FEAR AND HOPE

Today. 13th of September the president announced the Seleka rebel's disbandment,great news. 

If only it was true. I mean, the news is true, but they havent taken any serious initiative to make sure 25000 rebels surrender weapons.

Let's hope. However in these days tension is very high there have been conflicts between rebels and some armed gangs (ex-military? ex president's people? more rebels? or simply locals tired of being treated as slaves?).

Terrible results with more than 100 dead. biggest issue is that there have been reprisals against muslims by these gangs and right afterwards the Seleka hit the Christians with destruction, fires and killings.

These fights happened in Bouca, Bossangoa and near Paoua.....that's less than 150 km from Bozoum.

Most people run away. Here in bozoum refugees are more than 6400! This week we'll distribute food and think about school for more than 3000 displaced kids...

and even if the situation doesn't get better...hope is here!

Hope. Vojtech, 20 years old from Pilsen (Czeck Republic) just arrived. He'll stay here for a year as a teacher and as a student! to live and understand life in this part of the world.

Hope. Student Centre is almost completed. It will host about 80 students attending our schools whom are from Ndim, Bosemptele and other far away villages.

Hope. Between the end of August and the beginning of September we have organized a 2 weeks training for 80 teachers of our schools. Education, schooling, and also civics and social studies, which this country  foremost needs

Hope. In these days, for 2 weeks our catechists about 80 of them are in training about Faith, Credo and the sacrament of holy matrimony 

 

Hope. Yesterday I spent one hour with one rebel, playing the part of the tempter....in order to help him think and let the good prevail in him....for change of path!

 

Hope. Tomorrow, Saturday the 14h, we'll meet with religious leaders: catholics, protestants and muslim. all together to pray, think over things and help out our people not to fall into hatred, fear and disdain

 

Hope that shines on many peoples faces. It is Faith!

But hope, says God, that is something that surprises me.
Even me.

That is surprising.That these poor children see how things are going and believe that tomorrow things will go better.

That they see how things are going today and believe that they will go better tomorrow morning.
That is surprising to me and it’s by far the greatest marvel of our grace.
And I’m surprised by it myself.
And my grace must indeed be an incredible force.
And must flow freely and like an inexhaustible river.

My three Virtues, my creatures 

are as my other creature in the race of men

Faith is “a loyal Wife,” charity “a Mother.

Hope is a little girl, nothing at all.
Who came into the world on Christmas day just this past year.
Who is still playing with her snowman.
With her German fir trees painted with frost. . . .
And yet it’s this little girl who will endure worlds.
This little girl, nothing at all,
She alone, carrying the others, who will cross worlds past.

(Charles Péguy)