Home » News » Burkina Faso: “When a catechist’s family has food, then the whole community has something to eat”

Burkina Faso: “When a catechist’s family has food, then the whole community has something to eat”

The Diocese of Nouna thanks ACN for supporting catechists.

Thanks to the help from ACN, the Burkinabé Diocese of Nouna has been able to supply six months of basic foodstuffs to 30 internally displaced catechists in the parishes of Nouna, Solenzo and Saneba, so that they can feed their families and help other people in need.

Food distribution for internally displaced catechists in the Diocese of Nouna
Food distribution for internally displaced catechists in the Diocese of Nouna

“In the name of his excellence, Bishop Joseph Sama, and the various priests of the parishes which have benefitted, we convey our deep gratitude for your support and are united in prayer with their mission, so that our world can live in peace,” said the diocesan treasurer, Bertin Namboho, to the international pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need.

Given the precarious living conditions which terrorism has caused in Burkina Faso, this help is a true source of comfort and hope. The diocesan treasurer reports that “nothing but blessings and a litany of thanks to the donors has come out of the mouths of the catechists”. He emphasises the essential role of the catechists, who support people’s faith in these difficult times and help them in their daily lives. “The family of the catechist is the heart of the Christian community,” he says. “When the catechist’s family has something to eat, then the whole community has something to eat.”

For Emmanuel and his family, this food aid was a dream come true
For Emmanuel and his family, this food aid was a dream come true

Emmanuel is one of the catechists who because of extreme poverty is numbered among the beneficiaries of the food aid. He describes the joy of the whole family on receiving rice, maize, beans and oil: “What we are receiving today feels like a dream, for since we left our village, we have lost everything. When the priest told us that there was help for internally displaced catechists, we were so happy…” For the father of two, who has taken in three of his nephews, supporting other people in need is an expression of faith: “The catechist’s house is everybody’s house. We will also be able to share with those who are in need, because when you receive, you must also share. Freely you have received, freely give, says the Gospel. We thank all the donors. God bless them and give them peace.”

ACN, which is dedicating its Christmas and New Year’s campaign to supporting persecuted Christians in Burkina Faso, has been supporting the country’s catechists for many years.

 

Don't miss the latest updates!

Gaza: First step towards peace after 733 days of war

While indirect talks are taking place in Egypt between Israeli…

Rome to host official launch of Religious Freedom Report 2025

Religious and public leaders will be gathering on October 21…

Papal envoy carries solidarity to the Christians of war-torn Sudan

Archbishop Séamus Patrick Horgan, Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan, has…

In the east of Burkina Faso, still many problems as term starts

While the security situation in Burkina Faso has improved slightly,…

From Angola to Vietnam, enthusiasm with “One million children praying the Rosary” campaign

ACN’s yearly campaign, added to the Holy Father’s appeal to…

Church clings to life amid chaos in Gaza

Aid to the Church in Need echoes Pope Leo XIV’s…

List of News

Gaza: First step towards peace after 733 days of war

While indirect talks are taking place in Egypt between Israeli envoys and Hamas, the hope for a beginning of peace is cautiously laying roots in the diocese of the Holy...

Fr Hugo Alaniz recounts a night of explosions and fear in Aleppo: “People are very afraid, we don’t know what is going to happen”

In the midst of a new wave of fighting, the Argentine priest describes hours of anguish in Aleppo. His parish has once again become a refuge for dozens of families....

Rome to host official launch of Religious Freedom Report 2025

Religious and public leaders will be gathering on October 21 at the Pontifical Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome for the worldwide presentation of the latest edition of the Report on...