P. Martino Bonazzetti has returned to Angola for about two months now. In this letter, he tells us about the various commitments, activities and projects that animate the Terreiro community.

It’s been almost two months since my return here to Desvio from Barro do Dande. I can’t say that much water has passed under the bridges because we are still in full dry season, even if we are waiting for the first rain.

With the rains we plan to fill the large cistern of the Terreiro, even if the first rain will not let it enter the cistern because it takes with it all the dust that is on the roof. The weather, for me, is excellent, dry and with temperatures in the evening about 20-22 degrees. For the locals it’s cold: that’s why they wear caps, sweaters, windbreakers, socks… in short, it’s cold (see the photo in which there is the lady who cooks with the jacket). When I tell him about the temperature of -33 that I experienced in Sweden, explaining to him that the freezer drops to -18, they ask me how to live in that context…

There is no shortage of activities. At the Terreiro we celebrated baptisms and first communions.One thing struck me.

At the time of the thanksgiving dance made by the baptized and those who had received the first communion, I noticed the row of shoes left next to the chair, positioned there to be able to dance better. And it made me think about how many “shoes” make the dance of life tiring. Then there was the month of “ferias“, a kind of summer center, with about eighty boys and animators, some mothers and a small group of young people.

Here you don’t need much to animate and there are no “rules” that drive you crazy.

A bit of school of games, animations, a package of cookies and a lunch a week, before the big lunch of the closing day. You don’t need many things to party. A balloon, some popcorn, music (here the volume is off or at most… difficult a middle way) and a lot of joy. Then lunch prepared by some ladies. Everyone has their own full plate: rice, with a lot of beans and since it’s a holiday also a piece of chicken…. Even the little ones calmly eat it with gusto.

I have also added to my various “roles”, a new profession, the “annoyer” of banknotes: here, if they find a tear on one, many times they reject it. From Italy I brought the scotch that doesn’t yellow and, having arranged a bill for someone, the word must have spread and every now and then someone comes and asks me for intervention.

Finally, we are completing the process of acquiring the land in zone 6 that I told you about. The Christians of that community also mentioned to me a possible literacy and pre-school. I said let’s see.

They did the census of school-age children (but the school is a few kilometers away). I don’t think everyone is interested, but the number scares me: more than 450 guys. We need to think about suitable places (here we are lucky that if we build and there is no plaster, floor… we have no inspections of the ASL or firefighters), then classrooms, then I don’t say didactic material because it’s a big word… and then also “teachers”, that is, those young people who attend high school. We’ll start… then we’ll see.

I don’t know if you’ve reached the end of my writing… If so, a big thank you for your attention and interest.

A memory in prayer… for now cool and in a few days definitely warmer…

P. Martin

(Photo: P. Martino Bonazzetti, s.m.a.)
(Original testimony in Italian: https://www.missioniafricane.it/p-martino-dallangola-tra-battesimi-comunioni-e-tanti-progetti/)