Lots of joy and some tears

 

 

La parrocchia di Baoro prega molto per te, vescovo Aurelio!
La paroisse de Baoro prie beaucoup pour toi, eveque Aurelio

Lots of joy and some tears

It's true, I didn't write the blog last week.

But these days pass at a slightly different pace.

On the one hand I have to organize myself to leave Baoro and the diocese of Bouar, and try to hand over to others the various commitments I have (pastoral work and village schools, the nursery school and the mechanical school of Baoro, the diocesan Caritas, and the Bangui construction site).

On the other hand, it is also the time to say goodbye to the communities and prepare (including luggage) for the journey to Bangassou, which I will do immediately after Easter.

On March 1st, Fr. Davide, our Procurator, arrived with Giovanni Grossi Bianchi (the architect who conceived and has followed the project of the new convent in Bangui), Alessio, Gabriele and Manuel (the bricklayer, welder and plumber), and Maria Paola.

Alessio has started assembling the walls for the closets in the bedrooms, while Manuel is finishing the plumbing systems in the bedrooms upstairs.

With Fr. Davide, Giovanni, Fr. Cyriaque, we are trying to figure out how to continue the work in my absence... They will do it!

Thursday 7 March we left for Bangui, myself, Fr Davide, Giovanni and Maria Paola. After a stop in Baoro, on Saturday morning we left for Baoro, and in the afternoon we took the road to Bozoum.

17 km from Bozoum we saw a motorbike arriving: as soon as it saw us, it turned around and set off again. And at 14 km, where the road was flooded, we found the first welcoming committee: Fr Marco, the parish priest, with motorbikes and cars and many people who came to give their first, very joyful greeting.

We continued slowly towards Bozoum, and 5 km from the city I found Gauthier, who came all the way there in his wheelchair to say hello to me!

At the entrance to Bozoum there was a crowd: I got out of the car and continued on foot to the parish, where others were waiting for me. They welcomed me with greetings (the orphans of the Arc en Ciel center, the students of our elementary school and those of our St. Augustin High School).

Despite the emotion I was feeling, I managed to say a few words!

The next day, Sunday, I celebrated Mass: we started at 8 and finished at 11! It was wonderful to pray, sing, laugh... and even cry a little together.

Here in Bozoum there was a mixture of joy and sadness: joy because Fr. Aurelio had become bishop, and sadness because he has to go far away! But God is great, and the joy and affection of these days are His caress, His consolation!

On Monday, before leaving I managed to make a pizza for everyone, and we left for Baoro.

Latest news: in the next few weeks the title of the blog will change, from News from Bozoum live to after Bozoum, news from Bangassou .

Alba sul nuovo convento
Aube sur le nouveau couvent

Il nostro architetto Giovanni

Alessio e Giovanni

Manuel

A 14 km da Bozoum, il primo comitato d'accoglienzza!
A 14 km de Bozoum, le premier accueil!

Gauthier, che ha spinto la sua carrozzina fino a 5 km da Bozoum!
Gauthier, qui a poussé son fauteil roulant jusqu'à 5 km de Bozoum!