The Mission in Guinea-Bissau
Interview with Father Lima da Silva, Missionaries of the Precious Blood, who is serving the Church in Guinea-Bissau. He was the first CPPS Missionary from this country.
Tell us how you met the CPPS missionaries and how you joined the Congregation.
I met the Missionaries through the Adorers of the Blood of Christ Sisters, especially Sister Espéria, in 1997, in Ingoré. My uncle Homero Missau served in the mission. I entered the CPPS seminary in Bissau on September 29, 2001. In 1999 and 2000 I experienced vocational discernment.
What called you and captivated you?
Sister Espéria spoke a lot about St. Gaspar del Bufalo, his mission and his relationship with the poor. As the environment in Guinea-Bissau is marked by poverty, I realized that the Congregation could do very well here. What struck me was that the first CPPS missionaries came and embraced this environment of poverty. And also, the mission of “going where nobody wants to go”: for example, we would cycle more than 40km on dirt roads to reach the most isolated and poor villages and create schools there.
I was also captivated by the community lifestyle: there was no distance between priests and those discerning their vocation. We planned together and worked together.
What is the situation of the people in Guinea-Bissau like?
It is one of constant political, social and economic instability. Currently, there is a situation of injustice, fear, and little freedom of expression. But people are joyful and hopeful. The Church is a source of hope, and the people trust the Church because they walk together.
What do you point out as very good about the people of Guinea Bissau?
They are really supportive, people share even with people they don’t know. For example, in relation to food we say “Bianda Ka tene dunu” (food has no owner). That’s why everyone has food. They are a welcoming people, who seek to do good regardless of the situation, seeking to leave a legacy for future generations.
What is the service of a CPPS priest in Guinea Bissau like?
We are at the service of the Church in three areas:
Pastoral: catechesis, vocations, diocese, teaching, the parish is involved in many areas;
Health: we offer health services at the Irmã Romana Sacchetti outpatient center (UCAIRS), with services for adults, children and pregnant women. We recently started doing ultrasounds.
Education: we own and manage Liceu Professor Adriano António Vasconcelos, in Safim. We have 638 students, from 7th to 12th grade. The school has to operate in two shifts, morning and afternoon, because there is not space for so many students.
How important is investment in school?
Don Settimio (first Bishop of Bissau, now deceased) said that the Church must serve three areas: health, education and evangelization. Access to school is fundamental in environments of poverty, because knowing how to read opens horizons, awakens ideals, and also makes us know Jesus Christ so that we can then bear witness to the values of the gospel. But most people still don’t understand this and don’t value school. They live the Traditional African Religion. It is mainly mothers who insist most on investing in their children’s school education and spend a large part of their meager income here.
How can we help the people of Guinea Bissau
We, CPPS Missionaries, are on the margins and with those in the margins of society. Our house is always open to welcome people.
At the health center, for example, we have a monthly payment exemption for people who are unable to pay: care is never denied. Sometimes it is difficult to find “authentic” medicines and quality equipment. We need help to acquire medicines, to pay doctors, nurses and health technicians, and to acquire modern equipment.
In the field of education, we support 86 children/adolescents/young people, aged between 3 and 25, with scholarships. Here we have counted on support from Portugal and Spain.
A fundamental dimension is vocations and the formation house. We currently have 3 seminarians in training. But we also have many young people with vocations, who we accompany in vocational discernment. It is important that you help us in the training of our seminarians.
And of course, fundamentally, we need you to support us with your prayer.