Living the Gospel: Overcoming Divisions

On the island of Santa Teresina
“When you live in a state of extreme poverty, or you fall into inertia, or else the only alternative is violence. From the charism of unity I’ve learned that I could become an agent of social transformation in my local environment: trying to work for the local residents, helping to rebuild a mocambo, finding potable water for families. Two years later I was elected president of the St Teresina Citizens Association. I continued the work begun by my predecessors, made sure there was transparency in the public administration, making it clear that if each of us helped the other, God would help us all.”  (J. – Brazil)

The tax agent
I’m a tax agent. It’s a difficult job that I’ve always tried to carry out as a service to the country. I tried to see and serve Jesus in every person, trying to create a relationship with each person. Several years back I was assigned to the Investigative and Executive Department. In practice, I had to convince people who were outside the law, to pay the taxes so that they wouldn’t be sanctioned. It’s quite difficult and requires a good dose of patience. Little by little I gained the respect of the people with whom I was in contact, many of whom because aware of the need and benefit of staying within the rules.”  (A.N. – Kenya)

Contagious solidarity
“Years ago, a social worker friend had asked us to host a seventeen-year-old for a week, who was nearly blind. For various reasons he wasn’t able to stay at the Institute nor to return home with his parents. After talking it over with our boys, who were already teenagers, we decided together to say yes, even though the decision would involve a bit of sacrifice for each one of us. The house was already small for our four children, who were students and in need of space. Miriam came to stay with us and, with the help of everyone, inserted herself so well that she helped out at one of our children’s birthdays that was happening in those days. It turned out to be not only one week, but three. We remember it as one of the powerful experiences of our family. That experience of offering hospitality was still helpful many years later. Our married daughter and mother of two boys, hosted a maladjusted boy who, for Easter, would have been left alone at the Institute. Another one of our sons, now married with three boys, welcomed him for Christmas dinner, along with his mother-in-law, who was sick in the mind. Solidarity is contageous.” (H.G. Austria)