Noël Noël e sara ngia!
It is one of the most popular Christmas songs in Sango, and it means: it's Christmas, it's Christmas, we are joyful!
Christmas is a very heartfelt holiday. Even though there are very few lights, few toys, the one thing there is a lot of is joy.
Having returned from Bangui on Friday morning, on Saturday the 23rd, I left in the afternoon for the more distant villages.
I arrived in Yoro, where I spent the night, and on Sunday morning I left on foot for Sinaforo, 7 km away.
Here I celebrated Sunday mass: there were only a few hours until Christmas, and in fact as soon as I finished the children hung the garlands that decorated the chapel: they were made with mango leaves (they cost nothing, they were organic, and they looked fantastic!).
I returned to Yoro at 1pm, and after a shower and a moment of rest, I left for Bayanga Didi by car around 2.30pm. Here I prepared the lights for Mass, and then I started confessions.
Unfortunately the catechist was unable to participate... due to alcohol.
At 8.30 pm we began the great Christmas Eve mass. With beautiful songs, lots of participation, and the joy of the baptisms of 10 little children (including twins, one called Melvin and the other... Melvin!).
Monday morning, Christmas Day, while I was loading the car I saw some motorbikes pass by with armed soldiers: they were Wagner's Russian mercenaries. I left, and I found them in Yoro, in the middle of the road. They stopped me, and wanted to check what was in my luggage. I showed them, but it was not easy to talk to them, because they didn't speak, either French, nor Sango, nor English...
However, after a while they let me pass.
The people of the village were scared, and only at 11 am did we manage to start Mass. Here too, there were many people, beautiful songs, and 4 small children were baptized.
For lunch, I got by with a piece of bread and a piece of salami, a gift from my nephew.
There isn't much, but there is Everything!
Merry Christmas!
It is one of the most popular Christmas songs in Sango, and it means: it's Christmas, it's Christmas, we are joyful!
Christmas is a very heartfelt holiday. Even though there are very few lights, few toys, the one thing there is a lot of is joy.
Having returned from Bangui on Friday morning, on Saturday the 23rd, I left in the afternoon for the more distant villages.
I arrived in Yoro, where I spent the night, and on Sunday morning I left on foot for Sinaforo, 7 km away.
Here I celebrated Sunday mass: there were only a few hours until Christmas, and in fact as soon as I finished the children hung the garlands that decorated the chapel: they were made with mango leaves (they cost nothing, they were organic, and they looked fantastic!).
I returned to Yoro at 1pm, and after a shower and a moment of rest, I left for Bayanga Didi by car around 2.30pm. Here I prepared the lights for Mass, and then I started confessions.
Unfortunately the catechist was unable to participate... due to alcohol.
At 8.30 pm we began the great Christmas Eve mass. With beautiful songs, lots of participation, and the joy of the baptisms of 10 little children (including twins, one called Melvin and the other... Melvin!).
Monday morning, Christmas Day, while I was loading the car I saw some motorbikes pass by with armed soldiers: they were Wagner's Russian mercenaries. I left, and I found them in Yoro, in the middle of the road. They stopped me, and wanted to check what was in my luggage. I showed them, but it was not easy to talk to them, because they didn't speak, either French, nor Sango, nor English...
However, after a while they let me pass.
The people of the village were scared, and only at 11 am did we manage to start Mass. Here too, there were many people, beautiful songs, and 4 small children were baptized.
For lunch, I got by with a piece of bread and a piece of salami, a gift from my nephew.
There isn't much, but there is Everything!
Merry Christmas!
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| Bayanga Didi |
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| Sinaforo |
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