Today Friday, July 22, the feast of Mary Magdalene, the participants took a step back in time to examine the history of our two institutes. The various study groups formed for this purpose presented the fruit of their research. Among the fields of research, we can note the Formation of missionaries, the organization of the Institutes, the context: Social, cultural, political, religious and ecclesial, the missionary animation and the image of Africa as presented in Europe.

It was also discussed the methods and means used by the missionaries to accomplish their mission.

Why undertake this tedious pilgrimage in the past?

As the Ivorian writer Camara Nangala said: “A people that does not know its history, is a people that does not know where it is going”. This historical aspect of the work is the foundation of the whole journey as a missionary family.

It simply answers the question: Who are we and where do we come from?

The answers to this question will provide the necessary elements for the members of both institutes to better appropriate their common heritage. It is therefore a question of being rooted in one’s identity to better project oneself into the future. Today’s session showed the courage of the participants and their determination to face their history and to accept it in whatever way it presents itself. The will is to build on this history to better understand the present and build a desired future. Our SMA and OLA delegates realized how God’s mercy has worked through the human stammering to bring both institutes to where they are today.

Pierre-Paul DOSSEKPLI