{"id":69156,"date":"2021-04-12T03:24:16","date_gmt":"2021-04-12T01:24:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carmelitaniscalzi.com\/?p=69156"},"modified":"2021-07-08T03:26:11","modified_gmt":"2021-07-08T01:26:11","slug":"bouar-central-african-republic-refugees-at-the-carmelite-monastery-of-st-elias-in-bouar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carmelitaniscalzi.com\/en\/2021\/04\/12\/bouar-central-african-republic-refugees-at-the-carmelite-monastery-of-st-elias-in-bouar\/","title":{"rendered":"BOUAR, Central African Republic Refugees at the Carmelite Monastery of St. Elias in Bouar"},"content":{"rendered":"

On January 13, 2021, yet another failed coup plunged the population of the Central African Republic into panic.\u00a0 2,385 persons, the majority of them women and children, fled from the rebel military and sought sanctuary in our Monastery of St. Elias.\u00a0 With the assistance of some ONG and agents of the United Nations, the friars were able to cope with the most urgent needs of the refugees.<\/p>\n

So for 40 days it was necessary to reorganise the whole life at St. Elias.\u00a0 We had to live and share:\u00a0 the Friars with the refugees, the refugees with their fears and hopes and everybody with insecurity and uncertainty.\u00a0 During this tragic period seven babies were born in the monastery.\u00a0 On February 5, the Bishop of Bouar, Mons. Mirek Guewa, paid us a visit and, with the refugees, took part in some moments of prayer guided by our Friars.\u00a0 Then on February 9, Cardinal Dieudonne Nzapalainga, the Archbishop of Bangui also visited, accompanied by the \u201cReligious Platform\u201d of Bangui which included Catholic members and some Protestants and Muslims.\u00a0 These all offered words of encouragement and support to the refugees.\u00a0 All the members of the Platform wanted to bless the new mothers and their infants, before concluding their visit with shared prayer.\u00a0 On that very day Bouar was liberated y the Central African Republic army with Russian assistance.<\/p>\n

From February 13, all the refugees were able to gradually return to their homes.\u00a0 At our Sunday Nass on February 14,\u00a0 one lady, speaking on behalf of all the refugees, expressed their gratitude to the Carmelite Community.\u00a0 Since then only the Central African soldiers and some Russians remain here.\u00a0 These come to get water and to have showers.<\/p>\n

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