The Superior General has concluded his visit to the communities in South Sudan (3)

The last community in South Sudan to be visited by Fr. Enrique Sanchez, the Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries, and Br. Daniele Giusti was Old Fangak. To reach this community they flew from Wau on a UN aircraft to Malakal, where they were welcomed by the Comboni Sisters who ensure pastoral services, through the communication field (Radio), in the schools and parish as well as in the health care. Then they continued on their way by boat, first on a five-hour journey upstream on the Nile, the Bar el Jebeel, and then on the Bar el Zerhaf.

Their arrival in Old Fangak was very colourful: a crowd of Christians of all ages cheered the visitors at the small harbour and escorted them to the Mission premises. From then on it has been a continuous and cheerful interaction with members of the various parish communities who had flocked to Old Fangak for the event.

The first missionary to establish a foothold in Old Fangak was Fr. Antonio Labraca, whom the parishioners still remember and are full of gratitude to him who showed them that God cared for them in their isolation. Other confreres joined Fr. Labraca later, like Fr. Christian Carlassare, the current parish priest, who cheerfully and serenely continues in the path opened by Fr. Labraca. Another confrere, whom one of the parishioners told the Superior General to greet once back in Rome, is Br. Raniero Iacomella, whose tireless work in securing the much needed maintenance services to the mission and the community at large is still remembered with gratitude.

Both Fr. Enrique Sanchez and Br. Daniele Giusti will remain in South Sudan until 16^th January 2013. This will allow them to meet with some other Comboni Missionaries during the first days of the annual Comboni assembly in Juba from 14 to 20 January 2013.

South Sudan: Old Fangak, the women of the Legion of Mary who looked after Fr. Labraca since his arrival.