E…like Emancipation
What language do missionaries “speak”? Theirs is an alphabet of mercy, with letters that breathe life back into words and generate works
One day, I was in a parish in the diocese of Venice. Between Masses, they offered me coffee in the oratory premises.
They were preparing the feast and as always there was a banquet with items made by good ladies. As I drank, I looked around.
My attention was immediately caught by a little African doll (mom with baby). I brazenly said I would like to take her home. Someone replied that there was no one there to follow this activity, and so I resigned myself.
I returned to the church and after a short while, a lady arrived with a bag and inside was the baby doll. I didn’t know how to say thank you.
So I took it home and put it on top of the desk where I write every day.
Moms, African women.
She reminds me of so many mothers, besides my own of course, who in Africa try, with dignity, to be recognized as people.
They do not expect thanks for what they do, but at least that we realize that they too are important in making the world a better place.
In Europe, there is a lot of talk about empowerment, about rights (sometimes also about duties), and those who are most vocal seem to be the best. Lectures are given, television appearances are made, and reflections are posted on social media. But then does anything really change?
I don’t want to make a judgment; it’s not up to me.
I don’t want to make a judgment; it’s not up to me.Things are there for everyone to see and everyone can give their opinion. I prefer to go back to thinking about African mothers.
Of course they too have to emancipate themselves, not to be considered only “useful to do jobs,” but they also have, like each of us, dreams, plans. They believe that things can change.However, they need someone to give them confidence, importance, to take notice of them.
Sisters’ commitment to promote empowerment
Missionaries, and in particular, the missionaries, try to help them in so many ways to get out of this “subjection” (or slavery?) to the way of reasoning of society that is run by the male sector.
We know well that 80 percent of the economy, in Africa, travels on the shoulders of women. When you meet them along the roads, as they go to work in the fields or at the market with loads on their shoulders, you wonder what “being people” means to them.
Perhaps, they have never asked themselves this very important question.
Of course, those who live in the city and are employed in state offices often fill their mouths with this phrase, but they forget where they came from, especially their mothers.
Sometimes, one gets the impression that they are almost ashamed that they were born in a small town, they who now live in “villas” (cities) and except for a few rare cases, do not do much to help them.
How many times the nuns, gathering the mothers, made them understand that it was important to know how to read and write, to have a job (not only the one in the fields), how to educate a child and help him in school, in sickness, in short in his future.
You would look at their faces and see their faces, tired from fatigue. Perhaps, they wanted to tell you that they also liked to learn many things, but the one who was in charge in the house (the husband) did not always agree, on the contrary….
But, in spite of everything, we would get close to them, without getting tired, to help them understand that there are many good things to learn and that can help them be happy (or at least less tired).
Of course, it was time-consuming work, but when they could do something new that brought happiness to their homes as well, then they would go wild in dance, songs of joy and thanks.
Source
- Father Oliviero Ferro
Image
- Image digitally created by spazio + spadoni