Christmas in Zimbabwe

After Zambia, the General Promoter went a little further south, to Zimbabwe, where he stayed from December 22 to 27. There he celebrated the Nativity of the Lord. As in the previous country, the Dominican missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart welcomed him, first in the capital, Harare, and later in the center of the country in a mission in the bush, Loreto.

In Zimbabwe, the sisters of this congregation realize a wonderful job in the field of education. They founded the first school for deaf children in the country. The school, initially in the bush, has been moved to the capital, in the residential area of Emerald Hill. This is where the Promoter was hosted.

From this place, meetings were organized with the sisters of the different communities of the city: that of Emerald Hill, of course, then that of the House of Adoration - a large community of elderly sisters, mostly German - and finally that of St. John’s school. Each time, the work of the Promoter and projects for the upcoming Jubilee of the Order were presented. These meetings have been an excellent opportunity to exchange fraternally together.

For Christmas, Sister Pelagia Siziba, the regional superior of the congregation, organized an expedition to the center of the country. She chose the mission of Loreto to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord. Loreto is a mission that is totally lost in the bush. There, the sisters do a great work for children and youth.

Due to a heavy storm, electricity was cut off and we celebrated the Christmas night mass... in the dark! The only light came from the two candles placed on the altar. It was a truly unique Mass: in the dark, with the sound of drums and among bats!

Bethlehem… in Loreto!