I did not choose the easiest roads. Nigeria, Congo, and the Central African Republic are not just names on a map. They are three faces of the same mission. Three terrains. Three climates. Three ways of loving — but one Lord.

Nigeria: Energy, Youth, Momentum

In Nigeria, I encountered a vibrant Church. The youth were already organized, structured, deeply engaged. My role was not to build from scratch but to be present — to reassure, to teach, to challenge them to go further.

We introduced holiday youth camps focused on leadership, faith formation, and personal development. With secondary school students, we strengthened the Young Catholic Students movement in the parish and across schools in the city of Assaba. The groups welcomed us openly. Trust formed quickly.

There, I did not need to knock on doors. They were already open. Our goal was clear: deepen faith, help young people know themselves, and empower them to take responsibility for their lives. It was dynamic ministry — enthusiastic, almost natural.

Central African Republic: Learning to Be Watched

Then came the Central African Republic. Same mission. Completely different atmosphere. I came from places where a priest is welcomed as father and friend. In Bangui, I found myself in a community that kept its distance. People hesitated to approach me. I did not speak the language. Some would pass by without greeting me. And I was observed.

Every action scrutinized. Every meeting interpreted. Every step evaluated. It was not rejection. It was discernment. Who are you? Why are you here? What are you looking for among us?

The country’s recent crises had reshaped the Church. During turbulent years, lay leaders carried much of the Church’s life, often reducing the priest’s visible role to sacramental ministry. Trust needed time to rebuild.

So I waited. Time to understand. Time to love. Time to be accepted. And once trust was established, something beautiful happened.

With young people, we launched outreach ministries that challenged old habits. With a group of professionals, we organized a campaign addressing early sexual activity and youth education. With children’s group leaders, we promoted Christian formation and academic excellence. I left the country carrying a deep love for its people — a love born not from ease, but from perseverance.

Congo: Forming Those Who Will Be Sent

After parish ministry came a radical shift: formation work in Kimwenza, Congo. A new mission. A new inner conversion. Here, I was no longer moving from schools to homes. I stayed. I lived daily life with seminarians from Congo and the Central African Republic. We prayed together. Worked together. Shared concerns and hopes. Forming a future missionary is not administrative work. It is shaping the Church’s tomorrow. Our formation rested on three pillars:

1. Spiritual Formation

The Eucharist at the center. Regular recollections. Mandatory spiritual direction. Learning to recognize God’s presence in daily life. Understanding that vocation is not a feeling — it is a response.

2. Human Formation

Sports. Community life. Manual work. Food self-sufficiency projects. Personal initiatives for the good of all. As Thomas Aquinas wisely taught, “Grace builds on nature.” One must first become a balanced, mature man before becoming a good priest.

3. Intellectual Formation

Philosophy and the human sciences at university (in Congo) or major seminary (in the Central African Republic). Study. Reflection. Reading deeply to understand the world in order to love it better.

Formation requires a different energy than preaching. Less visible. More demanding. More interior.

What Mission Has Taught Me

People think mission is about activity. It is first about attitude. You move from action to presence. From applause to scrutiny. From the crowd to the community house. And sometimes, what discourages a missionary is not hardship — it is constant suspicion. Being judged for the mistakes of others can wound deeply.

But I have learned this: Mission cannot be copied from one country to another. It must be incarnated. You need time to understand a people. You need time to love a people. And once love takes root, the mission flourishes.

If I had to summarize my journey in one sentence, it would be this: I moved from enthusiasm to patience, from action to depth, from fascination to understanding. And that is where true mission begins.

By Fr. Eric Yapi Yapi¹

1. Fr. Eric Yapi Yapi, SMA, is a missionary priest of the Society of African Missions (SMA) from Ivory Coast. He was recently appointed to serve with the International Forum for Research between Missionaries and Missiologists- Forum International de Recherches entre Missionnaires et Missiologues (FIRMEM) in Lyon, France — a joint SMA–NDA initiative dedicated to fostering dialogue between missionaries and missiologists, strengthening missionary reflection, and supporting mission teams in the field. ↩︎