Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
SMA
Buedu (Agenzia Fides) – “Our mission in Sierra Leone is gradually growing, as is the number of Christians and small communities. People continue to come and live their faith with great enthusiasm and participation,” says Father Peddy Sinda, of the Society of African Missions (SMA), responsible for the mission of St. John the Baptist in Buedu, Kailahun district, diocese of Kenema.
“Most of the villages where we serve do not have a church or oratory,” explains the missionary. “Since many elderly people can no longer walk to the parish, we have just opened a new mission station. However, we have been subject to theft and intrusion due to the exposed location of the mission house.”
The St. John the Baptist Catholic Church-Buedu Mission opened its doors on December 13, 2020 and was entrusted to the SMA Fathers. The mission serves more than 27 villages, of which only six have a place of worship (oratory). “Fowa, in the Kailahun district, is one of the villages that does not have one. Its population, mostly of Kissi ethnicity, has about 273 Catholics, including men, women and children, some already baptized and confirmed.”
“This municipality has great potential to become a ‘Christian city’,” says Father Sinda, who has just returned from the inauguration of the new SMA mission in the diocese of Bo, where the missionaries have opened their third evangelization territory in Sierra Leone. However, despite the growth of faith, many faithful must travel almost eight miles every Sunday to attend Mass at the Buedu church, a distance impossible to cover for the sick and elderly. “They are mainly farmers and can barely afford one meal a day. They long for a place of worship,” underlines Father Sinda.
The pastoral activities of the SMA missionaries in this region include the administration of the sacraments, visiting the sick and the elderly, school pastoral care - with five primary schools and one secondary school - youth support programs, training of community prayer leaders, animation of the Holy Childhood, programs for the emancipation of women and raising awareness in the community. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 14/2/2025)
