Testimony

I am Bèterbèteon Charles SOMDA, a Jesuit from Burkina Faso. I am currently on a mission in the Central African Republic. I am involved in several educational and social activities with the youth and students of the city of Bangui.

The Central African Republic has experienced cycles of violence due to multiple socio-political and religious crises that have significantly degraded the quality of life. However, we are in a relatively stable phase where the need to believe in a better future is manifesting itself in many people. The youth are giving us hope. They believe, and they commit themselves! In this optimism of Central African youth, I see a presence of divine grace, the grace of the faithful God raising and restoring a deeply wounded people. I see myself as a witness of hope in such a situation. And my presence among the youth consists of regularly reminding them of the dynamics of faith, hope, and charity through a commitment to do concrete actions for society's qualitative transformation. I sometimes tell students that the current Central African context needs good people who love and serve. This logic will overturn the reign of violence and evil imposed on us for years by people whose hearts have been led astray by greed and an exaggerated lust for power.

The Jesuit social centre in Bangui is known for its quality in the supervision of young people through the Centre d'Information d'Education et d'Ecoute du Centre Catholique Universitaire (CIEE-CCU). It is a place of formation of the heart to make people sensitive to the needs of their brothers and sisters. It is a school where young people learn to know, accept and love each other. We insist that "love is shown more in actions than words".

We encourage initiative. The young people work in groups to diagnose the ills of their environment and propose solutions in the form of a project. They experience joy in feeling beneficial to their community. There is always joy in serving, in doing good for others. I also enjoy seeing these young Central Africans happy, especially in a context where worry, anxiety, uncertainty, etc., are part of everyday life.

There are also capacity-building activities. These enable young people to acquire life skills, computer skills, logistics, conflict resolution and peace, psychosocial counselling, income-generating activities, environmental protection and public hygiene. These activities have added educational value to the students, who would have something extra to offer besides what they receive at the university and higher institutes. The young people we accompany become increasingly aware of the need to train well to serve their community better. They do not hesitate to take advantage of the training. I often say that the degree of our love for those we serve is sometimes measured by our zeal and determination to acquire knowledge and skills.

Finally, we have spiritual formation activities and initiation into Ignatian spirituality. I remain convinced that we cannot love and serve without spirituality. The practical side of Ignatian spirituality allows young people to know themselves, be more present in their daily lives, and learn to make good decisions for their personal growth and the good of their neighbours. I also think these spiritual activities nourish and rekindle the flame of hope in them. Moreover, their testimonies speak volumes about the action of God's grace that transforms their view of the world and drives them to take action to improve the lives of their fellow citizens.

I benefit greatly from this social ministry in the community. As a young Jesuit, I am developing an apostolic personality that will undoubtedly bear fruit in the future. My prayer life motivates and directs my commitment, and my apostolic experiences nourish my prayer life.

Charles SOMDA, S.J.
Catholic University Centre
Bangui-RCA
[email protected]