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Annual retreat in Ethiopia – “Comboni Family prays with Bartimaeus”
Thursday, August 1, 2024
About two dozen members of the Comboni Family engaged in missionary ministry in Ethiopia spent a week together (21-29 July) for their annual joint retreat in the south of the country. Comboni missionary Sister Adele Brambilla came from the Middle East to lead the retreat.
From the evening of 21st July to the morning of 29th July, thirteen Comboni Missionary Sisters (Cms), including their coordinator in Eritrea, two sisters of the Handmaids of the Church (of the Hawassa Vicariate) and seven Comboni missionaries (one brother and six priests) spent eight days of retreat together, characterised by an atmosphere of rest, meditation and prayer.
To guide and animate the eight days was Sr. Adele Brambilla, cms, superior of the community in Karak, Jordan. Originally from Milan, Italy, she entered the Institute in 1973 with religious profession and was Superior General from 1998 to 2010. Soon after, Sister Adele returned to Jordan to resume her ministry as a nurse. Introducing herself, she said that she was neither a theologian nor a biblical scholar, but only wished to humbly share with those present her experience of missionary life and her encountering the spirituality of St Daniel Comboni. She added: “During the next seven days that we will spend together, I invite you to make a journey with me to Jericho and to encounter Jesus by following the steps taken by Bartimaeus in his faith experience.”
The retreat took place at the St John Human Formation Centre in Bishan Gurracha, located on the northern shore of Lake Hawassa, in the Meki Vicariate. Inaugurated a year ago (and not yet fully completed), the Centre truly offers an environment that induces meditation and prayer: it is quiet, shrouded in greenery, rich in trees and flowers, and visited by numerous species of colourful birds of all sizes. It is also possible to see hippos coming out of the water and eating grass along the banks of the lake, or to observe fishermen in their boats, intent on catching tilapia.
The Guji, the local ethnic group, state in their profound wisdom that “silence reaches God.” The retreat participants could not help but agree with this Guji adage: away from the usual routine for an entire week, in silent dialogue with God through his Word and creation, they felt closer to their Creator.
At the end of her dictated meditations, Sr. Adele invited the participants to return to their respective ‘Galilees’, where the Risen Lord is always waiting for them.
Fr José Vieira, mccj