Afghanistan: A Tiny Seed
A small community in an Islamic world. Witness and service to the poorest. “The contribution which the small Christian community can make to pacification and the reconstruction of this country is limited, but the signs of its presence in this land are, in their poverty, still meaningful: the service of the poorest of the poor; […]
African Witnesses: Lucien Botovasoa
Lucien Botovasoa was born in 1908 in Vohipeno, a small village in the Diocese of Farafangana, on the south-eastern coast of Madagascar, more than one thousand kilometres from the nation’s capital. His parents were poor farmers, like many others in this region, always struggling with weather-related risks. They followed the traditional religion but were open-minded. […]
Philippines: The Tattoo Practitioner of Kalinga
In a remote village in Buscalan, Tinglayan Kalinga in northern Luzon, Whang-ud, a 90-year-old tattoo practitioner (manbatok) resides and continues to practice an age-old tradition of tattooing (batok). In the Butbut village, Whang-ud would sit quietly in her hut and would greet local and foreign visitors entering Buscalan. One could easily recognize Whang-ud with both […]
Ethiopia: A Grain of Hope
Bonga is one of the capitals of Ethiopian coffee. At the corner of every alleyway, one of those tiny coffee shops known as ‘buna bets’ is inevitably found. We start our journey to the deep heart of Ethiopia from this small town. It may be a small, plain, rural sort of town but Bonga has […]
African Witness. Blessed Cyprian Michael Tansi
Forty years ago, Father Tansi concluded his pilgrimage here on earth. The legacy of this outstanding Nigerian priest and monk challenges the Church to be ever more faithful to its identity and mission. Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi was born in 1903 in Igboezunu, southern Nigeria. His parents were Igbo farmers. At the age of […]
Africa: The Motorbike boom
Set to become the main mode of transport in Africa, motorcycle taxi invade roads and streets of cities, towns and villages. They are called by different names, boda boda , okada , and moto, and have come to define African city and village life in a fundamental way. The explosion of motorcycles in Africa is […]
The power of Ubuntu against racism and oppression
The concept of Ubuntu is deeply rooted in Africa and refers to human reality. It means confidence, sharing, collaboration. Mandela summarised it thus: “Are you willing to give something to help the people around you and so improve your community?” And he defeated apartheid. In times marked by the terrorist menace and by divisive arguments […]
Philippines: Dentist by Profession, Missionary by Vocation
Catalina Lucman, or Dentist Bambi as she is fondly called by her family and friends, is a dentist in the morning and a catechist in the evening. Keep smiling. The dual work as a dentist and catechist has been an interesting factor for Dentist Bambi. Asked how and why, she explains: “Whenever patients visit my […]
African Witness: Blessed Benedict Daswa
Pope Francis, in his decree of beatification, described Benedict as a “diligent catechist, a thoughtful teacher, a witness of the Gospel to the point of shedding his own blood.” Tshimangadzo Samuel Daswa was born on June 16, 1946, in the village of Mbahe in the province of Limpopo, South Africa, in what is now the […]
Panama: Sombrero pintao, a national heritage
The Panama’s sombrero pintao (painted hat) is worn during dances, parties and by farmers working in the fields to protect themselves from the sun. It is one of the most characteristic garments of the Panamanian folklore, and now it has become part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. Although there is little documentation on the origin […]