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Zemio, il memoriale dell'abbè Crepin
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Difficult roads, steps of hope
26 August 2026
Today I arrived in Rafai, 150 km from Bangassou.
Despite the rainy season, I am visiting the communities in the east: Zemio and Rafai.
I set off from Bangassou on Friday 21 August. A brief stop in Lanome, where work on the church is almost complete, and then on towards Rafai. The track is in reasonable condition, and by the afternoon we arrive at the Franciscan parish.
On Saturday morning we set off at around 6. The road had deteriorated due to the rain. No cars or lorries have passed this way for months (we even found a nest in the tall grass right in the middle of the track!). The village of Guinikoumba, 65 km before Zemio, is completely deserted and overrun by a colony of monkeys!
With some difficulty, we arrive in Zemio at 5 pm, after a 13-hour journey covering 150 km… As we enter the town, I’m pleased to see some signs of ‘normality’: children playing in front of their houses, people out and about, despite the sunset.
At the parish, I meet Father Jean Alain Zembi with a seminarian; both have volunteered to be with the Christian community, which has been deeply affected by the murder of Father Crepin on 29 June.
On Sunday morning, I celebrate Mass in the parish: there are many people, and the atmosphere is more serene; at the end of Mass, we go in procession to the spot where Father Crepin was killed. Here, the community has decided to build a small chapel in memory of Crepin, a martyr for his work in peace and mediation.
On Monday, I visited the Mission’s school, and together with the teachers and parents, we decided to reopen the school on 21 September, and we set about carrying out the necessary work to refurbish it (painting and various repairs). It is important that the pupils attend school in a clean and pleasant environment: this, too, is part of their education.
It is a major undertaking: a sack of cement here costs 50,000 francs (75 euros), whereas in Bangui it costs 10,000 francs (15 euros)...
The decision to travel by car rather than by plane is no coincidence. Despite the state of the road and the danger of attacks by armed men, the bishop’s journey by car helps people to regain confidence and hope.
And today, on our return journey, we meet some residents of Guinikoumba who have decided to return to their village.
Small steps, full of hope!
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| Guinikoumba |
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| La scuola di Zemio L'école de Zemio La escuela de Zemio |
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| Il ritorno degli abitanti a Guinikoumba Le retour des habitatants à Guinikoumba El regreso de los habitantes a Guinikoumba |
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