From our sister Vickness Muleya in the community in St Julien Ouagadougou Cathedral
One day, I went to the African Press to ask for information. At reception, I asked to see the priest, responsible for the African Press. Arriving at the office, when he saw me, he said:
This is how good God is! It was you I was looking for, but now you found me!”
This is how a beautiful Thanksgiving experience began for the silver jubilee of Father Mathurin Ouangrawa at the Delwende Center!
Father Mathurin Ouangrawa, director of the African Press, chose the Delwende Center to celebrate his Silver Jubilee of Priesthood. His motivation being: “to bring joy to the residents of the Delwende Center by sharing my joy with them.” He also insisted that, “it was also to bring many other people to discover the Center and to put their hands in the reality of these women.” He took all the expenses of the feast on himself and he also added a beef!
The big day arrived on December 31, 2023, the day of the Thanksgiving Mass. That day, everyone was at the Center at 6 a.m. because they were “the residents” who had taken charge of the entire organization with the administrative team. In any case, things have moved at the Center. We were all busy with something: decorations, cooking, arranging chairs, tables; preparation of the altar, reading, intentions, cleaning etc. So it was the business of whole house. We also invited the choir from our new parish of Toudoubweogo to help us with the hymns and the animation of the mass.
At 8 a.m., Father Mathurin Ouangrawa arrived at the Center with Father Henri, his companion, to make sure everything was okay and that is exactly what he found. His heart at ease, he spent his time chatting with the mothers in the yard, especially those who could not move much.
At 9:45 a.m., everyone was already under the hangar. The mass started at 10 a.m. sharp. Our women were all ready. Oh! how beautiful they looked in the Center’s kitenge and T-shirt! The Center was filled with cars as you can imagine. There was a crowd of people. People came to support the priest in his joy in celebrating his Jubilee of 25 years of priesthood!
In his homily, he made us understand that this thought of celebrating his Silver Jubilee at the Center did not come suddenly but that it had been happening for a long time. He was happy to do it at the Center, to share his joy with these women. He also shared with us that his family had already thought about a venue and everything else, but he told them, “No, I will not celebrate where you chose but I will celebrate at the Delwende Center.” He said he only invited a small number of people because he wanted it to be quiet and simple and family-friendly. It was Holy Family Sunday. He chose his day well.
The women were so touched and moved and they said to themselves,
There are very few people who can do this for us. He truly elevated us, honored us and we are proud of him. We pray only to God. Mow nsuri nomamé!” Which means: “We are very happy!”
People said: oh! What a world you have here! Some still said, it’s my first time coming here; or I didn’t know it was like that and still others expressed their disappointment with the Burkinabè people by saying: How can they do this? This will not be the last visit, rest assured, they said! Many others came with donations that ranged from soaps to tomato sauce!
The women welcomed people from all social classes. There was also TV and Radio Maria, the broadcast of the diocese. Despite all their fatigue, the women were so happy. They danced, chatted with the priest, sang songs of encouragement for him and songs of thanksgiving for his 25-year service. The priest stayed with the women until the evening, being among the last to leave the Center. The mothers accompanied him with the drums and singing. I end with the refrain of a song that comes to me:
“Signs by the thousands, traces of your glory,
Signs by the thousands, God in our history.
Signs by the thousands, traces of your glory,
Signs by the thousands, God in our history.”
This is the day that the Lord has made! May his Name be praised always and forever!
