Relations Africa – Europe
Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network (AEFJN) AEFJN is a Christian Network that strives to eliminate injustice and to promote Equity and Economic Justice in the relations between Europe and Africa. We do that by lobbying (working towards promoting just legislation and transforming the laws that cause Injustice and poverty). The members are Catholic International religious Congregations working in Africa and in Europe. About 80,000 persons in Africa and Europe are involved directly or indirectly in the activities of AEFJN. The International Secretariat in Brussels lobbies the European Union while the 11 national antennae in Africa and Europe lobby the national Governments and Parliaments. AEFJN was born in 1988 from two calls The deteriorating of the economic situation in Africa, despite developments efforts, and the call of missionary congregations to transform that situation. The call of Pope John Paul II to the missionaries to be present…
Migrants in the Algerian desert
Already two weeks ago I wanted to write something about a particular adventure – an adventure about migration; an adventure about human encounter. It is still possible to have beautiful encounters, free encounters, transforming encounters. Ghardaia, November 2013, the first hints of rain, little drizzles in the evening. The day is sunny and fresh, otherwise cold! The small desert offers its stones to the sun’s rays as if to suck the heat and keep it for the nights, already difficult to bear without shelter. The Algerian cities have been visited for the past year by unusual people, women and children from the south, begging by day, disappearing at night. At first like the war-refugees from Mali, then recognized as Nigerians, their presence questioned, sometimes disturbing, often leading to compassion. Algerian Associations mobilize quickly to bring them food, especially when cold attacks these scantily clad people. Some newspapers write about them.…
It is possible to live in harmony with our Algerian brothers and sisters
My main work now is welcoming people to the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, three days a week. In fact, having lived so many years in Algeria, since 1959, and knowing several languages (Arabic, German, Italian and French), is a valuable asset to receive and inform visitors to this high point in Algeria. I meet an average of 250 people per day, mostly Algerians who come to pray, because it is their Basilica! It has been completely restored two years ago, and since then, it is not unusual for delegations from the Middle East and other countries to come to visit. Also the Basilica of Our Lady of Africa has become a place of international worship. Many moving testimonies show this, such as that of an old man arriving from Jerusalem who wanted to visit Our Lady of Africa again before he died. He had lived…
Learning the language of the people who welcome us
How to reach someone if I do not speak their language? How to get close to them if I do not understand? How to love a people and their culture if I do not understand their language?
They do not let themselves be discouraged by these daily sufferings
As I was discovering how Mary personifies hope, I felt the strong link between Mary and the Congolese mamas. I understood why these mamas personify hope for me. MAMA SIFA rapidly comes down the hill. It is 6 am. She goes to Lake Kivu like every morning, with a plastic bag and … her rosary. On the shore, she fills her bag of roughly 50 kg of sand. She puts it on her back and ties it with a braided belt that encircles her forehead. With other mamas, she slowly climbs up the hill, a long calvary of a half hour, an hour or more … Whether the sun shines or the rain falls in torrents, She carries on, head bent. Mama Sifa is young. She can make three trips a day. Her rosary in hand, heart full of hope, she walks; happy to think of…
Break down all unjust structures
We join with other women in their aspirations and their struggle to be recognised in their dignity. Today women are called to unite in an effort to bring about the integral liberation of the human person and break down all unjust structures. Let us participate actively in all these efforts to make our world more human. This is also true for the Church. May it give women their rightful place; may it welcome and encourage women’s initiatives. Bishops of Uganda – 1997: “The absence of an adequate education was and still is a big obstacle to the full liberation of women. A community or a Church which ignores the educational promotion of their women will neither grow nor have a positive influence on the population, as it should have.” Mgr Mpundu – 2nd Synod for Africa – 2009: “Denial of equality to women is an affront to…