Dear friends,
Just to let you know what’s happen after-the murder of Miss Honorine.
Since we lived a lot of very strong event, starting with the first face to face with this inert body, wounded, torn face, a person we had seen alive the day before. Despite these fatal injuries she received, she kept her face full of gentleness and peace.
In this story, I would like to share these moments of indescribable intensity.
Date May 22, 2016, we have just one last goodbye to Miss Honorine Akamasoa. We did this with a heavy heart, but at the same time with a heart full of strength and hope, at the sight of the reception and solidarity that the people of Akamasoa has shown her since yesterday to arrival of her remains, until the Mass of this morning, not to mention the wake of yesterday. Hundreds of people welcomed her with respect and dignity impossible to describe.
The Town hall of Akamasoa was packed, though it was 3:30 in the afternoon. From there, we started with a prayer, which Saint Paul told the early Christians that “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” Our dead are not dead, they are alive, that’s why I did not use the word dead, but spoke of Miss Honorine, still alive among us, in our hearts, in our minds.
When the prayer ended, we filed her body on a well prepared table with a white cloth, surrounded by lots of pretty flowers. Then people started to sing and greet the family by providing, according to custom, envelope, as a sign of solidarity, assistance for expenses of burial.
The singing lasted from 6:00 pm until dark! The wake for Miss Honorine was made with dignity, peace and serenity that we can not explain so much it was. Hundreds of people remained all night, sitting on the floor, and sang with conviction and force that would upset the most insensitive people.
Anyone from outside could understand how it’s possible for this crowd to sing for 12 hours without a common sing-book? Especially as each song was sung with such vibrations and strength we felt the people’s soul speak through them to overcome this pain that we suffered.
One felt a union, even more, a communion of all of us in this big room full of adults, youth and also children. It showed that the word “Solidarity” was not just “a Word” but a “Reality” at Akamasoa. This solidarity was so real we could touch it with our hand with so much strength, this communion came out of the people present at the wake.
I left few minutes after midnight, I wanted to stay the whole night with them, but I had to take some rest in order to be able to celebrate Mass few hours later.
When I came back around 6:00 am, I saw a long queue of students in the back yard, waiting to bow to the body and say a final goodbye to Miss Honorine.
With Miss Honorine, we have also join the body of the oldest person of Akamasoa, who had 94 years hold that we called “Bebe Therese”, she died the same day than Miss Honorine. We have watched both bodies at the same time. Then we transported them to the church which is located a few dozen meters of the Town Hall.
The Church was packed as never with children and parents, as a day of Great Celebration, we began the Mass for the souls of Miss Honorine and Bebe Theresa. We were 4 priests to co-celebrate, including 2 Vincentians confreres, Father Philip and Marek father and two seminarians, one of which was the nephew of Miss Honorine. A particular miracle: 200 altar girls wanted to be present at the Eucharist, close to her.
Father Donatien , vicar general, who represented the Bishop of Morondava, read the Gospel and made the “Homily”. He knew Miss Honorine and strongly emphasized her love of life and work, but also her dynamic nature, seriousness in work and sense of sacrifice for the good of everyone. Then talk to the crowd to remind them that Miss Honorine was a woman of deep faith and exceptional courage. Despite the difficulties, her tender and sweet smile captivated all persons visiting Akamasoa. I added that I was often pushing her out of her office for her not to cross at night this “unsecure City” of Antananarivo.
I also appealed the young people by telling them that it is for them to be inspire by Miss Honorine’s life and I have enjoined to choose as a guide line for their life the example of life of “Miss Honorine” and not the example of some singers who often incite the young to an easy and artificial life.
I also said never at Akamasoa, it will lack courageous young, with human and spiritual values, to pursue the “Fight” of Miss Honorine. Akamasoa is a nursery for those who dare, who have the will to change the injustices that cause the extreme poverty in the country.
Akamasoa will always have young people ready and willing to front evil and fight against all that destroys the human being. Akamasoa is a source that will never dry up, because you can not kill love, the will, the desire to thirteen thousand youth who want to live and do something positive of their lives.
I felt a great silence in the assembly and I even saw tears in the eyes of children of primary school and high school students.
At the end of the Mass, we gave blessings to the two bodies, then the closest families and comrades came sprinkled the caskets with holy water.
Because of the lack time, we had to restrict the number of people who still wanted to come and touch the coffin of Miss Honorine. And when men carried her out, the crowd started singing religious song Honorine loved, then all hands rising by wave to tell a final “Goodbye” to Miss Honorine that we love so much.
On the square of our church, people were still there to witness Miss Honorine’s convoy going to the ancestral tomb which is over 100 km from Antananarivo.
The farewell ceremony will remain engraved in our heart forever, because we had been through this terrible murder, we can not explain.
So we had a mass of an exceptional beauty with peace feeling and an inexplicable emotion. And it’s why evil will never defeat the good, love and beauty of the soul. People who are gone as martyrs are the winner for the Eternity.
Miss Honorine rests in peace now. She was the one always working, and could not stop, she will now work for us from Heaven to help us to pursue our fight for justice, peace, brotherhood, sharing and joy.
I must say I was very glad to see all those AKAMASOA’s responsible people taking part in the organization of the evening, welcoming dozens of people from the Cities of Antolojanahary, Fianarantsoa, Safata, Alakamisy-Ambohimaha Morondava Vangaindrano.
It was very hard to see that despite the shock and pain, all her companions did their work with great dedication, because it is never easy to lead a crowd of thousands. Very hard to see this unity, this communion, because all we lacked sleep and were tired. But all of this going on smoothly in the background. First they had to welcome and serve the people who wanted to express their love for Miss Honorine.
The strength of the community has certainly eased our pain and suffering. Because slowly, our pain was changing in strength and hope. And today, after the burial of “Baby Theresa”, we ended up with the first charge, and the meeting we made took place in a large sharing a great friendship, great love, and the feeling of having done our best to address a worthy goodbye to that person if smiling and efficient that we loved so much.
With this event we come out more united, stronger and more determined than ever to continue to educate our thousands of children and young people, so there is a lot of Miss Honorine who wish to give their life to their countrymen, for faith and Madagascar.
Injustice she fought all her life, has settled on her and killed her. She is a victim, and we will do everything possible to bring this matter to the relevant authorities so that her murder is solved, because there are too many people who die every day in Madagascar, and whose murderers remain unknown. We hope that the State Officials will help us to clarify this tragedy, and to find the guilty one.
Around the world, from Argentina, Australia, France, Reunion, Monaco, Slovenia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Canada, USA and Madagascar, we received dozens of emails of encouragement to face this pain in which we have plunged the tragic loss of our beloved comrade who was Miss Honorine, and we show compassion and solidarity.
But we were also very touched by the gesture of the President of the Republic of Madagascar and his wife, who sent a large delegation to give us their condolences and solidarity. We want to say that we enjoyed this presence and this gesture on the part of the highest State Authorities.
Also, we have been touch by the message of 3 archbishops, Archbishop Odon Marie Arsène Razanakolona (Antananarivo), Bishop Fulgence Rabemahafaly (Fianarantsoa), Bishop Benjamin Ramaroson (Antsiranana) and the Bishop of Morondava Bishop Fabian, all very committed to the work of Akamasoa.
I also think of Anne Dubois, a friendly person, acquired in our struggle and who lives locally, present at the wake and the Mass of the day, with tears in eyes for this unjust event.
We feel that the Public eye is very sensitive to any injustice perpetrated against innocent people. That means that any crime done in any place of the world, can no longer be ignored. Public opinion of our friends across dozens of countries, is a strength for us and as a shield for the next deception.
Thank you with all my heart to all those who wrote to us and shared our suffering. Our sorrow for this loss is as great as it was unexpected.
God bless all our friends around the world for their love and support!
Know that this incubator Akamasoa by the Grace, Strength and the Holly Spirit will never disappear.
At the names of all the children and people of Akamasoa, we kiss you with Love!
father Pedro
