To communing at the approach of Christmas with the 161 young Haitian students who came to study in Senegal, of Catholic Church of Senegal gave them Tuesday, a friendly and brotherly banquet at the residence of Cardinal Theodore Adrien Sarr.

In addition to students and the Apostolic Nuncio, the Vatican's representative in Dakar, was present the priests, nuns, figures of the Catholic laity and a large Senegalese government delegation led by Dr Lamine Bâ, Minister in charge of humanitarian affairs and international diaspora considered by the Haitian students as "the most Haitians Senegalese".

In his message, Cardinal Theodore Adrien Sarr addressed to Haitian students he told them "this dinner is a way to welcome you and the whole Catholic community is committed to finding you the godfathers and godmothers to the sense used on the path of Christ" After expressing his joy to welcome them he recalled the basic principles of Christian faith to say that "hospitality and solidarity are the main features of the Christian" inviting all Christians to demonstrate "solidarity without fault with regard to the distress that hit Haiti in general and the young Haitian students living among us in particular".

Pierre Marie Michelle Chimene, the voice of Haitian students, expressed her gratitude to Cardinal Theodore Adrien Sarr, to the Senegalese people and to President Wade. "We are touched by all these sacrifices of the Senegalese people to make us feel that we are in our home, we are not in a foreign land. You keep us as your daughters and son" an effort all the more significant, she stressed "that despite its meager resources, Senegal wanted to share that with them. This country has given the world a great lesson of solidarity".

Then Minister Lamine Bâ, said that following the initiative of President Abdoulaye Wade, Benin will host next year 100 Haitian students, and Rwanda 50, stressing that the list of African countries interested in hosting haitian students is far from over.

See also:

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1144-haiti-senegal-160-haitian-students-for-the-academic-year.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1447-haiti-senegal-the-university-gaston-berger-receives-25-haitian-students.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-1440-haiti-senegal-facilitate-the-integration-of-haitians-in-senegal.html

HL/ HaitiLibre