Saint Josephine Bakhita, 1869–1947

February 8

Josephine (Giuseppina) Bakhita was born in Africa. At twelve, she was kidnapped and made a slave. She was a slave for many years. When she grew up, she stayed in a convent in Italy. She learned about Jesus there. She discovered that God loves us so much he died for us; she wanted to help other people learn about Jesus, too. She became a religious sister and helped prepare missionaries to go to Africa.

Discuss: How can you let someone know more about Jesus?

In 1869, Josephine (Giuseppina) Bakhita was born in the Sudan, a country in Africa. At a young age, she was kidnapped and made a slave. She was a slave for many years. When she grew up, she stayed in a convent in Italy run by the Daughters of Charity. She learned about Jesus there. She discovered that God loves us so much he died for us. She decided she wanted to help other people learn how Jesus has saved us, so she was baptized and became a religious sister, entering the order of the Daughters of Charity. She helped prepare missionaries to go to Africa.

Saint Josephine’s name Bakhita is the Arabic word for lucky. At her convent she served as a doorkeeper and was well known for giving comfort and help to the people who came to the convent. Josephine is the patron Saint of the Sudan. She is sometimes called the Madre Moreta, or Black Mother, for the care she showed to others.

Activity
Poster
Visual/Spatial

Explain to that Saint Josephine did all that she could do to help others know about Jesus.

• Provide your child with a poster board, markers, and stickers.
• Invite him/her to write the name “Jesus” in the middle of the poster board.  Help him/her write descriptive words for Jesus around his name in decorative lettering. He/she can also draw happy pictures and place stickers on the poster board for decoration.
• You might even want to create your own poster board at the same time.
• Display the poster board(s) for the rest of the family to see how much you both love Jesus and to see all that he means to you.
• Remind your child that her/his actions should match her/his words about Jesus in everyday life so that her/his words are believable to others.