Société des Missions Africaines

né le 1er mars 1962 à Marschfield dans l’Etat du Wisconsin (USA)  membre associé le 19 avril 1998 décédé le 10 août 1999

1992-1994 volontaire dans le Peace Corps au Congo 1998-1999 missionnaire associé à la SMA au Liberia décédé à Monrovia, Liberia, le 10 août 1999,  à l'âge de 37 ans

Paul Joseph Dickrell was born in Marshfield, Wisconsin, USA, on March 1, 1962.
He died in an airplane crash at Monrovia, Liberia, on August 10, 1999.

Paul was the son of Joan Dickrell Seavecki and Theodore Dickrell. He graduated from Auburndale High School and Winona State University. Making his home in Wisconsin he was active in St. Stephen’s parish, Stephens Point. In 1992 he joined the Peace Corps, spending two years in Congo (Brazzaville), developing fish farming projects with local farmers. Midway through his service civil conflict forced his evacuation along with other volunteers but they completed their terms in another part of Congo. Deeply affected by his experience, upon returning home he wrote: ‘I will never again own a car or buy anything I do not really need. There are too many people out there without the basic necessities of life.’ Skilled with his hands, he returned to Stevens Point and put his talents to work doing maintenance at St. Stephen's Church. In addition he immersed himself in beekeeping, woodworking, bicycle building and other pursuits that sought greater harmony with the environment. He was also involved in the Wisconsin Special Olympics.

During these years Paul became increasingly interested in returning to Africa in a ministry-related capacity in contrast to the humanitarian orientation of the Peace Corps. Fr. Dennis Lynch, his pastor at St. Stephens, directed Paul’s attention to the SMA. In September 1997 Paul joined the Society’s lay missionary formation program at Takoma Park, Maryland and was commissioned on April 19, 1998. He was then assigned to the diocese of Cape Palmas in Liberia. Having had previous experience of fish farming in Congo, he was posted to the Bonike Leprosy Center – some 23 miles from Harper - where there had been fishponds before the Liberian civil strife. Paul and his helpers created a reservoir and twelve fishponds that provide a much-needed source of protein-rich food for the Bonike residents (There were twenty-two lepers in the colony and some sixty-five children and family members). Skilled in carpentry and construction, Paul also built a clinic and multi-purpose room. Moreover he supervised to construction of a channel to prevent land erosion and guide the torrential waters of the rainy season and reconstructed a road made impassable by war. To further increase the mobility of the Bonike people, he planned to teach a bicycle assembly and maintenance workshop, so the people would have a means of transportation to the nearest town which was five miles away. His ultimate goal was to see the people of Bonike self-sufficient.

Paul had a Franciscan mode of spirituality, with a deep reverence for all of creation. Living in a single room behind the chapel, he rigged up some solar lighting and adapted to the native diet of rice, greens and fish. Known for his soft-spoken gentleness, Paul displayed great compassion for those afflicted with leprosy and was regarded by his fellow missionaries as a ‘ray of light’ to the people he served in his challenging assignment

Paul and six others died in the crash of an eight-seater Cessna plane on a journey from Harper to Monrovia, when the pilot tried to land after dark at the unlit Robertsfield Airport near Monrovia. There were no survivors. On board the plane was the chief of Liberia’s national police force, Joe Tate, a cousin of President Charles Taylor. According to a request made by Paul when he joined the Society, his funeral and burial were in Liberia. A concelebrated Mass was held on August 18, 1999 in Our Lady of Lebanon Catholic Church, Monrovia. Officiating were Archbishop Michael Francis of Monrovia and Bishop Boniface Dalieh of Cape Palmas diocese and Fr. Michael Moran, the SMA Regional Superior. He was survived by his mother, Joan Dickrell Seavecki, his brother Peter and his sisters: Anna Marie Dickrell and Mary Catherine Kinney. Paul was the first lay missionary of the Society’s American Province to die in the field.

Sometime after Paul’s death a tree was planted at Bonike Leprosy Center. The plaque bears the following inscription:
‘In Loving Memory of
Paul Joseph Dickrell,
Societe des Missions Africains,
March 1, 1962-August 10, 1999.
Bonike Leprosy Center,
Plesa, Liberia, West Africa.
‘I will not forget you … I have you carved on the palm of my hand’ (Isaiah 49:15).

He is buried in St. Theresa’s convent cemetery, Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa.