![Direct link with Japan/4]()
26 Mar 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Nichiko Niwano with Maria Voce
Dear friends in Religions for Peace International and international religious communities,
On behalf of Religions for Peace/WCRP Japan, I would like to offer my heartfelt expression of gratitude for your messages of condolence, concern, and support in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake we have experienced in Japan. The prayers, the sharing of our hardships and suffering, and the expressions of solidarity that have been generously offered by the religious leaders belonging to the international network of Religions for Peace are a source of great encouragement for us. I am truly grateful for these strong ties of friendship, which offer further proof that everything exists in a state of interrelation and codependence as part of one great source of life, and for that I am all the more profoundly grateful.
We still do not have a complete picture of the damage and loss of life, and the situation remains perilous, but Religions for Peace/WCRP Japan will continue to make every possible effort to offer relief to the victims. I have already called upon all members of Religions for Peace/WCRP Japan to contribute to emergency assistance efforts, and our religious youth leaders are now collecting relief funds in public places across the country.
I am inspired and encouraged by the world’s religious leaders, who have shown the way to overcome every kind of challenge, including armed conflicts and natural disasters. As the people of Japan work to overcome the recent tragedy, I humbly ask that you will continue to offer your insights and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Nichiko Niwano
President of the Buddhist Movement Risshō Kōsei Kai / Chairman, Religions for Peace/WCRP Japan
26 Mar 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
(more…)
![Direct link with Japan/4]()
25 Mar 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Even those from Quebec were in no hurry to leave. They had 250 kilometres to go, it was getting late, and the temperature was already below zero. From Ottawa too, they still had 150 kilometres to travel; those from Montreal, of course, were on home ground. Broad smiles, excited conversations, little groups of people exchanging confidences, bursts of laughter, flashes of light from cameras eager to capture this unforgettable moment: that says it all.
Over three hundred people had grasped what a one-off occasion with Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti this was to be. Among them were those who had met the very first focolarini to visit Montreal some 40 years ago, returning to meet the successor of the founder Chiara Lubich, in order to revive a bond that had never really been broken. Here on March 23, the warm and generous people of the province of Quebec gave of their very best.
Ten year-old Stephanie, with her long dark hair and slightly Asian look, had the honour of asking the first of ten questions prepared for Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti. She made everyone laugh with her direct and slightly mischievous question: “Chiara was the first to live the spirituality of unity, and brought the movement to life. She was an obvious choice as president. What did you do to become president after her?” Maria Voce, obviously amused, replied to the youngster directly in French.
Before answering the next question, Maria Voce explained that because of the need to translate the session for videos that would go all over the world, she would have to speak in Italian. Everyone approved, but without realising it she began to speak in French again. This drew gales of laughter, and she stopped for a moment, smiled, and decided not to switch continually from one language to another. To everyone’s delight, she chose French.
Their joy was complete when at the end of the evening the president gave her assessment of the visit. “I am grateful to God who enabled me to make this journey to Canada. He was the one who suggested it to me.” She went on, “In this country there is an acceptance, a generosity, a welcome for a whole variety of people who arrive in great need. I can imagine the difficulties, but you demonstrate how they are overcome.”
Looking around the hall, Maria Voce added, “Your testimony is enormous. You have become a real family, of people from different cultures and ethnic origins. This is your most important gift to the Movement. Canada is a place where unity can be experienced, and as with a trampoline you can launch it elsewhere.”
This observation was also, at the same time, a challenge. “Carry on as you are, in the joy of having received this great gift from God, and offer it to others.” The loud applause indicated general approval and helped to hide the tears of emotion of many. No one wanted to leave, and not a few were heard to say, “Please ask Maria and Giancarlo to come back, often.”
Paolo Lòriga
![Direct link with Japan/4]()
25 Mar 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
© Centro Santa Chiara
On 11th March at 2:46pm I was preparing break time snacks in the kindergarten where I work. When I felt the earth shake beneath me I gathered the children straight away and we took cover, waiting for the quake to end. Even though I’m used to earthquakes I started to feel frightened when the tremors didn’t cease. In this circumstance we all felt the desire to help each other face any possible outcome together.
It was evening when parents arrived to pick up their children. Many of them had been forced to come by foot and cried tears of joy when they saw their children safe and sound. When all the children had left for home I breathed a sigh of relief and turned on the kindergarten’s T.V. to watch the news. It was then that I heard about the tsunami. Amongst the areas hit was my home town Miyako.
For six days I tried calling my family without any response. The more news reports I heard, the more I realised just how serious the situation was and the more I felt the spiritual and physical pain of the victims. It was the first time that I felt such a stabbing pain.
But at the same time I felt a strong call from God from within: “Do you really love Me? Do you really believe in My love?” “Yes Lord”, I replied, “I believe on Your love. I believe in Your love. You know I do”. And I understood that the moment had arrived to live the virtues of faith, hope and love with courage; I had to love everyone, to live reciprocal love in its fullness.”
© Centro Santa Chiara
The deep faith that everything God allows is surely part of a plan of love was confirmed in me. So I entrusted Him with all my worries about my family and decided to do His Will moment by moment. I tried to create a peaceful atmosphere at work: by supporting for my colleague who always arrived tired after a 3 hour journey due to train delays; by lending warm clothes to colleagues who were cold because of energy saving; and above all by dedicating myself to the children who, due to risk of further quakes, weren’t allowed play outside. Once again I felt peace within!
Meanwhile, I kept trying to contact my family without success. “When the tsunami hit my brother-in-law would have been at work in the city’s big warehouse, my nephew would have been at school near the port”, I thought to myself, getting carried away with worry. But in moments of anxiety I always received an email or a phone call from friends that comforted me. My colleagues were also close to me in my suffering and this filled me with gratitude.
On 17th March the Gospel read: “Ask and you will receive”. It was the 250th anniversary of the end of the persecution of Christians in Nagasaki. I asked Our Lady to let me know where my family was and, after mass, with peace in my heart I went home. Shortly afterwards, the phone rang. It was my father. “We are all well and the house is intact”, he said with a calm voice.
This experience thought me so much. I learned above all to share and embrace other’s sufferings and to spread the love and light received by God to all around me”.
25 Mar 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
“An hour’s delay!” my friend George exclaims. Unfortunately the message on the departure lounge’s screen was clear. Statistics boast 97% on-time arrivals but on this occasion we were part of the other 3%! Luckily we had calculated plenty of time for reaching Manchester, our final destination.
A queue of people start looking for seats. The children are the noisiest and tension starts to rise in the waiting area.
To maximise my time I take out my laptop to sort my mail. From behind I hear a child cry… not so much cry but scream, breaking my concentration. Unfortunately I don’t have ear plugs. How annoying! The wailing begins to get on my nerves.
But then it occurs to me: could this be my chance to live the Word of Life and see the Will of God in every situation, event and person? I can try not to get annoyed, to be patient and to love.
This thought gave me great peace and strangely enough the child’s waling stopped bothering me.
All of a sudden I see the whole scenario in a new way: my eyes are opened to people’s concerns about how to get home, to the stress and tiredness that caused the child to cry in the first place. Maybe I can do something to help.
I have an idea: I can turn off my laptop, take a pen and paper from my case and go over to the crying child.
The little boy was all worked up in his father’s arms.
“Can I draw you a picture?” I say and the wailing stops suddenly. Two big dark eyes look at me in surprise.
“Look, I’ll draw you an animal. As soon as you guess what animal it is, tell me.”
My pen moves slowly across the paper.
“Elephant!” I hear a voice shout from behind. It’s his four year-old sister. “Phant” echoes the little boy.
“Exactly! Let’s try the next one”.
“A butterfly!”; “A train!”
Then all of a sudden the two of them run off to look out the window.
I exchange a few words with the Moroccan father and return to my seat. “Mission accomplished”.
“You should have seen the faces on the people when you went over to the family,” replies George, “It was as if they were asking themselves: what will happen next!”
D. R. (Denmark)
