Uno de los días más emotivos de nuestro viaje ha sido sin duda la ceremonia del primer aniversario de la muerte del Hno. Manuel García Viejo. Por motivos de agenda, en vez de celebrarlo el día 25 de septiembre, se retrasó al sábado 3 de octubre para que pudiera presidir la ceremonia Monseñor Natalio Paganeli, Administrador Apostólico de la Diócesis de Makeni.

También en las mezquitas de Lunsar se recordó el día anterior a todos los profesionales del hospital que fallecieron por el Ébola. Desgraciadamente un total de 12 personas incluyendo a nuestro querido Hno. Manuel.

La ceremonia se hizo en la Iglesia del Hospital de Mabesseneh. Acudieron una amplia representación de todas las congregaciones religiosas de la Diócesis y del clero local de Lunsar. Todos recordaron las atenciones y el cariño que recibieron del Hermano Manuel en sus problemas de salud o con pacientes que llevaron al Hospital.

De toda la ceremonia y de los testimonios que se dieron destaca el definir al Hno. Manuel Garcia Viejo, como un “hombre bueno”, entregado al servicio de los enfermos sin límites de tiempo, y su generosidad en dar incluso su propia sangre. Es el mejor recuerdo que ha podido dar como persona y Hermano de San Juan de Dios a todos los que le hemos conocido. Así se lo han reconocido en los cantos y en la danza de varios grupos de trabajadores en la Iglesia.

El Paramanchief de Lunsar tuvo unas palabras de reconocimiento a la labor y dedicación del Hermano Manuel desarrollada en el Hospital, y expresó su agradecimiento por toda el trabajo que tanto la Comunidad de los Hermanos  como de los trabajadores han desarrollado para superar el brote de Ébola.

Después de la Ceremonia litúrgica, se inauguró en el recinto del hospital un monumento en recuerdo de todos los profesionales y estudiantes que  fallecieron victimas del Ébola en el Hospital. Todos ellos considerados como héroes de la hospitalidad.

Ponemos a continuación la autobiografía integra del Hno. Manuel García Viejo que leyó el Hno. Nestor, Superior de la Comunidad de Mabesseneh al inicio de la ceremonia.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY – TRIBUTE

Rev. Bro. Manuel Garcia Viejo was born in a small town called Folgoso de la Rivera, Leon Castilla Spain in 1943

At a very tender age, he expressed the desire of becoming a religious brother and was giving the opportunity to join the school of hospitality (Mission Boy).

He began his novitiate in 1961 at the age of seventeen and after a period of one year as a novice, he made his first profession (temporal vows) in 1962 in the Castilla Province of Spain. (52 years as a religious)

After several years of community life in different communities in Spain, the opportunity to study medicine in the famous University of Salamanca finally came. He successfully pursued his studies and graduated as a qualified medical doctor in 1975. He immediately decided to do his specialty in internal medicine in the same University, and graduated in 1981.

In 1984, he arrived in Ghana. His first mission in Africa. He became a full member of the Asafo – Community in Ghana. He spent several years in Ghana practicing his profession as a medical doctor. He was later posted to Nguti – Community in Cameron where he spent few months. In 2001, the then medical director of Mabesseeneh Hospital, Bro Fernando felt sick and he was called upon to come and replace him as the medical director. He has spent 12 years in Sierra Leona. In total, he stayed in Africa for 30 years. He was in Sierra Leona from the end 2001 to 2014.

Bro. Manual Garcia was a great and dedicated surgeon serving the people of Marampa Chiefdom, Port Loko District and Sierra Leone as a whole for 12 years.

The Brothers remembered him as a peaceful man of God. His love for patients especially pregnant women and children will never be forgotten. The willingness to donate his own blood to the patients and his readiness to attend to the patients 24 hours round the clock is something that the Brothers, co-workers, and patients will never forget. On the 7^th September 2014, he complained to the superior of the community that he was feeling sick. In the cause of that week, the condition changed, the EBOLA response team was called upon. On the 11^th September 2014, he was taken to the EBOLA treatment center in Freetown where he as tested and confirmed positive. After a long negotiation between the Spain and Sierra Leone Government, he was air lifted to Spain to further the treatment from this deadly disease. Finally, on the 25^th September 2014, he died.

It was a great loss to the hospital, Brothers in Africa, his patients, Marampa Chiefdom, Sierra Leone and whole Order of St. John of God. May his soul rest in peace.

Lista de los 12 Héroes de la Hospitalidad, victimas del brote de Ebola.

Nº	Nombre	Puesto	Fecha
1	Elvis Kamara	Limpieza	16/06/2014
2	Isata S. Kanu	Auxiliar	10/07/2014
3	Fatmata Bangura	Auxiliar	11/07/2014
4	Hawanaty Sesay	Estudiante Enfermería	15/07/2014
5	Dominic Kuyateh	Limpieza	18/07/2014
6	Aminata Kamara	Enfermera	01/08/2014
7	Michaella Conteh	Enfermera	17/08/2014
8	Sylvester Conteh	Lavandería	20/08/2014
9	Umar Kanu	Enfermero	31/08/2014
10	Hno. Manuel Garcia Viejo	Médico. Hno. SJD	25/09/2014
11	Christiana Jabie		18/10/2014
12	Edward S Koroma		02/11/2014

Otras noticias

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• Morir para vivir  / El País / 15-10-2015
• Se puede salvar 35 millones de vidas para 2030… si se quiere / El País / 13-10-2015
• Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey’s condition ‘has improved’ / BBC News / 19/10/2015