Ivory Coast
Dearest friends,
our mission continues here in Northern Ivory Coast in a predominantly Muslim territory, with a peaceful and respectful coexistence that serves as an example for many situations we face in these times full of misunderstandings, violence, wars, and unrest.
A predominantly Muslim territory (93%), where coexistence is peaceful. Christians make up 3% of the population: this means that after driving for over an hour, you arrive at a place and find three faithful in church.
Yet it is interesting to be a minority, partly because hope is above all presence, making your presence felt. You go to nourish a faith with the few who are there, and you do so through concrete actions.
Our mission continues with its daily commitment around the Parish and the Health Center, where we try to stay close to the people through prevention campaigns, village visits, and vaccinations.
Schooling projects have also been launched, mainly aimed at children and young girls, who are among the least respected categories. We also try to pay special attention to the condition of women: their dignity is not recognized at all, yet they are the hope of families, communities, and the country. They work in silence, but their message reaches everyone: they are the future of Africa.
It is in accompanying these situations that being “pilgrims of hope” comes to life.
Currently, we are living an important experience in the Parish with the the pilgrimage of the statue of our Founder, Saint Joseph Allamano. The statue was made in Argentina, and we brought it here through one of our Argentine fathers who was on holiday.
I never would have believed that the statue of a saint could do so much good, yet that is what we are experiencing right now with this parish pilgrimage of Saint Joseph Allamano. We are bringing the statue to different villages so that, for a few days, the community can take charge of keeping it and praying. Exceptional things happen.
People who kneel before the statue and pray with faith, many who write prayers, intercessions, and graces received in a large notebook specially made available… They make small crosses if they cannot write… these are the most beautiful prayers!
In this peripheral mission, it is easy to find members of different religions within the same family. But in one village, I was struck by the story of a little girl of about three years old who comes alone to the Catholic chapel to pray and, once finished, goes back home.
The wonder is knowing that she is the only one in her family who prays, and her parents are calm about letting her come without preventing her. What drives the little girl to go to Church as soon as she hears the bell ring or the piece of iron used as a bell?
Che cosa significa, in un altro villaggio, una processione di formiche che avanza e circonda la statua e ritorna? Che cosa significa una luce diversa che illumina l’Allamano e tutti i presenti si fermano ad ammirare stupefatti?
These are all signs that want to speak to us of the immensity, depth, and great mystery that is God, who as a Father cares for all of us without forgetting even a single blade of grass.
Photo by Father Stefano Camerlengo
