AFRICA/SUDAN - Victims of a "forgotten war", the population asks the nuns not to leave: "As long as you are here, we have hope"

Monday, 13 November 2023

Karthoum (Agenzia Fides) - The missionaries of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice, FMA) in Khartoum, whose house was hit by a bomb last November 3, are doing well. “It was a nice surprise, because it is difficult to find the right time for a connection,” emphasizes the superior general of the Don Bosco Sisters, Chiara Cazzuola, with regard to a call from the sisters from Khartoum. "The sisters report that, thank God, they are okay, even though their house was bombed... While they did not initially fully appreciate the seriousness of what was happening from the inside, people from the outside saw the damage that the bombing caused to their house and went to see if the sisters were still alive, if they were okay and if they needed anything.” “During the phone call," says Sister Chiara, "you could hear the children crying who were with their mothers and many poor people”. The nuns welcome everyone, to the point of not knowing how many people they have in their house. “As long as you are here, we have hope, do not abandon us!” is the heartbreaking request that people make to the sisters, their only hope. And the entire religious community is happy to be able to stay where they are. Sister Chiara is also worried about the distance and the difficult communication links, but, like all the Don Bosco Sisters, she trusts in the help of Mary, Help of Christians, who always protects them, and she asks all members of the Institute and the formation communities to continue to invoke Her powerful intercession for peace in Sudan and in all nations of the world torn by conflict. The United Nations estimates that the civil war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which broke out on April 15, has so far claimed 9,000 lives and displaced more than 6 million people. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 13/11/2023)


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