My Trip to Moxico and Angolan History - DAY 6
Tonight we celebrated the 5th year of priesthood of Father Emílio and Father Jorge.
In the Catholic Church, we celebrate the 1st, 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th and 75th anniversaries/birthdays. So, there was a dinner with the different congregations at The Bishopric.
The Sisters Reparatory were there, the Sisters Daughters of Jesus and the Sisters of the Company of Saint Theresa of Jesus. When they saw me, and I was saluting them, they started saying I had disappeared, the “long time no see” thing. And it had been only 6 days I have been around! It sure changes you from the “normal” life you try to have away from the religious and simple one.
We sat at the long table of the dining room after D. Gabriel blessed the food. It was a very nice evening. We laughed and played tricks. While Father Emílio was in the kitchen to see if all was OK, if the guests were happy, Father Jorge took his plate and hid it. Maria took his Coca-Cola and hid it as well.
Maria asked D. Gabriel if they were allowed to play tricks on seminary. If I remember well, D. Gabriel answered that if they weren’t allowed, they would do it anyway. Sister Maria (Reparatory), sit next to me, wanted to laugh, and I with her. We are almost the same age. Then came Father Emílio. He saw his plate was gone. He sat and said “At least give me my Coke…” Everyone nearby was laughing. Maria decided to give him his Coke. Then, Father Jorge took the plate he had put on my side, just in front of Father Emílio to give it to him. But the table had so many good things, that it was quite impossible to know what was what and to look for a lost plate in there.
OK... a little lesson here! You eat palm oil beans with sugar, banana and fried manioc flour. You serve it with grilled fish (as always!) and raw onion sauce over it. But that day, it was grilled chicken and it was as good! French version of an Angolan meal (I don't eat my beans with sugar and I hate banana!).
D. Gabriel advised me to eat really well when he saw me resign after the second plate (not a normal thing for me). He said that at this time, we would only eat again tomorrow by the same hour. I thought he was pulling my leg. So, he looked at Sister Avelina (Company of Saint Theresa of Jesus) to ask at what time would we eat. She said “Tomorrow by this time”. I thought it was a joke, really. It was barely 9 PM!
Then he asked me if I was enthusiast to go to Lukusse billet camp. I replied “to wake up at 5 AM would take anyone’s enthusiasm!” I really tend to think that I will always be a clown among others! They started laughing and I… I blushed!
Father Noel did the speech. A very beautiful speech. The sum up of the sum up would be: “Our work is very tough. I pray that the Lord would help you go through it, because we bring hope to those that have lost it”. That was the sum up of the sum up.
Jeremias, a priest-to-be, asked D. Gabriel to make a speech as well. He thanked Father Jorge and Father Emílio for being there, because if it wasn’t for them, for their work and for their faith, he probably wouldn’t be in his way to priesthood.
After all those emotional speeches, D. Gabriel and Father Jorge prepared to open the champagne bottles. They shook it so well, that the table was half deserted! I hid far behind D. Gabriel and Maria under the table. We were laughing so much! Sister Maria (Reparatory) said “Look where your mother is…” Orlando was taking some pictures, then we saw that Maria wasn’t the only one under the table. Two other sisters were under it, but I didn’t recognise them in the total chaos.
Needless to say that champagne went all over. I didn’t see where Father Jorge’s had gone, but D. Gabriel’s went over the cake and a little over Sister Avelina (Company of Saint Theresa of Jesus).
As it is tradition, Father Jorge and Father Emílio had to cut the cake. The photos must have been funny. Father Jorge is just like my brother Mário. He takes everything to the funny side and makes us laugh lots!
In the end of the dinner, we sort of cleaned up the dining room. But, while the sisters were doing it and I helping them, Maria started talking to Jeremias, the priest-to-be, in French. He studies in Lumbumbashi, in RDC.
I tried not to think about it, but I knew she would call me to speak my “French of France” with him. Mind you, I only have the French accent, when I am not around French-speaking people. In French, I can probably have all the accents possible!
So, I was trying to take some plates to the kitchen, but Maria called me and a sister took the stuff off my hands with a smile. I started talking to Jeremias, Maria and Father Jorge in French. Here goes the benefit of speaking that language since being a toddler…
When I was taking the stairs to the upper floor, I saw Sister Rosa (Reparatory) and Sister Maria (Reparatory) getting new plates and glasses in some boxes. Maria asked them what they were doing. Sister Rosa explained that they were preparing the “picnic material” for tomorrow. I left them talking and went up to my room. It was like 11 PM when I closed my eyes…
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