Focolare Movement

A victory – and not only on the sportsfield!

May 18, 2009

Angola: recovering after years of war. An experience of a group of young people with others of their own age group: love heals.

My country has just emerged from a war that lasted many years. The political situation is now stable, there is great development, and life has returned to normal. But not for everybody. For a while now a group of youngsters, left without any family, have been gathering near the Church to beg. It became a meeting point for them, they slept and lived there. As time went by things became more and more difficult, with robberies, arguments amongst them, and drugs, and it became dangerous to be out in the evening. The priest had spoken to them and tried to find a solution, but some of them were very rebellious and refused any type of relationship. Together with some other young people we asked ourselves what we could do: we decided to try and get to know them. We introduced ourselves, and every time we went to mass we would stop to speak to them. Little by little a relationship was built with some of them and the idea came to do something together. So we organised a football match. We booked a sports field and even managed to receive a present of some fantastic football kit for both teams. On the appointed day we went to the field, taking drinks, sandwiches and cakes for the break. It was a great occasion, and our friendship grew enormously. The greatest celebration was their victory! From then on we started to invite them to our meetings. Their response was greater than any of our expectations. The relationship that was born ignited a new hope in them, the desire to speak to the priest to look for a job (and many of them found one) and to reinsert themselves into normal life. We realised that the most important thing was not to give money, but more our real interest in them. We had to give our time, our care, our friendship, and the fruits of loving in this way were much greater.  (T. P. – Angola)

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