With 3 Belgian Lay Salvatorians we went from May 24 to June 19, 2016 to the Congo. I visited Congo as a representative of the ICDS (→ International Committee of the Divine Sevior).
A delegation of fathers, sisters and lay people had picked us up at the airport. We drove to the ‘ Avenue Kinkondja, where we stayed at the fathers house. Once there, we got a pleasant surprise. The executive committee of the Salvatorian Laity of Lubumbashi cooked a nice meal to welcome us.
After an exuberant greeting, which indicated that they were pleased with our visit.
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To conclude the evening, we sat together under the ‘paillotte’: we made detailed knowledge, exchanged documents and e-mail addresses and had some small talk.
Their interest was mainly on the organization of lay people in Europe and the ability to provide formation. The statutes, frequently asked questions, the formula for promises and the general guidelines that I presented can certainly help them out.
Papa Deo (Deogratias Kitoko), the chairman and Fr. Christian, the accompanying priest, gave us an invitation to the celebration commitment of the laity on Sunday. After an exuberant farewell we went tired but satisfied to sleep because it had surely been a busy first day.
On Sunday morning, May 29, Fr. Christian escorted us to the parish of St. Gabriel. There took at 11.00h the engagement celebration place. Two lay expressed their commitment for life, thirteen renewed their pledge and four spoke for the first time their promise. The laity wore clothing printed with various Salvatorian logos. This alone was a testimony to their commitment.
It was a wonderful two-hour celebration of the Eucharist presided by P. Floribert, Provincial. Father Christian’s homily was impressive.
After the celebration was offered us a drink followed by another full meal. The festivities lasted until late afternoon.
Thanks to the contacts made during these festivities we got to know the people, their culture and their way of believing and learned to appreciate it. They are different from us, but we cannot compete with their warmth and hospitality. It was an enormous enrichment for us, cool Europeans to be able to experience this.
On Wednesday, June 1, at 5pm we went to the novitiate of the fathers where a general meeting took place with the laity.
After an introduction of Papa Deo and a moment of prayer I could give an introduction for the entire group about our spirituality, with in mind the text of the Charter of the Salvatorian Family.
The entire group, including a number of young people, listened attentively and afterwards also asked very concrete questions. They got also some questions to discuss during their meetings, so that it would not be completed by me but afterwards by themselves.
Thursday morning we left with P. Aubin for a five-hour trip to Kolwezi.
We stayed with the sisters Salvatorianessen.
Already on Friday we had a first meeting with the board of the laity in Kolwezi.
They also welcomed us warmly. Still, you could feel that the atmosphere was different in the group. Their interest was not so much to the spiritual but more to the practical site: what we can do as a Lay Salvatorians and how can you help us in Europe.
They also asked how they could participate internationally and what they had to contribute financially.
Again, the same documents were distributed and discussed briefly, but the interest was clearly different. I also asked for an email address to stay in touch but they apparently hadn’t one. The accompanying sister promised to make one, but I’m worried because untill now I haven’t received anything.
On Saturday, June 4th we had a meeting with the large group of lay people in Kolwezi.
This group consists of five smaller groups that meet regularly in their own neighborhood. They try to meet every two months with the large group.
We were enthusiastically welcomed with singing and dancing.
After a brief introduction by Papa Bernard, the Chairman, I could present my introduction about spirituality. The people listened attentively, but I had the impression that some of them did not understand what it was all about. Therefore I have asked to translate the text into their own mother tongue and hope it happens this way, so that they can reflect together on the relevant questions.
After the official part, we have been provided with food and drink. Again, I got a better understanding of the overall event by individual conversations with some of the members.
At the farewell we got offered a small gift and they sang a thank you song for us and for the fathers who provided them with the location.
After many visits and an adventures trip into the inland we came back in Lubumbashi on Sunday 12th of June.
Afterwards we made some trips to admire the scenery and meet people.
On Thursday, June 16th, the lay of Lubumbashi came to say goodbye. Again they brought back some fresh drinks and the three of us got a Salvatorian dress as a farewell gift.
We agreed to keep in touch via email and that is so far quite successful.
On the return trip, we talked for a moment and looked back with satisfaction on four weeks of encounters and friendships in distant Africa.
A sincere thank you to the entire Congolese Salvatorian Family
for their warm welcome and their warm hospitality!
Text by Rita van Olmen
Rita van Olmen
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