, I lost control of the car, which went off the road and flipped over. The damage to the car was massive, but thank God we had no injuries and we did not hit anyone. We get out of the car from the windows because it was on its side.  We can only thank God that we are safe and sound. Aside from the car!

I managed to call our community in Baoro, 140 km away. They have a mechanics school, and they sent me mechanics and a car. In the meantime, thanks to a passing truck, we were able to put the car right side up and move it on the road. The mechanic arrived after 3 hours, and managed to restart the car (the only fairly undamaged area is that of the engine).

We left, and I managed to get to Bozoum at 11pm.

Word here in Africa spreads rapidly: both that evening and the next day I received calls from many concerned people who asked me how I was and were generally worried.

Thursday the 13th is the 60th anniversary of the independence of Central Africa: an important date. On the one hand, there is no lack of bitterness for a rich and blessed country, which lives in extreme poverty.

On the other hand, love and hope are needed for this country to change and take off. And tomorrow's feast, August 15 (Maria Assunta into heaven), reminds us that every man and woman are worthy of the greatest things. Because God loves us. And because we are capable of loving.

Cuneo, Viale Angeli

Bozoum