By Sr. Vickness Muleya – Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
It was a beautiful, sunlit day in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. I felt a deep desire to take part in the Tabaski Festival (Eid al-Adha) for the first time since arriving here – a symbolic gesture of interfaith solidarity and shared humanity with our Muslim brothers and sisters.
Somewhere in my heart, I sensed the call to live our missionary charism on a deeper level – through presence, communion, and mutual respect. After Mass, Sister Nadine Nana and I made our way to the meeting point near the cathedral by Radio Maria, where we were warmly welcomed. We were soon joined by others and gathered under the guidance of Father Étienne Kaboré, head of Islamic-Christian Dialogue. He divided us into three groups. I joined a group of five with Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo.
As we entered the prayer grounds, I was moved by the sense of sacredness, the quiet discipline, and deep respect for the space.
Everyone came with their own prayer mat. The reverence reminded me that before God, we all stand equal – a truth echoed in Psalm 8:
When I consider the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have created: what is man, that you are mindful of him? or the son of man, that you pay attention to him?”
I felt a profound awe. In that moment, I saw another face of God – in the devotion of others, in the silence, in the sincerity. It gave me goosebumps and stirred within me a deep fear of the Lord – not fear in the negative sense, but a humble reverence.
After prayer, we were graciously invited by Sheikh Doukouré, a respected Islamic leader in Ouagadougou, to his home. We were received with great hospitality and mutual joy. Their appreciation of our presence was heartfelt. Later, we also visited Sheikh Moaz, a man of peace, gratitude, and openness to other faiths. He said something that still echoes in my heart:
“Without the Church, we do not know what would happen to us in the world.”
Our conversation was deep and natural—sharing as brothers and sisters in humanity, exchanging reflections on life, faith, and coexistence.
Throughout the experience, Psalm 84 resounded in my spirit:
“Love and truth meet together; justice and peace embrace.”
In that sacred moment, I felt embraced by the universal love of God—a love without boundaries.
Truly, everyone inhabited by the Holy Spirit is a child of God.
