On the way to Banzo
It looked like 15 August would be a beautiful day for the Bobo Dioulasso novitiate community… First we had to get up earlier than usual and be on the road before sunrise. Besides the dirt road and deciding which pot-holes to avoid… After two hours of travel, well shaken, we arrived at Banzon, where this year would take place the feast of the Assumption. Also celebrated in our diocese is the feast of the Association of Catholic Women of the diocese (LAFCD). We were warmly welcomed by the parish priest of Our Lady of the Valleys, Father André Baro. He impressed us with his simplicity and openness.
Under a tree, the first White Sisters to Banzo
After greetings, he spoke about the history of the parish and the place of the White Sisters in it. “You see the little house below the tree over there,” he said pointing with his finger – ” this is my office now but it was one of your sisters who built it to spend the night when she came from Bobo to give catechesis and to instruct the village women. She came by motorbike and stayed a few days. The roads were not as good then as they are today “Gosh! Sister Gertrude congratulations to you and to the other pioneers!
“Mother Mary” celebrated in joy !
We would have liked to ask more questions but it was already time for the Mass to be celebrated outdoors in tents and presided over by the Archbishop of Bobo-Dioulasso, Bishop Paul Ouedraogo. We sat with the crowd, mostly women from different parishes of the diocese. We gave thanks for “Mother Mary” and her total availability to the will of God. There was joy, prayer, singing, dancing without worrying about the passing of time … the beautiful women, proud to have a patroness like Mary showing their great enthusiasm; and we rejoiced with them fully “women among women” …
After sharing the Eucharistic we went to another table to share a good meal together. Time passed and we had to resume our pot-holed road back home. During this trip Banzon to Bobo-Dioulasso there came the thought that the history of Burkina is marked by the presence of former MSOLA and we had the chance to put our feet there today for a short moment which tomorrow will be part of our history …
Iwona Cholewinska
