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24 Jul 2014 | Focolare Worldwide, Senza categoria
“Don’t forget us!” We cannot. As Christians and as men and women of this planet we cannot remain passive in front of the grave situations that are unfolding in many parts of the world. Therefore, let us unite ourselves to the heartfelt prayer of Pope Francis asking for peace especially in the land of Jesus. Let us ask that every possible path will be taken that excludes the use of arms so that the innocent deaths of so many innocent people may be avoided. We wish to assure our Christian brothers and sisters, but also those of other faiths, that we have not forgotten them. That we assume the daily commitment of offering and praying to the Almighty that the violence may stop and dialogue begin between the parties, and that they may have the courage needed for peace. For those wishing to help: Associazione “Azione per un Mondo Unito – Onlus” Via Frascati, 342 – 00040 Rocca di Papa (Roma, Italy) c/c bancario n. 120434 Banca Popolare Etica – Filiale di Roma codice IBAN: IT16 G050 1803 2000 0000 0120 434 codice SWIFT/BIC: CCRTIT2184D Reason: Emergency Middle East For European donors there is a possibility of deduction / tax deductibility. For those wishing to help the Christians of Iraq: IBAN JO09 ARAB 1110 0000 0011 1210 9985 98 Account: 0111 210998 0 598 Swiftcode: ARABJOAX100 Reason: Help Christians in Iraq ARAB Bank – Amman branch Amman – Jordan 
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23 Jul 2014 | Focolare Worldwide
The Teens for Unity from southern Italy have held their annual “Big Bang” meeting in the extreme peripheries of Sicily (July 1, 2014 – July 6, 2014). This was the fifth such event and, once again, it was rich in content, full of emotion and generous commitment. The preparations were carried out by the teenagers themselves, who not only decided on the content, but also the dynamics and timing of the event. They reviewed the last five years and examined the current situation. The teenage editors of the Teens for Unity in Calabria and Sicily (GRAFOTEENS) had already highlighted some issues for adolescents such as the difficult relationship with their own bodies, with the growing number of cases of anorexia and boulemia. The teenagers wanted to change the approach to the problem. They dealt with it in a newspaper article and then staged an open-ended “psychodrama” that they left to be continued in the various work groups. Another burning issue was the relationship between teenagers and parents, which was presented by psychiatrist Ezio Aceti. He focused on communication and the strong feelings that can unfold in friendships, love and even education. The tragic deaths of 45 mirgrants who perished in the hold of a ship caused an interruption in the summer camp. The boat carrying the corpses arrived at the Port of Pozzallo a few kilometres away from the site of the camp, so the Teens for Unity decided to cancel the concluding festivities on Saturday and attend the prayer vigil that was going to be held to commemerate the dead and comfort the living. This decision brought them to the heart of the tragedy of immigration, meeting with Caritas workers and learning what prompts thousands of people to flee their own war-torn lands in search of peace and employment. The local diocese asked the Teens for Unity to be involved in the Vigil.They decided to bring both their “roots” and their “wings”. Their “roots” was the journey they share as members of the Focolare Movement. They read a passage by Igino Giordani from 1926: Come, my exiled brother, let us embrace, in which Giordani discusses the duty towards others and the least. The “wings” was represented by a letter to the 45 deceased refugees, written by a 14 year old girl, Enrica, who asked forgiveness for othe world’s indifference and lack of sensitivity. At the conclusion of the prayer vigil the Teens for Unity were greeted and thanked by the vicar general of the diocese, and some of the refugees and minors who had escaped death just a few days earlier. A dialogue was begun in broken English and Italian, and the youths from the Focolare invited the young refugees to attend some upcoming appointments that could help them to become inserted in the local environment. Perhaps the real “Big Bang” was the new beginning offered at this refugee landing and represented by the Chiara Luce Badano Award that was bestowed on the Sicilian Communities of Ispica and Rosolini for their warm welcome and acceptance of the refugees, especially minors in search of a better future. Source: Città Nuova online
22 Jul 2014 | Focolare Worldwide
The Focolare’s United World Project (AMU) and its partner in Burundi, Cadre Associatif des Solidaires (CASOBU), are quite a winning team! This is thanks also to co-financing by several Italian state entities with whom they were able to conclude several microcredit projects on the peripheries of Bujumbura and in the Province of Ruyigi, Burundi. In all, 80 microcredit groups have been established. The savings accumulated within each group has allowed 406 people to take part in the first project; and 722 people in the second project to begin a production business that enables them to support their families. Sandrine who is one of the project animators recounts: “At first it wasn’t easy to introduce the project, because the people didn’t respect the schedule of programmes. . . this often required me to go beyond simply executing the tasks that had been entrusted to me.” Jerome works in the projects department at CASOBU. He is motivated by the desire to come to the aid of his people: “Each time I try to work alongside them, to respect their personality and dignity, to help everyone to put the accent on the human person and to strengthen the social bonds. In one group a person wasn’t able to repay the credit within the set deadline. Another member of the group, seeing what that other group member had done, lost his own records. Knowing that I was in Ruyigi, the previous debtor looked for me in order to report on his situation. I took the opportunity to stress the importance of brotherhood in the group and how it was the most important value for us, which comes before everything else. Meanwhile, we managed to find the second party who, as it turns out, had gone off to search for money to repay his debt. I learned how important it is that the beneficiaries find the ability to solve their own problems, remaining faithful to the rules, but being enlightened by the spirit of brotherhood. This self-confidence also shows them what they’re able to do.” “In other words,” Sandrine continues, “we at CASOBU would like this Gospel love which guides us as the animators, to also inspire relations within the group, including the decision-making.” One of many experiences: “One woman, a mother with two children and expecting the third, had taken on a debt so that she could begin a small business, but she had never attended the group meetings. It seemed that she had moved elsewhere. They finally found her. As she recounted her story, they realised she had terrible problems. Her husband had abandoned her and her small children, she wasn’t able to pay the rent and was threatened with being thrown out on the street. The group members found a family who took in her children, and they unanimously agreed to grant her an additonal loan so that she could restart her small business. The woman was then able to pay her debts before the deadline. And the other group members felt pride in having brought this situation to a happy conclusion.”
19 Jul 2014 | Focolare Worldwide
http://live.focolare.org/rpu/ See also:
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18 Jul 2014 | Focolare Worldwide, Senza categoria
Pregnant and Working Despite the promises it had made, the company I work for was unable to provide maternity leave, compensation or future guarantees when I found out I was pregnant. So I had to resign. Then a friend offered me a position at his professional firm. It would have been a fictional employment; I wouldn’t have to work but my rights as a working mother would be honoured. I had already begun to prepare my documents when my conscience rebelled. By stepping outside the law, I would actually be performing a theft against the state, even though I wanted to be a model of honesty for the child I was awaiting. So I declined the job offer, against the wishes of my relatives. But a few days later they were also shocked by how God had answered in such a providential way: a new professional career for my husband, a crib, stroller and baby clothes for my son, as well as a new job for me.
M. L. – Sicily
The Ironing Board For a short time my son has been living on his own. He often comes to visit me, and one day when he saw me ironing, he said: “You know what? I’m missing an ironing board.” I didn’t think about it very long, and I gave him mine. He went away happy, but I was feeling happier because I had given him something he truly needed. A couple of days later a friend of mine asked: “Could you use an ironing board? I have one in the cellar that I’m no longer using.” I was stunned. It was also more comfortable than the one I had given away.
R. B. – Switzerland
The Classmate One day, one of my classmates began throwing books in the air and cursing against God: “Why aren’t you ever there when I need you? What are you doing up there?” I didn’t understand why he was acting like that, until I learnt that his mother had to have cancer surgery. I tried to be close to him, sharing this great suffering, and we prayed together to Jesus that the surgery would go well. Then my other classmates also prayed. The class seemed transformed: this event had made us become more united. The surgery went well, and we all thanked God.
J.S. – Germany
Translation Work 
I was in need of money and was able to find work translating. One day my friend confided to me that she was going through difficult times economically. I offered to let her share the translation work I was doing. That same day I received an offer for another job that would earn me double the amount I had shared with my friend.
E. M. – Azores
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17 Jul 2014 | Focolare Worldwide
The tension of those 115 minutes of play time is felt all over the world, and even more so in Argentina. Everyone is in front of the television screen for the finals of the Soccer World Cup. When Germany makes a goal, there is a moment of profound silence, then a shout of joy from those who side with that team and immediately after the applause of everyone. They are the more than 500 teens from different Countries who arrived in the Argentinian Little Town of the Focolare Movement (250 kms. away from Bueno Aires), to participate in the “Citizens of the World” Youth Camp that started on July 14. Some were supposed to arrive later but they hurried to come so as to live together the great finals. There were flags, faces painted with the colours of the two national teams, songs, cheers… everything, but all done in mutual respect. Even if they didn’t know one another, in a short time freindships were formed. They are adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17, coming from 27 countries and 5 continents. They are all members of Teens for unity. Sharing the World Cup finals together was a happy coincidence, as it became an opportunity to practice living the experience of fraternity, before starting the tasks to be done during the first week of the youth camp. The proposal consists of realizing an international workshop where teens are formed according to the culture of fraternity, and which will allow them to acquire a worldwide dimension, where one learns to respect and love the country of the other as one’s own. The event will take place in two stages. The first week will be held at the Mariapolis Lia, where the teens will work together in a dynamic programme, “just like in a laboratory” they explain, “where different elements are mixed together to produce something new. This is what we want to do during these days”. The objective is to learn to build relationships with everyone, in a venue of a “culture of reciprocity” that allows each one to be formed as “men and women citizens of the world”. Saturday July 19, the first phase concludes with a day open to other teen boys and girls and with a live streaming link up (live.focolare.org/rpu) with the Teens for Unity all over the world. At the end of the day they will make a pact to commit themselves to “going towards the peripheries”, so as to concretize actions of solidarity in terms of fraternity. From July 20 to 27, during the second week, the project will continue, moving to different cities of the Latin American continent, where there are social iniziative animated by the spirituality of unity, typical of the Focolare Movement. This include schools, community centers, homes for street children, home for the elderly. In the meantime, the streets and the areas of the Little Town come to life and experience a new sprint with the presence of these teens who want to participate in the “world championship of fraternity”. video
“Don’t forget us!” We cannot. As Christians and as men and women of this planet we cannot remain passive in front of the grave situations that are unfolding in many parts of the world. Therefore, let us unite ourselves to the heartfelt prayer of Pope Francis asking for peace especially in the land of Jesus. Let us ask that every possible path will be taken that excludes the use of arms so that the innocent deaths of so many innocent people may be avoided. We wish to assure our Christian brothers and sisters, but also those of other faiths, that we have not forgotten them. That we assume the daily commitment of offering and praying to the Almighty that the violence may stop and dialogue begin between the parties, and that they may have the courage needed for peace. For those wishing to help: Associazione “Azione per un Mondo Unito – Onlus” Via Frascati, 342 – 00040 Rocca di Papa (Roma, Italy) c/c bancario n. 120434 Banca Popolare Etica – Filiale di Roma codice IBAN: IT16 G050 1803 2000 0000 0120 434 codice SWIFT/BIC: CCRTIT2184D Reason: Emergency Middle East For European donors there is a possibility of deduction / tax deductibility. For those wishing to help the Christians of Iraq: IBAN JO09 ARAB 1110 0000 0011 1210 9985 98 Account: 0111 210998 0 598 Swiftcode: ARABJOAX100 Reason: Help Christians in Iraq ARAB Bank – Amman branch Amman – Jordan 
