Jesus in My Village

Dear Jesus,
I have been told that you are going
to be born in my village.
That makes me very happy.
I will not give you powder milk.
It's too expensive here.
I will make a banana mix
that you'll like very much.
I'm looking forward to seeing you.
Give my best to Mary your mother;
I know that she will go
through a lot of pain.
See you soon.

(From a child in D.R. Congo)
 

Story: Regina, the Little Missionary Girl

Eucharistic Prayer

Lord, our God, 
sin has come into our life
like a mosquito that sucks our blood on our skin.
Our life has become poor
and selfish.
Who will save us?
You are our Father, Lord, have mercy!

We praise you, God,
through your Son, 
Jesus Christ.
He is the Word that gives life.
Through him you created the earth and the sky.
Through him you created
our forests and our rivers
and all the animals 
that live therein
and the fish 
that swim in the rivers.

Through Jesus you created
all things visible 
and invisible.
You are Great.
We praise you forever!
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

(From the Eucharistic Prayer used in D. R. Congo)
  

The Birth of a child
 
To the One who is greater than earth and heaven,
who is beyond the earth and the heavens,
who lives on this earth and this heaven,
who is above and below the earth and the heavens:
let us give thanks, praise, and cry out with joy.
 
To the One who has no father and mother,
who is the ancestor of all mothers and fathers
who does not belong to yesterday or today
who is never hungry or thirsty:
Let us give thanks, praise, and cry out with joy.
 
The invisible… who sees,
who speaks, and we listen to;
who makes the wind and water dance.
This Great God listened to my prayer:
come and see: a Child is born to me.

You who have no children, come
see how a child cries,
come and greet the king… who sleeps.
A rooster sings in my house:
it’s a pure rooster, like the heart
of our mysterious ancestors!

Agostine Ngongo
 

Prayer in order to Receive Children
 
You are our Creator and Father
and you know the woman in our community
who waits to receive a child.
If she dies tomorrow
she will have no child of her own to mourn.
Grant her children.
If she gives birth to a son
his name will be like his grandfather.
If she gives birth to a daughter,
her name will be like her grandmother.
Grant her children.
wouldn’t you too, God, like to see
a baby joyfully crying in our midst?
If we die tomorrow,
who will remember our name on earth?
Grant us favorable dreams tonight
that we maybe able to leave behind
numerous children,
and abundant tomorrows. Amen.
 

African Resurrection
 
May Africa know You, Lord God,
You who are the chief of all its chiefs,
Father of all its ancestors,
Wisdom of all the wise,
Love of all its children… 
Gift your people, and every tribe,
with your knowledge, to see You
and to know that You only are a true God,
that those who approach You
will remain faithful to Africa.
 
Only then, a renewed Africa
will sing a new hymn
of praise and thanksgiving;
and all will rejoice and sing,
and dance to a rhythm so new and vast,
harmonious, young and powerful,
like the rhythm of the sea
or the wind of the forest.
Old and new Africa
will sing and dance with jubilation
to the God of Africa,
the only God of the world.

Jerome Bala