Since 2010 the sisters of the Delegation of Cameroon-Chad have wanted to open a second community in Chad to reinforce the community of Gounou-Gaya. The Visit of Animation by the two members of the General Leadership Team, Ana Maria and Micheline, helped us to reflect and decide on our priorities as a Delegation.
| LISTENING TO THE NEW COMMUNITY OF TAGAL IN CHAD |
Since 2010 the sisters of the Delegation of Cameroon-Chad have wanted to open a second community in Chad to reinforce the community of Gounou-Gaya. The Visit of Animation by the two members of the General Leadership Team, Ana Maria and Micheline, helped us to reflect and decide on our priorities as a Delegation. One of the priorities that surfaced was, “Risk, Open Out, Implant yourselves elsewhere in Chad”.
And so, our desire became a reality – to reopen the community of Tagal, closed ten years ago. On 25 October 2012, Ewa-Maria Stanknwska, Medene Founmaranwa and Madonna Fonseka were sent out and welcomed at Tagal by the Christian community. Tagal is a village inhabited by the Moussey people. It has about 13,000 inhabitants, many of whom practise the traditional African religion. There are 700 Christians, Protestant and Catholic.
Agriculture and livestock are their main source of income. Tagal is a parish of the diocese of Pala, 25 km from Gounou-Gaya: it is vast and under the direction of the Xaverian priests. For ten year the parishioners have not had a resident priest, nor any sisters. The catechists and animators undertook to continue the mission of evangelisation and the priests come every fortnight to celebrate Mass.
We are among Christian and non-Christian families. We are discovering very welcoming people who are attached to their traditional values. The people express themselves freely and say what they think without fear. Polygamy is a traditional value practised by those who are attached to traditions.
Girls are married off at a young age. In the matter of education, priority is given to boys. Girls are in the minority in both primary and secondary schools. Standards are very low. To remedy this, the parish organises extra classes to bring them up to standard and also provides a library for the youth. Ewa Maria and Madonna are involved in this. We noticed that family life is on the decline and the young have no role models.
A large number of the population suffers from AIDS. Medene works at the Health Centre and accompanies those living with AIDS. We hope to work for the promotion of women, instructing women and young girls in hygiene, literacy, and manual work.
During these few months at Tagal, we have been impressed by the good values of this people. We have become aware that there is much to be done. In so far as it is possible we will try to make our contribution with the support of our charism of communion and guided by these words of the Founder: “My dear daughters, in devoting yourselves to the works of the Association you have not separated yourselves from those who live under the common law. As companions of their good angel, you follow them in the valley of tears and, to bring them back or to keep them for Jesus Christ, you share with them all the fatigue, the trials andl the danger of the journey”.
Community of Tagal (Chad)