Italiano
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PortuguêsI was born and grew up in a family that was always committed to instilling within me the Christian values of respect and love for our neighbor, without discrimination.
As a child I dedicated myself to live according to these values: with my soccer team, at school, and with my friends, I always tried to swim against the tide, that is to say, to not allow myself to be dragged down by all that a consumer society offers; in fact, in Europe materialism is predominant, what you have and your appearance count more than what you are.
But at a certain moment of my life, the pleasures and the things of this world made me lose my way. In reality, I sold myself to the world. I wanted to know all that, until then, I had considered the easy way and, at the same time, more empty. So I began a new phase of my life, where respect for people and for God no longer had value.
I began to experience things that would satisfy me for a moment, and immediately afterwards I would feel a great emptiness of soul, an immense loneliness that left me feeling bad.
After being knocked to the ground more than once, I decided to start over and return to my beginnings. To find again for myself those values that were always present within me, even if buried under so many useless things.
Now, in this community (the little town of O’Higgins in Argentina) where I live with young people from all over the world, I am having a very beautiful experience. I am discovering many things that I didn’t know, thanks to the people who are around me. I discover in my brother a way to grow, a mirror in which I see my reflection. I am searching and finding pure love, without self-interest. A love that gives life to the soul, without prejudices.
This love, that has its roots in the lived Gospel, helps me break free from temporal things and it is a path toward true freedom, a path that carries me to God together with my brothers.
(J. – Italia)
Testimony given at the “Fiesta de los Jovenes”, O’Higgins, Argentina, September 27, 2009
