Delphine Amivi Gakpe, smc à Bébedjia (Chad)
The words “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few” marked the beginning of my missionary journey from Togo. Since 2010, this path has led me through different African countries, each one teaching me new lessons about mission, faith, and hope.
Big changes in a short time
My first challenge came during postulancy in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I was initially critical of cultures different from my own. However, through God’s grace and the formation I received, I learned to be more open and welcoming to other cultures.
The novitiate in Uganda deeply impacted my spiritual life. I was struck by people’s religious devotion – praying at length prostrated before the Blessed Sacrament, kneeling to receive Communion. These experiences awakened in me a deep desire for prayer and a strong trust in God.
Administrator in a hospital
Now, as administrator of Saint Joseph Hospital in Bébédjia, Chad, since 2019, I experience interfaith dialogue in action. Here, Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and followers of Traditional Religions work together. Once a week, we pray with staff from all backgrounds, with each department taking turns leading the prayer.
Major challenges for our work
However, challenges abound. The conflict between herders and farmers has claimed many lives. I feel powerless facing this situation, yet I keep my eyes fixed on the cross, knowing that God will eventually bring justice. The desert is part of every pilgrimage, and God walked with his people in the desert for 40 years – a sign of hope.
Traditional initiation presents another significant challenge. Traditional Religions have a strong faith in initiation rites, marking the passage from adolescence to adulthood. Those who haven’t undergone initiation cannot speak in public or associate with the initiated. While the Church strives to evangelize these traditional rites, resistance remains.
We are pilgrims of hope
As a pilgrim of hope, I place my trust in God. My message to others is never to lose hope in God. Because no matter how long the night, the day will come.