MyanmarChiaraLuce2 “I thought my life would end up like everyone else’s, without any challenges, but now I’ve been ‘awakened’ from a great dream because, during this youth camp I received so much strength and courage” (William, 20 years old). “Now I know what it means to love: serving others. I made many new friends and it was one of the happiest moments of my life” (Maung, 21 years old). “These three days were like a vitamin pill for carrying on toward my future” (Benjamin, 18 years old). These are only a few of the impressions following a youth camp that was held in Kanazogone, a tiny village in southern Myanmar (October 3-5, 2014).

The idea began with the Youth for a United World from Yangon (also known as Rangoon, capital of Myanmar since 2005). “We took off in a bus, 23 young people from Yangon, then continued by boat since the road didn’t reach this remote village. We were welcomed by a small community in this mostly Christian region, which is under the guidance of a priest focolarino, Father Carolus. Another 60 young people joined us from the surrounding areas.

MyanmarChiaraLuce3 For many it was the first time attending a meeting of this kind. Right from the start the young people listened with attention and embraced our message seriously.”

The programme focused on the figure of Blessed Chiara Luce Badano. “When we began watching the video of her beatification,” the young people explained, “the rains were falling so noisely that we couldn’t hear the audio. So we stopped and improvised games until the rain stopped. . .  The presenters proposed that we prayt together asking Chiara Luce to make it possible for us to hear the video. Shortly afterwards the rain suddenly diminished significantly. But the great miracle was the testimony of her life that reached the heart of each young person. It was a solemn moment, like when we spoke of peace: peace within ourselves when we forgive others, peace with those around us, concluding with a time-out for world peace. Many of the young people made a decision to begin loving the people around them, especially the closest people like their families.”

MyanmarChiaraLuce1 “We wanted to do something useful for the village,” they recounted. “Even though it was such a hot afternoon, we went with the tools brought by the young people to remove the weeds that were growing along the river in the forest. We worked in the mud, with snakes and mosquitos everywhere. . . Some were amazed that they were doing such work, but everyone was overflowing with joy! And we left a beautiful garden behind. In the evening we feasted. We invited all the families and thanked the women who had cooked our meals for those two days. Many came and joined us in spite of their shyness.”

 “Even though there was no electricity – except for the generator – no telephone nor internet. . . oh, how difficult it was to leave that place!” The return trip to Yangon will never be forgotten, because of the group’s joy that was expressed in loud laughter and endless singing during the 15 hours on the bus.”

“When we reached home, with the excuse that one of us would be travelling abroad for studies, we immediately organised a reunion that same week, to share photos and know more about the life of Chiara Luce. The atmosphere of those days in Kanazogone returned and our new friends also expressed a desire to imitate her.”

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