Sr. Bianca Bii, a Candle in the Dark to the Destitute Children in Tombura-Yambio

Sr. Bianca Bii, a religious nun from the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary has defied many odds to bring hope to destitute children orphaned by the war that led to the independence of the Republic of South Sudan from Sudan.

 First, her quest to becoming a religious sister, demonstrated her resilience, tenacity, and diligence, a true spirit of a call to serve. Coming from a background of strong African culture where women were only expected to be nothing but homemakers (good wife and a great mother to tens of children), Sr. Bii's determination to becoming a nun and her achievements thanks to her generous heart and love for those living in the periphery likens her to Mother Teresa of Calcutta. The once mother superior in her congregation can indeed be called Mother Bianca of Tombura-Yambio.

 Born to a pagan family in 1943, Sr. Bianca whose second name Bii means the first of the twins among the Azande community in Western Equatoria was baptized together with her siblings in 1949, when she was six at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Parish, Riimenze.

 She managed to join the school at the parish in 1952 when one of the Comboni Missionaries Fr. Georgoti sent a messenger to her father to allow his children to attend school with other children from the community. As such Bianca and her sister were allowed to register at Riimenze boarding school. However, her dreams towards achieving academic excellence were threatened when her aunt proposed that she be married at a young age. A sorrowful Bianca, therefore, protested to her mother, clearly stating her wish to becoming a teacher and a religious sister.

 While in Primary one at Riimenze boarding school, Bii approached the headmistress, a

Comboni Missionary sister, and expressed her desire to become a nun. The sister laughed and told her that she was too young to make such a decision, however, she noted down little Bianca’s name.

 When she cleared her primary four at Riimenze, she was sent to Mupoi to proceed with her upper classes. While there, she again approached a nun and expressed her desire to join religious life. This time, her quest paid off as she was admitted as an Aspirant. She saw her dream coming true although, during the same year, the Arab Government of Sudan had started sending away the British Government and the Comboni Missionaries from the then Sudan.

 As fate would have it, one of the Missionaries Fr. Fera, just before leaving Sudan started a new religious congregation for sisters and Bianca was lucky to be among the first members. At the age of 17 years, Bianca Bii and her namesake Bianca Gbinza made their first Vow into religious life in Mupoi on 29^th September 1961. She later made her final vows and professed as a member of the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1963.

An Oasis of hope to Orphaned Children

A year after her profession in 1964, Sr. Bianca Bii visited her sick mother in Nzara County and the sight of desperation in destitute orphans whose parents had been killed during the 21 years of civil war between the South Sudanese and Khartoum Government in Sudan moved her heart to action.

 “Those poor children were suffering from different diseases, their heads and clothes infested with lice. I decide to move from home to home in the evening to pray with them while on Saturdays I called all of them to my residence to bath and wash their clothes and pray together,” Sr. Bianca explained adding that she did this till 1997 when her mother passed on in Nzara.

 As if she had found a charism for her herself, Sr. Bianca decides to write to the then Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio Titarani Joseph Gasi Abangite in September 1998 requesting him to allow her to officially be taking care of poor children whose parents either died as a result of war or other illnesses and the bishop gave her an okay. That marked the birth of Grace St. Bakhita Hope in Tombura, named after one of the beneficiaries Miss Grace Humerani.

 Many children whom Sr. Bianca has taken care of have successfully completed both

primary and secondary schools with others managing to pursue further studies in different higher learning institutions. Among them is Grace Humerani whom Sr. Bianca took under her care when her parents died.

“Grace managed to sit for her South Sudan School Certificate at Bishop Abangite Science and Technology in 2016 in Yambio and emerged the best student in the whole of the Republic of South Sudan. She got a scholarship and is now doing surgical medicine in the United States of America,” Sr. Bianca delightfully explained adding that Grace has been very instrumental to the children’s home as she inspires many children to work hard and follow in her footsteps.

 Additionally, Grace always sends some financial supports to Sr. Bianca to enable her take care of the children at Grace St. Bakhita Home. According to Sr. Bianca, Grace has promised to come back after her studies to support the center and the entire Western Equatoria with medical expertise.

Another success story is of a young man whom Sr. Bianca took in at the age of five when his parents died. The young man has since become one of the successful and biggest businessman who owns one of the most expensive hotels in Western Equatoria State. He too is a big supporter of Sr. Bianca’s work as from time to time he donate foodstuff and money to Grace St. Bakhita home. Many other children who have passed through the care of Sr. Bianca have been trained and graduated from both vocational and technical schools in South Sudan and are now serving the community.

 “The children here under our care are from different backgrounds across South Sudan. Others are from Eritrean and Ethiopian. It is our joy when these children grow up and acquire knowledge and skills that help them to earn a living and establish their own families,” Sr. Bianca pointed out.

 Some laywomen in Tombura and Nzara have joined Sr. Bianca in taking care of the children. Currently, Grace St. Bakhita Home is taking care of 65 children. The institution can do well with more support in terms of building more rooms to accommodate many more destitute children; they also need scholastic materials and food assistance.

 The 77-year-old Sister appreciates the support she has received from the current Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio, Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala. She also appreciates the priests and other Catholic Organizations in the Diocese for giving supports to the children under her care.

By, Elias Ginana Mangbondo