Contemplating Life

 

 

Contemplating Life

Maybe this is because basically, I'm very curious.

Perhaps it is because the scenery is always so beautiful that it seems natural to me to applaud.

Perhaps it is because beauty, smiles, flowers, sunrises and sunsets all require a very little to see.

For a multitude of reasons, I often find myself in awe and amazement at how much beauty is scattered in life, in nature, on the faces and gestures of so many people.

The photos that accompany the blog are nothing more than a glimpse, hopefully positive, on this part of the world.

Usually it's the photos that accompany the blog. But more often than not, it is the text that tries to accompany the photos and the beauty that I find scattered here in Central Africa (and elsewhere).

 

I have resumed my pastoral work in the villages. It's nice to see each other again, but it's also nice to feel heartfelt welcomes by the people.

Saturday afternoon I celebrated in Zoungbe, a small village, where the chapel is still a thatched roof.

On Sunday, however, I was in Dobere, where there is a beautiful church.

They gave me a nice surprise: at the moment of the offertory, during Mass, I saw that they had a double procession. At the end of the celebration, the catechist approached and handed me a small package: inside there were some coins "in memory and suffrage of your mother"! They wanted to collect something to testify, in a concrete way, their closeness to the moment of my mother's death.

It was a small gesture, but it was full of affection, love, gratitude, and a thousand other things. Thank you!

La "Cappella" a Zoungbe
La "chapelle" de Zoungbe

Dobere

I bambini del nostro asilo "Il Germoglio" a Baoro

Convoglio di camion, direzione Bangui
Le convoi des camions, direction Bangui

 

 

It is not only Covid!

 

 

 

 

It is not only Covid!

When asked what the Covid situation is like in Central Africa, I often say that we unfortunately have an advantage: between the wars, misery and various other problems, the virus, for now, has done little damage in comparison to what else we are dealing with.

The latest official bulletin, which dates to April 20, 2021, declared a total of 6,194 positive cases. Since March 2020, in just over a year, there have been 85 deaths.

It is true that in recent weeks there has been a sharp increase. In the first 20 days of April, there were 909 new cases: which means that in a month there was an increase of 15%.

The situation is getting serious, but there are many other diseases that are causing much more damage here in Central Africa.

Around the same time as Covid, a measles epidemic broke out, killing 83 children!

Malaria remains the number one enemy here: the WHO declared, for 2017 alone, 1,300,000 confirmed cases, and 3,689 deaths, of which 670 were children under the age of 5.
Tuberculosis, according to the Pasteur Institute in Bangui, affects 423 of every 100,000 people her (resulting in almost 20,000 cases a year).

And, to complete the picture, in 2018 UNICEF estimated that 110,000 children were suffering from acute malnutrition, which included 45,000 in severe form.

Perhaps, since the health situation is so dire, it would be more important and urgent to care for the hundreds, thousands of children who die here every year first. Statistics show that 81 out of 1000 children die before their first birthday! Perhaps, before worrying about Covid (or at least at the same time), it would be better to take the care of mothers, children, schools, the health system in general, and basic vaccinations more seriously ...

Scouts

Scuola di Kouisso Baguera - gli esami trimestrali
Ecole de Kouisso Baguera - les compositions du 2è trimestre

Scuola materna "Il Germoglio" di Baoro
Ecole Maternelle "Germoglio" de Baoro

Il flamboyant

 

 

 

 

Joy and pain

 

Appena nato
Nouveau né

 

Joy and pain

As soon as I returned to Central Africa, I found myself facing some difficulties, but also some happiness.

The COVID situation, which had not touched the country much, has become more serious. In only a few days, a few hundred new cases were announced, bringing the total number of people affected to 5787 since March 2021. Low numbers, but the increase is becoming worrisome.

In Baoro, in the upcoming days, I will be accompanying Father Davide, from our Missions Office of Arenzano, to visit the village schools. We will be updating the photos for long distance adoptions, which allow us to support the 9 schools in Baoro, where 1,700 children receive a healthy, solid and serene education.

On Monday I went to Bozoum, where the situation is still difficult because some villages in the surrounding area have become the bases for rebel groups. Due to the rebel bases nearly a thousand people have fled the villages to Bozoum. Some have come to the parish, others have gone to relatives or friends.  Like Caritas, we are organizing the distribution of food and medicines for those seeking refuge from the rebels.

In Bozoum I greeted the children of both the elementary and middle schools and the highschool students of St. Augustin.

It is always nice to see them again, and it leaves room for hope, a hope that grows with them. In Bozoum I brought greetings, but also the money for the scholarships for our students, thanks to the many friends of Cuneo and its surroundings.

Early Tuesday morning I went down to Bangui, where I found Giovanni Grossi Bianchi, an architect from Genoa. He is here, because in the coming weeks, after years of discussions and work, we will be starting the construction of the new Carmel convent and it is going to be a very large site.

Tomorrow, Saturday, I will be returning to Baoro, for other jobs and other adventures.

Rifugiati a Bogala
Les déplacés à Bogala

pont de  Kounde

Stagione dei mangi
La saison des mangues

St Augustin, Bozoum

P.Davide

 

Sul sito del nuovo convento di Bangui
Sur le site du nouveau couvent du Carmel à Bangui

Departure and return

 

 

Departure and return

My last days in Italy coincided with Holy Week.

I was able to pray with the whole diocese of Cuneo, gathered around the Bishop, on Thursday morning, with the Chrism Mass. In this Mass, which brought together the priests of the diocese, the institution of the priesthood is remembered and the Bishop blessed the oils that will be used for the upcoming sacraments.

I celebrated the Triduum with the parish of the Immaculate Heart, in Cuneo. Lots of people and great participation. The virus, even if it keeps us at a certain distance, has allowed many to deepen the search for the Meaning of Life and the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus are the key.

Monday morning I celebrated Mass in my mother's house. The last one before leaving. Also probably the last in the house where I lived from 1971 to 74, which is when I entered the seminary, and where I always returned during my short vacation periods.

Together with my sister Marisa and my brother-in-law Flavio I left for the Turin airport. Leaving is never easy, but it is part of our lives. I said goodbye to them, and I left for Amsterdam (where I found the snow!) then for Paris, where I arrived in the evening and where I spent the night.

Tuesday, April 6th at 9.30 am I left for Central Africa. The flight was full and almost everyone got off in Bangui. For health checks and passports, and to retrieve baggage it took more than 2 hours.

Wednesday morning I left Bangui for Baoro. Along the road there was still very little traffic, and many barriers kept by the military. We also met some trucks, escorted by the Russian military.

Today, Thursday, I went to Bouar. The situation is still difficult. Just yesterday there was fighting between rebels and "regulars" in Niem, 70 km from Bouar. In other areas there are still refugees, and like Caritas we continue to try to help them.

I returned to Baoro in the morning and, in the afternoon, I got to visit some schools in the villages together with Fr Davide. Students are few, and schools are struggling to restart after the Easter holidays, but they are open, and this is already something!

Amsterdam

Paris