Bakhita

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

(Enter Bakhita, Family, slave traders)

Josephine Bakhita was born into a good family in Sudan in 1869.  She used to play with her brothers and sisters, and eat good meals, and was always happy.  Then one day when she was nine she was kidnapped by Arab Slave traders! (Exit family)

They made her walk very far,  and treated her badly, whipping her and beating her.  So badly in fact that eventually she forgot her name!  So she started to go by the name “Bakhita”, which is Arabic for “Lucky”.  The slave traders even forced her to become Muslim, saying “Become Muslim or we will kill you!”

(Enter Arab family)

One day she was sold to a very Wealthy Arab man.  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.”  

Bakhita just nodded, as she had no choice, and the Arab man gave money to the slave traders.  The Slave Traders shook hand with the Arab Man, and congratulated themselves, saying “we make good money and we do good work! Let’s go kidnap more people!”

Then they left skipping and singing.  

(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!