Impressions from Africa

Two Fulani girls, beneficiaries of a mobile health programme in Nigeria. Malaria, fever, diarrhoea, scabies and worms are the main problems requiring treatment [Jon Spaull]

The 2007 CAFOD Clifton Diocese Gathering, which focused on three recent CAFOD field trips to Africa, drew an audience of 120 supporters from all parts of the diocese.

Supporters attending the Gathering at St Teresa’s Social Centre, Filton, Bristol, heard presentations from Bishop Declan Lang, Dr Tina Beattie and Tony Vassallo.

All three had been on CAFOD field trips this year to different countries in Africa and had three very different and inspiring stories to tell about their experiences.

Experiences in Kenya

Dr Tina Beattie, a Reader in Christian Studies at Roehampton University and a volunteer member of CAFOD’s Spirituality Advisory Group, spoke about her experiences in Kenya attending the international launch of the Live Simply Initiative at the World Social Forum in January 2007.

Tina’s presentation offered a rich diversity of Biblical scholarship and Christian teaching as well as poignant pictorial images and reflections to provoke thought and discussion.

Whilst in Kenya, Tina was able to visit some of CAFOD’s programmes in Nairobi and was particularly moved by a project where women support other women who have been ostracised by their communities because of Aids or rape.

Radical faith in action

One of the more poignant images that Tina showed was of an 8 year old girl called Grace. In the image, Grace is cradling her brother Francis, who has AIDS.

Grace’s father left her mother when her mother was diagnosed with Aids. Her other siblings - two older sisters and a brother left for the city to find work.

Grace sits holding her little brother as Pieta, an image of a God who holds us when there’s nothing else to be done. Grace has forgotten how to smile.

The support which this project provides through women with courage, is radical faith in action and very much in the spirit of the radical encyclical Populorum Progressio.

“If we could wake up every day and be thankful for the day,” Tina said, “we might not need to buy so much and instead of our time on earth being consumed by property there can be joy in living sustainably and in leading a life less burdened with affluence.”

Life in the camps

The next speaker was Tony Vassallo, CAFOD Manager for the Clifton Diocese, who updated supporters on the humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

Tony had recently returned from Darfur where he’d been on a CAFOD field trip with CAFOD’s Director Chris Bain.

Attendees at the World Social Forum support CAFOD's Unearth Justice campaign [CAFOD]

Tony vividly described life in the camps in Darfur. Some of these camps house in excess of 100,000 people and Tony said that the vastness of the camps in which those who have fled now live is overwhelming.

“Although I had seen photos of these camps, and had braced myself for what I was going to see, no photo can reproduce the sheer scale and awfulness of the thousands of rounded mounds of blue plastic igloos or sackcloth huts which displaced people have cobbled together for shelter” he said.

Tony met some very brave women who’d told him their villages had been attacked by the “Men on horses”, the Janjaweed. Their homes had been torched, their crops burned. Some women were raped and men were killed.

Traumatised by their horrific experiences, many women and children have been able to come to terms with the violence they’ve been subjected to through counselling with a trained counsellor.

When they feel ready they’re encouraged to gather with other women in reed-walled huts where they share their experiences.

Reflections on Nigeria

Following a pictorial overview of Nigeria and a montage of slides of his visit there earlier in the year, Bishop Declan rounded off the Africa theme and described his talk as a reflection on what had stayed with him.

Bishop Declan stated that one of CAFOD’s strengths is that it works in partnership with people and he felt he could really appreciate what this meant when, while they were in Nigeria, they signed an agreement with the Nigerian bishops which said, “We will invite you to share with us in our needs” .

The visit coincided with a time of preparation for local elections and Bishop Declan was interested to see that the Nigerian Bishops were very much in touch with the people and were heard as a voice in public life.

He was impressed by the efforts made by the church to be involved in interfaith dialogue and the good relations that had developed between Christianity and Islam.

He recounted a story of one particular CAFOD funded clinic which had provided such good healthcare to the community, Muslim as well as Christian, that its reputation had even been discussed by Muslims on a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Bishop Declan came back feeling, “How much they have taught me”. He saw people enjoying and celebrating their faith. People dealing with the most basic issues in life like, “Will I be alive tomorrow” had a faith which brought them hope.

The many who came really enjoyed the Gathering and went away encouraged and motivated.

“There really was a buzz in the discussions around me, which I think came from the calibre of the speakers and their presentations, and the understanding of the immediacy of CAFOD’s work”, wrote one supporter.

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