St. Josephine Bakhita

February 8

 

She was born in the Darfur region of Sudan. She was captured at 8 years old and named Bakhita which means “lucky one”. In her early years she was not so lucky as she was sold into slavery where she was tortured, disfigured by tattoos, made to go on long marches chained and deprived of food and water. She was bought and sold five times, before she became a nursemaid for an Italian girl. When the family was moving back to Africa, Josephine and the child remained at the convent. When the family returned, Josephine refused to go as she was studying to be baptized. She was allowed to stay as the Italian government had outlawed slavery. She remained at the convent and was known as the “Universal Sister” as she loved and cared for all people.