Colombia: Focolare co-President at Unidad Social Centre
Joana is a teenager with flowing black hair. She sings a popular song, “Here is the Colombian traveler,” which describes the beauties of this country.
Giancarlo Faletti has just arrived in this land touched by two oceans. His first visit is to the site of a significant project where he is welcomed by boys and girls dressed in colorful paper costumes and are dancing in the crowded little hall filled with locals who have come to welcome the co-president.
The Los Chircales (Bricklayers) neighbourhood is located on the southern outskirts of Bogota. It is an expanse of disordered red houses, the color of the bricks for which the place is named. The surrounding landscape is rough with broken roads and walls that seem that they are ready to fall. This is where the Unidad Social Center is located.
Everything began in 1977. A group of city youths accepted Chiara Lubich’s bold challenge to “Die for one’s own people.” They went to this quarter within the parish of Father Luis and began to play with the children. Here they encountered the wounded but profound humanity of two bricklayers, Gabrielina and Macedonio, who were making bricks to be used in the attractive buildings of the grand metropolis of Bogota.
Thanks to their generous involvement, a group of social projects were begun in this neighborhood that had been forgotten by all (but not by Providence.) A doctor’s office was opened and a dental clinic, an attractive boutique that sells clothes at accessible prices, and an after-school program for the children of the quarter. The Bogota Municipality took notice of the people’s efforts to redeem themselves and provided for the installment of public electricity, a sewer system and running water.
Gabrielina and Macedonio are a witness to their hope that was transformed into reality. Now illiteracy and alcoholism are no longer their story. They are the living examples, and they have become reference points and advisers because of the human dignity they have regained.
The Unidad Social Centre is a more than dignified place, in which educational programs are held for different age groups, and it has a fully-equipped computer room. Seventy-five students are supported by the New Families Association. Regular remedial courses are offered for seventy students and there are recreational activities that involve 120 children.
A few years ago a teacher heard about the Project and wanted to offer her professional skills to help mothers. A key role is played by this “community Mum”. Currently there are fifteen of these community Mums, who care for fourteen children in a sort of kindergarten where the children are taught early academic and social skills.
The time flew! “I discovered a great page of sacred history in this place,” commented Giancarlo Faletti, “I encountered the living Gospel. I’ll tell the president, Maria Voce, what a precious treasure you are for this neighbourhood and for the city.” This was followed by endless embraces, as is the custom here.
Alberto Lo Presti and Paolo Lòriga
‘I got to know the Focolare through some members of Youth for a United World who were in my class at school in Rome. When the time came that I felt the need to deepen my spirituality and my ideals, I asked the advice of my friend who is a gen. I liked the Movement and I really wanted to love concretely, but I was scared I would be unable to live up to the Ideal of unity, because I was far from having any religion. ‘I don’t like being called an atheist, because nowadays atheism is seen a position of aggressive opposition to the Church and to religion. But I try to respect everyone and everything. For this reason I prefer being called a ‘non-believer’. ‘I have never accepted evangelizing people; it’s always seemed to me to be about putting pressure on them. But I try to ‘shine’ as much as I can, so others may be struck by my light. Living each moment as love is what makes me feel I’m really following this ideal, that I’m a person with something extra because I love everyone and love what I do. ‘Living among a lot of people who are always ready to love has made me understand that it’s not necessary to be heroes to save the lives of others. If you love in the present moment wherever you are, people change. A small act of kindness can make someone smile and can set off a chain reaction of positive events – it creates a piece of united world. ‘One day, during a trip to the mountains, a man decided to join our party, even though his climbing boots were broken, because he was suffered from vertigo and was frightened of using the chair lift. I decided to swap boots with him, and go on with one bare foot and one foot in a broken boot. It was easy to get to the second chair lift, where he thought he could manage to use it and give me back my boots. If an action is inspired by a love that doesn’t seek to gain anything, perhaps it doesn’t change the day much for us personally, but it does for lots of others. ‘My choice of living as a person who follows this Ideal isn’t easy. Every day I live trying to do the right thing. To everyone who has doubts about faith or who thinks that being a non-believer is to be branded for life, I’d like to say that it’s not like that. Above all here, in this environment, I have always felt myself welcome as in a family. At worst… you risk having to talk about yourself on stage like I’m doing now!’ A.O. Italy Recounted at the event ‘Chiara Lubich and the New Generations’, Rome, 11 March 2012