By Livinus Tal Bam
Friday November 23, 2007 has gone down in history in the Diocese of Kumbo, as the day Christians all over the diocese gathered at the St. Martin de Porres Mission, Buh in Djottin Parish to witness the rededication of the church and the restoration of the Blessed Sacrament in this mission. It was on this day that the long standing gap between this mission and the St. Joseph Parish, Djottin was bridged under the auspices of the Bishop of Kumbo, His Lordship George Nkuo.
For one and a half decades, Christians of St. Martin the Porres Mission, Buh and Djottin Parish have been living apart as a result of an inter-tribal conflict between the people of Djottin in Noni Sub Division and those of Buh in the Kumbo Sub Division. Following this conflict, the St. Martin de Porres Catholic Primary School in Buh crumbled and the Catholic Health Centre stopped functioning.
Both sides paid a heavy price as a result of the conflict. “… When one part of your body is sick, the whole body suffers with it,” Mgr George Nkuo remarked during the landmark reunification event. Reconciliation was made possible thanks to the efforts of the first residential Bishop of Kumbo Mgr Cornelius Fontem Esua, the current Bishop Mgr George Nkuo and all the Christians of Buh and Djottin. A pilgrimage and a reconciliatory solemn high mass took place to crown the event. In his homily during the Mass, the Bishop of Kumbo congratulated the people of Buh for their initiative to answer the call of the Gospel, “Repent and believe in the Gospel” he said.
He assured them that the rededication of their church will once more help them to bring Christians together to celebrate the passion of Christ on the cross. Following the reconciliation, Christians in Djottin Parish are particularly happy as they shall be celebrating 25 years of the existence of the Diocese of Kumbo as a united parish, come December 8, 2007. To add their voices to those of previous speakers, the brothers and sisters of Djottin Parish through the Parish Pastoral chairman, have expressed sincere gratitude and thanks to the two bishops who worked for the reconciliation. Like the prodigal son, they promised to give the Christians of Buh Mission their rightful place in the parish.
They regretted the loss of the Catholic Primary School and the Catholic Health Centre which, they said, were the main places of evangelisation in the area. They promised to work with the Christians of Buh to rebuild the school and health centre.
Source: http://www.leffortcamerounais.com/