Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) - “I saw refugee children setting an example of solidarity which secures peace” says Italian Comboni missionary Fr Piero Ferrari who just returned from Darfur. “In refugee camps I saw five year olds queuing up for a mug of tea and a few biscuits and then share them with their younger brothers and sisters as if it were the most natural thing in the world. These children teach us to share with others that they may live, and this leads to true peace”.
Fr. Ferrari describes what he saw in the region the size of France: “the situation in Darfur is unspeakably tragic: I travelled for kilometres across the desert, not a natural one, a desert made by man. Entire villages raised to the ground, the villagers exterminated or put to flight. Many camps of displaced persons in Sudan receive help only the from the Catholic Church. Here too the poor and simple people are the greatest: for example the Sisters who care for displaced children under very difficult conditions, without suitable structures, in a situation of precarious security. Here we see what faith is: no one rationally would accept this work except people animated by faith, hope and charity”.
“I often wonder about the future of these children” says Comboni Brother Agostino, on mission in El Obeid diocese. “As well as physical destruction war leaves an indelible mark on people” the mission says. “Whole families are morally and physically destroyed. For extended families in which there remain only the women and children, not even one man to bring in some money it means total dependence or perhaps worse”.
“We must be able to offer hope to refugees who want to come home after years of exile. But at the moment this is impossible: there are no roads or bridges, no schools or clinics. All Sudan is in the same condition. Only in Khartoum the capital are infrastructures being rebuilt, the whole city is a work site, while the rest of the country is waiting for rebuilding to start at last” the missionary said.
“If they really want peace, development must be guaranteed, these young people have a right to a future and unless it is guaranteed they may have to seek better fortune in another country or remain displaced persons for life”.
“The local Church is doing her part” says Brother Agostino. “In the diocese of El Obeid we have just finished rebuilding three schools destroyed during the civil war. Each school can take up to 250 pupils. Now we are overseeing the rebuilding of schools in the Nuba Mountains where exceptionally ferocious fighting left nothing standing. Besides schools we are also rebuilding dispensaries and clinics”.
“With the war over we can move around more easily and this make our work as missionaries less difficult. We can take spiritual and material help to people in villages isolated for years and access their needs” says Brother Agostino.
“For Christmas we hope to be able to give more families a little extra flour and some palm dates to celebrate the coming of the Lord. Here a little maize flour, milk and dried fruit goes a long way to make many people happy” the missionary concluded. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/12/2005 righe 44 parole 598)
