| Through the eyes of little Paul and the wisdom of his uncle Natale, Sr. Agnes ICM, Supervisor of the San Dominic and Savio Nursery School in Riimenze, gives us a powerful testimony of what it truly means to be guardians of our brothers and sisters and to welcome every child as a gift from God.
“It was Monday morning. I had just come from the Holy Eucharist celebration and was hurrying to school when I noticed a little boy running after me. His face looked familiar. It was Paul—the boy we visited last week—now studying in Primary One at St. Dominic Savio School. With a bright smile, he handed me a small, thin sugar cane. I gratefully accepted it and gently told him to hurry back to school. Paul was born in Tombura in 2016. Tombura is quite far from Riimenze where Paul lives now. His father is unknown, and when he was just one year and six months old, his mother left him in the care of her sister, Ruzeta, before leaving for Juba. . Since then, Paul has never known either of his parents, and at times this reality weighs heavily on him. Yet Paul is a wonderful child. Every morning, I see him in the Church, faithfully attending the prayer service before school. He dreams of becoming a teacher someday. Why? Because, he says, teachers guide children from all tribes, and to him, they are humble and trustworthy people. Paul’s aunt, Ruzeta, and his step-uncle, Natale—who have been married for 35 years without children of their own—love him deeply. Beyond caring for Paul, they also look after other children from their extended family. Natale is a dedicated farmer. Meeting him felt like God’s timing for me, as I had been searching for a responsible person to help in the garden of Nursery School to plant more trees. I invited him to work as a casual worker, and he gladly accepted. “This will help me earn a little more for my family. Thank you, Sister,” he said humbly. When Madame Madeleine (Coordinator of the nursery school – Ed.) asked Natale why he chooses to care for children who are not biologically his, he replied with joy, “They are God’s gifts to us. In the Church, we are taught to care for those who cannot care for themselves. I am happy to do so.” In Natale’s words, I heard an echo of a quiet, deeper and powerful truth in life: we are responsible for one another, I am my brother’ and sister’ keeper.” Sr. Agnes Lozano Marcelino, ICM Saint Dominic and Savio Nursery School Supervisor
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Date Published:12 January 2026 Author:Alice, Officer Article Tags: Latest news, South Sudan, Solidarity, Riimenze, Kindergarten |
