Bakhita

Bakhita, family (3), Slave traders (2), Arab man, Arab daughters (2), Italian Family (4), Nuns (3), young man

(Enter Bakhita, Family)

Josephine Bakhita was born into a good family in Sudan in 1869.  She used to play tag with her brothers and sisters, and eat good meals, and was always happy.  She always had a great big smile, and laughed all the time!  She would hug each person in her family and say "I love you."

(Enter slave traders)

One day Arab slave traders came. Her family screamed and pointed at them!  Then they ran away and hid. But the slave traders grabbed Bakhita and said "You're coming with us!"  Then they laughed maniacally.

Bakhita looked frantically for her brothers and sisters, but could not find them. so the traders took her away.

(Exit family)

They made her walk very far.  If she tripped, they would whip her until she got up again.  She was so sacred, that eventually she even forgot her name.  The Slave traders said "What's your name?"

Trembling, she said "I don't know!"

They threatened to whip her again, so she said "Bakhita!  My name is Bakhita!"  Bakhita was a word that meant Lucky, but it was not her real name.

The slave traders said "Become Muslim, or we will kill you!"

Bakhita just shrugged and said "Ok!"

(Enter Arab family)

One day she was sold to a very Wealthy Arab man. The arab man sang "If I were a rich man..." and danced around, jiggling his portly belly. The Arab Man stroked his beard as he looked Bakhita up and down. He said “Yes, you will do nicely! You will be the servant to my daughters.”  

The arab man paid the slave traders. 

The Slave Traders gave each other high fives, then said "Let's go kidnap some more slaves!"  And they skipped away gleefully.

(Exit slave traders)

 At first the Arab Family treated Bakhita well, but then one day she accidentally broke a vase.  The two daughters gasped and pointed fingers of accusation at her. The Arab man was outraged! he yelled “You no good slave!”  Then he kicked her so hard that she could not move.  

Then the girls began to whip her. Finally, they drew a pattern on her skin in flour, then traced the pattern with a razor, then poured salt into the pattern so that it would leave permanent scars.  Bakhita cried because of the great pain!

But the girls stood back and admired their artwork, saying “It’s so beautiful!”

(Enter Italian family)

One day an Italian Family came by, squabbling as they walked. They gestured dramatically with their hands, and said things like “mama mia!” and “I want a gelato” and “Silenzio Bruno!”.

The Arab man said “Hey guys, wanna buy a slave?”

The Arab girls said “We decorated her for you!”

One of the Italians said “Mama mia! She is the Ferrari of slaves!”

So they bought her.

(Exit Arab Family)

The Italian man said (in his best Italian accent) “Bakhita, you will come with me to Italy, and look after my kids. You will be their nanny!”  The Italians treated her very well. One of the girls, named Michelle said “Would you like some gelato?”

The Italian man said “Baklhita, I want you to take Michelle to the convent for a few days, to see if she would like to become a nun.”

Bakhita smiled and said “Yes sir.”

(Enter Nuns) When it was time to leave the Italian man said “Ok, Bakhita, come on now!  we are going back to Sudan!”

But Bakhita said “No! Please, I want to be a nun!”  And she clung tightly to the nuns.

The man said “Bakhita, you are our slave, and you cannot choose that. Come on.”

But one of the nuns said “Slavery is illegal in Italy, and in Sudan, so you can’t have any slaves.   She is free to make her own choice!” 

So the Italian family left, and Bakhita was welcomed to join the nuns!  Bakhita and the Nuns danced happily, while the Italian family left.

(Exit Italian family)

When she became a Catholic, she took the name “Josephine” and so became known as Sister Josephine Bakhita. She soon had a reputation for being holy! 

(Enter young man)

 When a young man once asked her “What would you do if you met your captors again?”  she said “I would kneel at their feet and kiss their hands, because if it were not for them I would never have become Catholic!”

In her old age, Bakhita was confined to a wheelchair.  But she remained cheerful, even when sick.  The last thing she ever said was “I am so happy-  Our Lady, Our Lady!”  Then she died.

St Josephine Bakhita-

Pray for us!