Language of love creates family at party for Syrian refugees

 
Focolare hosts intercultural party at Focolare Centre in Co. Kildare
Syrians and Irish clapping music and dance at Focolare Centre, Curryhills
Syrians and Irish clapping music and dance at Focolare Centre, Curryhills

There were tears, smiles and blown kisses as refugees from Syria boarded three buses to return to Monasterevin at the end of the Intercultural Party at the Focolare Centre in Prosperous, Co. Kildare on 15th October 2016.

Over seventy people from the village of Prosperous helped in preparing the intercultural party, described by one person as being like “a meeting of two families”.  Local shops donated food, local schools lent furniture and bunting, local businesses supported the event in other ways.  “It was a proud day for the parish,” remarked parish curate, Fr Bill Kemmy.

On their arrival, the refugees, most of whom were Moslem, were greeted with applause, smiles and Irish music.

“It was a very emotional moment for us all when our brothers and sisters from Syria arrived in the Focolare Centre. I felt that having come through all the horror that must be present day Syria, they had arrived in just  the right place- somewhere where the mutual love amongst us could  begin to heal their  wounds of  spirit and soul.” said Fran Meagher from Dublin.

Inside Curryhills House a banquet of vegetarian food and desserts awaited the Syrians. Some had a little English but many had none.  “Somehow the language of care and courtesy bridged the gap as Irish and Syrians met and ate together exchanging names and helping each other care for the children,” said Susan Gately from Prosperous.

SkippingMarian Byrne from Dublin described her conversation with  a young mother from Damascus who had been studying law. “There were tears in her eyes as she spoke of the war and the bombs. Her mother and sister are still in Syria and she worries about them. There was so much warmth and love between us in a matter of a few minutes.”

Afterwards Syrian and Irish joined in games and some of the men were introduced to hurling.  Inside there was face painting, arts and crafts. Every so often the Syrian drummer would begin a drum beat and people broke into spontaneous dance.

Later in the afternoon, everyone crowded into the hall of the Focolare centre for a concert which opened with a short power point  presenting Ireland to the group, some of whom had only arrived days beforehand.  In Arabic it told of Ireland’s ancient civilisation, its Christian roots and its moments of profound suffering – like the Famine when a million died and 1.5 million people fled the country as refugees. It also referenced  the country’s bitter civil war in 1922. The Syrians listened with great attention, many filming the power point on their phones.

Presentation Ireland Syrian refugee partyThe concert interspersed Irish and Syrian music. Music became the common language.  “They really enjoyed the Irish music and it opened the door for them to share their music. There was a great sense of giving and receiving,” said Fr Kemmy.

At one point a Syrian man  took the mike. “The Irish aren’t human they are like angels,” he said. The concert ended in an outburst of Syrian dance which everyone joined in, described by one person as a “mad Arabic Céili!”

“The great enthusiasm and love shown by the Focolare and friends and local people which was also reciprocated by our Syrian friends made me very happy and thankful to God for our shared humanity,” said Anna McHugh from Focolare whose involvement as a volunteer at the Monasterevin Centre had been the impetus for the party.

For Fr Kemmy the party reminded him of the Eucharist. “It is about what is here – our concern and how we look at the world and each other as brothers and sisters. But it is also meant to be a foretaste of the heavenly banquet.  The gathering  [on Saturday] was in some ways a heavenly image of people from the different nations, different languages, sharing a bit of happiness and love for one another,” he said.

 

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