On September 28. 2008 was a big feast in Rushooka parish, Mbarara arch-diocese, Uganda. Occasion was for the Sisters of Divine Charity who have been ten years in Africa. They have arrived to Rushooka in 1998 on initiative of fra Ivica Peric who was a parish priest of Rushooka at that time. That was a first convent for the sisters of Divine Charity in Uganda and whole Africa. In the first group they have been five sisters: two from Brazil and one from Germany, Poland and Croatia. At the moment they are seven sisters in two convents. Last year they opened a new convent near Mbarara town which is a noviciate house. In Rushooka they are four sisters and in other three sisters with tree novices.

Celebration started at around 11:00 AM with Holy Mass. The main celebrant was arch bishop of Mbarara arch-diocese His Grace Paul K. Bakyenga. Concelebrant was bishop coadjutor from Mbarara Rt. Rev. Lambert Bainomugisha. At the feast was Provincial of the Province of St. Francis in Africa, Madagascar and Mauritius Fr. Sebastian Unsner. Fra Ivica from Rwanda and friars from Uganda: Fabian Carmelo, Teofil and Viater. The Church and compound around church was full by the Christians. The Mass finished at 3:00 pm and feast continues with the celebration “around the table”. The visitors have left the place around 6:00 PM.

The sisters have come to Uganda on invitation of fra Ivica and archbishop Bakyenga. The idea was born in 1996 in Bosnia and Herzegovina when Ivica went for his holidays. He was in the Paris in town of Tuzla, north east of Bosnia and Herzegovina where he did meet Mother General Sr. Nicolina Hendgez of the Sisters of Divine Charity. She applied for opening a mission in Cameron. The sisters waited for two years but did not get any answer from a bishop. She was asked to come to Uganda and she was promised to get an official invitation letter. When he was back he did write a official letter of invitation to the mother General with archbishop’s recommendation.

The sisters started immediately with the preparation and in 1998 they arrived to Uganda. They stayed for a short time in the convent of the Poor Clares in Mbarara studying local language. After arriving to Rushooka they started with the pastoral work and at the same time continuo studding the language. They have been visiting small Christian communities, working with the sick, catechesis in the Schools, visiting the HIV positive, helping poor children to finish Secondary education etc. They did build they convent, health centre, place for the milling machine where the locals coming to grinned they harvests. At the same time they start to work on local vocational promotions. That work did give some fruits. In, only, ten years they have tree novices, they hope that next group is going to be bigger.

May the Lord bless they work and help them to be bigger by the number in they congregation.