From the 24th to the 26th of June 2022, our end of year assembly was held in the community of Diébougou, vice-province of Burkina Faso, for a review of the pastoral and community year.
In her words, our Vice-Provincial, Silvie Roamba, gave thanks to the Lord, Master of the mission, for all that He has allowed each one of us to experience. We began our year with the question: what would she be with her uncertainties? But also with this conviction in the words of Christ to his disciples: “Trust, courage, it is I, do not be afraid” (Mt 14:27). During our assembly, we received the yearly reports of the different communities and also listened to the review of the 25 years of our presence in Diébougou.
At the end of this review, we could bow to the sacred history of these valiant women, to what they have lived day after day for 25 years! We were touched by the unpredictability of the Holy Spirit which led to the installation of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit in Burkina Faso, an installation brought about by the fusion between the sisters of Our Lady of Briouze and the Daughters of the Holy Spirit. We also recognise in this experience of our older sisters the fact that they knew how to be one with the people by incarnating the charism of Marie BALAVENNE and her companions -the very first Daughters of the Holy Spirit – in collaboration with each other and with others, on Burkinabe soil. It is up to us today to continue to write this History by always incarnating our spiritual values in the midst of our peoples.
At the end of this review, we would like to thank our Vice-Provincial and her Council, and especially God for having allowed us to re-read the experience of our older sisters in the Diocese of Diébougou: their attachment to the person of Jesus Christ, their availability, their attention to the least favoured, their welcome, their spirit of openness and collaboration and their simplicity mark us! May these spiritual values that they have lived in community and in their mission continue to stimulate us in our daily lives.
At the end of the various reviews and reflections, we celebrated the presence of our two Nigerian sisters among us, Sisters Mary Abodunrin and Juliet Idowu, who are called to join the Vice-Province of Nigeria for other missions. We were grateful for their availability to the mission of the Congregation and wished them well for the future.
It was for each of us a time of fraternity, conviviality and laughter. Thank you to each of the sisters of the Vice-Province for the witness of life and the gift of self in the mission. May Christ always strengthen us and bless our various sacrifices for the greater glory of God!
Happy holidays to each one and above all “Confidence, courage”.
Written by sisters Clémentine Tapsoba and Odette Zongo. Published on 30/06/2022
