Final Day of the Holy Childhood Missionary Competition
On Saturday, 19 July 2025, we joyfully marked the final day of the Holy Childhood Missionary Competition at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, Bidibidi Refugee Settlement. This special event brought together all the Holy Childhood groups who had emerged as winners in the previous zonal-level competitions.
The competition aimed to foster unity, deepen faith, and encourage the missionary spirit among children, adolescents, and youth in the settlement.
The day began early with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, presided over by Fr. Andrzej, SVD. After the Mass, the programme continued with vocal performances and a drama competition, all centered on the inspiring life and witness of Saint Josephine Bakhita.
This missionary gathering also formed part of the wider 150th anniversary celebrations of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). In this spirit, children joyfully offered songs in honor of St. Arnold Janssen—founder of the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP—as a sign of gratitude for the missionary presence and loving service in their midst.
One of the most touching moments of the day was the farewell and mission-sending of Fr. Andrzej and Fr. Andrew, SVD, who have faithfully served the Bidibidi community for several years. As they now prepare to return to South Sudan to help re-establish an SVD mission, the children from six participating groups expressed their appreciation through songs, small gifts, and heartfelt messages of thanks for the priests’ dedication and pastoral care.
In recognition of their efforts, prizes were awarded to the winners of the drama competition, and gifts were shared with all the Holy Childhood participants. The day concluded with a final prayer and a shared meal, bringing a joyful and profound sense of community to all who attended.
Before the celebration ended, some of the Holy Childhood members personally thanked us and presented us with beautiful T-shirts as tokens of love and appreciation. Through these simple but meaningful gifts, they showed the sincerity of their hearts and their joy in the missionary journey.
We give thanks to God for the success of all the days of the Holy Childhood Missionary Competition, for the missionary zeal of the SVD and SSpS, and for the unwavering witness of hope and faith among the children and refugees of Bidibidi Settlement.
