Alberto de la Portilla – Page 156 – Comboni Lay Missionaries

Welcome Élia!

9 July, 20167 July, 2016 by Alberto de la Portilla

On July 3 arrived at Lisbon airport the CLM Élia- She returns from the Central African Republic after five years of missionary service in the mission of Mongoumba.

After the reception at the airport from the CLM Pedro, Liliana and Flávio and sister Carmen, we went with great joy by to eat at the house of the Comboni Sisters in Olivais. In addition to the community of the Comboni sisters, where there were the Family of Pedro. During lunch, we talk and share mission´s adventures. It was a beautiful moment of conviviality. After lunch, there was still room for some delicious Welcoming´s cakes!

In the afternoon, Élia continued her way home in the Algarve, where she is now with her family.

We appreciate the availability of the Comboni Sisters and wish Élia a good return and readjustment to the reality of our country.

Welcome Élia!

Portuguese CLM

New CLM logo in Portugal

6 July, 2016 by Alberto de la Portilla

On January 25, 2016, the CLM of Portugal celebrated 18 years since its foundation. In this sense, and to commemorate this occasion, the Movement renews its image and will use a new logo.

This new logo incorporates key elements of Comboni lay spirituality:

The Cross
Jesus Christ

In first place, 4 figures forming a cross. “… The cross is the mark of all the redemptive acts of God, because all of them are born and grow at the foot of the cross.” (St. Daniel Comboni, W.4564). We are also aware that the mission constitutes acceptance of the inevitable difficulties and sufferings with the mark of the cross. However, we know that in the difficulties, in the feeling of failure or frustration, Jesus always generated and generates life for its people.

International and intercultural

The 4 figures forming the cross with the colors of the continents (Africa, Asia, America and Oceania), appear with open arms (which gives the idea of movement, going out), mean joy, availability and the call all Comboni Lay Missionary to proclaim Jesus Christ to those who still do not know Him. The white heart in the green figure represents the European continent.

A missionary characteristic is to live in provisionality, not “settling roots”, with all the precariousness and fragility that this may involve; feeling walkers toward God and pilgrim to the brother. As missionaries we are, we have a positive and real will to go towards other people, living the mission ad gentes among other cultures, creeds and races, which is constitutive of our specific vocation. “The Mission must be Catholic, not Spanish, French, German or Italian. All Catholics must help the poor Africans, because one nation alone can not help the whole black race.” (St. Daniel Comboni, W.944).

Sacred Heart of Jesus

The heart represented in the green figure intended to mean the great devotion of St. Daniel Comboni to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In one of his letters, Comboni reveals that his Plan for the Regeneration of Africa was written in the Vatican at the time of the beatification of Margaret Mary. Coincidence or not, Comboni asks for her help, because she also loved much the Sacred Heart of Jesus. (St. Daniel Comboni, W.1736).

Is true that Comboni throughout his life always placed utmost confidence and devotion to the cross and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to the point to devote all his Vicariate of Central Africa. “So I set the third Sunday of September, the 14th, dedicated to the Feast of the Cross, the day to solemnly consecrate the whole Vicariate of Central Africa to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.” (St. Daniel Comboni, W.3202).

Love Africa and the poor

It is no coincidence that, this heart in the logo, is on the chest of the green figure, representing the African continent. Daniel Comboni gave his life to the heart of Africa, with Africa in his heart. Present in the death in Africa of one of his missionary companions, Comboni rather than discouraged feel inside confirmed the decision to continue its mission. “The last words of my brothers and myself will always be ‘Nigrizia or death.” (St. Daniel Comboni, W.3004).

The importance of community life

The point of attachment of the 4 figures that make up the cross means our community life.

Our path has a Community dimension. It is important that the Movement seek structures that help strengthen the bond, the welcoming of those returning from mission, the group life, sharing life and faith, etc. This community life does not necessarily mean living “under the same roof” for the lay community life, it has its own characteristics and wealth. However, we believe that within this diversity of forms, it is essential to live in communion from the exchange of goods and faith. “Everything was bearable for these worthy ministers of Jesus Christ, who seek only the glory of God and the salvation of the most abandoned souls. In the small community of Khartoum was peace, order and the spirit of Jesus Christ.” (St. Daniel Comboni, W.2042).

CLM Portugal

2 new members of Polish CLM comunity!

23 June, 2016 by Alberto de la Portilla

On 3 June – in Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ Day, 2 new members officialy joined our polish CLM comunity. During the High Mass, Adela and Tobiasz formally showed their desire to follow their missionary vocation in Saint Daniel Combioni’s Spirit. They read their declarations among Comboni Fathers, friends and invited guests. They were thankful for faith, God’s presence in their life and for their vocation. Together, they underlined that because of their married love, they want to be a sign of God. As a comunity, we would like to thank God for Adela and Tobias and we pray for them so they were able to trust him with courage and let Him lead them. First step on this Comboni’s path is just behind them 🙂

Surgery in Mongoumba. 25 years of dedication and availability

22 June, 201620 June, 2016 by Alberto de la Portilla

“For more than 25 years, Dr. Michel Onimus, French orthopaedist, devotes his free time to operate in the Central African Republic, particularly in Mongoumba. The patients who are treated are especially children, people with congenital malformations (congenital dislocation in the foot, cleft lip), polio sequelae, burns and fractures. Due to the country’s instability, medical activity has declined during the last three years since Dr. Onimus comes to help, that is, almost exclusively in Bangui”, writes Élia Gomes, a Portuguese lay Comboni missionary, working in Mongoumba.

Before the “crisis”, he used to work with a team of young volunteers (anaesthetists, nurses …). Now he travels just with his wife, Michelle, who deals with logistics. Therefore, he is supported by Barthelemy, a Central African anaesthesiologist from the paediatric Centre of Bangui who always finds a “little time” to spare and work with the professor.

In their luggage, the couple brings everything they need for the medical operations, from surgical material to tapes … and when they go back, they donate to us whatever has not being used.

Since I’ve been here in Mongoumba, we have received the visit of Dr. Onimus four times, the last in February in which 31 patients were treated, 15 operated and 4 scheduled to be operated in Bangui in March.

They arrived early, on February 17. Since I was unable to go to fetch them, Brother Alberto, a Comboni missionary, brought them here and spend a few days in Mongoumba. Then the team started the marathon for the consultations, preparations and surgeries of the patients: a process completed in just three days.

The routine was every day the same: into the operating theatre (so to speak) at 8 am and out at around 15 pm, for a bit of lunch. After a short break, at 16 pm we continued the medical consultations and visits of the patients who had been operated on.

Surgeries are performed in the Health Centre, in an empty room with just the operating table, but with no light sources, without suction of secretions, no air conditioning, no recovery room … A room that has three windows facing the street, with a net to prevent flies from entering inside but not to protect the place from the dust, and curtains to provide privacy but also precluding some light. The only “luxury” is an oxygen bottle that is used only when the professor arrives.

Despite all the shortcomings, we have to thank the availability of the head of the Centre of Health, who not only allows us the use of the room as a place of surgery but makes available the autoclave to sterilize the material.

The patients, before and after the operations, are housed in our Rehabilitation Centre, called “Da Ti Ndoye”, under the responsibility of Bob, the physiotherapist who works at the Centre since its foundation.

Dr. Onimus accomplishes a difficult job in difficult conditions, a labour of love, which has provided a better quality of life for many children and adults. “In so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40).

A missionary hug

Elia Gomes. CLM CAR

The synonymous of “today” is “present”

13 June, 2016 by Alberto de la Portilla

What is the force that sustains us? Where comes the hope to continue dreaming?, to resist and seek a more human and happy society, fraternal for all? What moves us are the dreams of the reality we want, a reality that does not include situations of injustice imposed by social and economic inequalities. A reality that becomes what we want if we transform it, through our efforts, with our senses, with our choices. We can and must be builders of our personal and collective destiny, our creative freedom. Our passion and our faith gain strength when they are in direct contact with the victims of violence and injustice against the sacred and fundamental rights called human rights. Signs and resurrections are born from ourselves, from the union and strength of social movements that come from below, from civil and organized society… us! We can rain Justice, fertilize the soil and get the fruits to be born. It is possible, because we want to, we believe, we fight, we build. Fatigue, disappointment, discouragement, fear becomes a giant shadow if we allow it, but becomes small and insignificant if we stick together, if one fight is the fight of all. Among the strongest evils is the absolute indifference, is the one that dominates our daily life, a kind of blindness in the world that causes people to live in a bubble, blind and sterile, unable to hear the heartbeat of the world, forgetting in this beating is also ours. We are the world, history is ours, no one feels excluded, in the words of a song by De Gregori, We are writing history! We are part of an alphabet that is able to write wonderful things, if we choose it. Courage, dreams, hopes, dignity, freedom, justice, respect, imagination, fraternity … so many feathers with which to start writing, where we are the blank paper where start doing it.

Emma. CLM