I still remember when, some years' ago, a member of the Eswatini Council of Catholic Women (ECCM) approached me during a meeting and said: "Bishop, Pope Francis has asked that we care for refugees. We would like to mobilize the diocese to support them".
It is always a very special moment when the initiative comes from the laity. As a bishop, you just have to give the "go ahead" knowing that they mean every word.
Since then, every single year we have been going to the refugee centre in Malindza with donations of food and toiletries from every parish.
COVID19 would not stop them. On the contrary. We are called to care for the most vulnerable in the society in a special way and refugees are among them. Thinking of the importance of hygiene as a form of prevention from getting the virus, it was mainly toiletries, sanitary pads and masks that were donated this time.
We were not able to go with a big group or to start with the celebration of the Mass or have many speeches as we did in the past. This time it was just two women, Fr Ndwandwe (their spiritual advisor) and myself as the bishop.
"Our presence here as ECCW is in solidarity with Refugees in the country as per the call by Pope Francis in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The joy of the Gospel) 210 'since I am the pastor of a church without frontiers, a church which considers herself mother to all...'" explained Mrs Doris Makhubu in her address.She then added: "This year's refugee theme is 'imagine'. Yes, when things feel stuck, when old ways of doing things are no longer working, that's what we need to do: imagine. In the COVID19 era, the call to imagine feels more important than ever, you imagine and get hope".
Soon after the brief speeches, the work started. People from Caritas Swaziland and from the refugee centre downloaded everything that had been taken in three vehicles.
Much more is needed. Refugees have been badly affected by the necessary restrictions brought by COVID19. We hope and pray that sooner than later we are able to come close to them in their needs.
Click below for some photos of the event
Pope Francis has selected “Forced like Jesus Christ to flee” as the theme for the 106th World Migrant and Refugee Day (WMRD) which will be celebrated on Sunday, September 27, 2020. His reflections originate in the experience of Jesus Christ and his parents as displaced persons and refugees.
