UGANDA, Maria Fischer with Jean de Dieu Ntisumbwa •
It is 70 km from Nakivale parish in the largest African refugee camp, where Burundian refugee Jean de Dieu Ntisumbwa, lives, to the post office in Mbarara and the post box of the Catholic parish of Mbarara, which he can use to receive parcels. Due to corona, there is no taxi and no public transportation system. But Jean de Dieu urgently wanted to go to Mbarara to pick up the parcel that had arrived from Schoenstatt… —
So, he took his bicycle and rode off. After a long ride, he could open the long-awaited parcel, sent from Schoenstatt, Germany, by Fr. Pablo Pol, rector of the Original Shrine and always ready to go the extra mile for Schoenstatt in Africa.
With just one Pilgrim MTA – originally from Argentina, destinated for the Netherlands, and “re-commissioned” for Uganda -, some Schoenstatt flags and scarves, some information from Schoenstatt.org in the few moments of internet availability, and a lot of love and commitment, Schoenstatt Uganda is growing in Nakivale. The big longing: more Pilgrim Mother pictures, more medals and Unity Crosses, some leaflets on Schoenstatt to spread the Covenant of Love among more people.
“With a lot of excitement, I really thank Fr. Pablo. May God keep blessing him through the Original Shrine of Schoenstatt,” Jean de Dieu wrote after opening the parcel with all the treasures Fr. Pablo was able to send. “Schoenstatt of Uganda gets more help from Argentina, from where we got the Pilgrim Mother…… It is a sign that Argentina is a garden of Mary. Thank you, Maria Fischer, as well as Father Pablo, thank you so much.”
School project
At this moment, due to the Corona pandemic, schools and churches in Uganda are closed. Jean de Dieu already has plans for the time after corona. When schools re-open, he wants to bring Schoenstatt to some board schools. This is how Schoenstatt grows in Burundi. It is not easy, he shares. It is difficult to get permission. But he is sure: The Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt will find a way.
