Fr. Victor Bongiovanni
Kabala is “a wonderful place inhabited by wonderful people”. The presence of the Xaverian Fathers has left a visible mark of admiration in the environment and especially in the hearts of its people. People admire the Fathers and have towards them a deep sense of gratitude. We, the Fathers now present in Kabala, find that we are reaping what our confreres have been sowing in years past.
Recently I was at the Community Centre of Kabala waiting for the President who was coming to visit the Koinadugu District. A lot of people were there, as you can imagine. I was greeting the Paramount Chiefs. I was caught by surprise when the Paramount Chief of Kondembaya, whom I had never met before, loudly called the attention of the other Chiefs and said: “Look at the Catholic missionaries. They really have concern for us. You do not see any foreigner here today; they all have left because of ebola. But the catholic Fathers have remained with us...” This surely means admiration and gratitude.
On another occasion, the Catholic Mission was invited to the Council of the Christian Pastors: 32 Pastors representing 32 Churches. There is a Church for any desire and taste! We prayed together; I was scared at the way they were shouting the name of Jesus, and the ‘Alleluias’ and ‘Amens’... But I believe in all of them there is missionary zeal that seeks to spread the name of Jesus and his Gospel. I feel that we can be united with them in diversity... They want the Catholic Mission to be with them by all means. They do appreciate our presence very much. For example, at the time when we had the first “Lock down” and there was no Mass on Sunday, Radio Bintumani, the local radio, invited the Christian Pastors to broadcast a Christian Programme. The Catholic Mission was asked to give a biblical reflection. Again on the Christmas Vigil, our Church was invited to broadcast on the radio a Christian Message. United to the other Churches, we are praying for one another: the more each Church comes close to God, the more we come close to one another. This is our ecumenism in Kabala.
Then people in town appreciate our presence at civil events. I was surprised when I heard on the Radio myname as a person chosen to be a member of the ‘Koinadugu Ebola Task Force’. All this happens because of the appreciation people have for the Catholic Fathers, for all the good things they have done in Kabala in past years. Once at an Ebola Task Force meeting, they set up a five man committee. By all means they wanted a Father to be a member. To be frank, sometimes I feel embarrassed when there are meetings of the big men of the District and they want me to be present. Once there was a meeting of the Paramount Chiefs, together with the Commanders of the Army and the Police: they wanted me to be there as well. No one else... I felt like a fish out of the water.
We try to have our Catholic Community fully involved with the District and Town community. We hope and try to live up to the moral standards of our Xaverian predecessors, who left behind so much admiration.
Kabala is “a wonderful place inhabited by wonderful people”. The presence of the Xaverian Fathers has left a visible mark of admiration in the environment and especially in the hearts of its people. People admire the Fathers and have towards them a deep sense of gratitude. We, the Fathers now present in Kabala, find that we are reaping what our confreres have been sowing in years past.
Recently I was at the Community Centre of Kabala waiting for the President who was coming to visit the Koinadugu District. A lot of people were there, as you can imagine. I was greeting the Paramount Chiefs. I was caught by surprise when the Paramount Chief of Kondembaya, whom I had never met before, loudly called the attention of the other Chiefs and said: “Look at the Catholic missionaries. They really have concern for us. You do not see any foreigner here today; they all have left because of ebola. But the catholic Fathers have remained with us...” This surely means admiration and gratitude.
On another occasion, the Catholic Mission was invited to the Council of the Christian Pastors: 32 Pastors representing 32 Churches. There is a Church for any desire and taste! We prayed together; I was scared at the way they were shouting the name of Jesus, and the ‘Alleluias’ and ‘Amens’... But I believe in all of them there is missionary zeal that seeks to spread the name of Jesus and his Gospel. I feel that we can be united with them in diversity... They want the Catholic Mission to be with them by all means. They do appreciate our presence very much. For example, at the time when we had the first “Lock down” and there was no Mass on Sunday, Radio Bintumani, the local radio, invited the Christian Pastors to broadcast a Christian Programme. The Catholic Mission was asked to give a biblical reflection. Again on the Christmas Vigil, our Church was invited to broadcast on the radio a Christian Message. United to the other Churches, we are praying for one another: the more each Church comes close to God, the more we come close to one another. This is our ecumenism in Kabala.
Then people in town appreciate our presence at civil events. I was surprised when I heard on the Radio myname as a person chosen to be a member of the ‘Koinadugu Ebola Task Force’. All this happens because of the appreciation people have for the Catholic Fathers, for all the good things they have done in Kabala in past years. Once at an Ebola Task Force meeting, they set up a five man committee. By all means they wanted a Father to be a member. To be frank, sometimes I feel embarrassed when there are meetings of the big men of the District and they want me to be present. Once there was a meeting of the Paramount Chiefs, together with the Commanders of the Army and the Police: they wanted me to be there as well. No one else... I felt like a fish out of the water.
We try to have our Catholic Community fully involved with the District and Town community. We hope and try to live up to the moral standards of our Xaverian predecessors, who left behind so much admiration.