ZAMBIA: Catholics Zambia Commemorates St Bakhita with Calls for Awareness on Human Trafficking
Sandra Kunda
Joining the global Catholic community in honouring the legacy of Saint Bakhita, the Catholic Church in Zambia has taken advantage of the annual feast day of Saint Bakhita on February 8, 2024 to raise awareness on human trafficking.
Sister Patience Chinondo, representing Thalita Kum Zambia (TAKUZA) shared the inspiring story of Saint Josephine Bakhita with the faithful in attendance narrating the immense suffering she endured during the dark era of slavery at the hands of her captors before eventually finding her calling as a nun.
Sr. Chinondo emphasized Saint Bakhita’s role as a beacon of light and a healer for those currently enduring the horrors of human trafficking worldwide.
She urged everyone present to pray for the liberation of those still trapped in the clutches of human traffickers so that they can endure and be set free as the day’s significance lies in raising awareness through prayer, extending beyond the confines of the church to touch the lives of people everywhere.
The event was marked by moments of prayer and reflection, coupled with a touching testimony from a survivor of human trafficking, who her harrowing experience of being deceived under the guise of employment, only to find herself suffering in a foreign land but eventually saw Gods hand at a time when hope seemed elusive.
And Director of TAKUZA Sister Kayula Lesa, revealed a stark reality that approximately 50 million people fell victim to human trafficking in 2021, encompassing women, young girls, and men showing indicated the urgency of creating awareness, making the feast day of Saint Bakhita a crucial platform for advocacy.
The event took place at the Kalundu Study Center Conference Hall organized by TAKUZA, a program under the Zambia Association of Sisterhoods (ZAS) where the Catholic Church underscored its commitment to combating human trafficking.
The global Catholic community observes the feast of Saint Bakhita every February 8, coinciding with the International Day for Victims of Human Trafficking, with Saint Josephine Bakhita honoured as the patron saint of the day.
ENDS…
