Arrivals

Arrivals

The school year in Bozoum is finished. At present we just began working for the end of school year in the villages: some twenty schools, for a total of 2,500 students. These schools are located in the faraway villages, where the state school does not exist. At the end of each quarter, about forty teachers meet in Bozoum, and together, under the supervision of Father Norberto and George, the school animator, correct the kids’ tests and write down the report cards.

Monday is the birthday of Sister Lydie, the nurse Sister. Thierry, one of Caritas' animators, also remembers is birthday and we have a common celebration for both of them. Early afternoon I go to Bangui, where I arrive at late night.

On Tuesday, I’m with the Fathers of the community, and I meet the young students of theology one after another. At 4.00 pm, under a heavy rainfall, I’m on the road which has become a river, and I go to the airport to welcome Father Enrico, back from Italy, and Father Saverio, our new Provincial Superior. Father Saverio had been here in Central Africa from 1998 to 2004, and after a few years in Italy and Israel, has just been chosen by our Province Chapter as Superior. In these days he meets Fathers and Students visiting all the communities, taking the various decisions, which will also involve some relocation of our Missionaries.

On Wednesday morning I go to the Nunciature to welcome the new Nuncio. For him too is a coming back to Centrafrica, where he worked as Secretary to the Nuncio from 1998 to 2001. We welcome him with other priests, religious and sisters, a little symbol of the Church that he is called to serve in the name of the Pope.

On Friday morning, together with Father Saverio, I leave driving towards Bozoum.

School year is (almost) finished. 2

School year is (almost) finished. 2

On Saturday, June 17^th, we deliver the report cards to the boys and girls of “St.Augustin” High School. Once more this year we are able to reward the best classified of each class with a scholarship, which guarantees the free enrollment for next year.

On Sunday, instead, we close the school year at the kindergarten “Ste Marthe”, the School of Literacy and the elementary school "Isidore Bakanjia". Lots of people! The students are almost 1,250, and in addition there are parents, some of them very proud of their children's success. To the top 15 students of each class we give a fruit plant which will then plant, together with the parents, at the end of school year, as a souvenir and their commitment.

On Tuesday the "seniors" students of our High School “St.Augustin” begin the written tests of Maturity (Advanced Level). They are 17, very excited. The tests are only written and they last 4 days. The copies of their tests will then be sent to Bangui, where they will be examined, and within 3-4 weeks the results will be communicated via radio.

On Sunday another beautiful thing happened: our Coral won the first prize at the Coral Contest organized by the Diocese.

Thursday I leave towards Bocaranga. The road is always damaged, and with rains it gets worse day by day. It takes more than 3h. to cover 125 km. Here I meet the Capuchin Fathers and the Sisters. The city had suffered a very violent attack on February 2^nd, and is still struggling to recover.

Unfortunately there is a lot of insecurity. A few miles away there were about 200 armed men, former Seleka. Despite the agreements signed these days in Rome, there is little hope that cease-fire will become effective.

In Bocaranga, with the help of some European Caritas, Cordaid on top, we did support the schools of the city, distributing school material for over 5,000 kids. We are building 400 school desks, which we will deliver at the beginning of the next school year. Since March we support the teachers also, with a small monthly contribution.

c'è anche qualche bocciato...
pas admise...

Inizia la Maturità
commencement du BAC

Il ritorno della Corale
le retour de la Chorale

I banchi per le scuole
les table-bacs pour les écoles

School year is (almost) finished

School year is (almost) finished

In June, even in Central Africa, the end of the school year is coming. And here at Bozoum, at the Mission is an opportunity for a huge celebration for over 1,550 kids attending our schools: the kindergarten “Ste Marthe” (150 children), the Elementary School "Isidore Bakanjia" (850 students), the School of Literacy (130 kids), Secondary and High School (250). Not to mention the Orphan Center "Arc en Ciel" with nearly 200 children aged 4 to 14 years.

This week the schools have held the Councils of Professors, and we, with the teachers were very much committed in preparing the report cards.

Yesterday, Friday, we reached the end of the year dedicated to the Orphan Center. Under the guidance of Sister Christine, the kids with a lot of liveliness did celebrate in songs, performances and dances. Today morning we will give the Report Cards to the boys and girls of "St.Augustin" (Secondary and High School), and the best students of each class will be awarded a scholarship, which the CCVM (Sales and Marketing Clubs) of the Province of Cuneo made it available.

See you next week for the second episode!

Ospite di passaggio in alta uniforme

Refugees, houses and schools.

 

Refugees, houses and schools.

After the Caritas meeting in Bangui, on Saturday morning at 5.00am, I leave with the Vicar of the Diocese, Abbé Mirek. I stop at Baoro, where I meet the community and, above all, I greet Father Lionello who, in the coming days, will definitely will be back to Italy (as for now), after five years of missionary work. In the afternoon I drive toward Bouar and in the evening, after nearly 600 km, I reach Bozoum.

Sunday is the great feast of Pentecost, in which we remember the gift of the Holy Spirit, who conquered soul and heart of the Apostles and threw them on the ways of the whole world to proclaim Christ.

Monday morning I’m again on the road driving towards Bouar, to meet the communities of St.Elie and Yolé, to analyze with them the training work with our youth.

These days, news about Central Africa continues to be worrying. Yesterday afternoon an armed group broke into Ndim (170 km from Bozoum), and stole a hundred cows, including those of the nuns community. I just received an official report from HCR (Haut Commissariat des Réfugies) which says that by May 31, are 484,028 displaced persons (technically "internally refugees") and 503,600 refugees abroad. They make a total of 987,628 people, on a population of about 4 million, a quarter of the entire Nation.

And finally, here is a couple of good news.

This week there was the BC exam (which takes place after the second year of High School), and the guys at our Lycée St.Augustin have had a great result: among 25 candidates, 24 are promoted to the next grade. Our students occupy the top 22 positions as the best results for the test.

We also finished a first group of 14 houses for the poor, built with the help of Cordaid, Caritas of Holland. Other 16/18 houses will follow, which will allow elderlies, widows and victims of Seleka and antibalaka to have a decent home.

p.Lionello