Congo. Amani, the Language of Peace

12 Mar 2014 | Non categorizzato

“Our land has been devastated by 20 years of civil wars, boy soldiers, violence, exploitation of natural resources, no proactive politics. We are young people who have never known peace. Is there any way we can respond to this challenge? And will our parents, friends and regional authorities be willing to follow us in this crazy adventure?” These ideas led to the formation of a group of Congolese young people who wanted to hold a festival that would send a message using the language of art that would reach highest international levels. A petition was also sent to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon.

“Our land is fertile, water is abundant and the subsoil a gift from God: North Kivu could be an earthly paradise. We young people would like to build it.” They called it their mission. Two years went into preparations and on February 14-16, 2014, the Amani Festival was held in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (amani means peace in Swahili). They sang of their suffering and hope, proclaiming their message to an audience of 25,000 people: politicians, international representatives and UN peacekeepers.

Young people from the Focolare Movement were among the promoters and animators of the event. Belamy Paluku is from the Gen Fire Band in Goma, and in charge of the artistic performances. He states: This festival has been the realization of a great dream: to gather many people and proclaim a message of unity together being advocates of the forgotten people in society. Not only did these artists offer their own points of view, but they come from countries that are at war with one another, and they gave a strong witness of brotherhood and peace from the same stage. I hope this will be the beginning of a new step.”

Many participated in the preparation of the festival, both onstage and behind the scenes. There were those who churned out biscuits and gouffres, those who served the food and those who served the drinks. Everyone worked hard and friendly smiles were everywhere,” says Jean Claude Wenga, who was in charge of communications at the festival.

“I wanted to see what was happening in the culture outside my country and how we might build relationships through cultural exchange,” explains Aurelia from the Focolare, “that’s why I wanted to take part in this event.”

Even adults were not indifferent to the event: “Andre Katoto, the father from one local family commented: “Amani means peace. With this festival we wanted to celebrate peace here in our region.”

Instruments of His love

4 Mar 2014 | Non categorizzato

New music among us

“When I came to know the Gospel, I understood that I had to love. Where do I start? From my music teacher. who I couldn’t stand. In class I have repeatedly expressed what I thought about her  and because of this she had repeatedly called my mother and complained to her about me. One day, after the lesson, I asked to speak to her. Thinking that I was going to argue with her about the grade she gave me, she refused to see me.  I answered that I only wanted to ask for forgiveness and that I have understood that in life we have to try to love everyone. Even if in the beginning she misunderstood me, I continued to tell her about me, of my new relationship with God, even if I knew that she was a non-believer. Our talk continued and I was truly happy. From then on we have established a good relationship and I am discovering in her many positive things that I never imagined before”. (Veronica, Czech Republic)

The beauty of going against the current

“I work in a beauty parlour, with other hairdressers and stylists. The parlour is always full of numerous clients. There are a lot of conversations going on and sometimes one can also hear complaints or discussions. Even here I try to live what I have learned from the Gospel, I help a co-worker who is doing a heavy job all by herself, I hold the hairdryer for another. When it becomes too hot, I prepare something to drink for all the staff. Sometimes some rich ladies would come in accompanied by their maid, and they leave them outside in the heat. So I invite them to come inside and wait in a cool corner and offer them something to drink. Once in awhile someone looks at me curiously, because no one ever does this in the parlour. But the Gospel gives me the courage to go against the current. Then I see that no one has ever complained about me. Silent love does not disturb anyone”. (Razia, Pakistan)

Social Ice Cream

“Ice cream to socialize: last year everyone liked this formula! All the residents of our street were reunited around an ice cream. This year we said: why not extend the initiative to all the families around? In our neighborhood there are families coming from other countries. We are always so busy and in a hurry. But it would take so little to get to know each other, to exchange a greeting, to build a neighborly relationship.

As we were personally inviting each family, knocking from house to house, we could feel in the air the desire to get to know one another. On that evening gathering which was held in the open air on our street, more than seventy people of all ages came. Aside from the ice cream, each one brought something to share, in an atmosphere of friendship, as music played in the background, which were chosen from the melodies of the various ethnic groups pf the participants.

From then on, along the street or in the shops we greet one another with affection and knowing smiles. We know each other better, sharing news, whether beautiful or less so. One of our neighbors, when he came to know that some families needed furniture, gave them his dining set, which was still in very good condition. All it took was an ice cream to create a small community”.  (Vince and Maria, Canada)

Sicily: From “Neighbourhood X ” to “New Neighbourhood”

1 Mar 2014 | Non categorizzato

“ We’ve been married for several years and have three children. A few years ago we had to move from our home because of our choice of life marked by fraternity. We decided to move to a disadvantaged quarter of the city, which was lacking in everything. We wanted to share the lives of the neediest among us, their everyday problems and needs.

The city of Gela is known for organized crime, violence and homicides. Worry and fear generate indifference and closing, leading everyone to live in isolation within the walls of their homes. Quartiere Fondo Iozza has now become our family dwelling. Dirty streets, filled with mud, without streetlights… There was need for a change. Rosa and Rocco felt it should begin with them.

One night during a storm, the telephone rang. Several garages were being flooded and a carpentry shop was about to be covered by water and debris. The landowner, who was our neighbor, was desperate. “I ventured out into the mud with the car,” Rocco explains. “We worked until five o’clock in the morning, doing everything we could to remove the water from the buildings, while encouraging the owner of the carpentry shop. Others came to give us a hand and solidarity suddenly began to make some headway. Then, little by little, we had the feeling that we had blocked the problem. If we hadn’t done something, the damages would have been much worse.”

The families of the quarter began discussing some of their problems with each other: the lack of a sewer system, which was causing serious health problems; the conditions of the roads and the water supply. “We were able to dialogue about these things,” declares Rosa, “because first we tried to create a relationship among all the families, and this made us look at the relationship with the administration also differently. With time we were able to move past the logic of protest to that of dialogue with several mayors who, from that moment, have been more open to working with us.”

A committee was formed and Rocco was elected to be its president, because of the trust he had gained “on site”. Primary objective: restore hope to people who have been discouraged by broken promises. Everyone slowly began to feel politically involved, because of their active participation in resolving issues. This didn’t go unnoticed and the group received an allocation of funds for the restoration of the quarter.

At the Fondo Iozza Quarter – previously called the “X Quarter”, many things have changed: there is water and sewer system, natural methane system and public lighting. Now they proceeding with plans for secondary infrastructure (parish church, sport area, community centre) so that the community that has been born will have a place to live. The quarter has been renamed Quartiere Nuovo (New Quarter). It is seen as a pilot neighbourhood where there are daily efforts to humanize the living area.

Conversations from a few years back with Rocco Goldini, deacon and Chief Inspector of the municipal police in Gela, Sicily, known for his efforts in promoting active citizenship.  A commitment which still today, even after his death, continues to produce positive results.

Source: New Humanity online

A look that truly sees

26 Feb 2014 | Non categorizzato

The enemy

“Our youngest daughter has a very strong character and certain attitudes that are irritating. One evening, after repeated requests for her to go to sleep, I went to the room with the intention of giving her a good scolding. While I was walking towards her I was thinking that this child is becoming a threat to my nerves, because of the relationship with my wife who cannot stand to see me agitated and nervous. Well, she was my “enemy”. But when I was in front of her bed, I changed my attitude: I bend down towards her and I start to listen to what she wanted to tell me. Then I told her a story, I sang her a song: everything seems to have disappeared. The child fell asleep and I too found the peace that comes from love” F.S. – Switzerland

In prison

“Antonio, our young friend from Paraguay, ended up in prison for drug traficking; in reality it was a companion of his who during their trip together put the drugs into his knapsack where the police found it. So he found himslef together with delinquents considered to be dangerous, without any legal assistance. We contacted his mother, we went to visit her often and we got him a very good lawyer. Finally after many months, the judicial process took place which we were following with a group of our friends. Before the sentencing, we prayed together. Antonio was serene.When the judges declared him innocent, there was an explosion of joy in the chambers. One of the lawyers had tears in his eyes. The two prison guards who accompanied him were also moved. Now we want to help him start to live a normal life once again, after the experience lived”. A.F.-Argentina

Nadine do you mean me?

“After a year of being married we found out that we could not have children. And from here the problems with the parents and relatives of my husband started., who already considered me an outsider since I come from another village. We would have wanted to adopt a child but in the town no one would have understood our choice. One day a friend called m and said: there is a newly born gorls whose parents have died in an accident; her grandparents could not take care of her… We went to get her. All our relatives were against it, but we were happy to have Nadine with us. After awhile, they too started to love her and she group up peacefully. Often I would tell het the story of  Nadine with Amet and Haila: and she would say, “Nadine means me, right?” I would answer her yes. Now she is five years old  and she told me: “Mama I would like a little sister”. I answered her that, as she knows, I cannot have children. And so she made it clear: “I want a little sister who has lost her parents during the war, one who is like me”. My husband and I looked at one another: she understood very well in what way she was “our child”. Now in the village, other families, like us, have adopted a child”. A.H.K. – Syria

Taken from: Il Vangelo del giorno (The Gospel of the Day) , Città Nuova Publishing House