Face to face with human suffering
By our community in Ukusijoni, Uganda In our common project in which we collaborate closely with the Missionaries of Africa, we are at the stage of needs assessment, and we have just finished in one of the refugee settlements. We go to the refugee settlements and meet people, listen to them through group discussions, home visits, interviews and questionnaires. It is a very enriching and necessary time. We have an opportunity to discover with details the reality in which the refugees live, their struggles, pains as well as their aspirations and hopes. However, at the same time, it is a challenging experience as we meet face to face with real human suffering. The most heart-breaking sharing is about the lack of food: reduced ratio given by the UN, rocky place or no land where to cultivate for oneself, crops destroyed by cattle… many find themselves in a hopeless situation. There…
Youth in action in the Refugee Camp in Dzaleka, Malawi
By Sr. Agathe Mukamuligo, Lilongwe, Malawi I have seen and I witnessed it. I was at the service of the Catholic Community of St. Ignatius of Loyola. It was an experience from January to May 2022.The general situation of the Church in the Refugee Camp: Why the Catholic Community of Loyola? There are three Catholic communities in the camp. We belong to the Catholic community of St. Ignatius of Loyola served by the Jesuit Fathers. At first, it was one community, but now there are three! I found myself in this reality of the Church where we try to practice our faith, thanks be to God. The situation of many of the young people: They were born and raised in the refugee camp. Most of them came from Tanzania and were transported to Malawi. These young people, members of the Catholic community of St. Ignatius of Loyola, are very committed.…
A more humane world in harmony with nature
The request for an article on the MVA in Oran found me as I was preparing a meeting at the library. What is close to my heart and what I would like to invite others to do with me is to continue to develop our commitment to a more humane world in harmony with nature. For this purpose, I asked a Malian student Félicienne Diarra, who had just finished her studies at the University of Oran in a “specialty” and defended her Master in Environmental Process Engineering. She told us about the production of biogas through the treatment of organic waste (vegetable peelings, sludge from treatment plants, etc.). She chose this theme because according to her the world is facing a challenge that threatens its existence. The waste is piling up (and in the streets of Oran for several days of the garbage collectors’ strike it has become drastic and…
Vocational discernment camp – from 22 to 29 August 2022 in Burkina Faso
The Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa invite young girls who wish to attend a vocational discernment camp on the theme: “Youth in search , what are you looking for?” This camp will take place from the evening of Monday 22 August to the morning of Monday 29 August 2022 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, around the cathedral next to the grotto, in the courtyard of the White Sisters. Arrival: from 3pm The participation fee is 2000F per person. Transport is at the expense of each participant. Please bring a Bible, a notebook and a pen, as well as personal necessities. N.B.: We ask you to inform us before the 17th of August. Telephone number: 70 63 90 22
And may the friendship continue!
The International Day of Living Together in Peace takes place on May 16 each year. It was established on December 8, 2017 by the United Nations. It is devoted to living together, that is to say the acceptance of differences, respect and recognition towards others in a spirit of peace. This date was not really known to us, the Sisters of La Marsa, in Tunisia! It was Sofia, one of the daughters of our friend Najoua from the city of Kef, in the north-west of the country, who told us about it. Sofia, 16, is the leader of a club of young Keffois aged 15 to 18 who meet regularly “to improve the state of our society and the spirit of our generation and to spread a healthy mentality in our environment “. Sofia had the idea of inviting two White Sisters from La Marsa to come and testify about…
The Netherlands: a walk through history
On the 9th of April we organized a walk of 12 kilometers from the local history museum in Boxtel to the little village of Esch, a place from which many White Sisters left for Africa between 1895-2005. Since the 1st of January 2021 Esch belongs to the bigger village of Boxtel and to mark this date the local museum made an exhibition about the ‘Canon (history) of Esch’. Esch is an old village where Roman remains were found by archaeologists; it is around 1300 years old. One of the objects on the exposition is a big painting by one of our sisters, the almost blind Sr. Dymphna Kleemans (+), of the motherhouse ‘Sancta Monica’ and a doll of a White Sister in her old habit. The old mother house of the White Sisters, St. Monica (the mother of St. Augustin was named Monica and she was born in Algeria), is…
Sisters among the people
Being inserted in the village, our community is a home for all. On a daily basis, we receive people who come for different reasons: to greet, to sell (the milieu where we stay, women and girls do a lot of hawking), looking for someone to confide in, and for learning purposes (pupils who come to revise their notes). For so many years, our sisters have been immersed in the ministry of education at different levels. We respond to this particular call because learning opens a person to many other opportunities and gives occasion to learn about issues that are a concern for us sisters, such as: care of the environment, respect of differences, commitment to Faith, and prevention of modern slavery. It is almost the 6th month since I was appointed to the community of Gumo, in Ghana, and joined in this pastoral work. I am starting a new project…
Fill the jars with water!
Sunday 29 May 2022 There is an unusual agitation in the village of Kanie (50km from Lublin, in eastern Poland). They go here and there, looking for something, bringing something, talking, singing, taking photos… – But it is quite a pleasant chaos. It seems to be an unusual sight in this small town, especially that most of these people come from different continents, which is obvious at first glance. But… what is it really all about? It looks like a big celebration. And so it was! Sister Ania Wójcik, Missionary Sister of Our Lady of Africa, was to make her perpetual vows that day. It was all for her. And for Him who called her. At 10 a.m. in the parish of Saints Peter and Paul the solemn Holy Mass began, celebrated by Bishop Adam Bab. The singing in different languages, as well as the prayer, accompanied by rhythmic sounds,…
The creation of a business school
Madeleine Jacqueminet spent more than half a century of her African missionary life in Burkina Faso. A teacher by training, she has done secretarial work and accounting. The years have passed and today she is at the St Charles retirement home in Verrières-le-Buisson, where she has kept her good mood, her dynamism and her joie de vivre… For me, the “All to all” of our founder Charles Lavigerie, began the day I responded to a request from Cardinal Zoungrana (from Ouagadougou), who asked for someone to start a commercial school. There was a lack of secretaries in Burkina. But what to do? I started from NOTHING, I had to find a group of students, equipment, a room, organize everything! My first job was to prepare an entrance exam to select the most suitable girls to start this training. Then I went to see the headmaster of the technical school…
I was born in Plouguerneau
Anna Bernard lives at the St Charles retirement home in Verrières le Buisson. During her African missionary life, it was Kabylia that welcomed her and she has wonderful memories. She also spent many years in France, always to render the humble service of cook there. With great kindness, she responded to our little interview. Anna, are you from the family of Mother Marie Salomé? She was a relative from afar, but I knew her family well. In Plouguerneau where I was born, I was close to one of her nieces. We were five children, I had two older brothers and two younger brothers. Only the youngest remains, my godson, whom I telephone. In what language do you speak to him? In Breton, of course! I even pray in Breton. When I arrived in Kabylie, I was told that it was a very difficult language to learn. I learned it with…