Let's get off to a good start!

 

Ribelli a Bozoum
Les rebelles de 3R à Bozoum

Let's get off to a good start!

2021 has begun, here in Baoro, quite quietly. Due to the presence of the rebels, there was no music or dancing. Here in the parish we celebrated a Mass to give thanks on the afternoon of December 31, praying and hoping! The night passed quietly, and in the morning the news spread that the rebels had left the city.

The Parish of Baoro is dedicated to the Child Jesus, and the feast is celebrated on the day of the Epiphany. Saturday afternoon there was a beautiful procession that crossed various neighborhoods, and ended in the church where we blessed the children. This year, surprisingly, the Bishop of Bouar was also with us.

While the festivities continued in the city, on Sunday morning I took the car, hoping not to have any bad encounters, and I went to Balembe, a village 48 km away. Here I celebrated Mass in a small chapel covered with palm leaves.

In the afternoon there were some games here in the parish.

There is a lot of tension in the air, also in part to the expected provisional results of the presidential and legislative elections, which took place on December 27.

The elections did not go very well. In many cities it was not possible to vote due to rebels who were shooting, in order to intimidate the population. In other cities, the completed ballot papers were burned by other rebels. In actuality, only 38% of those entitled actually voted.

The results were announced on Monday evening, with the current president being re-elected, as expected, despite the very low number of voters.

We feared major riots at the announcement of these results, but for now everything is quite calm, at least here in the area (but on January 7th, in Bouar there were clashes between rebels and the army, with gunfire from 10am to 3pm).

On Tuesday morning I took advantage of the calm to go to Bozoum, occupied since December 18 by the rebels of the 3R group. I passed through Bouar, where I picked up the Bishop, and around 9 we were in Bozoum.

We visited the communities of the Fathers and Sisters, and then we went to meet the rebels, who have settled right at the entrance to the Mission, very close to the schools. They welcomed us warmly, with some weapons. Since they were relaxed, taking turns smoking from a hookah, we took the opportunity to speak with them.  We asked them to change locations so that the children and young people can go to school.

While the bishop went to greet the Blue Helmets (where the local and state police have taken refuge ...), I went to the city. I was impressed by the warmth of the people, who were happy to see me. At the market they welcomed me with applause, and this allowed me the opportunity to encourage everyone, and to invite them to send their children to school.

When we left, in the early afternoon, we passed by the rebels, who actually moved somewhere else!

There is hope!

Balembe

P.Stefano

Mercato: banco della carne
Marché, le boucher