Saint Josephine Bakhita

I feel a strong faith within me
God is preparing us for eternity
He desires us to grow in virtue
He wants us to discover, accept and value our unique mission.

Saint Josephine Bakhita was a humble daughter of Africa
In her life, virtue became the beauty of the mind,
the most impressive ornament of humankind,
the ambition of every Christian.

Our earthly life is a long trip of discovery of God
where every part of our life makes meaning.
Bakhita underwent torture in many forms
Surely, God sustained her with Divine strength.

Bakhita in her tender age knew no sorrow
until she was sold into slavery.
Heartbroken beyond all words,
She was forcefully taken away from her native land.

Bakhita was driven into the thick of the wood by hidden paths across fields
She suffered at the hands of ruthless masters
Over a period of years, she was sold from one master to another.

Bakhita was a poor victim of human tyranny
She was punished and mistreated without reason
The torture took out skin and flesh
Her body was filled with scars and marks.

Bakhita was not afraid of affliction
In silence, she bore her pains
In her pains, she tried to put on a smile
But her negative experience became a source of great wisdom

At the appointed time, God changed her story
She experienced kindness and generosity
She was obedient and eager to learn
Her sorrow was transformed into happiness.

Bakhita heard the gospel of Jesus Christ
She heard the invitation of the Lord
Baptized with the name, 'Josephine'
She was professed a Religious.

She never seemed embarrassed by her black complexion
Her life was a complete story.
Everyone called her "Black Mother" because of her look.
She was a symbol of confidence in life.

Just like Alan Paton, "when an injury is done to us, we never recover until we forgive".
She persevered, loved and forgave injuries received.
She was a prayerful woman.

To Bakhita, no work was insignificant when done for the Lord
She had the gift to make the ordinary excellent.
She spent her life in simple tasks.
She trusted the will of God for her.

Prisca Onyinye Nwokorie is a  Roman Catholic Nun. She belongs to the religious order of “Oblates of St. Benedict Joseph Labre” in Italy. She is a graduate of the University of Bari where she obtained her Bachelor's and Masters' degrees in “Information and Communication Technologies for the Production of Software” and “Computer Science” respectively. Currently, she is carrying out research work on “E-learning for Developing Countries”.